The once sleepy Lentor area is now being developed into a new town called Lentor Hills.
It is home to these new launches:
- Lentor Modern (Sept 2022)
- Lentor Hill Residences (2023)
- Hillock Green (2023)
- Lentoria (Q1 2024)
- Lentor Mansion (Q1 2024)
There will be more to come.
All are developed from the Government Land Sale (GLS) programme and are part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) plan to revitalise the North-East region.

Although its Outside Central Region (OCR) location may be less attractive to some, it is also the same tranquil and exclusive vibes that draws others to the area.
Residents at Lentor Hill can travel to Orchard or the Central Business District in about 20- 30 minutes via the MRT (Thomson East Coast Line), which is not too shabby in my opinion.
In fact, this is comparable to the commute from major estates like Bedok, Tampines or Clementi to town.
This is likely one of the reasons why Lentor Modern, the very first project to be launched, performed exceptionally well.
The Thomson East Coast Line (TEL, Brown line) is a lifeline to residents in this area, and will bring greater convenience to residents when it is fully operational in 2024.
And while it is a new township, Lentor itself is surrounded by most established towns like Ang Mo Kio, Upper Thomson, Yio Chu Kang and Seletar.
It is also near to amenities (think coffee shops/ markets at Ang Mo Kio Ave 4/5) and parks (Hillock Park, Thomson Nature Park, Lower Seletar Reservoir).
So if you are considering this new town, read on to find out which of these developments might be a better option for you and your family.
Before I go into the specific attributes of each development, I would like to highlight the 3 most important aspects to consider before making a decision.
Aspect #1: Proximity to CHIJ St Nicholas Girls School and Anderson Primary School
For parents with children about to register for Primary school, it is important to choose the right development/ blocks (within a development) as not all are within 1km.
Even if you have no children, it would not hurt to select a unit close to the schools which would benefit you eventually when you decide to rent or sell.
Before the development of Lentor town, parents looking to purchase/ rent units for the purpose of primary school registration had very limited choices when it came to private condos (e.g. The Panorama, Meadows @ Pierce).
Aspect #2: Guocoland is the leading developer in this location
If you have kept abreast of developments in the area, it would be apparent that Guocoland has a strong foothold, winning five out of the six plots of land released (1 is on the reserved list) so far either by itself or with their partners.
And since Guocoland is part of Guoco Group Limited, owned by Hong Leong Group, it is fair to lump Guocoland and Hong Leong together.
Guocoland has duplicated its winning formula to the projects launched – think Martin Modern (River Valley), Midtown Modern (Bugis) and now Lentor Modern (Lentor).
This is good news for the area where a “master developer” (informally) conceptualises and designs projects that complement and synergise with one another.
And Guocoland’s faith and conviction to commit so much funds and dominate the area is also testament of their belief and potential in the Lentor township to grow and thrive.
So should you consider Hillock Green, which is developed by China Comms and Yanlord Land? Do read on to find out.
Aspect #3: Layout of the units and bedroom sizes
When future resale buyers have so many different developments to choose from in future, then the layout will most certainly matter a whole lot! These buyers will most definitely look at all the offerings in the area, and any shortcomings in terms of the layout could prove to be costly. So selecting the right development and layout will give you an edge over others.
Now let’s explore into the current offerings in the area and find out what might suit your needs.

Lentor Modern by Guocoland
With an impressive 508 (84%) units sold during the preview in September 2022, it is now almost fully sold (end 2023).
This is by far the best performing new launch in the area so far and has set the price and pace going forward for Lentor. Being the only integrated development (shopping mall with supermarket & childcare centre) in the vicinity, I would say Lentor Modern is positioned as a cut above the rest.

This is clearly reflected in its pricing, offerings (i.e. SMEG appliances), spacious layout, full condominium facilities, facade (3 imposing blocks) and landscape design which focuses around wellness and nature to integrate with the nearby parks.
And just as we are getting used to smaller unit sizes, Lentor Modern offers a generous 1528sqft 4-bed unit layout, that is extremely hard to come by these days. I also love the fact that the other unit types offer various flexi options for homeowners with varying needs.
Sale price according to The Edge falls between $1918psf to $2379psf, with an average psf of $2087, which is very reasonable for a new launch development.
Given its first mover’s advantage as the very first launch in Lentor, I am confident that buyers, especially the bigger units, will see very healthy gains in years to come.
The only shortcoming I can find – Lentor Modern is not within 1km of CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School.
That said, it is still within 1km of Anderson Primary School, which as a co-ed school offers more flexibility for families with both boys and girls. And for parents who would prefer less stress, I believe Anderson Primary offers a great option.
Lentor Modern does not have many layouts (except for the 3-bed unit types), but each and every layout has been well executed. Overall, I think they did a great job and buyers do not need to mull over too many different layouts.
Less is more!
To illustrate the difference, I’ll show you the 1-bed and 3-bed layouts of 3 different developments for comparison.
The bedroom space in Lentor Modern is obviously a lot more spacious as you can see below.
Below is a comparison of the layouts of the 1-bedder units.

