{"id":55419,"date":"2022-08-30T12:25:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-30T04:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/"},"modified":"2022-09-28T16:33:21","modified_gmt":"2022-09-28T08:33:21","slug":"august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/","title":{"rendered":"August 2022 HDB BTO in-depth review: Bukit Merah (Alexandra Vale and Havelock Hillside)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\">\r\n<h2>Table of contents<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"#h-august-2022-bukit-merah-hdb-bto-at-a-glance\" data-level=\"2\">August 2022 Bukit Merah HDB BTO at a glance<\/a>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"#h-estimated-downpayment-monthly-instalment-and-income\" data-level=\"3\">Estimated downpayment, monthly instalment and income<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#h-what-we-noticed-about-the-august-2022-bukit-merah-hdb-bto\" data-level=\"2\">What we noticed about the August 2022 Bukit Merah HDB BTO<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>If you want to live close to the city centre, look out for the Bukit Merah BTO. In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-overview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">August 2022 HDB BTO<\/a> launch, HDB is offering two projects in this mature estate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-august-2022-bukit-merah-hdb-bto-at-a-glance\"><strong>August 2022 Bukit Merah HDB BTO at a glance<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-83\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-83\">\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Location<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Alexandra Vale: Along Alexandra View<br \/>\nHavelock Hillside: Along Havelock Road<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Classification<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Mature estate (PLH) <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Flat types and number of units<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Alexandra Vale: 782<br \/>\n3-room: 182<br \/>\n4-room: 600<br \/>\n<br \/>\nHavelock Hillside: 869<br \/>\n3-room: 171<br \/>\n4-room: 698<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Number of blocks<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">2 blocks for both projects<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Estimated waiting time<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Alexandra Vale: 5 years 1 month<br \/>\nHavelock Hillside: 5 years 8 months <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Estimated completion date<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Alexandra Vale: Q2 2028<br \/>\nHavelock Hillside: Q4 2028<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Nearest MRT<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Redhill MRT, Havelock MRT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Notable amenities<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Redhill Market and Food Centre, Beo Crescent Market, Tiong Bahru Plaza, Valley Point, Great World City, Delta Swimming Complex and Sports Hall, Singapore General Hospital, Alexandra Hospital<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_58523\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-58523\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-map.jpg\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-58523\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-map.jpg\" alt=\"August 2022 Alexandra Vale BTO\" width=\"600\" height=\"577\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-map.jpg 840w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-map-150x144.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-58523\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Map of Alexandra Vale. Source: HDB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_58525\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-58525\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-map.jpg\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-58525\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-map.jpg\" alt=\"August 2022 Havelock Hillside BTO\" width=\"600\" height=\"573\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-map.jpg 847w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-map-150x143.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-58525\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Map of Havelock Hillside. Source: HDB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<h2><strong>August 2022 Bukit Merah HDB BTO price range<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>Here&#8217;s the price range for Alexandra Vale BTO excluding grants:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>Flat type<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td><b>Price range\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>3-room<\/td>\r\n<td>S$385k &#8211; S$477k<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>4-room<\/td>\r\n<td>S$547k &#8211; S$705k<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>And here&#8217;s the price range for Havelock Hillside BTO excluding grants:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>Flat type<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td><b>Price range\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>3-room<\/td>\r\n<td>S$370k &#8211; S$515k<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>4-room<\/td>\r\n<td>S$531k &#8211; S$730k<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-estimated-downpayment-monthly-instalment-and-income\"><strong>Estimated downpayment, monthly instalment and income<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Based on the price ranges, we can estimate the downpayment, monthly instalments and household income needed to pay for the August 2022 Bukit Merah BTO flat. These estimates are based on the following assumptions:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/home-loan-hdb-concessionary-loan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HDB loan<\/a> is taken, maximising the 85% <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/ltv-limit-loan-to-value-property-singapore\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">loan-to-value (LTV)<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>The loan tenure is 25 years, with the current interest rate of 2.6%<\/li>\r\n<li>There is no other housing loan to service<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>To illustrate, we\u2019ll use the median of the estimated price range and won\u2019t be taking into account any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/hdb-grants-for-couples\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CPF grants<\/a> or savings to be used. We\u2019ll also be using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moneysense.gov.sg\/financial-tools\/mortgage-calculator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mortgage calculator<\/a> to do the math.