Regis Mansions
Overview & Key Facts
Regis Mansions occupies a quiet corner of Jalan Rajawali in District 21 — a leafy residential address that sits within the wider Bukit Timah belt, one of Singapore’s most enduringly prestigious private housing corridors. Developed by United Consultants Pte Ltd and completed in 1997, the development is a study in restrained boutique living: just 40 units spread across a low-rise block, freehold, and deliberately understated against the large-scale new launches that now dominate the district.
With only 40 units, Regis Mansions belongs to a category that the Singapore market has largely stopped building. Land costs in D21 have made large-site freehold redevelopment near-impossible at sub-$1,500 psf — which is precisely what makes older boutique freehold developments like this one interesting to a particular type of buyer. The immediate surroundings are characterised by low-rise landed housing and mature greenery, giving the development an atmosphere more akin to a landed estate than a typical condominium.
The development’s freehold tenure is its headline card. Sitting in a district where Nava Grove, Pinetree Hill, and The Reserve Residences are all transacting above $2,400 psf on 99-year leases, Regis Mansions’ resale market has hovered around $1,290–$1,440 psf — a rare opportunity for buyers who want freehold land in D21 without paying the new-launch premium.
Location & Connectivity
Jalan Rajawali is a short residential street tucked behind the Bukit Timah Road corridor, within the cluster of kampong-origin roads — Jalan Rajawali, Jalan Haji Alias, Jalan Jurong Kechil — that give this part of D21 its quietly organic character. The address is honest about one thing: this is a neighbourhood best experienced with a car. The walkability score of 37/100 reflects real daily reality. Beauty World MRT (Downtown Line) is approximately 0.93 km away — a 12-minute walk in Singapore’s climate, or a short drive and park. Hume MRT, the next stop along the DTL, is 1.22 km away and adds little practical advantage.
For drivers, however, the picture changes considerably. The Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) is minutes away, providing a direct run to the city via the Pan-Island Expressway. Orchard Road is a 15-minute drive under normal conditions; the CBD is around 20 minutes. Jurong, Clementi, and one-north are all reachable in under 20 minutes, making Regis Mansions genuinely convenient for households with one or two vehicles.
The Beauty World precinct, anchored by Beauty World Centre and Beauty World Plaza along Upper Bukit Timah Road, offers a range of independent F&B, a wet market, and daily essentials within a short drive. The Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre at Jalan Anak Bukit is a local institution — widely regarded as one of the better hawker centres in the west, and particularly strong for breakfast. Bukit Timah Plaza and Coronation Plaza round out the retail options without requiring a trip to the major suburban malls.
The neighbourhood also benefits from proximity to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Rail Corridor — two of Singapore’s most valued green amenities and active lifestyle corridors. For residents who enjoy trail running, hiking, or cycling, the proximity to these reserves is a genuine daily-use asset that newer, denser developments in the east or central region cannot replicate.
Schools & Education
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Anglo-Chinese Junior College | jc | ~1.2 km |
| Ngee Ann Polytechnic | tertiary | ~1.4 km |
| Bukit View Primary School | primary | ~1.7 km |
| Henry Park Primary School | primary | ~1.8 km |
| Singapore University of Social Sciences | tertiary | ~1.9 km |
Facilities
At 40 units, Regis Mansions offers the amenity profile one would expect from a boutique freehold development of its era: a swimming pool, covered car park, and the essentials — without the resort-scale programming that larger developments use to justify higher maintenance fees. This is not a development for residents who want a gym, tennis courts, or function rooms at their doorstep. The facilities are functional and appropriately scaled for a small community where quiet, privacy, and neighbour familiarity are the primary draws.
“Very private and quiet. Small community means you know your neighbours, security is tight, and there’s none of the noise and congestion you get in the big developments. Pool is well-maintained.”
— Resident review via EdgeProp, 2024
Maintenance fees at boutique freehold developments of this vintage tend to be moderate relative to their unit sizes — the absence of large facility footprints (no badminton dome, no multiple pools, no concierge services) keeps the sinking fund and monthly contributions manageable. For owner-occupiers who prefer spending on their own renovation over subsidising shared amenities they rarely use, the trade-off is a reasonable one.
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 12 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,200,000 to $1,738,000, averaging $1,434,667.
Rents range from $2,100 to $5,000 per month across 46 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.5%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2024, the average PSF has appreciated by 25.6% (from $1,129 to $1,418 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The most useful comparison for a Regis Mansions buyer is not against the new launches — it is against other freehold boutique condos in the Bukit Timah belt. Forett@Bukit Timah ($2,130 psf, freehold, 633 units) occupies the same tenure category but at a massive PSF premium and with significantly larger development scale, newer fittings, and better facilities. Ki Residences at Brookvale ($1,953 psf, 999-year, 660 units) offers near-perpetual tenure but at 50% more per square foot, and the 999-year leasehold is not the same security as genuine freehold. For the budget-conscious freehold buyer, Regis Mansions is one of the few remaining ways to enter the Bukit Timah corridor at below $1,500 psf — though with the trade-offs of age, limited facilities, and thin resale liquidity that this implies.
