Avenue South Residence Review: Coliving rooms from $1,995 per month by Habyt (former Hmlet)

If you are into the great outdoors and a nature lover, you would be equally as excited as to be living at the Avenue South Residences.

One of the newest condo developments located in Bukit Merah, Avenue South Residence, launched in September 2023, is offered as a short-term stay with co-living provider, Habyt (former Hmlet).

Imagine my surprise when I was invited to review the 3-bedroom unit and condo facilities at Avenue South Residence. I also took the chance to explore the neighbourhood and green spaces beyond to give you a good feel of how it's like living in this condo. Here's what went down:

Habyt Silat Avenue

Before we get into the actual review of Avenue South Residences, let's talk about the prices for coliving units here.

Previously known as Hmlet, coliving provider Habyt provides affordable short-term stays from renting a private room to a private apartment. It can get a little confusing, but Habyt's coliving spaces at the Avenue South Residences are called "Habyt Silat Avenue".

Habyt's all-inclusive rates for a private room at Avenue South Residences starts at $1,995 per month, while the master room rents for $2,600 per month for a 12-month lease duration.

Not all of Habyt's coliving locations offer whole apartments. Only selected developments, such as Avenue South Residence, allows for such options suitable for expat and local families renting, or seeking a few months' temporary stay while waiting for their home renovations to be done.

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Avenue South Residence: Near HDB blocks

Getting to Avenue South Residence via car (or private hire car) was an interesting experience. Your car will need to enter and exit a HDB carpark before arriving at the Avenue South Residence's lobby.

Located at 1 Silat Avenue, the entrance of Avenue South Residence is literally just a road away from the neighbouring HDB blocks - which can be a good and bad thing, depending on your preference for exclusivity or easy accessibility to essential shops such as the supermarket and bakery.

As I toured the condo, it is hard to not notice the HDB blocks always in the corner of your eye, especially when you're at the tennis courts and outdoor exercise area. Additionally, the Habyt coliving room (alongside certain units in this condo) also directly faces some of the HDB units, so it would be best to go for higher floors above the 11th storey to have greater privacy with an unblocked view.

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Avenue South Residence: Condo facilities

The huge condo development, Avenue South Residence has a total of 1,074 units, spreading across the twin towers standing at 56-storey tall. Interestingly, there are also 4-storey heritage blocks that will house retail shops and a childcare centre.

Unfortunately at time of my visit, the retail shops were not ready for operations. There are about 64 communal facilities at Avenue South Residence altogether, with a huge focus on park and wilderness elements such as mini golf zone, boardwalk, and even boulder climb. Not forgetting the usual condo facilities like swimming pools, gym, and BBQ pits.

One of the most attractive facilities at the Avenue South Residence would definitely be the high-floor, fully-furnished function rooms (located on level 56) with unblocked panoramic views. Other unique facilities include dedicated rooms for karaoke, studying, and even a solo piano room.

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Avenue South Residence: No MRT nearby

The multiple expressway connectivity, including AYE and CTE will not be a problem for drivers However, for non-drivers, you will have to either take a 15-minute walk or choose to travel by bus instead. It takes 3 bus stops to get to the nearest station at Outram MRT.

Since Singapore General Hospital, SGH is just a short walk away, there is also the option of hopping on the shuttle bus service there instead.

Avenue South Residence: Food nearby

As mentioned earlier, there are coffee shops available just a street away from Avenue South Residence. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even head over to SGH to try out the food options there with the air-conditioned food courts.

For café options, there are plenty of cafes available up north at Tiong Bahru, or you can walk over to Everton Park for the famous ang ku kueh and grab a cup of coffee along the way.

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Avenue South Residence Coliving

If you are keen to rent a unit at Avenue South Residence, you will be happy to know that Habyt (former Hmlet) has a couple of coliving units available for booking within the development. The 3-bedroom unit that I was in measured 947 sq ft (87.9 sqm) - that's on the smaller end of a new 4-room HDB BTO flat.

In my apartment, I had 2 other housemates - a couple who just arrived the day before in the master room and were in the middle of settling in. It was nice having housemates around, to feel a little less empty with some small talks here and there throughout the day.

No agent fees, no security deposit

Compared to the traditional condo rent model, the coliving cost with Habyt comes without any agent fees. Additionally, Habyt also partners with Rently to ensure coliving renters pay $0 security deposit. If that sounds new to you, know that Rently is a local tech startup that integrates GovTech solutions to offer deposit-free renting, by taking on the upfront security loan responsibilities instead.

Sounds too good to be true? There's no free lunch in the world.

A nominal fee will be added to the monthly rent if you were to opt for the $0 security deposit. For example, you would be paying for $2,200 a month instead of the regular $2,000 a month plus security deposit fee. Would you save on that $200? It really depends on how long your rent tenure is. Do your math.

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Avenue South Residence: Habyt Coliving Review

Stepping into the 3-bedroom condo unit, there is a proper foyer area with shoe cabinet, before moving into the closed kitchen. Inside the fully equipped kitchen, there are the essential cooking appliances such as the kitchen hood and hob, ovens, and microwave, not forgetting the separate washer and dryer machine too. The fridge can be found at the open dining area, furnished with a bar table and high chairs. 

The living room is furnished in a familiar and similar modern Scandinavian style like the other units available at Habyt, with the use of neutral coloured furniture, like a grey sofa set and the same black TV bench. There is also a spacious balcony fitted with chairs and table for a change of scenery, which is probably the best part about the unit since it comes with a great view of the sky.

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Avenue South Residence: Common bedroom

Going right along to the 64 sq ft (6 sqm) common bedroom, you will find a similar setup of a super single bed with a foldable study table and chair just next to it. All of the bedrooms also come with built-in wardrobes, as provided by the developer. There is also no TV installed in any of the bedrooms so you will have to go to the living room for your Netflix needs.

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Avenue South Residence: Bathroom

As this is a 3-bedroom condo, the shared bathroom will be used by both tenants at the common bedrooms. There are plenty of storage spaces in the bathroom, with the mirror cabinet and under the sink cabinet too. Since the window faces another unit, there is a blind thoughtfully installed for privacy sake.

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Avenue South Residence by Habyt Coliving: Overall Verdict

With close proximity to the hospital buildings, Avenue South Residence is a great place to stay for those that are seeking ongoing treatment to ease the travelling process. It is also convenient to be close to nature with one of the exits at Avenue South Residence being just one step away from the Rail Corridor.

If you prefer a more exclusive and quiet condo development, then Avenue South Residence may not be for you, as it is huge with over thousands of units, alongside the fact that HDB blocks are right in the view while being in the compound.

However, Avenue South Residence is well-situated at the city fringe and will be a popular choice for couples looking for a place to stay for work and play, with a reasonable $2,600 monthly rent shared between two pax.

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