70@truro
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Overview & Key Facts
70@TRURO is a 24-unit freehold boutique on Truro Road in District 8 — a compact five-storey block developed by Singiap Company Pte Ltd and completed in June 2018. It sits in a quietly residential lane between Farrer Park and Little India, a location that rewards with genuine city-fringe access but asks buyers to look past an address that many Singapore property portals under-represent in favour of higher-volume launches nearby.
The property data reflects a thinly traded asset. Launch-era new sale caveats from 2017–2018 recorded PSF in the range of S$1,599–S$1,867, with 2-bedroom units (495 sqft) selling at S$910,000–S$925,000 and the single 3-bedroom caveat at S$1,438,000 for 807 sqft. No resale caveats have been recorded since TOP — characteristic of small freehold boutiques where owner-occupiers hold for the medium term. Average rent of S$3,789 per month across the rental history logged by ShiokNest is the strongest objective signal on current demand, pointing to a tenant cohort of medical professionals, business travellers to the CBD, and families targeting the Catholic school cluster that anchors this exact stretch of the D8 city fringe. Gross yield is not computable against a current market PSF, but the rental quantum relative to launch pricing suggests a yield range that compares credibly with mid-D8 peers.
Farrer Park MRT (North-East Line) at 630 metres is the headline connectivity asset — eight minutes on foot, connecting residents to Dhoby Ghaut in two stops and Harbourfront in twelve. The Catholic girls’ school cluster (CHIJ Our Lady of the Peace at 430m, St Margaret’s Secondary at 560m, St Margaret’s Primary at 640m) provides a school-catchment thesis that distinguishes 70@TRURO from the predominantly investor-oriented micro-boutiques that cluster around the Little India MRT interchange. Farrer Park Hospital, part of the Connexion medical campus at 650m, anchors the medical-professional rental demand driver that has structurally differentiated D8 city-fringe rental yields from comparable OCR addresses.
Location & Connectivity
Truro Road is a short residential street running off Rangoon Road in the Farrer Park sub-district of District 8 — less than 400 metres north of the Connexion medical campus and Farrer Park MRT. The immediate street character is predominantly low-rise residential, with shophouses and small apartment blocks on adjacent Rangoon Road providing the day-to-day amenity layer. Little India’s Serangoon Road corridor is within a five-minute walk east, bringing a density of F&B, wet markets, 24-hour provision shops, and the Mustafa Centre (open 24 hours) that no comparable city-fringe address in Singapore can replicate.
Rail access is genuinely competitive for a boutique at this price point. Farrer Park MRT (North-East Line) at 630 metres puts Dhoby Ghaut at two stops (interchange to NS/CC lines), Bugis at three stops, and Harbourfront at twelve. Novena MRT (North-South Line) at 840 metres offers an alternative route to Orchard and the CBD for residents willing to walk in either direction. Little India MRT (NE/DT interchange) at 950 metres adds the Downtown Line for Botanic Gardens, Buona Vista, and Expo. Three MRT lines within one kilometre is an unusual multi-line coverage at a boutique freehold price point; direct rail comparison with Piccadilly Grand (direct MRT access, 99-year lease) is the most instructive anchor.
Day-to-day retail and F&B are well served. City Square Mall — Singapore’s first eco-mall and one of D8’s primary retail anchors — is approximately 550 metres away on Kitchener Road. United Square shopping mall and Velocity @ Novena Square are within 1.5 km along Thomson Road, adding FairPrice supermarket, Cold Storage, and a full restaurant-to-fast-food range. The Jalan Besar and Kampong Gelam heritage corridors are 1.2–1.8 km east, contributing to a neighbourhood F&B density that is consistently underrated relative to more prominently marketed sub-markets. Mustafa Centre on Syed Alwi Road at approximately 700 metres provides 24-hour grocery and pharmacy access that is effectively unique among Singapore residential addresses.
Schools & Education
3 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Farrer Park Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| LASALLE College of the Arts | tertiary | ~1.0 km |
| ACS (Junior) | primary | ~1.4 km |
| Singapore Chinese Girls' School (Primary) | primary | ~1.4 km |
| St. Andrew's Secondary School | secondary | ~1.5 km |
Facilities
For a 24-unit boutique, 70@TRURO offers a facilities package that exceeds the bare-minimum profile of Singapore’s smallest developments. The development includes a swimming pool, fitness gym, BBQ pit, and 24 parking lots (including one handicapped space) — a meaningful step above the zero-amenity profile typical of five-to-nine-unit micro-boutiques. The roof terrace provides outdoor communal space that is increasingly absent from similarly scaled new launches. A ShiokNest facilities rating of 5.5/10 reflects this middle ground: there is a functioning amenity set, but it operates at boutique scale without the resort-grade facilities of a 300+ unit development.
The practical implications for residents are straightforward. The pool is a functional lap or leisure pool — not a resort-style water feature. The gym will provide basic equipment adequate for maintenance fitness but not specialist training. The BBQ pit is appropriate for small-group gatherings rather than large-scale entertaining. Twenty-four parking lots covering twenty-four units means a one-to-one parking ratio — unusually complete for a development at this size and price point in an area where many residents rely on MRT.
