5 Old But Convenient HDB Estates To Rent In

These HDB estates might not be the newest kids on the block, but they carry a certain old-school charm, and they’re extremely convenient to stay in.

Read on to find out more!

#1: Tiong Bahru

Is Tiong Bahru gentrified? Perhaps. But is it a convenient area to live in? Most definitely.

Some backstory here: Tiong Bahru is one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore; here, you’ll find plenty of pre-war flats built in the late Art Deco movement. In 2003, several of these flats were gazetted by the Urban Redevelopment Authority for conservation.

In terms of amenities, you’ll find that Tiong Bahru offers up a lot. There are cafes, yoga studios, bars, restaurants, art shops, and Tiong Bahru Market, which houses a smorgasbord of delicious local food. If you need to run errands or hit the gym, head over to Tiong Bahru Plaza.

#2: Queenstown

If you’re a history buff, you’ll know that Queenstown is Singapore’s first ever satellite town. Fun fact: Blocks 45, 48 and 49 at Stirling Road, Queenstown lay claim to being Singapore’s oldest HDB flats. These were completed back in 1961, which is just one year after HDB was formed, and took over from SIT.

Why is Queenstown a great neighbourhood to live in? The estate boasts of not one, but two swanky new BTO projects that regularly make those “most Instagrammable HDBs in Singapore” or “HDB developments that look more like condominiums” lists. We’re talking about SkyVille@Dawson (which is award-winning, by the way), and SkyTerrace@Dawson.

That aside, there are also plenty of malls, restaurants, community clubs, parks, and recreational spaces for you to while away a lazy weekend. Special mention goes to Tiong Hoe Coffee, which is a must-visit for coffee aficionados.

#3: Toa Payoh

If we’re going to make a list of old but convenient HDB estates, it goes without saying that Toa Payoh would be on that list.

Property prices in Toa Payoh has always been high, but Singaporeans and foreigners still pay a premium to buy property or rent in this area. It’s easy to see why: the estate is close to town (just 12 minutes away from Orchard via MRT), there’s plenty of food options, regardless of whereabouts in Toa Payoh you’re staying, and it offers up a wide range of amenities as well.

More specifically, if you’re staying in Toa Payoh, you’ll have easy access to:

HDB Hub
Toa Payoh Stadium
Toa Payoh Swimming Complex
SAFRA Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh town park

#4: Marine Parade

The bulk of the flats in Marine Parade were built in the 1970s, and the estate (especially the Katong area) was an unofficial enclave for the wealthy Peranakans. Today, Katong still houses many Peranakan restaurants and shops, including Kim Choo Kueh Chang and Baba Chews.

If you want to stay in someplace vibrant, lively, and steeped in culture, then Marine Parade might be a good fit for you. Amenities-wise, there’s a community club, library, and several malls such as Parkway Parade, 112 Katong, and Katong V. You’ll find a more interesting mix of tenants (gourmet supermarkets, artisanal food stores, etc) here; these aren’t your standard, run-of-the-mill malls that you’ll find along the Orchard Road belt.

#5: Bedok

HDB started making plans to develop Bedok into an HDB town as early as 1963. Their first step was to pilot a reclamation scheme using earth excavated from the area – that’s how Bedok Reservoir was born.

Today, approximately 195,000 people live in Bedok. The neighbourhood was recently revamped as part of HDB’s Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme. Key amenities include Bedok Mall, Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, the Pedestrian Mall, Bedok Town Square, and Heartbeat@Bedok. Like cycling? There’s also the Outdoor Play Corridor, which connects Bedok Reservoir Park to East Coast Park.

Would you rather stay in an old or new HDB estate? Voice your thoughts in our comments section or on our Facebook community page.

Looking for a property? Find the home of your dreams today on Singapore’s largest property portal 99.co! You can also access a wide range of tools to calculate your down payments and loan repayments, to make an informed purchase.

Image credits for featured image: Flickr.com.

About Elizabeth Tan

Elizabeth is a writer, a Harry Potter fanatic, and a Game Of Thrones addict.

Looking to sell your property?

Whether your HDB apartment is reaching the end of its Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) or your condo has crossed its Seller Stamp Duty (SSD) window, it is always good to know how much you can potentially gain if you were to list and sell your property. Not only that, you’ll also need to know whether your gains would allow you to right-size to the dream home in the neighbourhood you and your family have been eyeing.

One easy way is to send us a request for a credible and trusted property consultant to reach out to you.

Alternatively, you can jump onto 99.co’s Property Value Tool to get an estimate for free.

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