[Property Review] EcoSanctuary: Instagram-Worthy Estate, Nature Everywhere
Singapore is a concrete jungle with new buildings sprouting up every day. With new HDB blocks getting taller and more empty plots of state land being sold off to developers, our view of the clouds is getting increasingly obstructed.
If you totally dislike that and dream of waking up with a view of the clouds and a million trees, then Eco Sanctuary may just be the sanctuary for you.
Pictures Featuring: @shaaneng
Here's my take on Eco Sanctuary in a nutshell:
Overview & Unit Choices
Address:
61/63/65 Chestnut Avenue
Year Built (TOP):
2016
Developer:
SP Setia
Number of Units:
483
District & Tenure:
23 / 99-years leasehold
Eco Sanctuary's 483 units are stacked into 3 tower blocks, each rising 24 floors, with a sky garden on the 14th floor of each tower. The towers are generally north-south facing (with the living rooms of all units facing either north/south).
Eco Sanctuary itself is built on high ground (estimated to be at least 40 metres above sea level - possibly the highest residential development above sea level in Singapore). Because of that, units above level 12 have an unblocked view spanning across the green central catchment, until Johor Bahru. On a clear day, the hills and mountains in Johor are also visible - an enviable view to have! South facing units face Bukit Timah Hill, with the southern coastline (and southern islands) visible in the distance.
Units come in 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom types, most of them with high ceilings (3.7m) and 3/4 length windows. Ground floor units have additional patio space, 24th floor units are penthouses with an additional roof garden.
Being designed according to URA rules post-2011, Eco Sanctuary's units show some characteristics of the newer condominiums: smaller rooms and compact kitchens. However, in my opinion, having studied the layouts of many new condominium launches of that generation, I must say that developer SP Setia did a commendable job on space allocation such that most units actually come across as being reasonably spacious, with no wastage of floor space (e.g. unnecessarily long corridors, bigger than necessary balconies, awkward shaped rooms, awkward door positioning).
In fact, high ceilings (estimated at 3.7m+) are a standard for all units, with top-to-knee height windows spanning the full width of each bedroom's frontage being a feature which makes the units feel brighter and more spacious.
Unit Sizes
1 Bedroom - 506-700sqft 2 Bedrooms - 667-990sqft
3 Bedrooms - 915-1787sqft
4 Bedrooms - 1292-1991sqft
Location & Public Transportation
Eco Sanctuary sits along Chestnut Avenue, side by side with Tree House and Foresque Residences - two other condominiums built just a couple of years before it. It is located at the edge of Bukit Panjang housing estate, just off Dairy Farm Road and therefore traffic there is relatively thin, save for morning peak hours when naturally more cars hit the road.
Public Buses & MRT
One of the downsides about living in Eco Sanctuary is its public transportation links. Bus services are rather limited with the only saving grace being the nearby Hillview MRT station.
As of 30 September 2020, only TWO buses serve the stops outside Eco Sanctuary full-time, with a third bus service 971 (and arguably the most functional) operating one-directional during weekday AM and PM peaks.
966: via expressway to Woodlands, Toa Payoh, Eunos & Marine Parade
973: link to Hillview MRT Station, Hillview & Hume Avenue
971: one-way to Orchard, City Hall & CBD during AM peak / one-way back in PM peak
The nearest MRT station is Hillview on the Downtown Line - this requires a 5 minute bus ride on 973. Fortunately the downtown line tends to be a little more 'spacious' in the day and so once you reach the comfort of the train, it won't be difficult reaching the rest of Singapore.
Driving
With public transportation being slightly limited, owning a car and driving may offer some relief. Interestingly, while the idea of living in "Bukit Panjang" may draw the 'wah so far away!!' response from some, the fact is that the area does have some pretty good road links.
The BKE (Bukit Timah Expressway) entrance is just a minute away - and from there getting to places like Novena...Jurong East...Orchard - are really only 15-20 minutes away (with off-peak traffic of course!)
Upper Bukit Timah Road > Clementi Road - this major south-bound thoroughfare is also easily reached in a few minutes. From there, heading anywhere down south will be quick and easy.
