Friday, September 26, 2008

Sentosa Cove a coveted address

Source : Business Times - 26 Sep 2008

CHIA SIEW CHUIN and AUDREY TAN look at the projects that make up Singapore’s exclusive marina residential community

FANCY revelling in a resort home that’s just under 15 minutes from the central business district and shopping malls? Where can you enjoy a round of golf at an international golf course situated right at your doorstep? And if travel is on the cards, the airport is just a 30-minute ride away. If that sounds appealing to you and you have anywhere from $2 million to $20 million to spare, a resort home in Sentosa Cove could be the answer.

Sentosa Cove is to Singapore what Sanctuary Cove is to Australia and the French Riviera is to France. Set on the eastern shore of Sentosa island (just south of the main Singapore island), Sentosa Cove, which spans 117 hectares of mostly reclaimed land, is undergoing a transformation that will see it become Singapore’s first and only integrated oceanfront gated marina residential community.

When completed in 2010, Sentosa Cove will be a luxurious estate comprising some 2,500 99-year leasehold homes in the form of oceanfront villas, waterway bungalows, hillside mansions and upscale condominiums. These will be complemented by an intimate marina village offering supporting amenities such as the 240-berth One Degree 15 Marina, the 320-room W Hotel being developed jointly by City Developments and Starwood, and a three-storey retail and commercial complex with a wide array of shops, upmarket F&B outlets, spa and fitness centre and small-office-home-office (SoHo) units.

To top it all, the development of Resorts World at Sentosa, Singapore’s second integrated resort with a casino, will undeniably attract high-rollers who covet luxury homes to invest in Sentosa Cove, making it the Monte Carlo of Asia.

There are no restrictions on foreigners purchasing condominium units in this enclave. However, foreigners looking to purchase a landed home here will need to submit an abridged application form to the Land Dealings (Approval) Unit of the Singapore Land Authority for approval to purchase what is classified as restricted property in Singapore.

This abridged application, only available for landed homes in Sentosa Cove, will enable a foreigner to receive fast-track approval in 48 hours on the back of simplified purchasing criteria and approval procedure. The catch is that foreigners who have been granted the abridged approval will be required to occupy the landed homes themselves and must not own more than one restricted property in Singapore.

Furthermore, as one of the options under the Global Investor Programme, an applicant can apply for Singapore permanent residency by utilising his property investment in Singapore to form up to half the minimum $2 million required to be invested in approved businesses or investments in Singapore.

With these attractions, it is no wonder that high net worth individuals from all over the world have been making a beeline for a slice of this luxurious resort home market. Foreigners are believed to have accounted for 50 per cent of the property sales in Sentosa Cove. By 2010, 60 per cent of the 10,000 Sentosa Cove residents will likely be foreigners, thus setting the stage for a truly international community.

Since 2004, at least 12 projects comprising six condominium and six landed housing developments have been launched for sale. These projects have enjoyed brisk sales, save for those launched after the onset of the US sub-prime mortgage crisis in 3Q 2007.

Here is a a snapshot of some of the projects in Sentosa Cove.

NON-LANDED DEVELOPMENTS

The Berth by the Cove: This was the first condominium development to be launched and completed in Sentosa Cove. The development consists of 15 six-storey blocks and provides an array of facilities including 25 berths for private yachts. All the apartments have views of the ocean, with the master bedroom and living rooms facing the sea.

There are 200 units in the development comprising 188 two- to four-bedrooms apartments and penthouses, ranging from 1,015 sq ft to 3,100 sq ft; and two duplex sky villas of 6,028 sq ft, each with a balcony lap pool.

The Oceanfront @ Sentosa Cove: This seafront condominium comprising three 15-storey and two 13-storey blocks is by far the largest and tallest residence in Sentosa Cove. Designed by world-renowned architects Wimberly Allison Tong and Goo Inc and Antonio Citterio, it features a host of luxurious facilities including a fully equipped gym and an infinity lap pool stretching into the horizon.

There are 264 units in the development, comprising 239 two- to four-bedrooms apartments ranging from 1,216 sq ft to 4,282 sq ft, seven sky suites of 3,326 sq ft to 5,038 sq ft, two villas measuring 4,585 sq ft to 4,704 sq ft and 16 sky villas of 2,745 to 8,095 sq ft.

