Mont Botanik Residence

Overview & Key Facts

Mont Botanik Residence is a 108-unit freehold condominium at 2K–2L Jalan Remaja in the serene Hillview enclave of District 23, completed in 2021. The development was conceived and delivered by Tuan Sing Holdings Limited, a mainboard-listed Singapore property and hotel group with roots going back to 1969. Tuan Sing brings institutional credibility that distinguishes Mont Botanik from the smaller boutique developers active in the district: the group has a track record spanning commercial, hospitality, and residential real estate, and its involvement here reflects genuine conviction in the freehold Hillview micro-market.

The name is not merely marketing. Designed by AGA Architects (Atelier Group Architects), Mont Botanik Residence is anchored by a defining biophilic philosophy: a 36-metre vertical green wall scales both blocks, sky gardens thread communal decks between floors, and the landscaping deliberately blurs the boundary between built form and the dense secondary forest that backs the Hillview corridor. Two ten-storey blocks sit on a 43,557 sq ft freehold site and are linked by shared sky-level communal terraces, giving the development a sense of architectural coherence that many small boutique condos lack.

At an average transacted PSF of approximately $1,768 and an average price of $1.34 million, Mont Botanik Residence occupies a compelling mid-band in the freehold D23 market. Unit sizes cluster around 689–948 sq ft, with the 2-bedroom and 2+1-bedroom layouts dominating the mix. This configuration makes the project strongly legible as both an investor asset and an owner-occupier choice for young professionals or couples who want freehold tenure near nature without paying District 10 prices.

With 53 rental transactions recorded at an average of approximately $3,994 per month, the project has demonstrated genuine rental demand since its completion. The gross yield implied by these figures sits in the 3.5–3.8% range, which is respectable for a freehold asset in Singapore and reflects Hillview MRT’s pull as a Downtown Line node connecting directly to Bugis, Promenade, and Expo without transfers. For the right buyer profile, Mont Botanik Residence combines freehold permanence, a completed modern product, nature-adjacent living, and credible rental mechanics into a coherent investment proposition.

Location & Connectivity

Jalan Remaja is a quiet residential lane feeding off Hillview Avenue, deep inside the low-rise enclave that sits between Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to the east and the Bukit Panjang commercial corridor to the west. The street itself is flanked by mature trees and a handful of landed properties, and the ambient noise level is markedly lower than most suburban Singapore addresses. This is not a location that commuters stumble upon by accident; it is a deliberate residential destination.

Hillview MRT (Downtown Line 2) is approximately 780 metres from the development—a ten-minute walk in typical conditions or a five-minute journey by car. The Downtown Line is one of Singapore’s most useful suburban-to-city spines: from Hillview, residents reach Beauty World in two stops, Botanic Gardens in four, Bugis in seven, and Promenade (connecting to the Circle Line) in nine. There are no transfers required for these journeys, which materially improves the daily commute experience relative to bus-dependent suburbs. The walk to Hillview MRT passes through a pleasant tree-lined stretch, though the absence of covered linkways means wet-weather commutes require planning.

The Hillview area sits at the edge of Singapore’s most accessible belt of green space. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—Singapore’s highest hill and one of the world’s most biodiverse urban forest fragments—is reachable within 10–15 minutes on foot. The Rail Corridor, a linear park following the former KTM rail alignment, connects directly through the Hillview area and offers a traffic-free walking and cycling route stretching all the way to the Southern Ridges. Residents who prioritise outdoor access will find few Singapore addresses that deliver this combination as naturally as Hillview.

For daily retail and F&B, HillV2 mall (Cold Storage, restaurants, enrichment centres) sits at the junction of Hillview Avenue and Dairy Farm Road, approximately 600 metres away. Hillion Mall at Bukit Panjang MRT provides a larger format retail cluster (NTUC FairPrice Xtra, TGV Cinemas, food court) within a five-minute drive. The Rail Mall, a heritage shophouse strip along Upper Bukit Timah Road, adds boutique F&B and specialty retail at roughly 1.8 kilometres. Schools accessible within the 1–2 km primary radius include Lianhua Primary and Bukit Panjang Primary. The area is car-friendly, with the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) and Pan Island Expressway (PIE) both reachable in under five minutes, making cross-island driving predictable.

Schools & Education

1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.

Facilities

For a 108-unit project on a 43,557 sq ft site, Mont Botanik Residence delivers a facilities programme that punches above its unit-count weight. Tuan Sing has prioritised both practical amenity and the biophilic architectural narrative, resulting in a layered offering spread across ground level and the rooftop.

