May 2023 BTO: Unit Analysis for Serangoon North Vista

It's been almost a decade since the last BTO was released in Serangoon, and in 2014, only studio apartments were offered in the Serangoon project. That's why it comes as no surprise to see such an enthusiastic response to the Serangoon North Vista BTO in May 2023, with the highest first-timer application rates. This time around, 4- and 5-room units are available. In this review, we'll take a look at the surroundings of the site and pick the best units to go for.

BTO	Serangoon North Vista
Location	Along Serangoon North Ave 1
PLH model?	No
Total no. of units	330
Unit types	4- and 5-room units
No. of blocks	5
How tall?	12 storeys
Estimated completion date	3Q 2027
Pricing	4-room: $397K - $496K 5-room: $558K - $658K

Site Visit

Serangoon North Vista is situated in a relatively dense residential community. There is a mix of HDBs and condominiums here amidst a landed housing enclave (hello, unblocked views!).

Site for Serangoon North BTO.

A large landed housing cluster sits just across the road from it.

Arterial Yio Chu Kang Road, which borders the BTO, sees a high flow of traffic and the BTO is located relatively close to one of the major traffic junctions along the road. However, there aren't a lot of stacks that overlook this road, and you do get a sense of tranquillity the further you are along Serangoon North Ave 1, another road which borders the BTO.

Near the traffic junction on Yio Chu Kang Road.

Along Serangoon North Ave 1, which doesn't see a whole lot of traffic.

Amenities-wise, you can expect sporadic cafes, eateries and restaurants in the vicinity. The nearest amenity cluster within walking distance is at Serangoon North Village along Serangoon North Ave 1, a neighbourhood centre encompassing retail shops, services, as well as several supermarkets and minimarts.

A 15-min walk will take you to Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre and Chomp Chomp Food Centre. The former appeals to early risers, while the latter is more of a supper hotspot.

There are also amenities (minimart, eating house and other shops) on-site on the first floor of the BTO’s multi-storey carpark if you don’t wish to walk too far.

In terms of public transportation, there are no MRTs within walking distance. As of now, the nearest MRT stations are the existing Serangoon MRT on the Circle and North-East Lines and Kovan MRT on the North-East Line. There are plenty of bus services along Yio Chu Kang Road however, with relatively high frequency so getting to the MRT stations won't take too long.

Come 2030 though, you can expect that the upcoming Serangoon North MRT station along the Cross-Island Line will be within walking distance. Of course, it's unlikely that this perk will be available until after you've received the keys to your BTO, so you'll need to be patient and wait a little while for that.

Primary schools that are likely to be within a 1km radius include the popular Rosyth School as well as Zhonghua Primary School.

Unit Analysis for Serangoon North Vista

Colour Code:
4-room
5-room

Peace and Privacy

If you are looking for a home that offers privacy and some quiet, these are your best bet. You want a stack that isn’t facing the areas where people tend to congregate. You also want to opt for stacks by the corners and away from the rubbish chutes and the lifts.

128B: 614
129A: 630
129C: 646

Less Afternoon Sun

Since Singapore experiences hot afternoon sun from either the northwest or southwest, it's best to steer clear of stacks that face those directions. If you're looking to avoid the brunt of the afternoon, the stacks below are least likely to be affected:

129C: 650, 652, 654

To a smaller extent, some inward stacks like 600, 602, 620, 622, 642, and 644 may also benefit from the partial shade provided by the neighbouring stacks within the BTO itself.

Unblocked Views

If you choose a stack that faces the landed housing clusters near this site, you will have a good chance of having unobstructed views because these clusters are generally shorter (2 to 5 storeys) compared to the 12-storey tall Serangoon North Vista blocks.

128A: 604, 606, 608, 610
128B: 614
129C: 650, 652, 654, 656

Other considerations:

• The stacks (650, 652, 654) with the view of Yio Chu Kang Road can be a tad bit close to the private housing cluster. Take note of that for those opting for a unit on the lower floor. Also, as mentioned earlier, this arterial road gets busy, so even though there's a bit of a buffer, you are still likely to be subjected to traffic noise levels.

Notice the proximity of the existing private housing to the BTO site on the left of image.

Floor Plans

4-room

Pretty standard 4-room BTO layout; nothing seems out of the ordinary here. The bomb shelter’s located along the walkway so you get a bit more room near the entrance of the home. The master bedroom also seems pretty spacious and it is likely you will be able to accommodate an L-shaped wardrobe if you wish. The three bedrooms are all flush with one another, with non-structural walls in between them. So if you do decide to remove the walls, you can get quite one clean, large space.

5-room

The 5-room layout has the bomb shelter opening out into the kitchen rather than along the walkway. It's been a while since we saw a layout like this (perhaps because it's not a popular one?). This is great if you are thinking of using the space as a pantry of sorts, but it does mean it will eat into any countertop space (if you are thinking of going for a galley-style cooking space). And if you were thinking of getting rid of the walls to the service yard, this bomb shelter door there does put a damper on things. For those thinking of an open kitchen, there’s still room to place an island perpendicular to the kitchen should you need more prep space.

On the flip side, your wardrobe in the primary bedroom can sit in a nice recessed nook, which can make things look quite neat. But if you do decide to combine the master bedroom with the adjacent bedroom, take note that the wall between them is not fully non-structural, so you will end up with a small column jutting out.

All site plans and floor plans courtesy of HDB