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Another thing is that for public housing, you can only use up to 30% of your monthly household income to service the home loan. This is called the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/property-jargon-of-the-day-mortgage-servicing-ratio-msr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR)<\/a>, which you can calculate using our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/tools\/msr-calculator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MSR calculator<\/a>. By taking this into account, we can then find the estimated household monthly income needed for the flat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Here are the estimates for Alexandra Vale BTO:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Flat type<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Median price<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Loan amount (85%)<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Min. downpayment (15%)<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Estimated monthly instalment<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Estimated monthly household income<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>3-room<\/td>\r\n<td>S$431,000<\/td>\r\n<td>S$366,350<\/td>\r\n<td>S$64,650<\/td>\r\n<td>S$1,662.02<\/td>\r\n<td>S$5,540.07<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>4-room<\/td>\r\n<td>S$626,000<\/td>\r\n<td>S$532,100<\/td>\r\n<td>S$93,900<\/td>\r\n<td>S$2,413.98<\/td>\r\n<td>S$8,046.60<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>And here are the estimates for Havelock Hillside BTO:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Flat type<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Median price<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Loan amount (85%)<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Min. downpayment (15%)<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Estimated monthly instalment<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Estimated monthly household income<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>3-room<\/td>\r\n<td>S$442,500<\/td>\r\n<td>S$376,125<\/td>\r\n<td>S$66,375<\/td>\r\n<td>S$1,706.36<\/td>\r\n<td>S$5,687.87<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>4-room<\/td>\r\n<td>S$630,500<\/td>\r\n<td>S$535,925<\/td>\r\n<td>S$94,575<\/td>\r\n<td>S$2,431.33<\/td>\r\n<td>S$8,104.43<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-we-noticed-about-the-august-2022-bukit-merah-hdb-bto\"><strong>What we noticed about the August 2022 Bukit Merah HDB BTO<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The first thing that caught our eye is how close both projects are to the MRT station. The nearest MRT for Alexandra Vale BTO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/mrt-stations\/redhill-mrt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Redhill MRT<\/a>. While for Havelock Hillside BTO, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/mrt-stations\/havelock-mrt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Havelock MRT<\/a> will be its nearest MRT.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>As expected, because of their close proximity to the MRT and the city centre, both projects fall under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/plh-prime-location-public-housing-model-hdb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model<\/a>. It&#8217;s just like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/may-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bukit Merah Ridge<\/a> that was launched last May, which is around 600m from the Alexandra Vale BTO and around 900m from the Havelock Hillside BTO.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>We also want to point out that the Alexandra Vale BTO was initially planned to be launched in last May\u2019s exercise, but was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/2-plh-projects-launched-may-2022-bto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">later postponed<\/a> to this August launch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Check out this video review we did for last May&#8217;s exercise, which covered the Alexandra Vale BTO site.<\/p>\r\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d4sDRgbZywY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-august-2022-bukit-merah-bto-the-pros\"><strong>August 2022 Bukit Merah BTO: The Pros<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-accessibility\"><strong>Accessibility<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p><em>*Disclaimer: Walking, public transport ride, driving durations are based on Google Maps estimates. Actual times may vary.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Besides the central location, what we like most about both Bukit Merah BTO is that both are close to the MRT. In fact, both are just around a five-minute walk away from their nearest MRT: Redhill MRT which is right next to Alexandra Vale BTO, and the upcoming Havelock MRT on the new Thomson-East Coast Line for Havelock Hillside BTO.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Residents of Havelock Hillside BTO will also have direct access to the East-West Line, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/mrt-stations\/tiong-bahru-mrt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tiong Bahru MRT<\/a> an eight-minute walk away.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Both BTO are ideal for those working in the CBD, as you can reach there within three to four stops. And for those who drive, the CBD is just within a 15-minute drive away.