The maintenance fee implication of a 24-unit block with pool, gym, and security is worth modelling before purchase. Facilities at this scale typically cost S$350–550 per month in maintenance contributions — meaningfully higher than a no-facilities nine-unit boutique (S$150–300/month) but well below the S$600–900/month range of large-complex condominiums with full concierge and resort facilities. For investors purchasing to rent, maintenance fees at this range remain comfortably absorb-able within the S$3,500–4,200/month rental band that D8 city-fringe 3-bedroom units typically achieve.
Neighbourhood Comparison
The three most instructive comparisons for 70@TRURO are Piccadilly Grand (integrated leasehold, MRT-direct), Citylights (large leasehold complex), and City Square Residences (freehold, large complex) — all within 1.5 km in the D8 Farrer Park corridor.
Piccadilly Grand (CDL & MCL Land, 407 units, 99-year leasehold, TOP August 2026) is the benchmark that has reset D8 city-fringe pricing expectations at S$2,166 psf average. It sits directly above Farrer Park MRT with integrated retail (Piccadilly Galleria) and resort-grade facilities including a 35m lap pool, multi-purpose sports court, and co-working lounge. Against 70@TRURO, Piccadilly Grand offers: MRT integration vs 630m walk; resort facilities vs boutique pool/gym; new build vs 2018 vintage; 99-year lease vs freehold. Buyers who need direct MRT access and full resort facilities should price this upgrade — it costs approximately S$300–S$400 psf more than 70@TRURO’s estimated current market value, plus the compounding lease decay differential over a 30-year hold. For a long-horizon buyer, freehold at S$1,900 psf beats leasehold at S$2,166 psf on a tenure-adjusted basis by year 20–25.
Citylights (large leasehold complex, PSF S$1,763 average) is the established large-complex comparison — a 600+ unit development on Jellicoe Road with full resort facilities, 99-year tenure, and older vintage. Its lower PSF reflects both lease decay and vintage, but the facilities and scale are substantially superior to 70@TRURO. For investors purely optimising yield per dollar deployed at a given quantum, Citylights offers more transaction liquidity and a deeper rental comparison pool. For long-horizon freehold hold, 70@TRURO’s tenure is the structural differentiator.
City Square Residences (freehold, 910 units, PSF S$1,892 average) is the closest freehold peer — same D8 Farrer Park location, freehold title, but at a completely different scale (910 units vs 24), full resort facilities, and S$1,892 psf versus 70@TRURO’s estimated S$1,900–S$2,100 range. The two are essentially at parity on tenure and estimated PSF. City Square Residences wins on facilities, transaction liquidity, and unit size range; 70@TRURO wins on boutique quietness, parking ratio (1:1 vs typically 0.8:1 at large complexes), and the school-catchment specificity of the Truro Road address. Buyers with no particular preference for the Catholic school cluster or boutique living should default to City Square Residences for liquidity and facilities; buyers targeting CHIJ OLP or St Margaret’s Primary Phase 2A/2B balloting should model whether the Truro Road address puts them inside relevant priority rings.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70@TRURO | — | 24 | — | |
| PICCADILLY GRAND | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2021 | 2022 | 407 | $2,166 |
| CITYLIGHTS | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2004 | 2007 | 600 | $1,763 |
| CITY SQUARE RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2009 | 910 | $1,892 |
| STURDEE RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2015 | — | 305 | $1,999 |
| KERRISDALE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 1998 | 2006 | 481 | $1,395 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates 70@TRURO across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“We chose Truro Road specifically because of the hospital. My shift ends at 10pm sometimes — the last thing you want is a long commute home. Eight minutes to the gate of Farrer Park Hospital from the front door. That’s the whole calculation.”
— Medical professional tenant perspective on Truro Road proximity to Farrer Park Hospital, via PropertyGuru rental listing discussion
“The neighbourhood surprises most people who haven’t lived in D8. Mustafa around the corner for 3am grocery runs. City Square Mall five minutes walk. Farrer Park MRT gets you to the CBD in 15 minutes without a car. And it’s genuinely quiet on Truro Road itself — you don’t hear the Serangoon Road traffic at all.”
— Owner-occupier experience at Truro Road area, via Condo Singapore community forums
“The boutique freehold plays in the Farrer Park corridor — Truro Road, Rangoon Road, Dorset Road — are being re-rated upward as Piccadilly Grand establishes a new PSF ceiling for the sub-market. The freehold premium on these small blocks is real and persistent. You’re buying what CDL can’t replicate with a 99-year integrated development.”
