8 Hullet
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Overview & Key Facts
8 Hullet is an intimate boutique tower that sits at the heart of Singapore’s most coveted postcode — District 9, a short stroll from the Somerset end of Orchard Road. Developed by Hullet Development Pte Ltd, a vehicle of the Lian Huat Group led by Mr Patrick Kho, the project represents a deliberate departure from the mega-development playbook that dominates nearby Orchard and River Valley. Lian Huat traces its roots to 1957 as a spice trading company before pivoting to real estate development in 1965, accumulating some 650,000 sqft of prime Singapore properties by 1987. For 8 Hullet, the group acquired the original 10-storey residential block on this site in November 2016 for $38.2 million, redeveloped it on a 10,733 sqft freehold—in what is now registered as a 99-year leasehold commencing around 2019—and completed the new tower in 2021.
The architectural commission went to A D Lab, whose brief was explicitly to avoid the brash maximalism typical of Orchard-area prestige launches. The result is a slim, 12-storey tower of 44 units characterised by clean lines, deep balconies, and a muted material palette that reads as considered restraint rather than luxury excess. Each of the 44 residences receives a private lift lobby — a feature that at this density translates into genuine exclusivity rather than a marketing flourish: you do not share a lift landing with neighbours. Unit mix runs from 1-bedroom with study (538 sqft) to 2-bedroom (657–797 sqft), sized deliberately as city pads for professionals and dual-income couples rather than family accommodation, reflecting the developer’s read of the District 9 rental and owner-occupier market at the time of launch.
8 Hullet is now fully sold at the developer level — all transactions are resale or sub-sale. The 12-month average PSF of S$2,888 represents a softening from launch-era peaks above S$3,500 psf, driven partly by leasehold stigma at a time when several nearby freehold peers and new launches (The Avenir, River Green) have anchored buyer expectations for this corridor. For investors, the 4.07% gross yield is among the more attractive income returns in the D9 CCR — a direct consequence of the project’s rental-oriented unit sizing, proximity to Somerset MRT, and the dense employment and lifestyle infrastructure of the Orchard precinct.
Location & Connectivity
The address on Hullet Road places 8 Hullet in a genuinely rare position: a quiet residential side street that is nonetheless under 300 metres from Somerset MRT (NS23/TE17). The walk involves crossing Orchard Road at the Centrepoint junction and taking Hullet Road eastward — a flat, two-minute walk that most residents describe as the shortest commute-to-MRT ratio they have experienced in Singapore. Somerset station sits on both the North–South Line and the Thomson–East Coast Line, giving residents a one-seat ride to Raffles Place and Dhoby Ghaut on the NSL, and a direct TEL connection to Marina Bay, the East Coast corridor, and ultimately Changi Airport via Xilin and Expo. Orchard MRT (0.78 km) adds a second node, and Dhoby Ghaut (0.90 km) opens interchange access to the Circle Line and North-East Line.
For drivers, the Central Expressway (CTE) ramp at Cavenagh Road is three minutes away. Cairnhill Road feeds directly into Scotts Road for PIE access. Residents with evening commitments in the CBD report 10–15-minute drives in off-peak conditions; rush-hour on Orchard Road itself can extend this to 25–30 minutes. The 35-lot basement carpark (plus one handicap bay) is modest for 44 units — every unit appears to have one allocated lot, but visitor parking and second-vehicle households will find it tight.
The lifestyle radius from 8 Hullet is arguably Singapore’s most saturated. Midpoint Orchard is 130 metres from the front door; The Centrepoint is 160 metres; Ion Orchard, Ngee Ann City, Paragon, and Wheelock Place are all within a 10-minute walk. Supermarket coverage is comprehensive: Cold Storage at Centrepoint and Takashimaya, Jason’s at Tanglin Mall, and the FairPrice at The Atrium@Orchard. Healthcare access is exceptional: Mount Elizabeth Hospital and the Paragon Medical Centre cluster (gastroenterology, orthopaedics, oncology) are on the doorstep. The Fort Canning Park green lung is a 10-minute walk through the River Valley corridor.
Schools & Education
2 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| ACS (Junior) | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Anthony's Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Kheng Cheng School | primary | ~1.0 km |
| Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) | primary | ~1.1 km |
| St. Margaret's Primary School | primary | ~1.3 km |
| St. Margaret's Secondary School | secondary | ~1.3 km |
| Singapore Management University | tertiary | ~1.4 km |
| ISS International School (Preston) | international | ~1.4 km |
Facilities
On a 10,733 sqft land plot shared among 44 units, 8 Hullet cannot deliver the resort-style facility depth of a 500-unit development — and the developer has wisely leaned into restraint rather than trying. The facility deck comprises a swimming pool, wading pool, gymnasium, BBQ pits, meditation lawn, and children’s playground. For a boutique tower of this profile, the pool and gym do the heavy lifting: the pool occupies a meaningful share of the ground-level amenity podium, well-maintained and, crucially, virtually never crowded given the 44-unit resident population. Residents describe the gym as adequately equipped for daily cardio and light resistance work, though serious weight-trainers will supplement with a nearby gym — Anytime Fitness at 313@Somerset is a 5-minute walk. The meditation lawn is a considered A D Lab addition: a landscaped ground-level space that buffers the tower entry from Hullet Road and provides an outdoor decompression zone for residents returning from the retail intensity of Orchard.