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>The Central Expressway (CTE) is also just a couple of streets away, connecting you to the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and Seletar Expressway (SLE).<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-food-and-retail-amenities\"><strong>Food and retail amenities<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Both Bukit Merah BTO are within walking distance to neighbourhood centres, where you can find hawker centres and supermarkets.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>The Alexandra Vale BTO, in particular, is just around a seven-minute walk to Redhill Market and Food Centre. Here\u2019s also where you can find a Giant supermarket. Closer to home, there\u2019s an NTUC Fairprice on the first floor of the neighbouring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/condos-apartments\/artra\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Artra<\/a> condo.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Likewise, if you managed to snag a flat at the Havelock Hillside BTO, you\u2019ll just be five minutes walk away from Beo Crescent Market. Walk a little further west and you\u2019ll find an NTUC Fairprice.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking for one that&#8217;s closer to food and retail amenities, we suggest going for the Havelock Hillside BTO. It\u2019s just around an eight-minute walk to Tiong Bahru Plaza, and a 12-minute walk to Valley Point and Great World City.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"930\" height=\"550\" class=\"wp-image-7650\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/tiong-bahru.jpg\" alt=\"Tiong Bahru Bakery\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>This BTO is also closer to the eateries and cafes at Tiong Bahru (10-minute walk) and Robertson Quay (18-minute walk).<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-childcare-centres\"><strong>Childcare centres<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>We also like that some childcare centres are available within walking distance of both BTOs.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>For the Alexandra Vale BTO, there\u2019s the Cambridge Pre-School at the neighbouring Artra condo. There\u2019s also a few options within a 10-minute walking distance, such as Alora Child Care at Leng Kee CC, PCF Sparkletots at Redhill Close and My First Skool at Henderson Crescent.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>For the Havelock Hillside BTO, the nearest childcares include Superland Pre-School at Ganges Avenue, MY World Pre-School at Boon Tiong Road and Maple Bear Pre-School at Havelock Road. All are within 10 minutes walking distance from the BTO.<\/p>\r\n<p>Like most BTOs in this launch, both projects will have a childcare centre within the development.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-schools\"><strong>Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Both BTOs are within a 1km radius of at least two primary schools. For the Alexandra Vale BTO, these are Alexandra Primary and Gan Eng Seng Primary. For the Havelock Hillside BTO, these are River Valley Primary, Alexandra Primary and Zhang De Primary.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Other nearby schools include Crescent Girls\u2019 Secondary, Gan Eng Seng Secondary, Bukit Merah Secondary and APSN (Tanglin School), that&#8217;s right next to Alexandra Vale BTO.<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_58575\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-58575\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale.jpg\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-58575\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale.jpg\" alt=\"Alexandra Vale BTO\" width=\"600\" height=\"587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-150x147.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-58575\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist&#8217;s impression of Alexandra Vale BTO. Source: HDB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-recreational-facilities\"><strong>Recreational facilities<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-ang-mo-kio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ang Mo Kio BTO<\/a>, there\u2019s a good range of recreational facilities here. The Alexandra Vale BTO is especially ideal for those into sports. It\u2019s right next to Delta Swimming Complex and Sports Hall, which also has a hockey pitch. Currently, both are closed for renovation.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>The sports facilities are still located pretty near the Havelock Hillside BTO, but it will take around a 13-minute bus ride to get there.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>On top of that, both Bukit Merah BTO are close to parks. For instance, you can head to the Henderson Park Connector nearby that\u2019s linked to Telok Blangah Hill Park and Mount Faber. The park connector is also connected to the Rail Corridor, where you can head to Tanjong Pagar or Kranji for the times when you fancy a long walk.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-healthcare-facilities\"><strong>Healthcare facilities<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Healthcare facilities are also pretty accessible from both BTOs, with two hospitals within a short drive away.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Singapore General Hospital and Alexandra Hospital are both within a 10-minute drive away from both BTOs. SGH is closer to the Havelock Hillside BTO (a six-minute drive), while Alexandra Hospital is closer to the Alexandra Vale BTO at a seven-minute drive away.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>For acute illnesses and non-emergencies, there\u2019s also Bukit Merah Polyclinic nearby. It\u2019s around a 15-minute bus ride from Alexandra Vale BTO, and a 25-minute bus ride from Havelock Hillside BTO.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_58573\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-58573\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside.jpg\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-58573\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside.jpg\" alt=\"Havelock Hillside BTO\" width=\"600\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-150x90.