Looking at the West and South-West region of Singapore, there are a few recognisable projects that have made the news recently. In December 2020, Clavon sold almost 70% of its available units during its weekend launch. Meanwhile, Normanton Park sold almost a third of its available units during its first day of sale in January 2021. Considering that it is a mega project of 1,840 units and the recent URA’s clamp down on the re-issue of options to purchase (OTPs) by developers, it is a considerable feat.
In this article, we do a comparison of three projects in District 5: Parc Clematis, Clavon and Normanton Park. Whether your property purchase is purely for your own-stay, for investment or a hybrid of both, it is important to determine the objective of your decision as that sets the basis of your property purchase.
For the undecided, you should go with the project that you do not mind living in. In the event if you are not able to fetch a favourable rental for your property, you could always move in and stay in the unit.
Growth Potential
First of all, let us explore the growth potentials in the area. The most prominent development is the One-North area which is Singapore’s iconic research and business park. It is home to reputable companies such as Grab, Razer and Shopee. Some of the key growth sectors of One-North include infocomm technology and the field of biomedical sciences.
The Dover Knowledge District, an extension of One-North, will also contribute to Singapore’s knowledge economy. As the One-North area continues to develop, there will be more job creation, resulting in an increase in housing demand. This will benefit the housing market as people working in the area may want to stay near their workplace.
In terms of proximity, Normanton Park is the nearest to the One-North area, particularly Singapore Science Park. Hence, tenants working in the Science Park area will be drawn towards Normanton Park. However, it is important to note that Parc Clematis and Clavon are situated in between One-North and Jurong Lake District, which is set to be Singapore’s second Central Business District (CBD).
There is also the highly anticipated Greater Southern Waterfront in the future. Again, Normanton Park will benefit more from this development as compared to Parc Clematis and Clavon due to its proximity. However, the Greater Southern Waterfront may only come to fruition in 20 years’ time. With such a long time horizon, one should not pin your hopes to reap the maximum benefits if you are looking to exit in the near future. Nonetheless, this could be a unique selling point that future buyers may favour.
Accessibility
In terms of accessibility, Normanton Park is only convenient for those working in the one-north area as residents have to take a bus to reach Kent Ridge MRT station. As a mega project, it is a standalone development similar to The Interlace. Hence, it is not the most accessible, especially for people who do not use private transport. Otherwise, it is conveniently located right next to the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE). As for Clavon and Parc Clematis, both are equally close to AYE and Clementi MRT station. However, Parc Clematis is slightly nearer to Clementi Mall and is more walkable compared to Clavon.
Amenities
The lack of amenities is one drawback for Normanton Park, as it is not within walking distance to any shopping malls. This is the trade-off for being situated right beside Kent Ridge Park, which offers a quieter surrounding and the tranquillity of nature. However, Normanton Park has no primary school within a 1km range so families with young children may want to look into Parc Clematis and Clavon.
Parc Clematis is walkable to Clementi Mall and Clavon is walkable to 321 Clementi. As for primary schools, Parc Clematis has an upper hand being located within 1km of Nan Hua Primary School. Clavon, on the other hand, is right opposite Nan Hua High School and beside NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. It is also very close to University Town, NUS. Thus, Clavon might be better suited for families with older children. Regardless, the Clementi area is favoured by many Singaporeans due to the many educational institutions in the area.
Facing
Clavon is located beside HDB estates and half of the units will be facing the HDB buildings nearby. Only some of the units may get to enjoy a partial sea view.
Potential views from Clavon
Parc Clematis, on the other hand, is located beside landed enclaves like Faber Hills Estate and West Coast Park. Accompanied with mostly unblocked views, Parc Clematis might be more favourable but some of the blocks will have to bear with the noise from AYE.
Potential views from Parc Clematis
TOP Date
Normanton Park and Parc Clematis have a similar TOP date in 2023, while Parc Clematis will TOP slightly later in 2024. As an investor, an earlier TOP date will mean that you can start enjoying rental income earlier.
Facilities
Normanton Park boasts more facilities due to the scale of the project. However, both Parc Clematis and Clavon will also have sufficient facilities for residents to enjoy. Usually, projects with units more than 400 units will have more than adequate facilities.
