Review: The Oliv at Balmoral, A Bungalow in the Sky

This is a short write up on The Oliv at Balmoral, which is currently marketed by Estate Magnates. This is to provide potential buyers with a more in-depth view of the property. Equipping them with the information to make a well-informed decision. The full listing can be found here on 99.co. Should you require more information, feel free to write to [email protected] or contact Joshua Loo at +6596329840!

Bungalows in The Sky

Kind of a crazy term isn’t it. It got me thinking when I first came across this term. How do you logically have a bungalow in the sky?

We will now present to you The Oliv at Balmoral, where we present to you what makes The Oliv at Balmoral unique in terms of its price and layout in comparison to other similar developments.

The Oliv at Balmoral belongs in a separate class of condominiums.

One that exudes exclusivity.

Why This Property Might Interest You

Past Transactions of The Oliv at Balmoral

While I am conducting my research on this development on how to market this property, I had to first understand what are the past transactions for The Oliv at Balmoral and its immediate surrounding residential developments.

At first glance, you might be put off by the poor returns from The Oliv at Balmoral from 2009–2018. Prices fell by 9.21%! However, this was caused by a single seller in 2018. This drastically skews the data present and is not a true representation of the prices other similar units are going for.

In addition, the prices for other developments surrounding The Oliv at Balmoral were not congruent to the asking price of this unit, which is far higher — I will touch more on this later.

I thought awhile for the reasons why the developer was asking such an exorbitant price.

This was when I had realized that The Oliv at Balmoral is considered a “Bungalow in The Sky”, which means that it has huge built-up space in comparison to other condominiums. They rarely break the 2000 sqft threshold (Which most of the time are lofts, with void spaces accounted for in the total build-up space).

After accounting for the aforementioned point, look at the difference in realized capital gains! The prices have significantly increased! Take note of the sales volume too, which is transacted at an average of 30 units over the past 4 years. These are good numbers.

The developers are only selling it at $10.7 million/$3200 PSF. There is a difference of almost $1,334,800/$400 PSF! In addition, prices are negotiable, so do submit in your best offer!

Here’s where it gets crazier. Prices for these exclusive “bungalows in the sky” have been steadily increasing since 2005 till present. Prices have increased almost by 15.97% p.a. This is even taking into account the Global Financial Crisis (GFC).

If you were to sell the property after the holding period of 3 years due to the Seller Stamp Duties (SSD), based on this rate, it can transact for $16,688,632!

This was even through the GFC which had even affected all property types. But there was quick recovery here. Where sales volume quickly recovered within 1.5 years. If you are worried about the current COVID019 situation and its prices, have a further read here.

Real Estate in the COVID-19 Situation, What Should I Do?

Why Singapore Properties will Remain Resilient Through COVID-19

We have a few theories as to why there was such rapid growth in prices, all these are strictly conjectures, so keep an open mind.

1) The rich are not encumbered by the post-2009 cooling measures.

2) These units present with such a large space for foreigners, which is a premium that the rich are willing to pay.

3) Foreigners are not allowed to purchase landed properties, which usually has the space that they want. These bungalows in the sky provide them space.

You might be thinking, at that price, it is better to purchase a landed property! We do agree with you, on the factor that you are intending to hold on to the property for a very long duration (10 years or longer).

The transacted capital gains did increase in the long turn as compared to its condominium counterpart. However, pay attention to the transaction volume, which is lower as compared to the “Bungalows in The Sky”. The low volume also resulted in huge volatility.

In addition, purchasing a landed property does not have the same huge capital gain margins to be realized upon your successful purchase and sale of The Oliv @ Balmoral, which brings us to our next point.

No Additional Buyer Stamp Duty for Developer

Have a look at the date when the written permission for the development of The Oliv at Balmoral was made, and look at the two articles below to see when the ABSD for developers was implemented.

Dated 7 Dec 2011: Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty for a Stable and Sustainable Property Market

Sites for Development of Five or More Units of Housing Accommodation

This was a fantastic business opportunity for the developer and they have seized it at the right moment! Since the planning decision was done before the date of the ABSD implementation, ABSD taxation does not apply to them and they can “hold” this land indefinitely! This is also the reason why that only four units are sold by the developers out of 23! As long as the developers have the holding power, they can “cash-out” on their own terms.

This translates to exceptional earnings for them and savings/potential profit for you!

Sky Terrace Included

The property for sale includes part of the sky terrace, from the demarcation just right before the bench. This adds in an approximate 250 sqft of space!

Setbacks

Old Units Vs New Units

The rich have no qualms about spending their money on newer and more expensive apartments. This might make it difficult for you to sell the property once you acquire it right? The same thought did come across to me, but here is what I’ve found out.

Units that are older have prices that are transacted at an even higher PSF as compared to the asking PSF for The Oliv at Balmoral.

Asking Rental

The above chart shows the transacted rentals in the past few years for The Oliv at Balmoral, it is nothing much to write home about. But the interested investor is keener on realizing its future capital gains.

Loft Design

The living/dining room boasts a high 6m height, which grants it a loft apartment status. The Gross Floor Area (GFA) of the unit is 3337 sqft which includes the void space.

Technical Specifications

Facilities

Pool, children playground, Gymnasium, Barbeque Pit, function room

Other Points

• Even floor units face towards balmoral road, odd floor units towards the pool
• There are 2 units per level and every unit includes a sky terrace, which is maintained by the MCST.
• The Oliv at Balmoral won the President’s Design Award — Design of The Year 2015
• Facade currently is undergoing maintenance, will be completed in Q4 2020
• The unit is fully furnished, as shown in pictures, Miele appliances. Unfurnished sales can be discussed.
• The Hyde condominium (Under Construction, TOP: 2022)
• Works are on Mon-Fri (full day), Sat (half day), Sun (Off)
• 43 Carparks in the development

Thanks for reading!

Did you enjoy reading this review? Allow me to provide something similar to your property! I provide long-form articles as a form of extended listing for my sellers, and I find them to be effective in standing out in the property market.

If you are an interested buyer, feel free to contact me at +6596329840 or [email protected]

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee, or other group or individual. The author does not accept any responsibility whatsoever for any harm or loss arising from accessing or relying on information contained in this blog post.