— Property investor view on D8 boutique freehold repricing via EdgeProp community insights
Across community forums and property discussion channels, the recurring theme for the Truro Road – Rangoon Road area is the underrated quality of the daily-living environment: proximity to Little India’s F&B density, Mustafa’s 24-hour retail, City Square Mall, and Farrer Park MRT provides a convenience layer that owner-occupiers consistently rate more positively after moving in than before. The medical-professional tenant segment is specifically noted as a stable and reliable renter cohort — professionals with fixed hospital shifts who prioritise proximity, low turnover, and willingness to pay mid-market rents for quality boutique units within walking distance of their workplace.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — rare in D8 below S$2,100 psf as Piccadilly Grand sets a new leasehold ceiling
- Farrer Park MRT (NEL) at 630m — 8-min walk to 2-stop connection to Dhoby Ghaut interchange
- Three MRT lines within 1km: NEL (Farrer Park 630m), NSL (Novena 840m), NE/DT (Little India 950m)
- CHIJ Our Lady of the Peace at 430m — Catholic girls' school, Phase 2A/2B catchment advantage
- St Margaret's Secondary at 560m and St Margaret's Primary at 640m — Catholic school cluster
- Farrer Park Hospital / Connexion medical campus at ~650m — structural medical-professional rental demand driver
- Health City Novena (TTSH, KKH, Novena Medical Centre) approx 1.5km — second major medical cluster
- Basic facilities: pool, gym, BBQ pit, 24-hour security — above zero for a 24-unit boutique
- 1:1 parking ratio (24 lots, 24 units) — unusually complete for a D8 city-fringe boutique
- Mustafa Centre (24hr retail/grocery/pharmacy) approx 700m — unmatched neighbourhood utility
- City Square Mall (eco-mall, FairPrice, F&B) approx 550m — daily retail covered
- Orchard Road approx 8 min by car; CBD approximately 12–15 min off-peak
- 24-unit scale — quieter than large-complex living; minimal traffic through common areas
- Freehold title compounds tenure advantage vs leasehold peers over 20–30 year hold
- Zero resale caveats since June 2018 TOP — no current-market PSF anchor for buyers
- Compact unit sizes: 2BR at 495 sqft is tight; 3BR at 807–829 sqft below space expectations for families
- Facilities are functional but boutique-scale — pool, gym not comparable to resort-grade large-complex amenities
- Farrer Park MRT 630m — walkable but not MRT-integrated; rainy-day commute remains a friction point
- Truro Road is a side street with limited commercial activation — no street-level F&B or retail on the lane itself
- No resale transaction history makes bank valuation and exit price modelling highly uncertain
- Small development body corporate — 24 units managing shared decisions; single large repair can disproportionately impact maintenance fund
- School catchment limited to Catholic girls' schools — not universally applicable; families outside this preference see no catchment advantage
- Neighbourhood subject to Little India weekend crowd / noise when major festivals occur on Serangoon Road
- Gross yield not computable from public resale PSF — requires independent valuation to underwrite purchase vs rental income
Verdict
70@TRURO is a focused product with a clear investment and occupation thesis: freehold tenure in a D8 city-fringe location proximate to three MRT lines, a major medical cluster, and a Catholic girls’ school catchment, at a unit scale (24 units) that provides basic amenities without the maintenance overhead of a resort complex. The ShiokNest composite score of 56/100 reflects a development where several strong individual dimensions — value (7.5/10), neighbourhood (7.5/10), and MRT access (7.5/10) — are held back at the aggregate level by boutique-scale facilities (5.5/10) and the uncertainty premium that applies to any asset with no post-TOP resale data.
The case for is structural. Freehold tenure in D8 below S$2,000 psf is increasingly uncommon as the neighbourhood urbanises around the Farrer Park MRT corridor — Piccadilly Grand (CDL, 407 units, 99-year, MRT-integrated) has set a new benchmark PSF ceiling for the sub-market at S$2,166, and City Square Residences (freehold, 910 units) trades at S$1,892 psf. Against those anchors, a freehold boutique at 70@TRURO’s launch-era PSF of S$1,800–S$1,870 — and likely current market PSF of S$1,900–S$2,100 — offers genuine relative value on a per-sqft-freehold basis, albeit at a smaller unit size. The rental of S$3,789/month against a 3-bedroom size of 820 sqft is a credible yield anchor.
The case against is also specific. The immediate Truro Road streetscape is not visually prominent — it is a side street off Rangoon Road without the urban activation of the Kitchener Road or Serangoon Road frontages. The units are compact: 495 sqft 2-bedrooms appeal to a narrow tenant-buyer market, and 820 sqft 3-bedrooms are functional but below the space expectations of families with school-going children in Singapore’s most expensive tenancy market. The school catchment (CHIJ Our Lady of the Peace, St Margaret’s Primary and Secondary) serves a specific demographic — families prioritising Catholic girls’ schools in D8 — and is less universally applicable than the Haig Road or Bukit Timah school clusters.
The ideal owner is a medical professional working at Farrer Park Hospital or Health City Novena who values walking proximity to the campus, or an investor targeting the medical-professional tenant demographic with a 5–10 year freehold hold. Own-stay families prioritising the Catholic girls’ school cluster — CHIJ OLP for primary balloting at 430m, St Margaret’s Primary as a second-choice Catholic school at 640m — will find few freehold D8 alternatives at this quantum. For buyers who need larger space, more active urban frontage, or resort facilities, Piccadilly Grand (integrated, MRT-direct, 99-year) or City Square Residences (freehold, large-complex, full facilities) are the rational upgrades at higher quantum and PSF.