Fernvale Oasis BTO Review: Kid-friendly choice with schools and park nearby

Fernvale Oasis is a new BTO project with a difference—it is one of three projects launched in October 2024 that will have shorter waiting times of under three years. Yes, you heard that right, the HDB has finally responded to buyers’ gripes about interminable waiting times.

Fernvale Oasis is located in Sengkang and is a Standard project under the HDB’s new classification system. That means owners will have to serve a Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of five years (as opposed to 10 years for Prime and Plus projects), and will also be allowed to rent out the entire unit when the MOP has been served.

The BTO project will have a waiting time of two years and nine months. That’s good news for those who can’t wait to move in. Let’s see if Fernvale Oasis is really worth checking out.

Fernvale Oasis BTO Review (Summary Table)

*Information from 99.co, PropertyGuru, and other property listing websites is accurate as of time of writing.

Fernvale Oasis BTO Price

At the October 2024 launch, Fernvale Oasis BTO prices were as follows: 2-room Flexi were sold for $126,000 to $205,000, 4-room flats for $324,000 to $410,000, and 5-room flats for $465,000 to $571,000.

These are quite affordable as far as BTO prices go. To gauge the potential for future capital gains, let’s have a look at the prices of some resale flats in the area.

4-room flats on Fernvale Street are currently being sold for $698,000 on PropertyGuru. That’s close to double the launch price of some of the Fernvale Oasis units. So, we can see that the BTO project has the potential to be a great investment for the first batch of BTO buyers.

Fernvale Oasis BTO Site Plan

You can find the Fernvale Oasis site plan here. The site plan shows the arrangement of the blocks and amenities within the neighbourhood.

Fernvale Oasis is located across the road from the Tampines Expressway (TPE), but the blocks have been placed on the other end of the site towards Fernvale Street to minimise noise pollution.

Fernvale Oasis BTO Location

Fernvale Oasis is located in Sengkang, and bounded by Fernvale Street and Fernvale Road. Thanngam LRT station, which takes commuters to Sengkang MRT station, is located a stone’s throw away, and can be reached in about a minute on foot. Sengkang MRT itself is a 34-minute walk away, so most residents will need to use the LRT.

The area surrounding Fernvale Oasis is almost totally residential, but the BTO site is nonetheless within walking distance of certain amenities. In particular, the Seletar Mall is located a 12-minute walk away and houses a wide range of the shops and eateries.

Residents will also be located a 15-minute walk from Sengkang Riverside Park, which is home to scenic waterfront walking trails.

This is quite a convenient BTO project for families with kids, as there are numerous childcare centres and schools located within walking distance, including Fern Green Primary School, Fernvale Primary School, Sengkang Green Primary School and Pei Hwa Secondary School.

For me, Fernvale Oasis’ biggest disadvantage is its public transport connectivity. I personally find the LRT a cumbersome way to get onto the MRT network. For this reason, I would recommend this BTO project to those who work from home much of the time or have their own transport. It is also quite a good choice for families with children due to the number of nearby schools and the proximity of Sengkang Riverside Park.

According to geomancers, Fernvale Oasis’ feng shui is suited for those who are strong-willed and know how to harness their wisdom to improve their daily lives. It is not suitable for those who have weak willpower or are looking for the easy way out.

Fernvale Oasis BTO Floor Plan

You can find the Fernvale Oasis floor plan here. Fernvale Oasis consists of 2-room Flexi flats, 4-room and 5-room flats.

2-Room Floor Plan

The 2-room Flexi flats come in two variations: Type 1 flats measuring 38sqm, and Type 2 flats measuring 48 sqm.

The Type 1 flats are ultra compact, with a bedroom and living/dining area of almost the same size—you can imagine how small the latter would be, given the size of the typical HDB bedroom. The Type 2 flats feel significantly more spacious, particularly because of the bigger living/dining room, which has an alcove that can be repurposed into a separate space such as a dining room or guest bedroom.

4-Room Floor Plan

The 4-room flats measure 93 sqm. The three bedrooms are lined up in a row, and the living/dining area have an almost L-shaped layout, allowing you to separate the living and dining spaces.

5-Room Floor Plan

The 5-room flats measure 113 sqm, and, as is typical of this flat type, come with a spacious living/dining area that can accommodate a study room or other space without compromising on your living and dining activities.

Fernvale Oasis BTO Rent Price

To obtain an idea of the kind of rents Fernvale Oasis units might be able to command when the five-year MOP is up in 2033, let’s look at nearby rental properties.

On Fernvale Road, 4-room flats are currently being listed on PropertyGuru at a rent of $3,000 to $3,800.

Given the relatively low prices of Fernvale Oasis units, that would produce a healthy rental yield. In fact, the rental yield would be attractive even for those who purchased their flats at resale prices. So, if you are looking for a rental flat, Fernvale Oasis could be a solid choice, made more profitable by the project’s relatively affordable purchase prices.

Fernvale Oasis BTO Review

In my opinion, Fernvale Oasis enjoys a decent enough location for the price, since there are a major shopping mall and a beautiful park located within walking distance. Families with kids also have a generous selection of schools to choose from.

The biggest disadvantage is that you have to take the LRT to get onto the MRT network, but to lessen the pain a little, Thanggam MRT station is only 200 metres away.

Fernvale Oasis actually has the potential to be quite a good investment. The relatively low purchase price enhances the possibility of good capital gains and an attractive rental yield.