Hullet Rise
Overview & Key Facts
Hullet Rise is a 32-unit freehold condominium at 6 Hullet Road in District 9 — developed by Shaw Realty, the property development arm of the Shaw Organisation, one of Singapore’s most storied entertainment and real estate conglomerates. Completed in 2003, the development rises 16 storeys on a quiet cul-de-sac immediately adjacent to the Emerald Hill conservation area, placing it in one of the most characterful pockets of the entire Orchard corridor: a heritage shophouse streetscape on one side, Somerset MRT at 280 metres on the other.
Shaw Organisation’s entry into residential real estate was a natural extension of its property holdings: Shaw House on Orchard Road, Shaw Centre, Shaw Tower, and Shaw Plaza had already established the group as a major commercial landlord. Hullet Rise and Twin Heights (Balestier Road) represent the residential dimension of that portfolio — deliberately small-scale, freehold, and in premium addresses. The decision to develop 32 apartments rather than a 300-unit mass-market tower reflects Shaw’s characteristically conservative approach: build well, in good locations, and hold. The result at Hullet Rise is a building with full condominium amenities — pool, gym, children’s playground, BBQ pits, and 24-hour security — distributed across a unit count that keeps the facilities genuinely usable rather than perpetually oversubscribed.
The property data underscores what the address already implies. Seventy-eight rental transactions averaging S$5,822 per month (median S$6,300) mark Hullet Rise as an active, established expat rental address rather than a thin-data boutique. A walkability score of 90/100 — exceptional even by D9 standards — reflects the reality that Somerset MRT, Orchard Road’s retail corridor, Emerald Hill’s conservation cafes, and the Centrepoint / The Heeren mall cluster are all within a few minutes on foot. At a ShiokNest composite score of 61/100, Hullet Rise sits in a range that accurately describes its trade-offs: extraordinary location, functional facilities, genuine freehold tenure — tempered by a modest unit count that limits transaction liquidity and a 2003 vintage that commands renovation consideration relative to the new-launch competitors that now surround it.
Location & Connectivity
Hullet Road is one of the three quiet residential streets — alongside Saunders Road and Emerald Hill Road — that branch off Orchard Road into the Emerald Hill conservation area. Because none of these streets is a through-road, vehicular traffic is almost entirely residential. The result is a paradox that long-time D9 residents know well: you are approximately 150 metres from the most intensively trafficked retail strip in Singapore, yet standing on Hullet Road you hear almost nothing but birdsong and the occasional taxi idling. This micro-environment — central but quiet, commercial but residential in character — is the defining advantage of every property on this particular street.
Rail connectivity is as strong as any established freehold condo in Singapore. Somerset MRT (North-South Line) is 280 metres from the lobby — a genuine two-to-three-minute walk that puts the NSL on residents’ doorstep. Orchard MRT (NSL/Thomson-East Coast Line interchange) sits at 730 metres, adding TEL connectivity for direct city-fringe and eastern suburbs access without a transfer. Dhoby Ghaut MRT (NSL/NEL/Circle Line interchange) at 950 metres completes a three-line coverage picture that is difficult to match at any price point in Singapore. For car owners, the CTE and PIE are accessible via Cairnhill Road and Cavenagh Road in under five minutes; the CBD is 10–12 minutes off-peak.
The walkability score of 90/100 is not aspirational — it reflects measured proximity to an unusually dense retail, F&B, and services layer. The Centrepoint and The Heeren are under 400 metres away. Orchard Road’s full mall corridor (ION Orchard, Wheelock Place, Ngee Ann City, Wisma Atria, Paragon) is a 5–10 minute walk. Emerald Hill’s conservation shophouses — which house some of Singapore’s most respected cocktail bars, specialty coffee roasters, and independent restaurants — are literally next door. Cold Storage at Centrepoint, Jason’s Market Place at Orchard Central, and wet markets on Koek Road provide daily groceries without a car. For healthcare, Mount Elizabeth Hospital (Orchard) is approximately 1.1 km away. ACS Junior — one of Singapore’s most sought-after primary schools — is 450 metres from the front gate.