Turquoise: One of the most recently launched developments in Sentosa Cove, Turquoise comprises two six-storey blocks with attics fronted by a waterway near the fairways for views of the golf courses. It boasts full condominium facilities as well as 21 private berths within the development.

Turquoise will have a total of 91 residential units, with 78 three- to four-bedrooms ranging from 2,088 sq ft to 3,035 sq ft, 10 duplex penthouses of 3,111 sq ft to 3,746 sq ft with private spa pools and terraces and three sky villas ranging from 6,900 sq ft to 7,987 sq ft with private sky gyms, infinity lap pools and terraces. Units are still available for sale by the developer.

Marina Collection: Marina Collection is the latest condominium project to be launched in Sentosa Cove. Located next to the One Degree 15 Marina, the development comprises three four-storey blocks. Facilities provided include a lap pool, gym, clubhouse and concierge service. Buyers are offered One Degree 15 Marina club membership and 40 berths will be made available for lease to owners.

The 124-unit project will have 93 three- to four-bedroom apartments ranging from 1,873 sq ft to 3,272 sq ft and 31 penthouses (with private lap pools) measuring 3,369 sq ft to 4,693 sq ft. The project is still open for sale by the developer.

LANDED DEVELOPMENTS

Those who want to design and build their own homes have the chance to do so on Sentosa Cove with land parcels on offer for sale. So popular are they that all the land parcels at Sentosa Cove have been sold as at end-August 2008. There are, however, opportunities to purchase landed homes in the primary and secondary markets. Landed projects that keen buyers can still lay their hands on include:

The Berthside: The Berthside comprises eight terraces with their own private berth and a spacious deck area for outdoor dining. It is the first landed housing development to be launched and completed in Sentosa Cove. The land size for each terrace unit ranges from 2,324 to 3,851 sq ft, with a built-up area of 4,168 sq ft to 5,170 sq ft.

Coral Island: This is an island in the North Cove of Sentosa Cove. It houses 21 bungalows, each equipped with its own private mooring berth for a pleasure craft. The bungalows are built on land plots ranging from 6,000 sq ft to 15,000 sq ft and have built-up areas of between 6,000 sq ft and 12,000 sq ft.

FUTURE PROJECTS

In the pipeline are some 535 condominium and landed houses in Sentosa Cove, which could potentially be launched in the next two to three quarters. These include the 105 yet-to-be-launched condominium units from Turquoise and Marina Collection as well as City Developments’ 228-unit Sentosa Quayside and Ho Bee Group’s 151-unit Seascape.

Beyond the next nine months, would-be purchasers and investors can also look forward to another estimated tally of 350 condominiums and landed homes that are likely to be generated from developers’ land banks.

Buoyant demand for Sentosa Cove’s resort homes has resulted in the trebling of launch prices of non-landed properties, from an average of $785 per sq ft for the first condominium project, The Berth by the Cove, launched in November 2004, to $2,800 psf for latest release for The Marina Collection in December 2007.

Based on caveats lodged, prices of landed homes in Sentosa Cove have similarly trended up steeply. Prices of bungalows have increased some 75 per cent from an average of $743 psf of land area as at late 2005 to $1,303 psf of land area as at end-2007. For terrace houses, average prices have leaped by 185 per cent from $847 psf of land area as at 1Q 2005 to $2,414 per sq ft as at 1H 2008.

With the stock of resort homes in Sentosa Cove capped at 2,500 units, one can be assured that the exclusivity and resort ambience of homes in the marina community will be preserved. In addition, the rising population of well-heeled expatriates brought about by Singapore’s growing status as a global city and regional financial hub will continue to support demand for resort homes in Sentosa Cove. Hence, despite the current market weakness due to global economic and financial turbulence, the mid-to-long term prospects for resort homes in Sentosa Cove are bright.

Singapore’s sound political, social, economic and geographic environment that is free from natural disasters makes buying a home in this island state, be it for investment, holiday or retirement, a worthwhile option. Hence, laying one’s bet on Sentosa Cove could just be the match made in investment heaven.

Chia Siew Chuin is associate director while Audrey Tan is analyst at Research & Advisory, Colliers International


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