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-58573\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist&#8217;s impression of Havelock Hillside BTO. Source: HDB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-august-2022-bukit-merah-bto-the-cons\"><strong>August 2022 Bukit Merah BTO: The Cons<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-no-5-room-flats-available\"><strong>No 5-room flats available<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/may-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bukit Merah Ridge<\/a> in the previous launch, we have one major gripe on both projects: they don\u2019t have 5-room flats.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Both are PLH projects with a 10-year <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/property-jargon-of-the-day-minimum-occupation-period-mop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Minimum Occupation Period (MOP)<\/a>, so it can be a tight squeeze for those expanding the family within those 10 years.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>So if you\u2019re looking for a bigger space, we suggest going for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-ang-mo-kio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ang Mo Kio BTO<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-choa-chu-kang\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Choa Chu Kang BTO<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-tampines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tampines BTO<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Or go for resale flats in the area, which are not restricted by the PLH restrictions.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\n    <section id=\"portal-widget-tab-panel-69f79111d6583\" class=\"portal-widget-tab-panel\">\n        <div class=\"swiper-container\" id=\"swiper-container-69f79111d6583\">\n                        <div class=\"row-title-widget\">\n                <div class=\"portal-widget-carousel-title-left\"><h4 class=\"portal-widget-title\">HDBs in Bukit Merah<\/h4><\/div>\n                <div class=\"portal-widget-carousel-title-right text-right\"><span class=\"portal-widget-see-all-link link-top\"><a href=\"\" class=\"nndc-open-app-link\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/sale?isFilterUnapplied=false&amp;listing_type=sale&amp;main_category=hdb&amp;map_bounds=1.268331%2C103.803327%2C1.295639%2C103.833453&amp;name=Bukit%20Merah&amp;page_num=1&amp;page_size=35&amp;property_segments=residential&amp;query_coords=1.282014214114048%2C103.81858972312699&amp;query_ids=szbukit_merah&amp;query_limit=radius&amp;query_type=subzone&amp;radius_max=1000&amp;rental_type=unit&amp;show_cluster_preview=true&amp;show_description=true&amp;show_future_mrts=true&amp;show_internal_linking=true&amp;show_meta_description=true&amp;show_nearby=true&amp;sub_categories=hdb_2r%2Chdb_3r%2Chdb_4r%2Chdb_5r%2Chdb_executive&amp;zoom=17&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=widget\">See all listings<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"portal-widget-carousel swiper-wrapper\">\n                                    <div class=\"portal-widget-carousel__card swiper-slide\">\n                                                <div class=\"card-image\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pic2.99.co\/v3\/KXCn6CSmFsPm8UUZkgYA8j?text=Jason+Ng&sampling=lanczos&version=1&height=600&width=800&mode=fill&quality=80&convert_if_png=true&signature=5319e815a559b2519c387209220ddf1aff615a87\" alt=\"117 Bukit Merah Central Photo\">\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"card-description\">\n                            <div class=\"card-text card-title\">117 Bukit Merah Central<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"card-text card-subtitle\">Singapore 150117 \u00b7 D3<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"card-text card-room\">\n                                <div >\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/plugins\/nndc-portal\/public\/partials\/..\/images\/bed-icon.svg\" alt=\"bedroom\">\n                                    <span>3<\/span>\n                                <\/div>\n                                <div >\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/plugins\/nndc-portal\/public\/partials\/..\/images\/bath-icon.svg\" alt=\"bathroom\">\n                                    <span>2<\/span>\n                                <\/div>\n                                <div >\n                                    <span>1,259 sqft<\/span>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"card-text card-price\">S$ 688,888<\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"card-button\">\n                            <button class=\"btn-view-listing nndc-open-app-link\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/sale\/property\/117-bukit-merah-central-hdb-GMBUgiwY9dYFpvzD47WMMn?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=widget\">View this listing<\/button>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"portal-widget-carousel__card swiper-slide\">\n                                                <div class=\"card-image\">\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pic2.99.co\/v3\/Em6mGnqEkfpfKDRuf7yaEE?text=Tan+Yam+Seng&sampling=lanczos&version=1&height=600&width=800&mode=fill&quality=80&convert_if_png=true&signature=a0ea3ab965bb8e0af65055d562878e34e46b0138\" alt=\"116 Bukit Merah Central Photo\">\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"card-description\">\n                            <div class=\"card-text card-title\">116 Bukit Merah Central<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"card-text card-subtitle\">Singapore 150116 \u00b7 D3<\/div>\n                            <div class=\"card-text card-room\">\n                                <div >\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/plugins\/nndc-portal\/public\/partials\/..\/images\/bed-icon.svg\" alt=\"bedroom\">\n                                    <span>3<\/span>\n                                <\/div>\n                                <div >\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/plugins\/nndc-portal\/public\/partials\/..