Lentor Modern has a very balanced 1-bed layout, and in my opinion, one of the best space configurations for the bedroom size.
On a side note, I’m also pleasantly surprised with Lentoria’s design which allocates more kitchenette countertop space (running parallel), making it stand out from the rest.
Below is the layouts of the 3-bedroom units in the various developments. (Updated to include Lentoria.)

Here we are looking at some of the best 3-bedroom (think premium) layouts all three developments have to offer.
And I think Lentor Modern and Lentor Hills Residences are both quite similar.
This layout will satisfy the needs of most families.
Lentor Modern, again has the most generous master bedroom.
In comparison, Hillock Green fared the worst in this category for the sheer lack of storage and provision of a helper’s room.
I feel that Lentoria has a rather long corridor from the entrance (think wasted space).
I am utterly in love with their 4-bed layout.
And for years to come, I believe this will continue to be a sought after unit type, given its scarcity (63 units all sold) and functionality.

Now that it is almost fully sold, admirers of Lentor Modern can only look towards the subsale or resale units in time to come.

Lentor Hills Residences by Guocoland & TID
Following close on the success of Lentor Modern, Lentor Hills Residences achieved a respectable 50% units sold during the preview in July 2023.
The same winning formula and concept (incorporating nature as part of their design/ facade) applied, worked and by the end of 2023, Lentor Hills Residences had more than 70% of units sold.

Outlook wise, it has a slightly more interesting silhouette with 3 blocks of varying height and a distinct split colour scheme.
Like Lentor Modern, it also boasts of full condominium facilities and will have its own childcare centre. If it’s not already apparent, both projects are very family oriented. Residents can also walk over to the mall/ supermarket just next door at Lentor Modern.
It is also within 1 km of Anderson Primary School and most importantly, some blocks fall within 1km to the prestigious CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School – making these blocks more sought after than the rest.
(However, we cannot be 100% sure which blocks qualify, as the information is not apparent on OneMap yet.)
In terms of unit type, Lentor Hills Residences has much more layouts for buyers to choose from. Supporters of the dual key layout would be happy to learn there are 16 dual key units – of which 8 are 3-bed units while another 8 are 4-bed units.
And if you look at their 1-bed units offering, one particular layout has proper windows in the bathroom for better ventilation, unlike Lentor Modern and Hillock which rely on an exhaust fan (which really is the norm in today’s market).
So far, they are also the only development that has the 1+study option. Like Lentor Modern, they have also moved away from kitchenettes for their 2-bed (and bigger) offerings.
This is such a refreshing change as many families still long to have a proper kitchen. Interestingly, one of their 1+study layouts also has a proper kitchen.
While this is not an integrated development, It will still stand out in the area by being close to the MRT Station and amenities.
Below is an example of their dual key unit that will still be popular with investors and multi-generation families:

Below is the layout of the 4-bedder unit.

It is interesting to note that their 4-bedder unit has both a home shelter and store/ helper’s room as bigger families can appreciate these spaces that some developers scrimp on.

Hillock Green by China Comm, United Engineers & Soilbuild
Consumer’s faith in the Guocoland branding is apparent as we see a somewhat dismal showing (less than 30% sold during preview in November 2023) for Hillock Green.
Hillock Green is one of the only developments currently that does not have Guocoland’s involvement.
Or could this be a matter of buyers’ fatigue with the consecutive launches in this area?

Or it could also be a matter of buyers biding their time to see if the next two launches (early 2024) might suit their needs more?
Or perhaps – it could simply be a matter of an ill-planned launch at the same time as the all-popular J’den in Jurong East (former JCube)?

