Why Is One Bernam A Safe Buy?

Undervalued Condo Units Appeared In One Bernam In 2022

Since the second half of 2022, undervalued condo units has appeared in One Bernam.

During this period, many condominiums in the Core Central Region (CCR) had started to transact above $3000 per square feet (psf). In the rest of Singapore, city fringe condos had begun to transact above $2800 psf and Outside Of Core Region (OCR) condos started to transact in the $2400 psf range. In comparison to these transacted prices, One Bernam, which is located at Tanjong Pagar, has units that only start from $23xx psf! This comparison makes One Bernam look like a cheap condo in the Financial District!

Project At A Glance

MRT Map From LTA.gov.sg , Transaction Data From SRX.com.sg

Right smack in Tanjong Pagar, Wallich Residence, which is one of the newest condominiums built in the area, has already transacted over $3200 psf. This makes One Bernam, which is about 2 blocks away from Wallich Residence, a SAFE purchase even at $2500 psf. Considering that One Pearl Bank, located at Outram Park and 1 MRT stop away, has already a median psf of $2447, one would have expected the price of a Tanjong Pagar new condo to be around the $2600 psf range, since Tanjong Pagar is IN the Central Business District (CBD) itself!

Moving away from the CBD to the fringes, Midtown Modern at Bugis and Canninghill Piers At Fort Canning Park have also transacted above $2800 psf. This supports a higher price tag for an apartment located within the CBD such as One Bernam, which is a short walk away from the Tanjong Pagar MRT station.

But apartments at One Bernam as of October 2022 are only starting from just above $2300 psf.

Transformation Of The Central Business District (CBD) Provides Upside Potential For Residences

URA has been looking for ways to better utilise real estate within Singapore’s CBD, where most of the buildings idle after 8pm. Starting from Lau Pa Sat food centre, URA has been working with local communities to transform certain streets and open areas within the CBD into dining and recreational spots at night and during the weekends. By injecting vibrancy and life into the CBD, it has began to attract people to live within the financial district.

Not only that, the government has announced the CBD Incentive Scheme in 2019 which encourages current commercial building owners to convert their building into a mixed residential and commercial one. By increasing the allowed Gross Floor Area (GFA) on the land of the current building, 3 buildings, namely the former Keppel Towers, AXA Tower, and Fuji Xerox Towers, has already been torn down to rebuild as of October 2022 to take advantage of this scheme. Given 2 of these buildings are just a stone throw away from One Bernam, the new residential units in these new buildings will support a higher price of One Bernam in the future, just as how Wallich Residence with its $3000 psf units set a new benchmark for condo rates in Tanjong Pagar.

Another URA redevelopment to note is the one that was announced in the National Day rally back in 2019, where the government unveiled a slew of initiatives to promote and change the use of the lands formerly or currently used by the Tanjong Pager City Terminals, Brani Terminals and the Pasir Panjang Terminals. All the port facilities will be moved to Tuas to form the Tuas Megaport. The land which the ports currently occupy will be redeveloped into more commercial and residential uses, especially the Tanjong Pager City terminals which is just South of One Bernam. This redevelopment is part of the Greater Southern Waterfront.

Therefore, one can foresee the demand for One Bernam condo units to remain buoyant in the future because of these 2 massive transformations.

The upcoming Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) effect

Historically, residences near to and with quick access to a MRT station in Singapore are easier to rent and fetch a better price at resale with its higher demand. When a new MRT station is completed and operational at the door step of a residence, will it not help the property increase in value? One Bernam is close the existing Tanjong Pagar MRT station, and the upcoming Prince Edward MRT station. Once Prince Edward Station is operational, it will be a factor for capital appreciation for the current undervalued One Bernam prices.