SINGAPORE – Some residents living in Blocks 562 to 565 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 began speculating about whether their estate would be picked for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) as far back as eight years ago.
Rumours of Sers were rife among residents when they realised their four blocks were the only ones in the area not picked for the Housing Board’s Home Improvement Programme (HIP) when it was announced in 2014 for nearby blocks of a similar age, said operation executive Lawrence Seow, 43.
On Thursday (April 7), the HDB announced the four blocks – all completed in 1979 – have been selected under Sers, a scheme aimed at rejuvenating older estates.
Mr Seow, who lives with his parents in Block 565, said: “There was HIP going on all around this area but only not for our four blocks. So there were a lot of rumours we may be picked for Sers.”
He said some people were waiting in anticipation but the speculation died down after five to six years passed without any announcement. He sold his four-room flat in Block 563 around four years ago for around $380,000, and is waiting for his new home to be completed.
“If I knew Block 563 was going to be selected for Sers, I wouldn’t have sold my house but at that time, I decided to sell before the lease depreciated further,” he said.
Property analysts said the plot of land in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 was likely picked as it has significant redevelopment potential due to its large size and convenient location.
Ms Christine Sun, senior vice-president of research and analytics at real estate firm OrangeTee & Tie, noted that the existing blocks are 13 storeys while the plot allows for buildings up to 36 storeys.
As it is situated near the landed properties at Serangoon Gardens, new taller blocks there will enjoy good views, she said, adding that it is within walking distance – about five minutes – of the future Tavistock MRT station along the upcoming Cross Island Line.
PropNex Realty head of research and content Wong Siew Ying said the four blocks are located within an ageing housing estate built in the late 1970s and 1980s.
“The selection of this Sers site is part of the Government’s plans to renew the estate and inject more vibrancy to the neighbourhood by potentially adding more homes – bringing in more households and younger families,” she said.
But she does not expect the Sers announcement to have an impact on prices of surrounding properties as redevelopment will only happen after residents move out in end-2027. If the new developments come with more facilities and amenities, it may “give home values a slight lift” over the longer term, Ms Wong added.
Some residents said they were still taking in the news, with many saying they were still on the fence about the announcement.
Financial adviser Winston Chan, 57, said his phone has been buzzing with congratulatory message from friends, but he is still unsure if he will take up the offer to buy a unit at the replacement site.
This is because his Ang Mo Kio flat in Block 564 is a jumbo unit made up of two three-room flats, with four bedrooms and four toilets, while the replacement site will only offer three-room and four-room units.
“HDB said they will offer to buy at market value but I’m not sure if it will match up to expectations. I do hope to get a fair value for our unit,” said Mr Chan.
Housewife Noorjahan Aburahman, 59, who has been living in a three-room corner unit in Block 565 for the past 23 years, said a neighbour called her to break the news.
She had planned to sell back the remaining lease to HDB under the Lease Buyback scheme when she and her husband turned 65 to monetise their flat and receive a stream of income in their retirement years.
“I don’t mind moving because we’ll get a brand new flat, although I love my current house. But I worry if we can get along with our new neighbours there, just like how I know all my neighbours here,” said Madam Noorjahan.
Ship building supervisor Hu Shun Ming, 66, who spends his free time chatting with neighbours at the void deck of Block 562, has been living in his four-room flat since 1979.
He said: “I’ve fully paid for my flat here, will I have to pay monthly instalments for the new flat again? But since we have no choice but to move, I hope all the old neighbours here will move together so we can still have companionship.”
“Source: [Sers for Ang Mo Kio HDB blocks: Speculation about it started 8 years ago] © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction”