The ground-level pool deck anchors the facilities zone with a 25-metre lap pool—a full competition-length pool that is rare at boutique scale. Adjacent to the lap pool are a children’s pool and wading area, a pool deck with sun loungers, and a BBQ pavilion and outdoor dining terrace designed for resident entertaining. The gymnasium is located at ground level and is equipped for strength and cardio training, with views that open to the landscaped garden rather than a carpark or service yard.

The rooftop level is Mont Botanik’s signature amenity zone. An infinity jacuzzi pool sits at the top of the building, framing views across the Hillview treetop canopy. An outdoor fitness station and outdoor dining deck complete the rooftop offering, and on clear mornings the elevated perspective across the forested ridge is genuinely striking. The sky gardens that thread between floors via the central linkway function as communal seating terraces and provide residents with informal gathering spaces at intermediate levels of the building.

The vertical green wall (36 metres of planted facade) is not a mere aesthetic device: it contributes meaningfully to thermal comfort in the units facing it, reduces heat island effect on the site, and reinforces the development’s claim to nature-integrated design. A gated compound with 24-hour security and a multi-storey carpark completes the practical facilities envelope. The overall offering is coherent and well-maintained, and the boutique scale means facilities are rarely crowded during off-peak hours.

Unit Sizes & Layout

Mont Botanik Residence offers three unit configurations across its 108 homes: 2-bedroom (689–700 sq ft), 2-bedroom + study (776 sq ft), and 3-bedroom + study (948 sq ft). The 2-bedroom and 2+1 layouts constitute the majority of the stack, which is consistent with the developer’s positioning of the project toward investors, young couples, and right-sizing owner-occupiers. At an average transacted price of approximately $1.34 million and an average PSF of $1,768, the typical buyer is acquiring a compact but well-specified freehold unit in the 690–780 sq ft range.

The unit interiors reflect AGA Architects’ broader design ethos: clean lines, generous ceiling heights, and a considered material palette oriented toward quality rather than flamboyance. Living and dining zones in the 2-bedroom units are efficiently planned, and the inclusion of study nooks in the 2+1 configuration gives work-from-home residents meaningful flexibility without paying for a full 3-bedroom footprint. Kitchen layouts are galley-format in the smaller units, which suits the investor-driven composition of the development.

Units in the mid and upper floors of both blocks command views over the tree canopy, and corner units on the upper floors benefit from dual-aspect natural ventilation. The 3-bedroom + study configuration at 948 sq ft is the most expansive option, with bedroom dimensions that comfortably accommodate queen and king beds without compromising circulation. For owner-occupiers with a child or a home office requirement, this layout represents the best value-for-size trade-off in the building given its relative scarcity in the stack.

Investors should note that rental demand has validated the unit mix: 53 rental transactions averaging $3,994 per month implies healthy leasing activity at a project of this size. The 2-bedroom units attract corporate tenants and young professionals seeking proximity to the Downtown Line; the larger 3-bedroom units appeal to small families and expat households relocating to the Hillview area. The compact-freehold profile is a durable tenant magnet in Singapore’s rental market because it offers a point-of-entry price bracket that widens the pool of qualified tenants relative to larger-format premium developments.

Pricing & Market Position

Based on 35 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,130,000 to $1,730,000, averaging $1,339,085 (~$1,819 psf).

Rents range from $3,300 to $5,400 per month across 53 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.8%.

Price Appreciation

From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 6.6% (from $1,743 to $1,858 psf).

Neighbourhood Comparison

The Hillview corridor hosts a small and distinct cluster of freehold and older leasehold condominiums, making direct comparisons relatively tractable. Mont Botanik Residence’s most natural peers are projects in the same street cluster or within a short radius along Hillview Avenue and Dairy Farm Road.

Hillview Heights (1996, freehold, 572 units) is the largest and most established freehold project in the immediate area. At significantly lower PSF than Mont Botanik, Hillview Heights appeals to buyers who prioritise space over modern specifications. However, it is approaching the 30-year mark and lacks the contemporary facilities and biophilic design language of Mont Botanik. For buyers who can stretch to Mont Botanik’s price, the premium is justifiable given the decade-of-specifications advantage in a freehold-for-freehold comparison.

The Merawoods (1997, freehold, 309 units) sits on the same Jalan Remaja cluster as Mont Botanik. It is older and trades at lower PSF, but its tenure status and proximity make it a direct land-value comparable. Buyers who want to enter the Jalan Remaja freehold pocket at a lower quantum often start their search at The Merawoods before deciding whether Mont Botanik’s modern product justifies the upgrade cost.