Schools & Education
3 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 | Within 1 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 |
| ISS International School (Preston) | international | ~1.4 km |
| Chatsworth International School (Orchard) | international | ~1.4 km |
Facilities
For a 32-unit development, Hullet Rise punches well above its size in amenity provision. A swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s playground, BBQ pits, covered car parking, and 24-hour security guard constitute a full condominium facility set — the kind of offering that typically appears in 80–150-unit buildings, not 32. The economics work here precisely because Shaw Realty built to institutional standards rather than cost-minimising boutique norms, and the freehold land value of a D9 address means maintenance contributions can sustain these facilities without the per-unit burden becoming excessive. Residents frequently cite the pool and gym as genuinely quiet — rarely more than a handful of users at any time — which is an experience that residents at 300-unit developments in D9 almost never describe.
“The pool is almost always empty. Three years living here and I have never had to wait for a lane. That sounds like a small thing until you’ve lived in a 400-unit building where the pool at 7am looks like a water park.”
— Long-term tenant at Hullet Rise via PropertyGuru rental listing discussion
The facility set does reflect the 2003 construction vintage in certain respects: the gym is functional but not a boutique fitness centre, the BBQ pits are the covered concrete-slab variety rather than the landscaped pavilion style of post-2015 launches, and the children’s playground is compact rather than the elaborate multi-play installation found at newer large-scale developments. Buyers and tenants with high expectations for facility quality relative to what Irwell Hill Residences or The Avenir offer at S$2,500+ psf should benchmark accordingly. For the core use case — a clean pool, a functional gym, quiet grounds, and reliable 24-hour security in a D9 freehold address — Hullet Rise delivers without qualification.
Neighbourhood Comparison
The four most direct comparators to Hullet Rise in D9 illustrate how the freehold-versus-leasehold and vintage-versus-modern axes play out at this address. The Avenir (freehold, 376 units, 2023, S$3,190 psf) is the closest like-for-like in tenure and district — it delivers superior build quality, a larger compound with more modern facilities, and the Great World MRT (TEL) at approximately 750m. The psf gap of roughly S$1,500–2,000 above what Hullet Rise trades at is the market’s pricing of those differentials. Buyers who require new-build finishes and the TEL station over the NSL Somerset station should budget for The Avenir; those for whom freehold D9 land and the Somerset 280m walk define the thesis should evaluate Hullet Rise on its own merits.
Irwell Hill Residences (99-year, 540 units, 2024, S$2,728 psf) and Kopar at Newton (99-year, 378 units, 2023, S$2,512 psf) represent the leasehold new-launch cohort at progressively more accessible entry quantum. Both offer modern facilities and larger community scale, but neither can offer freehold tenure or the Emerald Hill adjacency that defines Hullet Road. River Green (99-year, 524 units, 2024, S$3,135 psf) sits on the river in a different micro-location entirely — Great World/Robertson Quay lifestyle rather than Orchard Road lifestyle — and serves a different buyer profile despite similar price points. The honest comparative framing: Hullet Rise is the freehold Somerset-MRT option in D9; every alternative in the comp set trades this combination away for something else (newer build, larger scale, different station, or leasehold economy). Whether that trade is worth making depends entirely on how a buyer weights freehold permanence and Somerset walkability against contemporary finishes and community scale.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HULLET RISE | — | 32 | — | |
| IRWELL HILL RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 540 | $2,728 |
| RIVER GREEN | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 524 | $3,135 |
| RIVER MODERN | 99 years leasehold | — | — | $3,238 |
| THE AVENIR | Freehold | 2021 | 376 | $3,190 |
| KOPAR AT NEWTON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 378 | $2,512 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates HULLET RISE across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Great condo right in the middle of Orchard, yet in the quietness of Emerald Hill. We can walk to Somerset in three minutes but our street has no through-traffic at all. We’ve renewed twice now. The location is simply irreplaceable for what we pay.”
— Expat tenant at Hullet Rise via SingaporeExpats condo directory
“Very large floor area per room and very good value for money compared to what you see at the new launches on Orchard Boulevard. The unit sizes here are from a different era — we have a study, a proper utility room, and an enclosed kitchen. You cannot find that in a new D9 unit at this quantum.”
— Owner-occupier at Hullet Rise via SingaporeExpats resident review
“The gym is dated but functional, and the pool is almost always empty. I swim every morning at 6:30am and I have never shared a lane. After two years at a 350-unit D10 condo where the pool was crowded by 7am, the quiet here is worth a great deal. The 24-hour security is also genuinely attentive — not just a guard booth.”
