Leicester Suites
Overview & Key Facts
Leicester Suites is a boutique freehold development tucked along Leicester Road in District 13 — a quiet residential pocket between Potong Pasir and Serangoon that sits in the Rest of Central Region (RCR). Developed by Macly Capital Pte Ltd and completed in 2013, the project comprises just 47 private apartments across a single low-rise block. It is the kind of small-scale, under-the-radar development that rarely appears on marketing brochures but quietly accumulates a loyal resident base.
What sets Leicester Suites apart in its price band is its unusual combination of attributes: freehold tenure, a sub-5-minute walk to Potong Pasir MRT, and a price point that remains accessible to single-professional and young-couple buyers. In a market where freehold RCR stock within 300 metres of an MRT station is increasingly scarce, the development punches well above its weight on location fundamentals, even if it cannot compete with larger neighbours on amenity breadth.
The transaction profile reinforces the boutique positioning. With an average transacted price of around S$789,000 and median rents hovering near S$2,700, the gross rental yield lands at a respectable 4.11% — comfortably above the District 13 condo average. For investors who prioritise cash-flow over capital upside, and for owner-occupiers who want freehold tenure without CCR pricing, Leicester Suites deserves a closer look than its quiet marketing profile might suggest.
Location & Connectivity
The single biggest selling point of Leicester Suites is a number most buyers underestimate until they walk it: Potong Pasir MRT is just 220 metres away. In a Singapore property market where “5 minutes to MRT” often translates to a 10-minute sweaty walk in practice, a genuine 3-minute stroll to a North-East Line station is a measurable daily quality-of-life improvement. Potong Pasir connects directly to Dhoby Ghaut, Little India, Serangoon (Circle Line interchange), and HarbourFront — covering most of the CBD and entertainment belt without a transfer.
Drivers enjoy comparable convenience. The PIE and CTE are minutes away, putting Orchard Road within a 10-minute drive in off-peak conditions and the CBD within 12–15 minutes. Paya Lebar, Bishan, and Toa Payoh are all a short hop by car. PropertyGuru listings frequently highlight the dual appeal to both commuting professionals and car-owning households.
Everyday amenities are close but not directly at the door. The Venue Shoppes and The Poiz Centre are both within 600 metres, offering supermarkets, cafes, clinics, and food-court dining. NEX mega-mall at Serangoon is one MRT stop away for heavier shopping, and the upcoming Bidadari estate transformation just across the road continues to add new F&B, park, and retail footprint within a 5-minute radius.
Schools & Education
1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Assumption Pathway School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Stamford Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Bendemeer Secondary School | secondary | ~1.1 km |
| Bendemeer Primary School | primary | ~1.1 km |
| Balestier Hill Primary School | primary | ~1.4 km |
| De La Salle School | primary | ~1.6 km |
| School of Science and Technology | jc | ~1.6 km |
| Hong Wen School | primary | ~1.6 km |
Facilities
Buyers should set expectations appropriately: with only 47 units on a small land parcel, Leicester Suites cannot and does not attempt to offer mega-condo facilities. The development provides the core boutique-condo amenity set — a lap pool, a small gym, a children’s pool, BBQ pavilions, and landscaped courtyard seating. There is no tennis court, no clubhouse, no function room of any meaningful scale. If elaborate facilities are a must-have, this is not the development for you.
The trade-off, however, is one that boutique-condo residents consistently cite as a benefit: facilities are never crowded, bookings are rarely contested, and maintenance fees stay manageable because there is less infrastructure to service. Maintenance fees for 1- and 2-bedroom stacks typically run significantly lower than comparable large-development equivalents — a meaningful recurring saving over a 10-year hold.
Security is managed via a single guardhouse with card-access for residents. The low unit count means the condo has a familiar, almost private-apartment feel, where neighbours recognise each other and management is responsive. For singles, young professionals, and couples without children, the minimalist amenity mix is arguably a better fit than a sprawling resort-style development where common charges subsidise facilities they will never use.
Unit Sizes & Layout
Leicester Suites is built around a compact unit mix geared toward singles, couples, and small families. Layouts skew to efficient 1- and 2-bedroom configurations, with a small number of larger 3-bedroom stacks. The design philosophy is lean: no wasted corridors, rectangular living rooms, and bedrooms sized for real furniture rather than show-flat optics. Ceiling heights and window proportions are standard for the 2013 build era.
Stack orientation matters more than usual here because of the narrow site. Units facing the internal courtyard enjoy the quietest environment and pool views, while stacks facing Leicester Road experience modest road noise but better daylight penetration. The rear-facing stacks look toward low-rise landed housing, which is unlikely to be redeveloped vertically in the near term — a quiet long-term view asset that boutique-condo buyers should not overlook.