Having said that, note that traffic going down the BKE and into the PIE can get pretty heavy during the 8am-9am window in the morning. In addition, there are annoying ERP charges ($3 if you're heading down to the Stevens Road exit!). So while that road link is pretty handy, it does have hours to avoid.
What's Nearby
Nature, nature and...more nature:
Chestnut Nature Park - made up of biking trails and also the entrance to the longer hiking routes around the central catchment reserve and reservoirs, Dairy Farm Nature Park - hiking trail that leads into Bukit Timah Hill and nature reserve
There's no shortage of places to get reacquainted with nature, sniff the flowers and take in the good air.
Hungry mammoths will not like living here though..because unless you're the type that's willing to eat the trees and leaves along the nature walks, there's no food within walking distance! (Uhm, perhaps my definition of "walking distance" implies nothing longer than a 15-minute walk!).
The nearest food source is a coffeeshop in the Pending Road HDB estate. Although it has pretty awesome local breakfast food, its still a hot, sweaty 20 minutes' walk away.
Anything else requires a bus ride or driving to Hillion Mall / Bukit Panjang Plaza.
Its worth mentioning though, that in the other direction there's also The Rail Mall (also a bus ride or drive away) - where you can get some 24-hour food (incl. simple-standard Bak Chor Mee from Eat). The Cold Storage outlet there will likely also be your best choice for a supermarket. Of course, having a car opens up further options - such as the eateries at the Beauty World area - probably a 10-minute drive away.
Facilities
Property shoppers going for newer developments naturally expect nicer things than just a round-tiled swimming pool and gym-in-a-room. For that, Eco Sanctuary doesn't disappoint. In fact, it does to a certain extent exceed expectations.
From sky-level party spaces and jacuzzis to leisure and relaxing areas set among trees, the number of facilities here does somewhat impress.
As always, I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Pricing & Property Value
At first glance, Eco Sanctuary's prices look reasonable - affordable quantum, PSF within reasonable range.
Units have been transacting around the same average of around $1230psf for the past 5 years (possibly ever since the first resale units entered the market, generally around 4 years after its original launch).
However, the lack of an upward trend may suggest that buyers either aren't particularly enthusiastic about getting a unit here OR that the profile of buyers looking in this area can only afford that much.
Frankly, the area doesn't thrill the typical property buyer in Singapore - far from MRT, no good food around, no good schools nearby. Perhaps its main appeal really is its proximity to nature and the panoramic views which the higher floor units offer, so its a case of "like it then buy it, don't like it....then there's no other reason to buy it" (believe me, some property buyers will actually buy properties they don't like, just because of its 'potential').
One point worth noting is that compared to its neighbours Tree House and Foresque Residences, Eco Sanctuary's value sits the highest - suggesting that of the three condominiums in this area, Eco Sanctuary remains the top choice - a factor which matters if you consider whether it will be easy for you to sell future.
Perhaps another interesting comparison to make would be its pricing versus options around the area:
I mean, not that I'm suggesting a 20 year old condo will be a better option. However, its worth considering that for the same price (both PSF and quantum), you could be getting either a condo nearer to the MRT + amenities (The Hillier) or a freehold condo along Hillview (if Freehold is your kind of thing).
My Humble Opinion
Personally, I like the concept of Eco Sanctuary - the fact that you can get such an unspoiled view spanning across the island, the serenity of its surroundings. The estate itself is pretty pleasing to the eyes and the facilities are simply fulfilling.
For a 4-year old condominium, its pretty affordable and although I'm not too optimistic about it being a profit-making investment, I'd probably have no qualms paying to live here.
The big downside for me though will be its location. Again, personally, I hate traffic. And its sort of inevitable that leaving for work during the morning peak, I'll definitely have to contend with sitting in traffic jams getting out of this area. Public transportation is also lacking - I drive. But if I were to ever give up my car, I'd worry about the lack of connectivity here.
Do you live in Eco Sanctuary and have any thoughts or feedback to share about this review? Drop me a message!
Oh yes - and once again, a shout out to @shaaneng for colouring up the pictures on this editorial!
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