\/images\/bath-icon.svg\" alt=\"bathroom\">\n                                    <span>2<\/span>\n                                <\/div>\n                                <div >\n                                    <span>1,258 sqft<\/span>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"card-text card-price\">S$ 628,000<\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"card-button\">\n                            <button class=\"btn-view-listing nndc-open-app-link\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/sale\/property\/116-bukit-merah-central-hdb-D8E5dYgbjfr8Gef5GXnLah?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=widget\">View this listing<\/button>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n            <!-- Add Arrows -->\n            <div class=\"swiper-button-next\"><\/div>\n            <div class=\"swiper-button-prev\"><\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n<p>\n\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-oversubscription-for-second-timers\"><strong>Oversubscription (for second-timers)<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Judging by the application rate for the nearby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/may-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bukit Merah Ridge<\/a> in the previous launch, we think first-timers may have a shot at securing a queue number.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>During the May 2022 BTO launch, the <a href=\"https:\/\/services2.hdb.gov.sg\/webapp\/BP13BTOENQWeb\/AR_May2022_BTO?strSystem=BTO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">application rates<\/a> for first-timers were 0.6 for 3-room flats and 3.2 for 4-room flats, which were actually lower than the application rates for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/may-2022-hdb-bto-review-toa-payoh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kim Keat Heights<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/may-2022-hdb-bto-review-jurong-west\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lakeside View<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/may-2022-hdb-bto-review-yishun\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yishun Beacon<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-52657\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/may-2022-bto-application-rate.png\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-52657\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/may-2022-bto-application-rate.png\" alt=\"May 2022 BTO application rate\" width=\"1263\" height=\"792\" \/><\/a>\r\n<figcaption>Source: HDB<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>This could be due to the PLH restrictions that make the project less popular than expected.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>But if you\u2019re applying as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/hdb-second-timers-before-sell\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">second-timer<\/a>, note that your chances of securing a queue number here may be lower.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>As you can see from the table above, there were 21 applicants competing for each 3-room flat and 46 applicants for each 4-room flat. So there\u2019s more intense competition among second-timers.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-august-2022-bukit-merah-bto-where-are-the-best-stacks-with-the-best-views\"><strong>August 2022 Bukit Merah BTO: Where are the best stacks with the best views?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for unblocked views, you may want to give Alexandra Vale BTO a skip. It\u2019s mostly surrounded by condos and HDB flats. At the north, there\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/condos-apartments\/echelon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Echelon<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/condos-apartments\/alex-residences\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alex Residences<\/a>. Both condos are at least 40 storeys tall.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-49190\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/bukit-merah-bto-alexandra-view-ura-master-plan.jpg\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/bukit-merah-bto-alexandra-view-ura-master-plan.jpg\" alt=\"URA master plan of Alexandra View BTO in Bukit Merah\" width=\"600\" height=\"368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/bukit-merah-bto-alexandra-view-ura-master-plan.jpg 1266w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/bukit-merah-bto-alexandra-view-ura-master-plan-150x92.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a>\r\n<figcaption>The blue drop pin is where the Alexandra Vale BTO will be at. Source: URA<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Your best bet would be to get a flat on a very high floor that surpasses the condos at the north stacks (227, 231, 233, 207, 209, 211 and 213) to get a view of the Chatsworth Park GCB area.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_58574\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-58574\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-site-plan.jpg\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-58574\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-site-plan.jpg\" alt=\"Site plan of Alexandra Vale BTO\" width=\"600\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-site-plan.jpg 3508w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-site-plan-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-site-plan-2048x1448.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-alexandra-vale-site-plan-150x106.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-58574\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Site plan of Alexandra Vale BTO. Source: HDB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>At the south of the BTO, there are older (and shorter) HDB blocks.<\/p>\r\n<p>But when we looked at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/ura-master-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">URA master plan<\/a>, we noticed the residential plots here come with a high gross floor area (the plots are actually the Redhill Close blocks that were SERS\u2019ed around 10 years ago).<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>The high gross floor area means these plots can be redeveloped into very tall housing projects. So even if you get the south-facing stacks that face the Southern Ridges, your view might get blocked in future.