“The pool is never busy — I can swim laps at 7am and have it entirely to myself. That never happened in my previous development with 400 units. The facility size is proportionate to the community size and that’s actually the correct trade-off.”
— Resident review via EdgeProp Singapore, 2024
The private lift lobby for each unit is the facility that residents reference most consistently: arriving home to your own lift landing rather than a shared corridor meaningfully elevates the day-to-day living quality. The 24-hour security and basement carpark complete a straightforward but well-executed amenity package. Buyers upgrading from 200–500-unit developments will register the facility reduction; buyers from larger CCR condos will find the trade-off clear — what is lost in facility volume is recovered in exclusivity, quiet, and the absence of weekend facility booking battles.
Unit Sizes & Layout
8 Hullet’s unit mix is narrower than most District 9 peers: 1-bedroom-with-study units at 538 sqft and 2-bedroom units at 657–797 sqft. These sizes sit firmly at the compact end of the CCR premium spectrum — a conscious developer choice that reflected both the site’s land cost ($2,073 psf ppr) and the target rental market of Orchard-area professionals and expatriate singles and couples. The benefit of this focus is efficiency: A D Lab’s layouts are noted for minimal corridor waste, with living areas, bedrooms, and kitchens well-proportioned for their footprints, and private balconies extending usable space outward toward the city skyline. The private lift lobby per unit means no entry corridor wasted on shared access. All units are delivered with curated furnishing packages and quality branded appliances — an unusual spec for a project at this price point, directly reducing the fit-out capital a buyer or landlord must deploy before the unit is tenantable.
The 99-year leasehold structure (commenced approximately 2019) introduces a critical unit selection variable: with approximately 94 years remaining, the lease is still long enough for bank financing on standard LTV terms — but buyers should model the 19-year horizon to the 75-year threshold and the 34-year horizon to the 60-year threshold, as these are the financing cliff-edges that affect future resale liquidity. Buyers who plan to hold for 10–15 years and rely on lease-insensitive CCR rental demand are well-positioned; buyers seeking a multigenerational family home should note that the lease will fall below 60 years within approximately three decades, compressing resale options to cash buyers.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 5 | $3,044 | $1,638,169 |
| 2 BR | 4 | $3,124 | $2,488,208 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 9 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,589,546 to $2,924,000, averaging $2,015,964 (~$2,888 psf).
Rents range from $4,000 to $8,500 per month across 114 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 4.1%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has declined by 21.3% (from $3,671 to $2,888 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Within the District 9 leasehold peer set, 8 Hullet’s closest comparison is Kopar at Newton ($2,512 psf, 99-year leasehold from 2019, 378 units) — a larger, more facility-rich development that trades Somerset’s proximity for Newton MRT access and bigger units. Kopar buyers get more living space and a fuller facility deck; 8 Hullet buyers get the shorter MRT walk, higher exclusivity, and the private-lift premium. The ~$376 psf gap in favour of Kopar is a fair reflection of these trade-offs. Irwell Hill Residences ($2,726 psf, 99-year leasehold from 2021, 540 units) targets the same professional-investor segment with a heavier resort-style facility loading and river-view premium; for buyers who need a gym, tennis court, and two pools, it wins on facilities but costs $162 more per sqft and has a longer MRT walk.
The freehold comparison is sharper. The Avenir (freehold, $3,190 psf) offers perpetual tenure and larger 1–4 bedroom configurations on River Valley Road; the $302 psf premium buys indefinite lease security and greater resale flexibility over any holding horizon. For buyers who plan a 10-year hold and prize rental yield and location over tenure permanence, 8 Hullet’s current PSF discount to The Avenir is a reasonable trade. For buyers planning generational ownership, the freehold case is unambiguous. River Green ($3,134 psf, 99-year leasehold, 524 units, TOP 2029) is not yet complete — buyers weighing River Green against 8 Hullet are comparing a speculative promise of future value against a completed, physically inspectable asset with an established rental track record and a yield that River Green’s off-plan pricing cannot yet match.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 HULLET | 2021 | 44 | $2,888 | |
| IRWELL HILL RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 540 | $2,726 |
| RIVER GREEN | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 524 | $3,134 |
| RIVER MODERN | 99 years leasehold | — | — | $3,234 |
| THE AVENIR | Freehold | 2021 | 376 | $3,190 |
| KOPAR AT NEWTON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 378 | $2,512 |
Lease Decay Analysis
The 99-year lease runs from 2021, meaning approximately 5 years have already been consumed. Roughly 94 years remain — still comfortably within the range where most banks will offer full financing without restrictions.
| Year | Lease remaining | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (now) | ~94 years | Full bank financing available |
| 2051 | ~69 years | CPF usage still unrestricted for most buyers |
| 2060 | ~59 years | Approaching 60-year threshold — CPF limits begin for some |
| 2080 | ~39 years | Significant financing restrictions for next buyer |
| 2120 | Expiry | Lease reverts to state |
For a buyer purchasing today with a 10-year horizon (exit around 2036), the lease situation is essentially a non-issue — you’d be selling a property with ~84 years remaining, which is still very bankable. The risk profile changes for longer holds.