One practical benefit of the small block count: there are no “bad” stacks in the way that can afflict mega-developments with unit-to-unit privacy concerns or poor orientation. Every unit gets reasonable natural light, and the distance between facing blocks is generous given the low density. For a 47-unit development on a freehold plot in the RCR, the layout discipline holds up well more than a decade after TOP.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 BR | 10 | $1,759 | $784,800 |
| 2 BR | 1 | $1,097 | $838,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 11 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $660,000 to $895,000, averaging $789,636.
Rents range from $1,600 to $4,350 per month across 109 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 4.1%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 29.5% (from $1,529 to $1,980 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Against District 13 neighbours, Leicester Suites occupies a distinct niche. The Tre Ver (99-year, 729 units, ~S$1,918 psf) and Park Colonial (99-year, 805 units, ~S$2,141 psf) offer dramatically richer facility sets and fresher leases, but at psf levels that push entry quantums well past S$1.4M for even a 1-bedroom. Leicester Suites sits roughly 25–35% below those developments on psf, and its freehold tenure means the lease-decay discount that will eventually weigh on those projects does not apply here.
The Woodleigh Residences (99-year, mixed-use with The Woodleigh Mall) and Bartley Ridge offer comparable MRT proximity but at materially higher price points and with the same 99-year lease clock. For buyers prioritising yield and freehold optionality over facility breadth, Leicester Suites delivers a combination that none of the larger D13 developments can match on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEICESTER SUITES | Freehold | 2013 | 47 | — |
| THE WOODLEIGH RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2017 | 2021 | 667 | $2,229 |
| THE TRE VER | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 729 | $1,919 |
| BARTLEY RIDGE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2012 | 2018 | 868 | $1,708 |
| PARK COLONIAL | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2017 | 2021 | 805 | $2,145 |
| THE POIZ RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2014 | 2019 | 731 | $1,867 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates LEICESTER SUITES across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Location is unbeatable for the price. Potong Pasir MRT is literally across the road — 3 minutes door to platform. Small condo means no queues for the pool and maintenance fees are low.”
— Resident review via PropertyGuru
“Don’t expect big-condo facilities. It’s a boutique development, you get a pool and a gym and that’s it. But the freehold tenure and the MRT access are what you’re paying for.”
— Resident review via EdgeProp
“Quiet block, friendly neighbours, and the Bidadari park is a 5-minute walk. The area is changing fast — in a good way.”
— Resident review via 99.co
The recurring themes across review platforms are consistent: residents rate location, walkability, and quietness highly, while flagging that original finishings are dated and amenity depth is limited by design. Tenant demand has been strong — 107 rental transactions on a 47-unit block over the available window suggests very healthy turnover and consistent leasing appetite, driving the 4.11% gross yield.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- 220m walk to Potong Pasir MRT (North-East Line) — genuine 3-minute commute
- Freehold tenure — no lease-decay exit math
- Strong 4.11% gross rental yield, well above D13 average
- Accessible quantum — sub-S$1M entry for 1- and 2-bedroom stacks
- Boutique scale (47 units) — uncrowded facilities and low maintenance fees
- Direct adjacency to Bidadari masterplan (Alkaff Lake, park, new hawker)
- Drive-friendly location — PIE/CTE minutes away, Orchard in ~10 min off-peak
- Healthy tenant demand — 107 rental transactions on just 47 units
- Quiet residential street, minimal through-traffic
- Multiple amenity nodes within 600m (Venue Shoppes, The Poiz Centre, NEX)
- Minimal facilities — no tennis, clubhouse, function room, or dome
- Small development means limited resale comparables for pricing
- Original 2013 fittings are basic — many units still need refurbishment
- Unit mix skews small — limited options for larger families
- Lower profile in marketing channels — slower transaction velocity
- Leicester Road–facing stacks have modest road noise
- No direct retail or F&B within the development footprint
- Investment score 50/100 and en-bloc score 39/100 reflect small-site limitations
Verdict
Leicester Suites is a classic boutique-freehold proposition: small, quiet, walkable to MRT, and priced in a band that makes the freehold tenure genuinely useful rather than a marketing line. At around S$789,000 average transacted price and a 4.11% gross yield, it is one of the more cash-flow-friendly freehold entries in the RCR. For investors focused on yield and long-hold optionality, the math is straightforward.
The compromise sits on the amenity and scale axis. Buyers who want a resort-style lifestyle, a tennis court, or the social buzz of a 500-unit community should look elsewhere — The Tre Ver and Park Colonial both deliver that at a materially higher PSF. Leicester Suites is for the buyer who thinks of a condo as a well-located private apartment with a pool, not as a lifestyle destination.
For own-stay singles and young couples, the value case is compelling: a sub-S$1M freehold entry point, genuine 3-minute walk to a North-East Line MRT, and a quiet neighbourhood that is actively improving via Bidadari. For investors, the yield profile and freehold tenure together make this a rare combination in District 13 — one where the exit math is not haunted by a lease-decay clock.