Mont Timah

Overview & Key Facts

Mont Timah is a boutique strata landed development tucked along Bukit Way in District 21 — the heart of the Bukit Timah corridor. Developed by Maylands Investment Pte Ltd and completed in 2011, it comprises just 32 units on a 99-year lease commencing from 2004. The development sits at the foot of Bukit Timah Hill, surrounded by some of Singapore’s most coveted landed residential enclaves.

With only 32 units, Mont Timah is not a condominium in any conventional sense. It is a strata landed cluster — essentially townhouses and strata terraces sharing common grounds and a gated perimeter. Units average approximately 4,300 sqft of strata area, reflected in the seemingly low $913 psf against a median transaction price of $3.875 million. This is a development where quantum, not psf, is the real measure of entry.

The ultra-low density and landed format give Mont Timah a character closer to a private landed estate than a typical condo. Residents get the space and privacy of a house with the security of gated access — a formula that appeals to a narrow but loyal buyer segment in Singapore’s most established residential district.

Location & Connectivity

Bukit Way places Mont Timah in the upper Bukit Timah precinct, roughly 600 metres from Beauty World MRT on the Downtown Line. That translates to about an 8-minute walk — not as close as a directly MRT-adjacent condo, but comfortably walkable by Singapore standards. Beauty World MRT connects residents to the Downtown Line, reaching Newton in four stops and Downtown in roughly 20 minutes without transfers.

King Albert Park MRT, also on the Downtown Line, sits 1.38 km away — a secondary option for residents who prefer the Sixth Avenue direction. For drivers, the PIE and BKE are accessible within minutes, putting Orchard Road about 12 minutes away and the CBD around 20 minutes in off-peak conditions.

The immediate surroundings lean heavily residential and green. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is virtually at the doorstep — Singapore’s primary rainforest, a designated ASEAN Heritage Park, and a daily walking resource for residents who value nature access. The Dairy Farm area, Rifle Range Nature Park, and the Rail Corridor are all within a short drive or cycle.

For daily amenities, Beauty World Centre and the surrounding shophouses provide hawker food, wet market, hardware shops, and neighbourhood services. The upcoming Beauty World rejuvenation plan under URA’s Master Plan promises integrated mixed-use developments that should significantly upgrade retail and dining options in the vicinity over the next decade.

Schools & Education

Facilities

With 32 units in a strata landed format, Mont Timah does not — and should not be expected to — offer the amenity breadth of a mass-market condominium. There is no 50-metre lap pool, no tennis court, no function room. What it provides is the fundamentals of a gated estate: 24-hour security, a shared access road, landscaped common grounds, and the structural privacy of individual landed units.

This is by design. Buyers choosing a 32-unit strata landed cluster are explicitly trading communal facilities for private space. Each unit functions as an independent house with its own garden, parking, and outdoor areas. The maintenance contribution covers perimeter security, common landscaping, and shared infrastructure rather than pool heating or gym equipment.

For residents who want pool and gym access, the nearby condominiums along Bukit Timah Road offer guest arrangements, and several private sports clubs (including Bukit Timah Saddle Club and the Swiss Club) are in the vicinity. But realistically, Mont Timah buyers are not facility-seekers — they are privacy-seekers who happen to want strata-title convenience.

Pricing & Market Position

Across 15 recorded transactions (all-time), sale prices range from $3,650,000 to $4,288,888, averaging $3,910,059.

Over the last 12 months, transactions averaged $933 psf.

Rents range from $9,300 to $18,000 per month across 21 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 4.0%.

Price Appreciation

From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 17.8% (from $798 to $940 psf).

Neighbourhood Comparison

Mont Timah’s competitive set is unusual because it straddles the line between strata landed and high-end condo. The nearby new launches — Reserve Residences ($2,494 psf, 99-yr from 2021, 892 units), Nava Grove ($2,487 psf, 99-yr from 2024, 552 units), and Pinetree Hill ($2,485 psf, 99-yr from 2022, 520 units) — are apartment condominiums offering fresh leases with full facilities at 2.5–2.7x Mont Timah’s psf. But the comparison is misleading: those developments deliver ~1,000–1,400 sqft for $2.5–3.5M, while Mont Timah delivers ~4,300 sqft for $3.9M.

A more apt comparison is KI Residences ($1,953 psf, 999-year, 660 units) and Forett at Bukit Timah ($2,130 psf, freehold, 633 units). Both offer substantially longer tenure in the same corridor, with full condo facilities, at lower psf but also much smaller units. A buyer choosing Mont Timah over these is explicitly choosing space over tenure security and facilities breadth.

For buyers specifically seeking strata landed in Bukit Timah, the alternatives are limited. True freehold cluster housing in the area commands significantly higher quantum — often $5M+ for comparable sizes. Mont Timah’s leasehold discount provides a meaningful entry point for strata landed living in a premium district, but the 77-year lease means this discount will widen as time passes.

Lease Decay Analysis

The 99-year lease runs from 2004, meaning approximately 22 years have already been consumed. Roughly 77 years remain — still comfortably within the range where most banks will offer full financing without restrictions.

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 ~67 years remaining, which is still very bankable. The risk profile changes for longer holds.

ShiokNest Scores

Our proprietary scoring system evaluates MONT TIMAH across multiple dimensions.

What Residents Say

With only 32 units, Mont Timah does not generate the volume of public reviews seen at larger developments. The resident profile skews toward established families — typically Singaporean or PR households with children, at least one domestic helper, and two cars. The Bukit Timah corridor attracts buyers who prioritise school proximity (Anglo-Chinese Junior College at 1.1 km, Henry Park Primary at 1.84 km) and nature access over nightlife or urban convenience.

The strata landed format creates a naturally quiet, low-density living environment. Noise complaints — a common theme in high-rise condo reviews — are largely absent. The trade-off is that with so few units, communal bonds are either very strong or very thin depending on the cohort. Management decisions require consensus from a small group, which can be both an advantage (faster decisions) and a risk (personality-driven disputes).

Rental transactions (20 recorded) show consistent demand at an average of $12,555/month, suggesting a secondary market among expatriate families who want landed living in a good school catchment without committing to a purchase. The 3.96% gross yield is respectable for a landed-format property in District 21.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Verdict

Mont Timah occupies a niche within a niche. It is a strata landed cluster in Bukit Timah — one of the most desirable residential corridors in Singapore — offering the space of a landed home with gated security and strata-title ownership. For buyers who want 4,000+ sqft of living space, proximity to nature reserves, a Bukit Timah address, and the simplicity of strata management, it delivers on all counts.

The challenge is the lease. At 77 years remaining and dropping below the critical 75-year CPF threshold in just 2 years, financing becomes incrementally harder for future buyers. Below 75 years, CPF usage is capped proportionally, and bank valuations begin to haircut more aggressively. This does not make Mont Timah unbuyable — but it changes the math for anyone relying heavily on CPF for down payment or monthly servicing.

At $3.9 million median, the quantum filters out most of the market. The realistic buyer is a household earning $25,000+ monthly, likely already owning property, and choosing Mont Timah for its lifestyle — not its appreciation potential. The investment score of 65/100 reflects decent fundamentals (Bukit Timah location, rental demand at $12,555/month, 3.96% gross yield) tempered by the lease overhang and limited liquidity of a 32-unit development.

For pure own-stay buyers with a 15–20 year horizon who value space, greenery, and Bukit Timah prestige, Mont Timah remains a compelling proposition. For investors or buyers who may need to exit within 10 years, the lease trajectory makes this a harder recommendation — particularly when competing new launches in the area offer fresh 99-year leases at higher psf but with cleaner exit profiles.