One Dusun Residences
Overview & Key Facts
One Dusun Residences is a 154-unit freehold condominium and mixed-use development at 1 Jalan Dusun in District 12, completed in 2017 and developed by LVND Homes Pte Ltd — a boutique Singapore developer whose flagship project this is. Rising 29 storeys above the Balestier–Toa Payoh interface, One Dusun Residences is a city-fringe address that combines a freehold residential tower with 76 street-level retail shop units, creating a small commercial podium beneath the residential component that is unusual for a development of this scale in D12.
The numbers tell the investment story more plainly than any marketing brochure. Of the 154 residential units, 31 have been resold since TOP while 383 separate rental transactions have been recorded — a rental-to-resale ratio of approximately 12.4:1. In practical terms, this means One Dusun Residences functions as a purpose-built rental asset rather than a conventional owner-occupier condo. The unit configuration reinforces this: every apartment in the development is a compact two-bedroom variant (452–786 sqft for standard 2BR, up to 1,098 sqft for the top-floor penthouses), sized and priced for the investor-landlord and the transient professional tenant rather than the long-term family owner.
At an average transacted price of approximately $992,700 and $1,715 PSF, One Dusun Residences occupies a specific and defensible niche in the Singapore residential market: freehold tenure, District 12 CCR-adjacent address, and sub-$1M entry quantum. For investors seeking freehold land with perpetual tenure at a price point that does not require the $1.5M–$2M outlay demanded by comparable D9–D11 freehold condos, this development has few direct equivalents in its own postcode. The implied gross yield of approximately 3.5–4.0% on the compact 2BR configurations is meaningfully stronger than the 2.5–3.0% typical of freehold condos in adjacent districts with higher median PSF.
The trade-off is size: at roughly 579 sqft average across all transacted units, One Dusun Residences is emphatically compact. Buyers seeking family-sized living space, multiple bedrooms, or generous room proportions will need to look elsewhere. What the development delivers with consistency is a well-located, freehold, low-quantum city-fringe asset with a demonstrably deep rental market — characteristics that make it one of the more legible pure-investment plays in D12’s freehold inventory.
Location & Connectivity
One Dusun Residences sits at 1 Jalan Dusun, positioning it in the Balestier–Toa Payoh corridor of District 12 — the city-fringe arc that runs from Novena and Toa Payoh in the north toward Boon Keng and the city in the south. Jalan Dusun is a quiet residential side street that connects to the Balestier Road arterial corridor, giving residents both the relative calm of an off-main-road address and quick access to the bus and vehicle connectivity that Balestier Road provides.
MRT access is via Toa Payoh MRT (NS19) on the North South Line, approximately 750 metres from the development — a 9–11 minute walk depending on route. Novena MRT (NS20) is approximately 1.0–1.1 km in the opposite direction toward the city. Boon Keng MRT (NE9) on the North East Line is also within reach to the south, offering an additional interchange-free route toward Dhoby Ghaut, Orchard, and the CBD. For most residents, Toa Payoh NS19 is the natural choice for NSL destinations while Boon Keng NE9 covers northeast and CBD-bound commutes — dual-line coverage that is a genuine practical advantage at this quantum and tenure tier.
The Balestier Road corridor is the development’s primary lifestyle spine. Shaw Plaza, with its Cold Storage supermarket and established F&B mix, is approximately 800 metres away. The Whampoa Makan Place (Whampoa Drive Hawker Centre) — one of D12’s most beloved hawker centres, known for its wanton mee and char kway teow stalls — is within 1.2 km. The Novena lifestyle precinct (Velocity @ Novena Square, Square 2, United Square) is reachable by a 15-minute walk north or a short bus ride, providing the full-spectrum retail, dining, and gym amenity that Balestier Road alone does not.
St Andrew’s Village (comprising St Andrew’s Junior College, St Andrew’s Secondary School, and St Andrew’s Junior School) is approximately 1.0 km from One Dusun Residences — a school cluster with strong brand recognition that underpins rental demand from families seeking proximity to these institutions. The Novena Medical Hub (Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Novena) is under 1.5 km away, adding a healthcare-adjacent tenant cohort to the development’s already broad rental catchment.