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-52649\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/bukit-merah-havelock-aug-2022-bto-ura-master-plan.jpg\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-52649\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/bukit-merah-havelock-aug-2022-bto-ura-master-plan.jpg\" alt=\"URA master plan of Havelock Road BTO\" width=\"1097\" height=\"830\" \/><\/a>\r\n<figcaption>The blue drop pin is where the Havelock Hillside BTO will be at. Source: URA<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>For Havelock Hillside BTO, we think you might be able to get a view of Sentosa and the sea from the upper floors of the south-facing stacks (619, 617, 641, 639, 609, 607, 605, 603 and 601).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_58572\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-58572\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-site-plan.jpg\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-58572\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-site-plan.jpg\" alt=\"Site plan of Havelock Hillside BTO\" width=\"600\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-site-plan.jpg 3508w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-site-plan-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-site-plan-2048x1448.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/august-2022-bto-havelock-hillside-site-plan-150x106.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-58572\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Site plan of Havelock Hillside BTO. Source: HDB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>At the same time, we note there\u2019s a residential plot along Kampong Bahru that doesn\u2019t have a gross plot ratio yet, so there\u2019s a high chance the developments here will block the view of Sentosa and the sea in future.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-august-2022-bukit-merah-bto-what-s-the-potential-price-appreciation\"><strong>August 2022 Bukit Merah BTO: What\u2019s the potential price appreciation?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Over the past 10 years, the average price psf has generally increased by 11.78% for 3-room and 4-room flats at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/neighbourhoods\/bukit-merah\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bukit Merah<\/a>. In general, there\u2019s not much drastic increase or decrease in the average price psf. This could be due to the older age of the flats here, so they generally don\u2019t command such a high price.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/bukit-merah-aug-2022-bto-price-trend-1.png\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-52648\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/bukit-merah-aug-2022-bto-price-trend-1.png\" alt=\"Bukit Merah Aug 2022 BTO price trend\" width=\"780\" height=\"800\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>So far, apart from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/may-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bukit Merah Ridge<\/a>, there are no BTO flats in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/neighbourhoods\/tiong-bahru\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tiong Bahru<\/a> area. The BTO projects in the estate have mostly been launched in the Telok Blangah area, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/hdb\/telok-blangah-towers-de2REzqc62r9ijVz2TvCFR4E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Telok Blangah Towers<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/hdb\/telok-blangah-ridgeview-deFckMtn2RX4xWEygzCNaj6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Telok Blangah Ridgeview<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/hdb\/telok-blangah-parcview-de7dTNjKAG3UPyFaNPHboKcj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Telok Blangah Parcview<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>The newer flats here are the SERS replacement flats such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/hdb\/city-vue-henderson-denE94BkVCcxYKvpyFu287fb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">City Vue @ Henderson<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/hdb\/havelock-view-de7dLckJcgGs46hBNuuhdSM3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Havelock View<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/hdb\/tiong-bahru-view-deytdWf85PuHa9GVK3Vq6MU5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tiong Bahru View<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/hdb\/kim-tian-green-depfK8osXb3mha5cJ6gGg8Ag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kim Tian Green<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Looking at the average price psf for 3-room and 4-room flats in these developments, they\u2019re generally higher than the average price psf in Bukit Merah. They have been hovering at around S$780 to S$900 for the past five years.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/bukit-merah-aug-2022-bto-price-trend-2.png\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-52647\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/bukit-merah-aug-2022-bto-price-trend-2.png\" alt=\"Price trend of newer flats in Tiong Bahru\" width=\"780\" height=\"800\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Kim Tian Green and Havelock View have seen a high appreciation of 10.56% and 12.64%, respectively. Meanwhile, the newer flats from Tiong Bahru View and City Vue have so far seen a lower price psf increase of 2.12% and 1.92%, respectively.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-august-2022-bukit-merah-bto-should-you-apply\"><strong>August 2022 Bukit Merah BTO: Should you apply?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Yes, if you prioritise living close to the city centre. Both BTOs are within easy reach of plenty of amenities as well.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>At the same time, you should prepare to live here for a long time.