Tag Archives: The Sail @ Marina Bay

Luxury hotspots set to re-emerge

Posted on 25 Mar 2010 | Comments Off on Luxury hotspots set to re-emerge

PETER OW and ONG KAH SENG examine high-end residential properties that may see increasing buying interest from foreigners and locals

THIS is the year that high-end residential properties are expected to shine. Indeed, prices of luxury homes could recover by at least 10 per cent in 2010, bringing them close to the all-time high at end-2007. As Singapore’s economic recovery takes hold, the traditional prime districts of 9, 10 and 11 should re-emerge as residential hotspots.

Generating excitement: Sentosa Cove developments will transform the island into a self-sufficient waterfront haven

But new high-end enclaves are also likely to gain prominence. These hotspots will be found along the southern corridor, in places like Marina Bay, Tanjong Pagar/Shenton Way and Sentosa Cove/Keppel Bay.

The emerging luxury enclaves are the beneficiaries of several defining developments in Sentosa Cove and Marina Bay, which are coming to fruition this year.

Marina Bay

Homes in Marina Bay will benefit from the opening of the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, slated for end-April. But the prestige of this area also comes from the fact that Marina Bay is the newest prime office hub, where up-and-coming executives want to be seen at. Having a loft in this sophisticated new hotspot would certainly be something to flaunt.

The Sail @ Marina Bay was the first high-end residential project in the area to come on the market. Completed in the second half of 2008, the 1,111-unit Sail saw median monthly rents climb steadily, from $4.25 per sq ft in Q1 2009, to $5.15 psf in Q4 2009, going by figures from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

Although there will be no major residential projects to be launched after Marina Bay Suites is entirely released, the buzz in Marina Bay is expected to translate into encouraging resale and leasing activity.

Tanjong Pagar/Shenton Way

The excitement of city living extends beyond Marina Bay. The traditional CBD, such as Tanjong Pagar and Shenton Way, is increasingly popular with working professionals. Icon, One Shenton and The Clift are successful projects that were launched from 2003. The completed Icon condominium is enjoying monthly median rents of about $6 per sq ft. Meanwhile, Altez, a 60-storey development in Tanjong Pagar, was recently launched. Offering panoramic sea and city views, the project is priced from $2,100 psf to $2,300 psf.

UIC Building and 76 Shenton Way, both office buildings, will soon be converted into prime residential developments, enhancing the attractiveness of the area. 76 Shenton, a 39-storey condominium, is the newest launch in the area. These projects are testimony to the attractions of inner city living, where residents enjoy maximum convenience, whether at work or play.

The Economic Strategies Committee, in looking at maximising Singapore’s land use, has recommended turning Tanjong Pagar into a new waterfront district, by relocating the Tanjong Pagar port to Tuas once its lease is up in 2027.

Sentosa Cove & Keppel Bay

The excitement in Sentosa Cove started with the launch of the first condominium project – The Berth by the Cove – in 2004. Since then, several other waterfront condominiums have been completed on Sentosa. According to URA figures, The Berth by the Cove and The Coast at Sentosa Cove enjoyed attractive monthly rents of between $3.50 psf and $4.80 psf at end-2009.

Sentosa Cove is poised to become more exciting this year. Two new condominiums – The Oceanfront@Sentosa Cove and Turquoise – are scheduled for completion in 2010 while the Marina Collection will be ready in 2011. Meanwhile, Seascape and The Residences at W Singapore – both at Sentosa Cove – are being released this week. When these developments are built, Sentosa Cove will be a lively residential enclave with all the supporting amenities. These developments will transform Sentosa island into a self-sufficient waterfront haven.

The Keppel Bay area, comprising Caribbean at Keppel Bay and Reflections at Keppel Bay, will also remain attractive to investors.

Traditional prime

The traditional prime residential districts are perennially attractive to home buyers and investors who prize a central location and all its conveniences, particularly the allure of shopping along Orchard Road. Generally, prices of high-end residential resale properties in the prime districts recovered by about 15 per cent in 2009, following a 27 per cent slide in 2008.

Prices this year could well hit the all-time high seen at end-2007, as experience shows that prime residential properties are the first to move in the early stages of an economic recovery.

The prime leasing market is also expected to improve, as companies boost their senior expatriate headcount incrementally and become more generous with housing allowances.

For the first time in a long while, Orchard Road last year saw the opening of three new malls – Ion Orchard, Orchard Central and 313 @ Somerset. The new malls have refreshed the shopping experience in the premier shopping belt. This will benefit existing property owners as well as help sell new projects in the vicinity, such as The Vermont on Cairnhill and Hilltops.

Property investors should be able to find opportunities in all these residential hotspots, from the southern corridor to the traditional prime districts. However, the performance of the property sector will depend on the bigger picture – the economy and market sentiment.

As such, astute investors will need to analyse the prospects for the high-end residential market, before looking for their preferred property.

The government recently introduced measures to cool speculative activity, by lowering the loan-to-value ratio and introducing a seller’s stamp duty if a property is re-sold within a year. These measures, however, are likely to only impact speculators. Perhaps investors of high-end residential property can safely read that, following the latest government measures and pronouncements, there will be no further attempts for the time being to cool the residential market.

After all, the pace of recovery for the high-end segment this year will be modest compared with 2007 and can be seen as a recovery rather than price escalation. A realistic price recovery this year may offer investors who commit today a chance to enjoy gradual capital appreciation in 2011 and 2012.