Schools & Education
1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| New Town Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Joseph's Institution | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Beatty Secondary School | secondary | ~1.0 km |
| CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace | primary | ~1.1 km |
| CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) | secondary | ~1.1 km |
| School of Science and Technology | jc | ~1.2 km |
| Nexus International School | international | ~1.3 km |
| Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School | secondary | ~1.4 km |
Facilities
One Dusun Residences is a boutique development, and its facilities deck is scaled accordingly. LVND Homes has provided the core amenities expected of a 29-storey residential tower at this price point: a swimming pool, jacuzzi and bubble pool, a gymnasium, BBQ pits, a poolside dining area, a private dining room, a reading lounge, a meditation deck, and a landscaped garden. For a 154-unit freehold development in D12 targeting the investor and professional-tenant market, this is a practical and adequate offering — not a resort-style showcase, but sufficient to justify the residential designation and provide the recreational infrastructure tenants at this rent level expect.
The development’s most distinctive structural feature is its mixed-use configuration: 76 retail shop units occupy the ground and lower levels beneath the residential tower, creating a commercial podium that adds street activation and convenience within the building footprint. For residents, this means ground-level F&B and retail access without leaving the building — a practical urban amenity that partially compensates for the absence of the full-amenity facilities deck that larger developments offer. For investors, the retail component adds a layer of street life and commercial activity that supports rental positioning as an urban-living proposition rather than a purely suburban one.
“Small but practical facilities — pool is never crowded. The shops downstairs are convenient for daily needs. Good for investors, management is professional.”
— Resident review via PropertyGuru
All residential units begin from the 7th floor and above, and the seven penthouses occupy the 28th and 29th floors with views toward the Orchard Road and Novena skyline. The elevated residential base effectively separates living spaces from ground-level commercial activity — a practical design choice that reduces noise and foot-traffic intrusion for residents while still allowing them to access the retail amenity below. Building management is professionally run under MCST, and the freehold title means there is no lease-expiry horizon influencing management standards or maintenance investment.
Unit Sizes & Layout
One Dusun Residences is a single-bedroom-type development in every meaningful sense: the entire 154-unit residential stack comprises two-bedroom configurations in six variants. Standard 2-bedroom units span 452–529 sqft (42–49 sqm) across 98 units, making them the dominant category at 64% of total supply. The 2-bedroom + Study configuration (656–672 sqft / 61–62 sqm) accounts for 40 units, offering marginally more flexibility for a home-office setup or a small children’s room. The remaining units are specialty variants: 2-bedroom PES (private enclosed space, 570–786 sqft, 5 units), 2-bedroom + Study PES (882–893 sqft, 2 units), 2-bedroom Loft (506 sqft, 2 units), and 7 penthouses at the top two floors (796–1,098 sqft).
The absence of any 1-bedroom or 3-bedroom configuration is a deliberate and revealing product decision. LVND Homes positioned One Dusun as a specific price-point proposition: compact freehold 2BR units at sub-$1M quantum, sized to be serviceable for a professional couple or single occupant and attractive to landlords managing compact investment units at the city-fringe affordable tier. At approximately 579 sqft average across all transacted units, these are genuinely compact spaces that require thoughtful layout utilisation. Buyers should expect open-plan living-dining configurations with small but functional kitchens, bedrooms sized adequately for a queen bed and wardrobe, and bathrooms that prioritise practicality over luxury.
Ceiling heights are standard at 2.8 metres for typical floors, rising at the penthouse levels. All units from the 7th floor upwards benefit from the elevated residential base, which provides natural light access and reduces ground-level noise intrusion. Higher floors on the north and west-facing stacks access views across the D12 cityscape toward the Novena and Toa Payoh skyline; south-facing units look across Jalan Dusun toward low-rise landed housing, providing a more tranquil visual outlook. Buyers should verify specific stack orientations and floor levels, as the quality of light and views varies meaningfully across the 29-storey building.
The 7 penthouse units at the 28th and 29th floors (796–1,098 sqft) represent the development’s premium tier, with views described as extending toward the Orchard Road skyline. At these sizes, the penthouses deliver proportions more comparable to a standard 2-bedroom unit in a D9–D10 mid-range condo, and their freehold D12 pricing at sub-$1.5M quantum positions them as a genuine alternative for buyers who want the freehold permanence and city-fringe address without crossing into the $2M+ bracket that Orchard-adjacent freehold requires.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 BR | 10 | $1,772 | $835,280 |
| 1 BR | 20 | $1,685 | $1,024,794 |
| 2 BR | 2 | $1,754 | $1,540,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 32 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $768,000 to $1,800,000, averaging $997,772 (~$1,814 psf).