Entry Price
The most important factor is the entry price. However, price is relative. Whether a project is considered cheap or expensive depends on its comparables. Looking at the remaining units available, those looking for 1-Bedroom units can only opt for Normanton Park. 2-Bedroom units at Clavon are also sold out and Parc Clematis only has 55 units left. However, the remaining 2-Bedroom units at Parc Clematis only come with a single bathroom.
| Type | Normanton Park | Clavon | Parc Clematis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bedroom | 341 out of 552 | 0 out of 72 | 0 out of 204 |
| 2-Bedroom | 190 out of 598 | 0 out of 284 | 55 out of 445 |
| 3-Bedroom | 419 out of 529 | 39 out of 141 | 96 out of 493 |
| 4-Bedroom | 105 out of 115 | 80 out of 107 | 112 out of 203 |
| 5-Bedroom | 33 out of 46 | 30 out of 36 | 69 out of 97 |
Availability of Unit Types for Normanton Park, Clavon and Parc Clematis
There are many unit types across the different projects such as 2-Bedroom + Study, 3-Bedroom Premium, 4-Bedroom Compact, etc. An interesting aspect of Parc Clematis is that it offers 3-Bedroom Dual-Key units, starting from S$1,576,000 or S$1,626 psf. This is still cheaper than the 3-Bedroom units at Clavon.
| Type | Normanton Park | Clavon | Parc Clematis | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bedroom | $926,466 | $1,758 psf | - | - | ||
| 2-Bedroom | $1,156,340 | $1,790 psf | - | $1,193,000 | $1,731 psf | |
| 3-Bedroom | $1,527,760 | $1,690 psf | $1,653,000 | $1,725 psf | $1,427,000 | $1,657 psf |
| 4-Bedroom | $2,079,300 | $1,740 psf | $1,956,000 | $1,527 psf | $2,046,000 | $1,653 psf |
| 5-Bedroom | $2,777,800 | $1,720 psf | $2,511,000 | $1,486 psf | $2,648,000 | $1,619 psf |
Prices of the Remaining Unit Types for Normanton Park, Clavon and Parc Clematis
For the 2-Bedroom units, Normanton Park and Parc Clematis are similar in pricing. Normanton Park is slightly cheaper in terms of quantum at S$1,156,340 compared to Parc Clematis at S$1,193,000. In terms of psf, Parc Clematis is slightly lower at S$1,731 psf while Normanton Park is at S$1,790 psf.
The 3-Bedroom units at Parc Clematis are the most competitive starting from S$1,427,000 and S$1,657 psf. However, for the 4-Bedroom and 5-Bedroom units, Clavon offers the cheapest options at S$1,956,000 and S$2,511,000 respectively.
If you are looking for a 1-Bedroom or 2-Bedroom unit as an investment property, Normanton Park may be worth looking into. As for 3-Bedroom units, Parc Clematis is the clear winner in terms of price point while Clavon is the most affordable project for the 4-Bedroom and 5-Bedroom unit types. However, price alone should not be the only factor to take into consideration of your buying decision.
Conclusion
Ultimately, one has to revisit the intentions behind your buying decision. If it is for investment purposes, one has to put on an investor mindset and think about rentability. For example, Normanton Park mainly targets tenants working in the One-North and Science Park area. Parc Clematis and Clavon will have a slightly bigger tenant pool which includes families and students. There will also be some spillover effect from the development of the Jurong Lake District.
Another concern for Normanton Park is that the 1-Bedroom and 2-Bedroom types add up to 1,150 units. With such a huge supply of units upon completion, landlords will be competing with one another to rent out their units. Since there are many options available for the tenants to choose from, the cheapest units will be rented out first. Hence, one possible solution is to stay in the area first while waiting for the rental market to stabilise over time. However, one may wish to rent out the unit before Kent Ridge Hill Residences TOPs in 2024, as it will open up more options for tenants.
For those who do not find Normanton Park attractive and yet are looking for an investment property, a great alternative is the 3-Bedroom Dual-Key units at Parc Clematis. This means that one could enjoy the use of two proper bedrooms while renting out a studio equivalent unit.
For those looking for a home to stay in, Parc Clematis is ideal for families with young children looking to enrol at Nan Hua Primary School. With its attractive pricing for the 3-Bedroom units, it is a great option for small families. For bigger families or families with older children, Clavon’s 4-Bedroom and 5-Bedroom might be a better choice due to its proximity to Nan Hua High School and NUS.