Still, it is a matter of time before more units eventually get snapped up.
But with two more launches coming up soon in 2024, some are keen to see if the new kid on the block will crumble under the pressure and reduce price?
It is already one of the cheapest new launch projects in the market currently, so I doubt we will see much reduction.
Unlike the two previous developments, it does not come with a tennis court.
But it does have the best view of Hillock Park, so for those who enjoy a greenery view, Hillock Green would have more units with a calming green facing.
In terms of proximity to schools, it should fall within 1km of Anderson Primary.
I spotted a number of flaws in their layouts.
As mentioned earlier in this article, one significant (almost fatal) issue is the lack of a utility room/ home shelter in the yard area for all 3-bed unit types (yes! Not even the premium units).
Families with a helper or need a proper storeroom may need to evaluate if they can make do with even the biggest 3-bed layout.
Or opt for the 4-bed premium units – but be careful as not ALL premium layouts come with the extra store/ helper’s room as you can see below.
Those who relish having a junior master, which means you would have two attached bathrooms, would have to do without the additional store/ helper’s room.
This is a major no-no in my opinion, since bigger family units would require an extra storage/ helper’s room, so why deprive a 4-bed unit of proper storage?
Loft/ high ceiling enthusiasts may give this project more love, as all the unit types have a high ceiling option.


Lentoria by TID – joint venture between Hong Leong Group & Mitsui Fudosan
This plot is notably smaller than the rest, but given that it falls within 1km of the much coveted CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School and Anderson Primary school, I do expect it to perform considerably well.
We have seen how 2-bed units perform exceptionally well in both Lentor Modern and Lentor HIlls Residences, so it is no wonder a whopping 45% of units here are either 2-bed or 2+Study units. The lower entry price for these units would appeal more to new home owners/ investors with a lower budget.
Lentoria will also be a more exclusive development (no childcare centres etc.) and a lower density, thus appealing to buyers who value a more tranquil and peaceful setting. I applaud the developers for introducing a product with a different value proposition.
Being the smallest of the lot, it is natural they did away with the tennis court, but focused on developing a more unique proposition – i.e. allowing buyers the option to select from two different colour palettes – Treehouse (Subtle, intimate & textural concept) and Glasshouse (more modern, elegant & sophisticated concept).
Though not life-changing, it’s still a refreshing change from all the usual cookie-cutter finishing that we see in most other developments these days.
Regular units have a respectable ceiling height of 2.9m while ground floor and penthouse units will have an impressive 5.525m ceiling height for the living and bedrooms.
As mentioned earlier, I also like their take on the 1-bed layout, which stands out from the other developments. The rest of the layouts, however, fail to excite me as much.
I am surprised that most of their “entry level” 3-bed units’ layouts still have kitchenettes, like their 1 and 2-bed offerings.
This seems to buck the trend of a somewhat more “enclosed kitchen”.
Yet, if you think about what makes a kitchen functional, I dare say for many who cook, countertop (aka food preparation space), is a top concern. This is precisely where Lentoria has done better than all the rest.
Here are some entry-level 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom layouts with the best countertop space in Lentoria, as compared to the rest.

If you observe carefully, the amount of kitchen countertop spaces in some of the other developments are pretty sad if you compare them to the above.

I’m rather disappointed that the master bedrooms for all the unit types are rather small.
Even for their biggest 4-bed (premium) layout.
Wouldn’t it be perfect if the size of the master is just a tad bigger?

That said, Lentoria is definitely still a worthwhile project to consider, given its proximity to two good primary schools.

Lentor Mansion by Guocoland & Intrepid Investment
This will be another Guocoland development, that might perhaps be reminiscent of what they have done at Meyer Mansion in District 15?
Like Lentoria, it is within 1 km to both Anderson Primary and CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School. Sitting on the largest plot of land to be released so far, the landscaping is just as impressive as Lentor Modern, although in terms of layout, Lentor Modern still has my heart!
I’m rather surprised at the close launch date between Lentoria and Lentor Modern though. In a way, I do pity Lentoria, as most buyers would gravitate towards Lentor Mansion, given that prices are extremely competitive between the two.
Starting from 2-bed units all the way to 5-bed units, I do appreciate how Guocoland tries to make each and every development distinct.
Lentor Mansion is the only development launched that does not have any 1-bed offering, cementing its positioning as a family-oriented development.
In fact, their smallest 2-bed unit is priced very attractively, and a great contender (or alternative) to the other 1-bed/ 1+Study units in the area.
Buyers have a whopping eight 3-bed unit layouts to choose from, from the basic open kitchen layouts to the ones with properly enclosed kitchens. But as mentioned earlier, I found all the master bedrooms (2 & 3 bed layouts) a tad too small as compared to the other developments.
Thankfully, Lentor Mansion stands out by being the only development so far in Lentor, to have 5 bedrooms. This unit type could be really sought after as some families will need the extra bedroom.
The master bedrooms for the 4-bed and 5-bed units are all well sized in my opinion.


Below is the 5-bedder unit layout at Lentor Mansion.

This is also the first project where the floor area harmonization kicks in.
Simply put, developers will no longer be able to include the AC ledge as part of the strata area to be sold to buyers. This is similar to the much hated bay windows.
So while it may seem like the units are smaller on paper, you must remember that you are no longer paying for the AC ledge that pretty much has no use except for housing the outdoor compressors.

