Nouvel 18 - A Brutally Honest Review on this project
Jervis Isaiah Ng
Founder JNA Real Estate | Tech , Real Estate, Fund | Passion In serving generations with excellence both missionary and Globally
I have decided to do my first luxury project review after doing our home tour shoot at Nouvel 18. We were on the 17th floor of this majestic 4 Bedroom apartment and I thought, why not dwell a little deeper into the analysis on how this project fairs in the current market.?So here it is, I promise you I will do my best to keep this review as concise as possible!
Structure of Project Review
1. Details of Project, Developer, Architect
Nouvel 18 a project developed by CDL,?is a freehold project completed in the year 2014. It is located at 16/18 Anderson Road, beside Shangri-la hotel and right next to Le Nouvel Ardmore.
So why does Nouvel 18 and Le Nouvel Ardmore have similar names? The reason behind that is both developments are masterpieces of Jean Nouvel, the very same architect behind these two buildings. However, the two have different developers where Nouvel 18 was a joint venture by CDL and Wingtai, which subsequently took over Wingtai’s share. While Wing Tai solely develops Le Nouvel Ardmore.
A little bit about Le Nouvel Ardmore, it was the development that broke all price records in 2015. It was the most expensive condo ever sold in Singapore back in 2015 with a price tag of $51million. The person who acquired this unit was Sun Tongyu, one of the co-founders of Alibaba. The penthouse spans 13,875 sq ft on the top two levels of the 33 storey freehold project with a 5,000 sqft of roof terrace.
Both Nouvel 18 and Le Nouvel Ardmore were designed by the same designer, Jean Nouvel. He was a French architect who?designed his buildings to “create a visual landscape” that fit their context—sometimes by making them contrast with the surrounding area. With this, the critically acclaimed French concept designer came with a solution that benefits residents of both plots. The result is a U-shaped formation facing the majestic Shangri-la hotel. Not only does this creates cross-ventilation, but it also gives each unit an incredible view of their surroundings.
2. Location of Nouvel 18
Being located on Anderson Road, Nouvel 18 is located in one of the most prestigious residential enclaves in Singapore. Now you may think that Orchard Road is too busy and crowded for a residential to be at. However, Nouvel 18 is tucked away from the ever-busy Orchard Road. if you refer to the maps below, Orchard Road is located at the bottom of the map. But, fret not about it being too inconvenient (or ulu as Singaporeans call it) as it is a mere 650 meters (or 8 minutes walk) to Forum Shopping mall.
Forum shopping mall houses cafes, restaurants, and supermarkets. Everything you will ever need is right here. Making this place even more attractive for parents, the Forum shopping mall comprises Julia Gabriel Centre, Toys r Us, dance studios, and many other activities for children. You wouldn't need to travel anywhere else. Also, since the Forum shopping mall is part of the Orchard shopping belt, it is safe to say that Nouvel 18 is 8 minutes walk to Orchard Road.
3. Facilities in Nouvel 18
Be spoilt for choice by getting 8 sky terraces, all with a different theme! This gives residents a nice place to relax and escape from the hustle and bustle on the ground floor while enjoying the views that the different floors offer.?
Let me just share three of my personal favorites below!
The Gourmet Pavilion gives you space to host your guests for a private alfresco dining experience. It comes with an open concept kitchen for a gourmet showcase.
And the Wellness Terrace allows you to enjoy a unique workout above the city in the aqua gym which is also surrounded by nature and greenery.
Not forgetting, the Club, which to me is my personal favorite of all the facilities. It allows you to do both indoor and outdoor gourmet showcases. What's even more exciting is the screening room to enjoy movies with wine and some great company!
4. The layout of the Units
There are 6 different unit layouts in Nouvel 18. Namely the 2 +Study, 3 Bedroom, 3+Study, 4 +Study, Penthouse as well as the coveted Sky Suites.
The below unit is an example of the Sky Suite unit. However, this unit has already been sold. The 4306 sqft Sky Suite unit is situated on the 34th floor has been transacted at a price of $29,500,000 ( $6,851psf). With an unblock picturesque view of Singapore, this is a unit that will catch the hearts of many despite its jaw-dropping price.
I did a home tour video on the 4 plus Study unit of Nouvel 18! So do check them out as it shares the same picturesque view as the Sky Suite.
Now let's take a look at some other more palatable unit layouts and I will give my comments on each of the unit layouts.
2 Bedroom + Study
There are 2 types of layouts for the 2 Bedroom + Study apartments. Type B and B1.
As per every luxury property, each of the units comes with its very own private lift lobby. For type B the 1335 sqft unit you have two good-sized bedrooms as well as a bathtub in the master bath toilet. The study room is rather narrow but is able to fit a study table if you hug it towards the wall.
The only downside for units in NOUVEL 18 is that there are quite a few wasted spaces such as its planters as well bay windows. This may not be a plus point for individuals who are more conscious of utilizable space.
For the type B1 layout, you have an enclosed kitchen which is definitely more preferable for individuals who are looking to cook a little more intensely at home.
3 Bedroom + Study
For the 3+Study layouts, the study room is much more appropriate in size as compared to the 2 + study above. If you want to convert this into a guest room or helper room, it is definitely possible as well!
For the C4 layout, your main balcony is elongated and spans the length of the dining to the living area. There is also a balcony for the master bedroom which is my personal favorite as it gives adequate space to the main owners of the property to have their very own private enclave after a day of work or hosting guests.