Against the leasehold new launches, the arithmetic is stark: buying Regis Mansions at ~$1,290 psf (freehold) versus The Reserve Residences at $2,494 psf (99-year) means paying roughly half the land cost per square foot for permanent tenure. For an owner-occupier with a 10–20 year horizon, that gap is hard to ignore. The lease decay on a 99-year leasehold commencing 2021 does not bite hard for decades — but the entry price differential and freehold permanence give Regis Mansions a structural argument that goes beyond the short-term yield comparison.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGIS MANSIONS | Freehold | 1997 | 40 | — |
| THE RESERVE RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2021 | 2023 | 892 | $2,494 |
| NAVA GROVE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2024 | 552 | $2,489 |
| PINETREE HILL | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2022 | 2023 | 520 | $2,486 |
| KI RESIDENCES AT BROOKVALE | 999 yrs lease commencing from 1885 | 2021 | 660 | $1,955 |
| FORETT@BUKIT TIMAH | Freehold | 2021 | 633 | $2,130 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates REGIS MANSIONS across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Love the freehold status and the quiet street. It feels more like a landed enclave than a condo. Very few units means it never feels crowded, and the pool is always available.”
— Resident review via EdgeProp, 2023
“Great for families who drive. Schools nearby, nature reserve around the corner. But if you rely on MRT or buses, it’s not the most convenient address — be honest about that before buying.”
— Resident review via PropertyGuru, 2024
“Old fittings need upgrading but the bones are good. Spacious for the price. I paid less psf than anything comparable in D21 and still got freehold. That’s the whole point of this place.”
— Owner review via 99.co, 2024
The pattern across review platforms aligns with what the data shows: residents consistently value the freehold status, the quiet boutique atmosphere, and the spacious unit sizes — while acknowledging that MRT reliance is a real constraint and renovation investment is expected. There is a notable absence of complaints about neighbours, noise, or management quality that often surface in large developments, which is consistent with a tight-knit 40-unit community.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — no lease decay, permanent ownership
- Strong PSF discount to D21 peers (~50% below new launches)
- Spacious units: 3BR at 1,022–1,206 sqft vs sub-900 sqft new builds
- Boutique 40-unit community — quiet, private, pool rarely crowded
- Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Rail Corridor nearby for active lifestyle
- Profitability score 83/100 — strong capital gains track record
- Modest maintenance fees vs large-facility developments
- En-bloc optionality (52/100) — 40 units makes collective sale logistics simpler
- Well-established residential neighbourhood with mature greenery
- MRT not walkable — 0.93km to Beauty World DTL, bus or drive required
- Walkability score 37/100 — car essential for daily errands
- Low rental yield — 2.48% gross, below typical investment threshold
- Investment score 37/100 — thin liquidity (12 sales in DB)
- Facilities minimal — boutique pool-only profile, no gym, no courts
- Original 1997 fittings — full renovation budget required
- Thinly traded — typically only 1–3 transactions per year
- No concierge, minimal security staffing typical for small developments
- Low gross yield limits investor suitability; better suited to owner-occupiers
Verdict
Regis Mansions is a niche proposition with a clearly defined audience. For the buyer who wants freehold land in Bukit Timah without paying $2,400+ psf — who owns a car, values quiet over convenience, and is comfortable with a renovation project — it represents one of the cleaner value propositions in D21. Profitability metrics back this up: an 83/100 profitability score reflects consistent capital gains for sellers who bought at older entry prices and held through the post-2020 appreciation cycle.
The comparison with nearby new launches is not really a comparison at all — they are different products for different buyers. The Reserve Residences ($2,494 psf, 99-year), Nava Grove ($2,487 psf, 99-year), and Pinetree Hill ($2,485 psf, 99-year) offer resort facilities, brand-new interiors, and guaranteed lease tenures — but at a ~90% PSF premium over Regis Mansions and on depreciating leases. Ki Residences at Brookvale ($1,953 psf, 999-year leasehold) provides an intermediate data point — near-freehold but at a significant premium to Regis Mansions for a larger development. Forett@Bukit Timah ($2,130 psf, freehold) is the more direct freehold competitor but comes at a 65% PSF premium.
The risk factors are concentration and liquidity. With only 12 sales transactions in the database, Regis Mansions is a thinly traded asset — this cuts both ways. Exit timing matters more in a boutique development where there may only be one or two units transacting in a given year. The en-bloc score of 52/100 signals moderate potential, which adds a speculative optionality layer for long-term holders, though the small unit count (40 units) makes collective sale logistics simpler if consensus forms. Investment score of 37/100 appropriately flags the thin liquidity and lower rental yield (2.48% gross) as limiting factors for pure investors.