Rents range from $1,700 to $4,500 per month across 391 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.8%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 9.9% (from $1,600 to $1,759 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Cradels at 10 Lorong Limau is the closest D12 freehold peer: 125 units completed in 2015, similar PSF range ($1,686–$1,813), comparable gross yield at 4.3%, and an investor-oriented unit mix. Cradels sits closer to Boon Keng MRT (NE9) on the North East Line, giving it an advantage for CBD-bound commutes and a marginally stronger argument for tenant demand from Suntec, Marina Bay, and Harbourfront workers. One Dusun counters with its Toa Payoh NS19 proximity (useful for Orchard, Newton, City Hall), its mixed-use ground floor commercial activation, and its 2017 completion date versus Cradels’ 2015 vintage. For investors choosing between the two, the decision often comes down to preferred MRT line versus preferred building age.
The Mezzo on Balestier Road (Soilbuild, freehold, completed 2013) is a larger Balestier corridor development with a broader unit mix including family-sized configurations. At 2013 vintage with a 12-year-old fitout, The Mezzo units typically require renovation budget that reduces effective yield on acquisition. One Dusun’s 2017 TOP gives it a fresher starting point for rental-ready presentation. Mezzo’s advantage is unit size variety — buyers who want freehold Balestier but need a 3-bedroom configuration will find options there that One Dusun simply does not offer.
The Arte at Thomson (D11, freehold, completed 2010) represents the step-up tier: larger units, stronger D11 address premium, but significantly higher entry quantum ($1.4M–$2M for a 2BR versus sub-$1M at One Dusun). For investors with a $1.5M+ budget who are weighing D11 versus D12, the D11 freehold premium is defensible for capital appreciation but yields are lower at D11 PSF levels. One Dusun’s value proposition is precisely for the investor who cannot or does not want to deploy $1.5M+ and still wants freehold Singapore real estate with a genuine rental income.
New launches in D12 — particularly Verticus at Jalan Kemaman (freehold, 2023 completion, ~$2,200–$2,500 PSF) — illustrate the land value appreciation trajectory in this postcode. At $1,715 PSF, One Dusun is priced approximately $500–$800 PSF below current new launch levels for equivalent freehold D12 supply. Buyers who acquire at current resale levels are effectively buying into a de-risked asset with an established rental track record and a new-launch PSF discount baked in — a different proposition from Verticus but a rational one for yield-focused investors who are not chasing fresh units.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONE DUSUN RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2017 | 154 | $1,814 |
| THE ORIE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 52 | $2,730 |
| EIGHT RIVERSUITES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2011 | 2016 | 843 | $1,643 |
| GEM RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2015 | — | 578 | $1,838 |
| TREVISTA | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2008 | — | 590 | $1,702 |
| VERTICUS | Freehold | 2021 | 162 | $2,122 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates ONE DUSUN RESIDENCES across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Great for investors — good rental yield and the pool is always free. Very convenient with the shops downstairs. Toa Payoh MRT is walkable.”
— Owner review via PropertyGuru
“Compact unit but well-designed for a single person or couple. The building is clean and well-managed. Balestier location has a lot of character — lots of good food nearby.”
— Tenant review via 99.co
“Freehold D12 under $1M was what attracted me. The unit is small but rental demand is strong — I’ve had no vacancy in two tenancy cycles. Good asset for passive income.”
— Investor review via EdgeProp
“The shops at the base of the building are useful but there is some noise in the evenings from the F&B tenants below. Upper floors are much quieter. Facilities are basic but functional — pool is never busy.”