— Professional tenant at Hullet Rise via PropertyGuru listing discussion
Community discussion around the Hullet Road corridor consistently centres on two themes: the noise-isolation paradox (genuinely quiet street steps from one of Asia’s busiest retail corridors) and the ACS Junior proximity for family tenants managing P1 school balloting. The 2003 vintage draw a predictable comment pattern — dated interiors at move-in, but well worth renovation investment given the rental returns achievable at this address. Tenants who have lived at both Hullet Rise and newer launches in D9 consistently note that the facility quietness and floor area at Hullet Rise offset the finish-quality differential in practical day-to-day terms.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Somerset MRT (NSL) at 280m — genuine doorstep access, 2-3 minute walk from lobby
- Freehold tenure — no lease decay in a district where 99-year new launches start at S$2,500+ psf
- Three MRT lines within 1km: Somerset NSL (280m), Orchard NSL/TEL (730m), Dhoby Ghaut NSL/NEL/CCL (950m)
- ACS Junior at 450m — one of Singapore's most sought-after primary schools within easy walking distance
- Walkability score 90/100 — Orchard Road malls, Emerald Hill F&B, Cold Storage all within 5-10 min walk
- Full facilities (pool, gym, playground, BBQ, 24hr security) for a 32-unit building — rare at this unit count
- Quiet cul-de-sac character directly adjacent to Emerald Hill conservation area despite Orchard Road proximity
- 78 rental transactions — proven active expat rental market, not speculative; avg S$5,822/mo, median S$6,300/mo
- Generous 2003-vintage unit sizes (800–1,400 sqft) vs compressed new-launch floor plans at comparable or higher psf
- Shaw Realty developer pedigree — institutional quality build with long-term ownership intent
- Chatsworth International School at 40m — effectively attached for expat families in the international school market
- St Anthony's Primary (780m) and Kheng Cheng (990m) add further school catchment options for MOE families
- Facilities are 2003-vintage — functional but dated compared to new-launch gym, pool pavilion, and landscaping standards
- Only 32 units — low transaction volume, infrequent turnover, very limited choice of available units at any given time
- Renovation budget required: S$80,000–150,000+ to bring interiors to a D9 rental standard commensurate with S$6,000/mo rents
- En-bloc score 44/100 — below average probability despite freehold D9 land; compact site and complex consent dynamics
- No developer warranty or defects-liability period — all maintenance risk sits with buyers
- Orchard Road proximity means weekend pedestrian congestion, event closures, and tourist foot traffic on adjacent streets
- PSF benchmarking is limited by thin transaction data — buyers need independent valuations, not reliance on listing estimates
- Dhoby Ghaut (950m) and Orchard (730m) are walkable but not 5-minute stations — multi-line coverage requires a genuine walk
Verdict
Hullet Rise occupies a distinctive and defensible position in the D9 market. It is not a trophy new-launch at S$3,000+ psf, and it is not a no-facilities micro-boutique. It sits at the intersection of genuine freehold tenure, full condominium amenity provision, a walkability score that almost no other established condo in Singapore matches, and a 280-metre relationship with a major NSL station. Seventy-eight rental transactions at an average of S$5,822 confirm that this is not a speculative thesis — it is a functioning expat rental address that has been generating consistent demand for two decades, anchored by the ACS Junior proximity and the Orchard Road lifestyle layer.
The case against is primarily about relative value versus contemporaries. The Avenir (freehold, 376 units, completed 2023) at S$3,190 psf offers a newer build quality, more generous facilities, and a Great World MRT/TEL address that competes directly for the family owner-occupier segment — at a significant psf premium but with materially superior finishes. Irwell Hill Residences (99-year, 540 units, 2024) at S$2,728 psf brings leasehold tenure but a larger community, more modern facilities, and a new-launch build standard. For buyers who specifically value freehold tenure, the 280m Somerset MRT walk, and the Emerald Hill neighbourhood character, Hullet Rise offers something that neither of those alternatives can replicate at any price. For buyers who prioritise modernity and yield optimisation over these structural attributes, the calculus is different.
The ShiokNest composite score of 61/100 captures the balance accurately. The neighbourhood (9.5/10) and MRT access (9.5/10) scores reflect genuine top-decile performance on both dimensions — few established freehold condos in Singapore score this high on both simultaneously. The value score (7.5/10) reflects a realistic freehold D9 discount to new-launch psf. The lease score (7.5/10) reflects freehold tenure without the pristine remaining-lease advantage of a brand-new development. The facilities score (6.5/10) reflects a full but 2003-vintage amenity set. The resulting 61/100 composite is an honest aggregate of a development that leads the market on location and access, holds its own on tenure and value, and trades against newer alternatives on physical finishes and modern lifestyle amenities. The ideal buyer understands this trade-off before entering.