Foresque Residences (2015, 99-year leasehold, 496 units) at Petir Road offers a similar Hillview-area address and DTL access, but at leasehold tenure. For buyers prioritising newer specifications and larger facilities at a lower PSF, Foresque is the value comparison. The leasehold-versus-freehold gap in this micro-market tends to run 10–15%, and many buyers ultimately pay the premium for freehold at Mont Botanik once they internalise the land-decay mechanics over a 30-year holding horizon.

Hillhaven (CDL/MCL Land, estimated 2025–2026 TOP, 341 units, 99-year leasehold), launched at higher PSF in 2023, represents the new-launch premium end of the corridor. Hillhaven buyers are paying for brand-new specifications and a large-developer pedigree but accepting leasehold tenure. For resale buyers comparing Hillhaven resale versus Mont Botanik resale, the freehold-tenure argument at Mont Botanik will grow stronger as Hillhaven’s 99-year clock ticks. At current pricing, Mont Botanik’s freehold advantage at comparable or lower PSF is a compelling structural differentiator.

ShiokNest Scores

Our proprietary scoring system evaluates MONT BOTANIK RESIDENCE across multiple dimensions.

What Residents Say

Mont Botanik Residence draws a resident profile shaped by its three core attributes: freehold tenure, nature-adjacent location, and Downtown Line access. The development tends to appeal to buyers and tenants who have consciously chosen lifestyle quality over locational convenience, and who are willing to accept the 780-metre walk to Hillview MRT in exchange for a quieter, greener residential environment than the city fringe or suburban heartlands deliver.

Young professionals and DINKs (dual-income-no-kids couples) form the largest owner-occupier segment. Many are working in the central business district or one-north cluster and value the Downtown Line’s direct run into the city. They are typically buying their first or second private property and prioritise freehold land for the perceived wealth-preservation advantage over comparable leasehold options at similar price points. The Hillview address also represents a step up from heartland mass-market condos without requiring the financial stretch of Districts 9–11.

Nature-oriented buyers and urban hikers represent a distinctive secondary segment. The proximity to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the Rail Corridor, and Dairy Farm Park means that residents who prioritise outdoor recreation and green living find few Singapore addresses that match this combination. This profile includes couples in their 30s and 40s, returning Singaporeans from abroad, and occasionally foreign professionals drawn specifically to the low-density character of the Hillview enclave.

Investors are well-represented in the tenant profile, having been attracted by the freehold land bank argument and the project’s compact unit configuration. The rental profile of $3,994 per month average targets corporate tenants, technology sector employees from the one-north and Buona Vista belt, and professionals who prefer living near nature while remaining on the MRT network. The boutique scale of 108 units keeps rental competition from adjacent units relatively contained compared to larger developments.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Verdict

Mont Botanik Residence is one of the cleaner freehold investment cases in the D23 Hillview market. The fundamentals are stacked well: freehold land in a low-density enclave, a credible mainboard-listed developer, a 2021 completion that means modern specifications without new-launch premium, direct Downtown Line access at Hillview MRT, and a unit mix that generates measurable rental demand at $3,994 per month average. Few competing projects in the corridor combine all of these attributes simultaneously.

The trade-offs are real but manageable. The 780-metre walk to Hillview MRT is a genuine friction point in wet weather and will remain a ceiling on rental premiums relative to projects with true walking-distance MRT access. The compact 2-bedroom-dominant layout means the development is not suited to large families or buyers seeking generous living spaces. And at $1,768 PSF average, buyers are paying a meaningful premium over older freehold stock in the same cluster—a premium that is justified by specifications and recency but requires belief in sustained D23 freehold price support.

For investors, the clearest buy case is a 2-bedroom or 2+1-bedroom unit leased to a young professional or DINK couple seeking nature-adjacent freehold living on the Downtown Line. For owner-occupiers, the 3-bedroom + study at 948 sq ft represents the best balance of livability and long-term capital preservation. In both cases, the biophilic design and boutique scale create a product that will age well visually relative to the generic mid-rise stock that dominates the OCR market.

Overall, Mont Botanik Residence earns a recommendation for buyers who understand the Hillview micro-market and are comfortable with the MRT distance trade-off. It is a well-executed, well-located freehold product from a credible developer, and it occupies a niche in the D23 freehold market that has limited direct competition from modern comparable projects.