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates 8 HULLET across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“I chose 8 Hullet specifically for the private lift lobby. After eight years in an Orchard-area condo where I shared a corridor with 12 other units, coming home to my own landing is a fundamentally different experience. It sounds like a small thing until you live it.”
— Owner-occupier review via EdgeProp Singapore, 2024
“The Somerset MRT walk is genuinely two minutes — I timed it. For a professional who commutes daily, this is the most valuable feature in the building. No other condo at this price in D9 matches that distance.”
— Tenant review via PropertyGuru, 2025
“Honestly the unit sizes are small — my 2-bedder at 700 sqft means my dining table is in the living space and there’s no room for a proper home office. If you need a dedicated workspace, factor in a co-working membership. But the location makes everything else forgivable.”
— Resident review via 99.co, 2025
The resident sentiment pattern across review platforms reflects the project’s narrow but loyal buyer and tenant profile: strong appreciation of the MRT proximity, private lift exclusivity, and the Orchard lifestyle infrastructure, offset by candid acknowledgement that the unit sizes impose real constraints for dual-home-office couples or those accustomed to sub-urban condo proportions. The low unit count (44) means residents almost never encounter strangers in the lift or corridors, fostering an unusually settled, professional community for a CCR address.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Somerset MRT (NSL/TEL) ~270m — sub-3-minute walk, best MRT proximity in D9 peer set
- Private lift lobby per unit — genuine exclusivity for all 44 residences
- Strong gross yield at 4.07% — competitive for CCR District 9, driven by Orchard rental demand
- A D Lab design — efficient layouts with minimal wasted corridor space, deep balconies
- Curated furnishing packages and quality appliances included — lower buyer fit-out cost
- Low-density building (44 units) — pool, gym, and communal spaces rarely congested
- TEL connectivity at Somerset — one-seat ride to Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, East Coast
- Exceptional medical access: Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Paragon Medical 5-min walk
- Orchard Road lifestyle infrastructure on the doorstep — 10+ malls within 1km
- Completed in 2021 — resale buyers can physically inspect unit before committing
- 99-year leasehold commenced ~2019 — lease falls below 75yr in ~19yr, below 60yr in ~34yr
- Compact unit sizes (538–797 sqft) — unsuitable for families with children or home-office needs
- Only 35 carpark lots for 44 units — multi-car households will face parking constraints
- PSF at $2,888 in 12-month average represents decline from launch peak ($3,500+) — negative price momentum to date
- Cairnhill Road evening traffic — 15–25min drive to CBD in peak hours
- Limited facilities vs comparably priced D9 condos — no tennis court, function room, or yoga studio
- Investment score 48/100 and ShiokNest score 57/100 — below mid-CCR benchmarks on composite scoring
- Boutique exit liquidity — only 9 recorded sales; thin transaction history may create pricing gaps on resale
Verdict
8 Hullet is a concentrated, high-conviction proposition: boutique CCR living with Somerset MRT at the doorstep, designed for urban professionals and high-yield investors rather than families. Its 4.07% gross yield is genuinely competitive for District 9 — a consequence of its unit sizing and the strong expatriate rental demand that the Orchard corridor reliably generates. The private-lift-per-unit design and 44-unit exclusivity create a building culture that is closer to a serviced residence than a conventional condo community, which strongly suits the owner-occupier professional or the buy-to-let investor managing the unit remotely.
The weaknesses are equally specific. The 99-year leasehold starting around 2019 is the structural counterweight: at a PSF around S$2,888 (below the launch peak of S$3,500+), buyers are acquiring a leasehold CCR asset in a market where freehold alternatives — The Avenir at $3,190 psf, 3 Orchard By-The-Park, and various River Valley freehold terraces — are available with perpetual title. The leasehold discount is real and appropriate, but it must be factored into any resale model beyond a 15-year hold. Unit sizes (538–797 sqft) also impose a buyer-profile ceiling: families with children are almost entirely outside the target demographic, and even dual-income couples will find a 2-bedder at 657 sqft constraining by Singapore landed or mid-tier condo standards. And the Orchard-corridor traffic on Cairnhill Road during evening rush hours is an accepted inconvenience for this address.
The competitive frame is nuanced. Irwell Hill Residences ($2,726 psf, 99-year leasehold, larger units, more facilities) offers a competing leasehold CCR proposition with greater family appeal. The Avenir ($3,190 psf, freehold) makes the freehold case for buyers with greater capital. Kopar at Newton ($2,512 psf, 99-year leasehold) undercuts on price with a longer walk to MRT. 8 Hullet’s differentiator is the combination of the shortest MRT distance in its peer set (under 300m to Somerset), the boutique exclusivity of private lifts and 44 units, and the rental yield premium that compact CCR units in prime locations have historically delivered.