Foreign interest

Owners and developers of high-end residential properties can also expect to enjoy increasing buying interest from foreigners. Although Singapore is seeing more competition from regional cities where developers are improving luxury residential offerings, escalating prices in domestic markets in China and Hong Kong could make buyers there view our high-end properties favourably.

The full impact of the IRs on the property market will be felt this year, with the opening of Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands strengthening the appeal of high-end residential properties in the southern corridor. The benefit of the IRs could extend to high-end property throughout Singapore, as the developments take the city up a rung in international exposure.

Visitors may be increasingly interested in Singapore for work and leisure, which would lead them to consider investment opportunities in high-end residential hotspots. This could lead to an increasingly international buyer profile in the luxury market.

Peter Ow is managing director of residential services and Ong Kah Seng is manager of consultancy & research at Knight Frank Pte Ltd

Source : Business Times – 25 Mar 2010

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Attention is returning to The Sail at Marina Bay

Posted on 5 Mar 2010 | Comments Off on Attention is returning to The Sail at Marina Bay

Attention is returning to  The Sail at Marina Bay as  the opening of the first  phase of Marina Bay Sands  looms.

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High-end properties are revisiting the $3,000 psf price range. In the Marina Bay area, the 1,111-unit The Sail @ Marina Bay steals the spotlight once again with six transactions in the week of Jan 26 to Feb 5; four above $2,000 psf while two crossed the $3,000 psf level. While Sentosa Cove and Keppel Bay are abuzz over the opening of Resorts World at Sentosa, excitement is also mounting at Marina Bay as Las Vegas Sands announced last Wednesday it will open the first phase of its US$5.5 billion ($7.8 billion) Marina Bay Sands integrated resort with casino on April 27, and the second phase on June 23.

The two resale transactions at The Sail at above $3,000 psf were for two neighbouring units on the 58th floor of the 63-storey Tower 2. According to a Feb 1 caveat lodged with URA Realis, an 883 sq ft two-bedroom unit was sold for $2.69 million or $3,048 psf. The previous owner purchased the unit when Tower 2 was launched in late-2004 for a mere $961,830 ($1,090 psf), hence recognising capital gains of close to 180% in five years.

The other sale was for a 936 sq ft two-bedroom apartment that went for $3 million ($3,204 psf). The previous owner recognised capital gains of 200%, as he had purchased the unit at launch for $1,065 psf or $997,216.

Developed jointly by giant listed property developer City Developments Ltd and AIG Real Estate, Tower 2 was launched in October 2004 and completed in mid-2008, while the 70-storey Tower 1 was launched in 2005 and completed in 4Q2008.

The last time a unit at The Sail crossed the $3,000 psf level was when a 60th-floor, 1,033 sq ft unit in Tower 2 changed hands in a sub-sale for $3.5 million ($3,387 psf), according to an April 4, 2008 caveat. That is still the record in terms of psf price. The previous owner of the apartment, however, had purchased the unit in a sub-sale for $2,999 psf, according to an Aug 6, 2007 caveat, and only recognised some 13% in gains.

At the peak of the most recent property boom from August to October 2007, there were five sub-sales at $3,000 to $3,300 psf at The Sail. Perhaps we will see more transactions at such price levels in the coming months as the opening of the IR gets closer.

The other four transactions were at $2,080 to $2,600 psf (see table). According to a Feb 2 caveat, an 861 sq ft, Marina Bay-facing unit on the 39th floor of Tower 1 changed hands for over $2 million ($2,367 psf). The previous owner did a quick flip; according to an earlier caveat, the unit last changed hands in August at $2,100 psf. Hence, he recognised a gain of 12.7% in about six months. The first owner purchased the property in November 2005 at the launch for just over $1 million ($1,174 psf). His capital gain over a four-year period was close to 79%.

While The Sail is the most actively traded project at Marina Bay, Icon earns that title at Tanjong Pagar. Launched in 2003 just after the SARS outbreak, the 646-unit project by Far East Organization was completed in 2007. From end-January to early February, there were three resale transactions at Icon at $1,449 to $1,600 psf.

One was for a 915 sq ft unit on the 25th floor of the 46-storey building, which changed hands for $1.464 million ($1,600 psf), according to a Feb 1 caveat. The previous owner purchased the unit three years ago, according to a February 2007 caveat, for $896,000 ($979 psf), hence seeing a gain of 63.4%.

A 13th floor, 657 sq ft one-bedroom apartment went for $1,599 psf ($1.05 million). This is the third time the property has changed hands in the secondary market. The previous owner purchased the unit in February 2007 for a prosperous amount of $888,888 ($1,354 psf), hence recognising an 18% gain. However, the owner before that saw an 82% capital appreciation in just over a year as he had purchased it for just $488,000 ($743 psf), according to a December 2005 caveat. The very first owner purchased the unit at launch in 2003 for $454,600 ($692 psf).

With Far East Organization having started private previews of the 280-unit, 62-storey Altez right next door to Icon, interest has once again returned to the area. Since the private previews started on Feb 10, 140 out of 155 units released were sold at an average of $1,850 psf. Not surprisingly, asking prices at Icon have also increased in tandem.

In the Tanjong Pagar area, Allgreen Properties is expected to launch its project (Skysuite) next to Altez in 2Q, and market speculation is that Hong Leong Holdings will likely launch 76 Shenton Way, which will be redeveloped into a high-end condominium tower at prices in the $2,000 psf range.

Source : The Edge – 1 Mar 2010

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