![](\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Coney-Island-Singapore.jpg?fit=773%2C561\")
\nLocation is a word that\u2019s often mentioned when it comes to buying a home. I mean, in our latest Consumer Sentiment Survey, an overwhelming 84 percent of our respondents considered location to be the primary factor when it comes to buying a home.
\nProminent locations like District 15, 11, and 12 were some of the most\u00a0sought-after locales\u00a0to live in Singapore (surprise, surprise).
\nBut, everyone knows that properties in these areas cost more than a gold-plated bomb.
\nFor instance, based on the data that we\u2019ve managed to get from URA, the median transacted prices of private condominiums from May 2018 to May 2019 for these \u201csought-after\u201d locales like Marine Parade, Newton, and Novena were $2,446, $3,402, and $2,361 psf respectively.\u00a0\u00a0
\nNow, if you compare that to \u201cnon-mature\u201d estates like\u00a0Sengkang\u00a0and\u00a0Sembawang\u00a0for the same period, it\u2019s not surprising that they\u2019re significantly more affordable, at $1,333 and $1,255 psf respectively.
\nBut of course, you can make a case that these\u00a0ulu\u00a0areas aren\u2019t as developed, and are also further from the city centre, therefore requiring longer commute times.
\nWhile that\u2019s true, remember that when deciding where to live, choosing the\u00a0right\u00a0location isn\u2019t just about living close to MRT stations, hospitals, malls, and so on.
\nIt\u2019s also important to know what\u2019s around the neighbourhood.
\nFor instance, younger families might appreciate living in a neighbourhood with a younger demographic, or with lots of parks so you have more recreational things to do with the kids during the weekends (and steer them away from iPads).
\nAlso, living in suburban areas means you can get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. With a quieter and more peaceful environment, there\u2019s less noise pollution, which is great if you want to recharge.
\nSo, while we\u2019re not insinuating that these areas are the best places to live in, below are some reasons why you should consider living in Sembawang and Sengkang:
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\n1. They offer more scenic wonders and recreational activities
\nConey Island is only about 10 mins drive from Sengkang. Image source:\u00a0honeykidsasia
\nPerhaps the biggest draw of living in the northern\/north-eastern, suburban areas of Singapore is that it pulls you closer to nature, and this means you have more recreational things to do with the entire family.
\nSengkang has its share of natural sights and parks; there\u2019s the\u00a0Sengkang Riverside Park, a park that\u2019s home to Singapore\u2019s largest artificial wetland. As the park\u2019s mangrove habitat attracts a host of animals, a weekend visit to this peaceful park will be an educational trip for the kids.
\nAnd, if you journey slightly further north, you\u2019ll find the\u00a0Punggol Waterway Park\u00a0and above it, Coney Island.
\nPunggol Waterway Park is great for scenic cycling, while\u00a0Coney Island\u00a0is an ecologically sustainable park that\u2019s home to over 80 species of flora and fauna, some of which are critically endangered.
\nThe park has cycling and jogging trails if you want to ride a bike around or get some exercise and fresh air. Though there are no cascading waterfalls or deep caves, the landscape is beautiful and not what you come to expect of Singapore.
\nAlso, these parks are also part of the Park Connector Network, so you can breeze past from one park to the other.
\nLast but not least, there\u2019s also\u00a0The Animal Resort, a kampong-themed mini zoo that lets you and your kids get up close and feed these friendly animals.
\nLikewise, Sembawang isn\u2019t short of recreational activities too.
\nThe\u00a0Sembawang Park\u00a0is a tranquil place for the family to get together during the weekends. There\u2019s a battleship-designed playground, barbeque pits, a fishing jetty, and you can even enjoy the gentle sea breeze at one of Singapore\u2019s last remaining natural beaches.
\nAnd, Sembawang has\u00a0Singapore\u2019s only hot spring, so you can soak your feet to relax or boil eggs (though it\u2019s currently under renovation and is scheduled to be reopened in November).\u00a0\u00a0
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\n2. They are lots of public amenities around
\nRight beside the Sengkang Riverside Park is the Sengkang Swimming Complex, and the sound of that is already enough to drive your kids crazy.
\nThe swimming complex has 5 swimming pools and 8 water slides. Swimming classes are also available for both adults and children, and are taught by instructors from the Singapore Swimming Academy.
\nBut, education is important too. In Sengkang, there are a total of 12 primary schools and 6 secondary schools in the area, according to\u00a0MoE\u2019s website.\u00a0While Sembawang \u201conly\u201d has 5 primary schools and 2 secondary schools, you can expect more schools to sprout as the area develops.
\nAs for shopping malls, take your pick between the Sun Plaza Shopping Centre, Sembawang Shopping Centre, Rivervale Mall, The Seletar Mall, Compass One, Seletar Mall, and more.
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\n3. It\u2019s a relatively young community
\nAccording to the Department of Statistics Singapore, Sembawang is one of the youngest population in Singapore. Of the 87,000 people who live in Sembawang in 2018, over 54% of the population were aged 39 and below. In Sengkang,\u00a0over 57% of the population in 2018 were 39 and below.\u00a0
\nTo serve a young demographic, there are lots of pre-schools and\u00a0kindergartens\u00a0around too, and you can expect\u00a0300 more childcare centres\u00a0in Sengkang by 2020.\u00a0
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\n4. Improving infrastructure and connectivity
\nLocation of the Canberra MRT station. The station will be between the Sembawang and Yishun MRT stations. Image source:\u00a0LTA
\nGetting around\u00a0Sengkang is pretty seamless, thanks to its excellent connectivity. There are 2 serving MRT stations on the North-East Line, an LRT line connecting the various parts of Sengkang, and a bus interchange station. In addition, Sengkang is also well accessible by buses and road networks.
\nAs for Sembawang, huge plans are already in the pipeline to make connectivity even better. The\u00a0Canberra MRT station\u00a0will be between the Sembawang and Yishun MRT stations, and over 17,000 households will be within walking distance from it.
\nMeanwhile, the upcoming\u00a0Bukit Canberra\u00a0will be a massive community hub that will combine sports facilities with nature. Among the facilities at Bukit Canberra include a 500-seater indoor sports hall, an eight-lane lap pool, a six-lane sheltered swimming pool and the biggest ActiveSG gym in Singapore.
\nRoad networks between the north\/north-eastern towns and the CBD will also be improved when the upcoming\u00a0North-South Corridor\u00a0(NSC) is completed. The expressway will also have continuous bus and cycling lanes, downsizing travelling time.
\nWhile these upcoming developments will result in time savings when travelling, property prices are also expected to rise as the infrastructure improves. So expect your property to be solid investments in the future.
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\n5. Get the best property deals of the year
\nWatercove Residences in Sembawang.
\nSo we\u2019ve made our points on why Sengkang and Sembawang are good neighbourhoods to live in, but here\u2019s why it\u2019s even better: you can buy a new home at Watercove and Parc Botannia at prices before the 2018 cooling measures!
\nWith PropertyGuru\u2019s GuruDeals, get up to 4% and $88K off\u00a0Watercove\u00a0in Sembawang, and save up to $50K for\u00a0Parc Botannia\u00a0in Sengkang.<\/p>\n