4 Bedroom + Study
There are a total of 6 different layouts for the 4 + study bedrooms. It is evident that this project focuses more on bigger-sized units which is a hot favorite amongst buyers purchasing properties in the CCR region.?
And yes, I did a home tour on the 4 Bedroom + Study (Type D Mirror Imaged Layout). Check out on my YouTube Channel: Jervis Isaiah Ng.
For this layout type, you have two Master bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms which I really like. You have also a gourmet kitchen (Dry Kitchen) as well as a wet kitchen.?
I will leave the rest of the layouts below for your reference!
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Penthouses
The highlight of all the penthouses is their size as well as the private swimming pool and jet pool at the top, which is my personal favorite.
The expansive roof terrace provides a luxury of space to host guests as well as family members. However, for individuals who do not host much, the space on the second floor maybe a little too big for them.
Sky Suite
I have attached the layout plans for the SKY SUITE just for us to marvel at it. This unit has already been sold at $29,500,000.?
5. Price Analysis and Appreciation Potential?
I have attached the prices of the cheapest units in terms of overall price quantum. There are some units such as the 2+study, 1539sqft as well as the 3+Study, 1765sqft that are under $3000psf. These will be the best-valued options in terms of psf if you are looking to purchase something with a better exit strategy.?
However, taking into context that this is a Core Central Region property, based on my personal experience, there will most likely be a higher demand for the bigger sized units such as the 3 + study or the 4+study units.
Looking at the past transacted prices that are sorted based on the lowest psf transacted, a buyer purchasing #02-02 at $2916psf as well as #02-01 at $2,992psf you will be entering at the 7th as well as 11th cheapest psf in the development.
If you are comparing the current #02-02, 1539sqft unit to those of the same size that has been transacted, this unit would be the second cheapest in terms of psf for its layout.
If you are comparing the #02-01, 1765sqft unit to the others of the same size, it will be the 6th cheapest psf unit based on its layout in the entire development.
6. Macro Comparison in District 10?
I plotted the price trends for all private properties both resale and new launch in D10.
As you can see the current average psf for both resale and new launch combined is roughly 2000psf. Prices have also gone up by 83.98% in the past 15 years which amounts to around 5.6% (notwithstanding compounding) per annum.
If you were to purchase a unit at Nouvel 18 at 3000psf, your price point will be 1000psf more than the current average in district 10. However, it is important to compare developments based on other factors such as their age, tenure, and specific location in D10.
If we were to compare to the five most recent projects within 1 km away from NOUVEL 18, we can see that price point wise, NOUVEL 18 is the second-highest in terms of psf with 3 OBTP taking the lead (due to its longer tenure).
There will still be slight appreciation potential in the next 5 years if you purchase below the average price in the development at 3,139psf. Taking into account that the majority of the buyers are foreigners as can be seen from the pie chart below.
7. Rentability
The rentability of Nouvel 18 without a doubt is high. There are already more than 20 rental transactions from March 2021-July 2021 and the rental is on average $5.5psf.
A 2 +Study unit at 1539 sqft will have a rental of around $8,464.50 per month. Taking unit #02-02 as a reference, assuming a full loan of 30 years, the monthly repayment will be $12,441 per month. This means that as an owner you will have to top up $4000 per month to pay the mortgage of this unit.
Despite the high demand for rental in the development, the rental yield isn't the greatest.
As can be seen from the above table, the rental yield hovers around 2% to 2.2% per annum. Comparing this to nearby launches as well as developments, this will not come as a surprise for seasoned investors in the CCR region.
8. My Take
Since its completion back in 2014, the wonderful reputation enjoyed by Nouvel 18?is a testament to what a great luxury living experience it has to offer.
First of all, Nouvel 18 is probably one of the most iconic residential developments in the Ardmore precinct – among the likes of Sculptura Ardmore and Le Nouvel Ardmore, which in my opinion are all architectural masterpieces.
Every inch and every quarter of the clubhouse at Nouvel 18 and its facilities simply resembles one of those extravagant hotels and it really sets the tone of what is to be expected within the residence itself.
Within the apartment units for sale at Nouvel 18, everything is the real deal of high-end residential development. From top-grade marble floors throughout the living and dining area to superior timber floors in the bedrooms
If I have to pick on something, one would be the design of the unit layouts. You will find tons of bay windows and structural concrete beams which are mostly in the bedroom areas, and extra balcony spaces specifically in the master bedrooms for a majority of the unit types available.
I believe the design of these layouts was constrained by the architectural design of the Nouvel 18’s condo fa?ade. Thus, these are probably the best layout designs possible.
Other than for storage purposes, the utility room (of the proper size and ventilation) is being used as the bedroom for the helper most of the time. Thus, without a utility room, I am not sure how are the families going to house their helpers. They would probably have to sacrifice one of the bedrooms in their home for the helper.
With the average psf of new launches in 2021 inching towards $3500 psf, it is reasonable to understand why Nouvel 18 is priced the way they are priced. I will definitely not purchase this property for rental but if it is for long term capital appreciation, I will purchase a unit that is under $3000 psf so that I will have a safer exit strategy once I grow tired of the luxury living here, which I am certain that most wouldn't.
Thank you for reading till the end of this article and I hope to bring immense value to you as the alternative opinion and the objective voice in the market!?If you would like more details do give me a buzz at +65 9182 4606 or email me at [email protected].
Jervis Isaiah Ng
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