Kallang Horizon BTO Review: Enviable city fringe location by the Kallang River

Kallang Horizon is a HDB BTO project launched in November 2022. It is still under construction, with its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) expected in March 2028. So, the buyers who managed to successfully ballot for a flat still have many years to wait.

Kallang Horizon is located at 7A Lorong 1 Geylang, in the area currently classified as mature estate Kallang/Whampoa. Located just 3 minutes’ walk from Kallang MRT and a stone’s throw from the Kallang sporting precinct and popular eateries at Geylang, it occupies a highly desirable city fringe site.

The future Kallang Bus Interchange will be integrated with the Kallang Horizon BTO project, meaning that residents will enjoy unparalleled public transport connectivity by both MRT and bus.

However, as Kallang Horizon falls under the Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model, buyers will have to contend with more stringent restrictions, including serving a longer Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of 10 years before being able to rent out or sell the flat.

Kallang Horizon BTO Review (Summary Table)

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

Kallang Horizon BTO Price

At the November 2022 BTO launch, 3-room flats at Kallang Horizon were priced at $335,000 to $447,000, while 4-room flats were priced at $509,000 to $690,000.

These prices are very high compared to typical launches, which is unsurprising given the BTO project’s highly central city fringe location and short distance to the nearest MRT station.

Buyers might be wondering what kinds of capital gains they can expect to enjoy in the future. We can look at nearby HDB flats to get an idea of the kinds of resale prices which might await.

Take the HDB flats at 8A and 8B Upper Boon Keng Road, for example. Located 10 minutes’ walk from Kallang MRT, the flats obtained their TOP in 2016. 4-room flats at this address are currently being put up for sale on PropertyGuru for $999,999 to $1,350,000. These are very attractive resale prices compared to the launch price.

While Kallang Horizon enjoys an even more attractive location than the 8A and 8B Upper Boon Keng Road flats, there is a catch—the Kallang Horizon flats fall under the PLH model. The effect of the PLH model on resale prices is yet to be seen, but it is possible it will have a dampening effect on resale prices.

Even when taking into account the possible dampening effect of the PLH model on resale prices, I personally think Kallang Horizon will still enjoy attractive capital gains and rental prices because of its desirable location.

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Kallang Horizon Fengshui

According to geomancers, the location of Kallang Horizon near the Kallang River might hinder development and cause delays in the construction of the flats.

The North and South facing flats are the most auspicious ones in the period up to 2063, followed by the Northwest and Southeast facing flats. Most of the flats face these directions, which is great news for buyers.

The positioning of the flats is generally quite harmonious, with blocks facing each other directly instead of at sharp angles. That said, this might change if future high-rise developments pop up in the area.

As the flats are located in a high density area near a prime transport node, the location might be quite a noisy one. As such, it is advisable for owners to select a unit on a high floor if possible and to install blinds or curtains in order to block some of the noise and minimise aggressive energy.

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Kallang Horizon Site Plan

Located at 7A Lorong 1 Geylang, Kallang Horizon is located on the city fringe just 4 minutes’ walk from Kallang MRT and will also be integrated with the future Kallang Bus Interchange, making access to the city centre quick and easy.

It is just 15 minutes’ walk from the cluster of sporting amenities in Kallang, which include Singapore Sports Hub, the ActiveSG Tennis, Squash and Netball Centres, Leisure Park Kallang, which is home to Kallang Ice World, and Kallang Wave Mall, which has a rock climbing gym. These malls also house a variety of eateries and entertainment options.

The flats are also a stone’s throw from Geylang Road, an atmospheric strip packed with local eateries.

Residents also enjoy easy access to nature, with the Kallang River located right next door and the Kallang Riverside Park and Kallang Water Sports Centre offering a variety of scenic and sporting opportunities.

Within half an hour, residents can walk to the Kampong Glam area in the heart of the city, making Kallang Horizon one of the most central city fringe BTO sites to date.

There are plenty of schools within 35 minutes’ walk, including Geylang Methodist School (Primary and Secondary), Dunman High School, Chung Cheng High School (Main), Broadrick Secondary School and Kong Hwa School.

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Kallang Horizon Floor Plan

You can find the Kallang Horizon floor plans here.

3 Room Flats

The 3-room flats measure 69 sqm, including the air-con ledge, and are quite typical of 3-room BTO flats, with the bedrooms placed side by side. Some customisability is possible--for instance, owners can decide whether or not to separate the kitchen from the utility area with a wall, or opt to merge the two bedrooms.

4 Room Flats

The 4-room flats measure 93 or 96 sqm, including the air-con ledge, and there are two possible layouts. Both are quite similar and typical of 4-room BTO flats, with the bedrooms lined up in a row. The main difference is that the 96 sqm flats have a balcony in the living room, while the 93 sqm flats do not.

In my opinion, these plans do not differ much from typical BTO layouts, but the fact that some 4-room flats have balconies is a nice touch, particularly for the units that enjoy waterfront views of the Kallang River.

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Kallang Horizon Rent

As Kallang Horizon is still under construction, there is no rental info available.

However, to get an idea of the kinds of rents the flats could potentially command when their owners have served their MOP, we can look at other HDB flats in the area.

Fully furnished 4-room flats at 2C and 2D Upper Boon Keng Road, which is located about 3 minutes’ walk from Kallang MRT, are currently being put up for rent on PropertyGuru for $4,000 to $4,500.

These are highly attractive rents for the first batch of owners who got their flats through the BTO exercise. For them, such rents can offer a great rental yield and fully cover the home loan.

However, for subsequent buyers of resale flats at Kallang Horizon, seeing as it is possible that resale prices will cross the million dollar mark, the rental yield could be less attractive, though still good. One advantage is that the city fringe areas are popular amongst expat tenants who work in the city centre, so there should be no shortage of rental demand.

For those looking to rent a place at Kallang Horizon, I think it offers good value for money due to its excellent location, connectivity to public transport and wide range of sporting amenities and eateries. It is particularly attractive for those who work in the CBD or wish to take regular advantage of the amenities in the Kallang sporting precinct.

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Kallang Horizon Review

I honestly feel that Kallang Horizon is highly attractive for smaller households. As a home, it ticks all my boxes—it is very near the city centre, has unparalleled public transport connectivity, has an array of food and entertainment options at its doorstep, enjoys access to nature and even has scenic views! 

And being HDB rather than private property, it is relatively affordable for renters compared to other rental accommodation in the area.

Bigger households who need a 5-room flat, however, will need to look elsewhere, as the BTO project consists only of 3-room and 4-room flats.

However, Kallang Horizon is pricey, and due to the PLH model, might not be the best choice if investment potential is a top concern—those whose main purpose is to invest might want to look instead for well-located BTO flats that do not fall under the PLH model.

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