Balanced New Launch Review – Thomson Impressions
By KK Tong (guest contributor)
Thomson Impressions is a high-rise 99-year leasehold development (with the lease starting from 12 Jan 2015)developed by NS Property(Thomson Pte Ltd). It consists of 5 strata-landed units and 283 non-landed units housed in two 19-storey blocks. The project is located off Upper Thomson Road at LorongPuntong, where the main entrance is. The development site is on a plot size of 113,051 square feet.All the units are North-South facing.
The unit types and indicative pricing in this development are:
Figure 1: Site Plan
The development was launched in 3rd quarter 2015 and TOP is expected to be in Oct 2019.
The facilities are fairly comprehensive for this medium-sized development. All facilities are located on the ground level. There is a 50-metre lap pool, a spa bed, a steam room, a gymnasium, a children’s playground, and a tennis court.
A total of 288 parking lots and 3 handicapped parking lots are provided in the basement carpark. A side gate is also provided for access to Sin Ming Avenue.
Thoughts from Show Flat Visit
Figure 2: Floor Plan of Type B1
As you enter the main door of the two-bedder showflat (Type B1), the kitchen is on the right, while the dining/living area is in front of you, with a balcony extending from the living area. The kitchen is an L-shaped open area, and the appliances provided include a free standing fridge, a washer-cum dryer, a built-in oven/cooker hood, and an electric hob. All appliances are from Electrolux.
Figure 3: Living/Dining and Kitchen Areas
The dining area is rather small and can only accommodate a table for four persons. With the table, there is little space left to move around. The living area is fairly well spaced and it is possible to place a three-seater sofa against the shorter wall, and a television console against the opposite wall. The distance between the two walls allows for comfortable television viewing.
Figure 4: Balcony
The balcony is a fair size and can accommodate two chairs and a small table easily.
Figure 5: Master Bedroom
The master bedroom comes with a two-door sliding wardrobe. It can accommodate a queen-sized bed with two small side tables. The walking space between the edge of the bed andthe wall is about 2 to 2.5 feet (0.6 to 0.75 metres).
The common bedroom can accommodate a twin bed and a small work table. It also comes with a two-door sliding wardrobe which is a little smaller than the wardrobe in the master bedroom.
The bathrooms are fairly spacious and come with standard fittings, including cabinets. The shower is of a reasonable size, which does not make one feel claustrophobic. Both the master bedroom and common toilets have windows, allowing for ventilation.
Materials used are reasonable. The floors of the living and dining areas are laid with marble while timber strips are used for the rooms. Other areas are equipped with either ceramic or homogenous tiles. The bathroom walls are made of feature marble, which gives off a luxurious feel.
The ceiling height of the units is 2.9 metres.
Figure 6: Floor Plan of Type A1
Amenities around the area
There are plenty of amenities around the area.The development is 600metres from Bright HillMRT and 650 metres from Upper Thomson MRT (both stations are under construction, with expected completion in 2020). Thomson Plaza is about 600 metres away, and for those with children, Ai Tong Primary School is less than one kilometre away. For nature lovers, the development is close to Upper and Lower Peirce Reservoirs. And of course, there is a whole stretch of eateries along Upper Thomson Road.
Figure 7: Area Map
Positive Aspects of the Development
The materials used are of reasonable quality, especially the marble feature of the bathroom walls.
The bathrooms are spacious.
Windows in the bathrooms provide ventilation.
The balcony is of a sufficient size to accommodate some seating.
Amenities around the area are comprehensive.
The development is off the main thoroughfare of Upper Thomson Road, so it will not be too noisy.
The areas around the development are private condominiums and some low rise private housing, which makes it more exclusive.
Negative Aspects of the Development
The address does not sound exclusive – LorongPuntong.
The 100 units of 1-bedders may attract investors rather than home owners.The estate is likely to get run-down easily if the residents are mainly tenants.
The master bedroom wardrobe is rather small for two persons.
The kitchen does not have any window. This is not conducive for cooking as the smell of cooking will waft to the dining/living areas.
Parking lots are limited to one per unit. There are no visitor parking lots.
Price Comparison
Figure 8: Location of Thomson Impressions and surrounding developments
Condominiums in this area are usually freehold developments like Country Grandeur, Country Esquire, and Flame Tree Park. For comparison purposes, the closest development would be Thomson Three, a 99-year leasehold development located on Bright Hill Drive.
The unit sizes for comparison are similar, but the dates of salesare quite far apart due to the low number of recent transactions. The prices seem quite competitive, and current asking prices are rather similar to these transacted prices.
Price Comparison Table
Buyers who prefer freehold developments can consider Flame Tree Park located at Sin Ming Avenue or Country Grandeur at LorongPuntong. These developments are of bigger sizes and would certainly be more comfortable. However, although the PSF prices are lower, the quantum will be substantially higher.
For home buyers who like the Thomson area, Thomson Impressions is worth considering as the amenities in that area are plentiful (schools, food, transport, nature). In addition, the layout of the units are generally well-designed. However, the average prices of $1,300 to $1,700psf are pretty steep. If total affordability is not an issue, one can consider perhaps a larger unit in the surrounding freehold or 999 leasehold projects such as Flame Tree Park and Country Grandeur as they offer a lower psf price.
Posted courtesy of www.Propwise.sg, a Singapore property blog dedicated to helping you understand the real estate market and make better decisions. Click here to get your free Property Beginner’s and Buyer’s Guide.
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