— Resident review via SRX
The resident and investor profile at One Dusun Residences is unusually homogeneous for a condominium: this is almost entirely a tenant-occupied building, with a landlord community that purchased for yield and capital preservation rather than lifestyle. Reviews reflect this: feedback focuses on rental demand, management responsiveness, and the practical utility of the facilities rather than the social texture of co-ownership. The Balestier neighbourhood gets consistent mention as a positive — its hawker heritage, F&B diversity, and urban character are appreciated by the working professional tenants who form the primary occupant cohort. The compact unit sizes are the most commonly cited drawback, particularly for tenants who did not assess the floor area carefully before signing the lease.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — perpetual title, no lease decay, CPF usage always fully available
- Sub-$1M entry point for freehold D12 city-fringe — genuinely accessible investment quantum
- 12.4:1 rental-to-resale ratio confirms exceptional and structural tenant demand depth
- Gross yield approximately 4.1% — one of the strongest freehold D12 yields in the postcode
- Mixed-use ground floor — 76 retail units provide built-in street activation and tenant convenience
- Dual MRT corridor access: Toa Payoh NS19 (~750m) and Novena NS20 (~1.1km) both within walking range
- Residential units from 7th floor upwards — elevated base provides light, views, and separation from street noise
- Whampoa Hawker Centre, Shaw Plaza, and Balestier Road F&B within 1.5 km
- Boutique scale (154 units) — pool, gym, and facilities consistently uncrowded
- 2017 TOP — relatively recent vintage reduces near-term maintenance and renovation budget risk
- Compact 452–529 sqft standard 2BR units — genuinely tight for family use or dual home-office setup
- No 1BR or 3BR options — unit mix inflexibility limits owner-occupier and family-buyer appeal
- Only 31 resale transactions since TOP — thin resale liquidity may widen bid-ask spreads on exit
- LVND Homes is a boutique single-project developer — no multi-project track record or brand premium to leverage
- Commercial podium can generate evening noise and foot-traffic on lower residential floors
- Investment score 61/100 — strong yield partially offset by thin resale volume and compact unit sizes
- No dedicated visitor parking and limited car-park allocation typical of mixed-use boutique developments
- Balestier neighbourhood is improving but still lacks the premium retail and lifestyle density of D9–D11
Verdict
One Dusun Residences’ investment thesis is unusually transparent, and the data makes it readable: 383 rental transactions against 31 resale transactions is not an accident of market timing — it is the intended use case of this product. LVND Homes built a compact-unit freehold city-fringe condo specifically sized and priced for the landlord-investor who wants to deploy sub-$1M capital into perpetual-tenure Singapore real estate with a deep tenant pool and a monthly rental income to show for it. The 12.4:1 rental-to-resale ratio confirms that the strategy has worked: the development operates as Singapore real estate rarely does at this price point, as a genuine yield-generating asset with a freehold kicker.
At $1,715 PSF, One Dusun Residences offers freehold D12 tenure at a price that is meaningfully below D9–D11 freehold comparables ($1,800–$2,500 PSF) and broadly aligned with mid-tier D12 freehold peers like Cradels ($1,686–$1,813 PSF). The implied gross yield of approximately 3.5–4.1% — confirmed by third-party data at 4.1% — substantially exceeds what equivalent freehold investments in D10 or D11 deliver at current PSF levels. For yield-seeking investors who are not fixated on a prestigious district address but want freehold permanence in a well-connected urban location, the value proposition is compelling.
The constraints are real and should not be minimised. The compact unit sizes (452–529 sqft standard 2BR) make One Dusun a single-use investment asset rather than a flexible lifestyle property. Owner-occupiers with families are effectively excluded by the unit proportions. The 29-year-old building clock has not started yet — at 9 years post-TOP, the development is still young and maintenance costs modest — but the units will require periodic renovation investment to hold rental rates as competing new supply enters D12. The development’s mixed-use ground floor is a practical advantage for tenants but introduces management complexity (separate MCST for commercial and residential components) that pure residential owners do not face.
One Dusun Residences is the most accessible freehold CCR-adjacent investment in D12: sub-$1M entry, 4%+ yield, perpetual tenure, and a tenant pool deep enough that a 12:1 rental-to-resale ratio sustains itself without active management. Buyers who want owner-occupier lifestyle space should look elsewhere; buyers who want a freehold yield asset at the sharpest price point in the city fringe should look here first.
Against the D12 freehold competitive set, One Dusun sits alongside Cradels (Lorong Limau, freehold, 125 units, similar PSF range, 4.3% yield) and The Mezzo (Balestier Road, freehold, Soilbuild) as the primary investor comparisons. What distinguishes One Dusun from Cradels is the commercial ground floor (higher street activation, more tenant types) and the Toa Payoh NSL MRT proximity. What distinguishes it from The Mezzo is the more recent TOP (2017 vs 2013), the higher floor count, and the exclusively compact 2BR configuration that Mezzo’s larger family units do not replicate.