Is there an oversupply in the area with so many launches?
I’ve been asked this question countless times. Well, the simple answer is no.
While there are many launches and more to come (with the unsold land parcels), the total number of units launched so far is still below 3,000 (including the 6th parcel at Lentor Central).
If you look at just five of the newest developments at Tanah Merah – Grandeur Park (720 units), The Glades (726 units), eCo (748), Urban Vista (582) and Sceneca Residence (268 units) – just these five projects exceed 3,000 units in total. This excludes older developments in the area like Casa Merah, Optima and East Meadows.
(You can refer to my thoughts on Tanah Merah’s condo developments in this article: How To Select A New Launch Condo Unit – 5 Ways To Protect Yourself)
Mega projects like Normanton Park and Treasure at Tampines have 1862 and 2203 units respectively. Mind you, these developments are neither as near to the MRT Station or within 1km of comparable good primary schools.
So if you put this in perspective, the number of projects coming up at Lentor Hills is more than healthy.
It will cater to the housing needs of nearby matured housing estates like Ang Mo Kio and Yio Chu Kang, and also residents in the Upper Thomson area.
How has resale developments in the area performed?
Now that we have explored the newer offerings, let’s take a look at the older properties in the area and their performance over the last 10 years.
And to show how important CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School is, we will differentiate those within 1km of the school, and those that are not.
These developments are all beneficiaries of the developments and construction of the Thomson East Coast Line.
Within 1km:
- The Calrose (Freehold 2008)
- Meadows @ Pierce (Freehold 2012)
- The Panorama (99-year 2019)
All 3 developments have for the last 10 years, done considerably well.
And this chart also debunks the myth that freehold developments would always perform better than leasehold properties.
Here you can see that The Panorama (just beside CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School) has done well consistently and now commands the highest average psf.

More than 1km:
- Thomson Grove (Freehold 1984)
- Seasons Park (99-year 1997)
- Castle Green (99-year 1997)
- Nuovo (99-year 2004)
We have once again seen growth in all these developments, but here, we do see a rather stark difference between a freehold and leasehold project.
Thomson Grove (the only freehold) had the highest growth as compared the rest of the projects.
But their prices are all much lower than the newer developments that are closer to CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School.

Some blocks are within 1km:
Far Horizon Garden (99-year 1987) – 2 out of 8 blocks are within 1km to CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, Anderson Primary and Mayflower Primary, while the rest are all within 1km to both Anderson and Mayflower Primary.
I thought this is an important feature as quite a few developments in the new Lentor town is facing this predicament (some blocks fall within 1km of CHIJ St Nicholas School)
For one of the oldest developments in the area, I would say its growth and the current average PSF archived is commendable!
In fact, average PSF is almost on par with newer developments like Seasons Park and Nuovo.

Given the track records of current projects, and how developments in the area (think North South Corridor etc.) will boost the liveability and appeal, Lentor is definitely a small but mighty estate.

Notes:
There are currently 6 projects available.
There is still one reserved site that can be triggered for sale at Lentor Gardens Parcel B.
At the same time, there are still a few more plots of residential land that can be sold via the Government Land Sales (GLS) in future.
Selecting a new launch unit can be a daunting process
With these many choices available, it can sometimes be overwhelming to make a decision on which unit to select.
The presence of a popular primary school like CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls’ School means an exit strategy of selling to parents is popular – this can be seen in the performance of resale units at The Panorama.
Not all of these Lentor new launches would qualify to be within 1km of the school but does that mean that demand won’t still be present?
I understand that many potential buyers would be facing the dilemma of weighing these factors in their mind – even if they are not parents.
- Should I pick the unit that is within 1km of the school so I can easily sell in future?
- Or should I just proceed to select what I really am interested in?
If you are a parent, take the time to read this article I wrote: Primary 1 Registration: How To Improve Your Chances Of Getting Into That Popular School
Selecting a new launch development to be your next home or investment is a deeply personal choice. But you also want to be sure that your choice makes financial sense.
Unfortunately, the way new launches work with only estimated price lists and prices that regularly change as developers evolve their own strategies to sell – it means having ample preparation is necessary.
The fact of the matter on buying new launches?
It is as much luck due to balloting as well as the financial strength.
If you are still pondering on what factors are important to focus on in your decision-making process – I invite you to contact me for a no-obligation discussion.
I have helped clients who are also parents to make informed choices on their next property.
Have questions? Drop me a WhatsApp message.
What are the key considerations for buying or renting property in the Lentor area, especially concerning proximity to schools, developer reputation, and unit layout?