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>This is because these Bukit Merah BTO flats are PLH flats. They come with stricter conditions, such as a 10-year MOP and 6% subsidy clawback. So you may not want to ballot here if you\u2019re thinking of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/should-not-get-plh-hdb-flat-if-upgrading\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">upgrading<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>Also, note that PLH flats tend to be smaller, measuring 89 sqm for 4-room flats. On the other hand, a typical 4-room BTO flat usually spans around 93 sqm. The flats here may not be ideal if you\u2019re looking for bigger space.<\/p>\r\n<p>Both also come with a longer waiting time of at least 5 years, with Havelock Hillside having the longest waiting time at 5 years 8 months.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-will-you-apply-for-the-august-2022-bukit-merah-bto-let-us-know-in-the-comments-section-below\"><strong>Will you apply for the August 2022 Bukit Merah BTO? Let us know in the comments section below.<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>If you found this article helpful, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-overview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">overview of the August 2022 BTO projects<\/a> and in-depth reviews:<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-ang-mo-kio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ang Mo Kio August 2022 BTO<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-choa-chu-kang\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Choa Chu Kang August 2022 BTO<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-jurong-east\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jurong East August 2022 BTO<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-tampines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tampines August 2022 BTO<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-woodlands\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Woodlands August 2022 BTO<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Also, you can check out our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/november-2022-hdb-bto-overview\/\">Nov 2022 HDB BTO Overview<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\"><strong>Frequently asked questions<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\">\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1664339343618\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How much is an HDB BTO flat?<br \/><\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It depends on the location. For instance, in this BTO exercise in August, a 4-room flat in Choa Chu Kang costs between S$277k to S$363k, while a similar flat type in Bukit Merah was priced between S$531k to S$730k.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1664339364678\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is the downpayment for a BTO flat?<br \/><\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Assuming you\u2019re maximising the loan-to-value ratio, the downpayment of a BTO flat is 15% if you\u2019re taking an HDB loan, or 25% if you\u2019re taking a bank loan.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"faq-question-1664339379976\" class=\"schema-faq-section\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I buy BTO if I already own an HDB flat?<br \/><\/strong>\r\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, if you have only bought a new HDB\/DBSS flat or received one CPF Housing Grant so far. Do note that you\u2019ll have to sell your flat within 6 months of collecting the keys to your BTO flat.<br \/><br \/><br \/><br \/><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you want to live close to the city centre, look out for the Bukit Merah BTO. In the August 2022 HDB BTO launch, HDB is offering two projects in this mature estate. August 2022 Bukit Merah HDB BTO at a glance August 2022 Bukit Merah HDB BTO price range Here&#8217;s the price range for&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":111,"featured_media":54508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[53631,53642,57131],"tags":[57160,53863,54783,53680],"persona":[57125],"class_list":{"2":"type-post","15":"entry","16":"has-post-thumbnail"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.7.1 (Yoast SEO v25.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>August 2022 HDB BTO in-depth review: Bukit Merah (Alexandra Vale and Havelock Hillside) - 99.co<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you want to live close to the city centre, look out for the Bukit Merah BTO in the August 2022 HDB BTO launch.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"August 2022 HDB BTO in-depth review: Bukit Merah (Alexandra Vale and Havelock Hillside)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you want to live close to the city centre, look out for the Bukit Merah BTO in the August 2022 HDB BTO launch.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/99dotco\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-08-30T04:25:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-09-28T08:33:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/tiong-bahru-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"930\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"550\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Virginia Tanggono\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@99dotco\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@99dotco\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Virginia Tanggono\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Virginia Tanggono\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/#\/schema\/person\/0955a51981be4227cfc74bd63e9c428b\"},\"headline\":\"August 2022 HDB BTO in-depth review: Bukit Merah (Alexandra Vale and Havelock Hillside)\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-08-30T04:25:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-09-28T08:33:21+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/\"},\"wordCount\":2558,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/august-2022-hdb-bto-review-bukit-merah\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/tiong-bahru-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"august 2022 bto\",\"Bukit Merah\",\"Tiong bahru\",\"yahoosgfeed\"],\"articleSection\":[\"HDB\",\"HDB BTO in Singapore - BTO 2024, 2025 News &amp; 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