In our previous article about when you should sell your Executive Condominium (EC). We discussed Bishan Loft as a major anomaly. Its average price psf has increased by about 167% since it first obtained its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) in 2003: from an average of $440.80 psf in 2003, to an average of $1176.30 psf in 2020.
Bishan Loft Source: Propertyguru
Amongst all its Executive Condominium counterparts, it has experienced the most explosive growth thus far. And this growth may not stop anytime soon. Well, that’s nice and all, but we sure this is the question that everyone is wondering. Why has it done so well?
In this article, we’ll be exploring several factors that may have contributed to Bishan Loft’s insane profit margin over the past 17 years, in hopes that we know what exactly to look out for when buying a property that we hope will experience large capital appreciation in the future, just as Bishan Loft is experiencing.
1. Demand and Supply
Demand and supply is an economic concept that we’re all familiar with. And it’s one that applies to property as well. When we talk about D&S with regards to Bishan Loft, we’d like to discuss the number of condominiums in close proximity to Bishan MRT station.
Bishan MRT Surrounding Private Property Source: URA
Looking at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) private property map, we see that there are only six condominiums near Bishan MRT, including Bishan Loft. Let’s compare this to a similar region that’s also within the Rest of Central Region (RCR) circumference that’s also considered a mature estate like Bishan – Paya Lebar.
Paya Lebar MRT Surrounding Private Property Source: URA
There are more than twenty condominiums in the vicinity of Paya Lebar MRT. We can see from this comparison that there’s a huge difference in supply between Bishan and Paya Lebar MRT stations when it comes to condominiums.
And where supply is limited and demand is high, we see prices soar. A lack of condominiums in the area around Bishan MRT has directly contributed to the high prices of Bishan Loft.
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2. Floor Plan
As a follow-up to the previous point, we’ll be directly comparing Bishan Loft to the other five condominiums in its vicinity.
Bishan 8 floor plan Source:SRX
One thing stands out when we compare Bishan Loft to its condominium counterparts, Rafflesia and Bishan 8, which were also built around the same time period: the two other condominiums have extremely odd-shaped units. Compared to them, Bishan Loft’s regular rectangular-shaped floor plans would be much more appealing to buyers.
Similarly, in 2012, Clover By The Park was launched with floor plans that were slightly atypical. While there isn’t much to say about Sky Habitat and Sky Vue, launched in 2015 and 2017 respectively, we can see that based on floor plan alone, we can confidently say that the measly five condominium competitors in the vicinity have already been narrowed down to simply two.
3. Location
It is arguable that Bishan Loft is located in one of the most enviable areas in a mature estate. As mentioned above, not only is it located less than 10 minutes away from Bishan MRT by foot, and thus also within walking distance of the shopping mall Junction 8, it’s also located extremely close to Raffles Institution (RI), Catholic High School, and also Eunoia Junior College.
Bishan surrounding amenities Source: openstreetmap
And again, as mentioned, it’s located in the RCR, and also a mature estate. Other than that, Bishan Loft is surrounded by HDB flats, and consequently has many childcare centres surrounding it. For the same reason, there’s a plethora of neighborhood coffee shops surrounding the property.
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4. Initial price
The three above factors talk mostly about why the current average psf of Bishan Loft is so high as compared to its other counterparts or alternatives; however, what contributes to profit margin isn’t just its final selling price, but also its initial price.
There are two factors that have contributed the most to its low starting average psf. First and foremost, Bishan Loft is an executive condominium, which means that most of its prices are sold at a discount as compared to its condominium counterparts.
Executive Condominium Eligibility Source: HDB
This is because Executive Condominiums can only be sold to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs), and the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of five years has to be fulfilled, much like a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat.
We see this clearly when we compare the starting average price psf of Bishan Loft, an Executive Condominium, and Rafflesia, a condominium, both with similar characteristics. Bishan Loft saw a starting average psf of $440.80, while Rafflesia saw a starting average psf of $708.00.
Secondly, the launch of Bishan Loft in 2001 occurred right when the property market was experiencing a slight downturn.
Private Residential Prices Source: Edgeprop
From the graph above, we can see that in 2001, property prices were slowly declining, and market outlook didn’t seem too optimistic. We can assume that Bishan Loft units were sold at a slightly lower average psf so as to attract more buyers during that period.
With these two factors in mind, we can see why the average starting psf of Bishan Loft units are considered low compared to its condominium counterparts, and other Executive Condominiums in Singapore.
Conclusion
To sum up what we’ve mentioned in this article, we can conclude that demand and supply in a highly-sought estate or prime location has definitely been a key contributor to Bishan Loft’s continuously increasing average psf over the past 18 years. Moreover, when buying a property, taking into account the current stage in the property cycle is important as well: after all, buying at a low initial price contributes to an even greater profit margin in the future.
At Home Quarters, we take all these factors into account before we advise you on how to sell your property, or what property we believe you should buy. We’d be happy to provide you with various analyses, advice, and any sort of assistance you may require, whether you’re a buyer or a seller. Leave your contact details and any queries down below, and we’ll contact you ASAP.
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We’d also love to hear your opinions on this article. Do you think there are any other reasons why Bishan Loft did so well? Or are there any other properties you know did very well too, and would like us to write about?
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