The Balmoral
Overview & Key Facts
The Balmoral is a boutique freehold condominium on Balmoral Park in Singapore’s District 10, completed in 1986 by Southway Properties Pte Ltd. With just 81 units spread across a generous 23,249 sqm land parcel in the heart of prime Tanglin, it represents a type of development that simply cannot be reproduced today: large, leafy, freehold, and quietly prestigious in a way that newer CCR launches rarely manage. The address — Balmoral Park — carries the kind of old-money resonance that Singaporeans and long-term expatriates recognise immediately.
The development sits on elevated, heavily landscaped grounds and houses a mix of apartments, maisonettes, and townhouses — unit types that have all but vanished from new Singapore private residential launches. Typical unit sizes run from approximately 2,000 sqft for a standard apartment up to over 7,600 sqft for the larger townhouse configurations, making The Balmoral one of the few addresses in Singapore where buyers can secure a genuinely large home without compromising on tenure or postcode.
At an average transacted price of $6.9 million and a PSF that has moved steadily from $1,656 to $1,977 over recent years, The Balmoral is not an entry-level CCR proposition. It is primarily bought by ultra-high-net-worth owner-occupiers seeking scale and prestige, and by investors who see a 1986-vintage freehold site in Balmoral as a compelling en-bloc candidate. With a ShiokNest En-Bloc Score of 72/100, that calculation is well-founded.
Location & Connectivity
Balmoral Park is a quiet, tree-lined private residential enclave set back from the main arterial roads of Stevens Road and Balmoral Road. It carries a distinctly different energy from the busier CCR addresses around Orchard or River Valley — fewer pedestrians, very little commercial activity, and a level of green canopy that makes the neighbourhood feel almost suburban despite being under 2 km from Orchard Road. For buyers who want a prestigious District 10 address without the noise and footfall of the Orchard belt, Balmoral Park is one of the most coveted micro-locations in Singapore.
Stevens MRT station (DTL/TEL interchange) is approximately 0.60 km away — a comfortable 8-minute walk that can be done under the tree cover along Stevens Road. The interchange gives residents two MRT lines: the Downtown Line connects directly to Botanic Gardens, Beauty World, and the CBD via Bugis and Bayfront; the Thomson-East Coast Line connects northward to Woodlands and southward through Stevens, Napier, and Orchard to Marina Bay. For daily commuters, this dual-line access is a meaningful upgrade over single-line CCR stations.
Drivers are equally well-served. Stevens Road links directly to the CTE within minutes, and Orchard Road itself is under a 5-minute drive. Dempsey Hill and the Botanic Gardens are within 10 minutes, and the CBD is accessible in 15–20 minutes in off-peak conditions. The Good Class Bungalow belt of Nassim and Cluny flanks the estate on the south side, reinforcing the neighbourhood’s high-value residential character. Cold Storage at Chancery Lane and NTUC FairPrice at Balmoral Plaza (less than 1 km) handle everyday grocery needs, while the Orchard and Novena malls are minutes away by car.
The school catchment is remarkable even by District 10 standards. ISS International School operates two campuses within 0.57 km, making The Balmoral one of the best-positioned addresses in Singapore for expat families requiring an international curriculum. Anglo-Chinese School (Primary), Nanyang Primary, Methodist Girls’ School, and Nanyang Girls’ High are all within 1 km — a concentration of top-rated schools that is effectively impossible to replicate from any other single address in Singapore.
MRT: Stevens (DTL/TEL interchange) 0.60 km — dual-line access to Botanic Gardens, CBD (Bayfront/Marina Bay), and Orchard.
Schools (within 1 km): ISS International (Preston) 0.51 km, ISS International (Paterson) 0.57 km, ACS Primary 0.85 km, Nanyang Primary 0.89 km, Methodist Girls’ School 0.92 km, Nanyang Girls’ High 0.95 km.
Dining & Retail: Cold Storage Chancery Lane ~0.8 km, Balmoral Plaza ~0.9 km, Orchard Road <5 min drive, Dempsey Hill ~0.7 km (by car).
Green space: Singapore Botanic Gardens ~1.4 km, Stevens Road park connector.
Schools & Education
5 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| ISS International School (Preston) | international | Within 1 km |
| ISS International School (Paterson) | international | Within 1 km |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) | primary | Within 1 km |
| Nanyang Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Methodist Girls' School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Methodist Girls' School (Primary) | primary | Within 1 km |
| Nanyang Girls' High School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Chatsworth International School (Orchard) | international | Within 1 km |
Facilities
For a development of just 81 units completed in 1986, The Balmoral offers a surprisingly complete leisure amenity set. The grounds include a swimming pool, wading pool, gymnasium, tennis courts, squash courts, clubhouse, BBQ areas, children’s playground, and covered carpark with 24-hour security. The site’s generous land-to-unit ratio — over 285 sqm of land per unit — is the key to this: there is simply no overcrowding of facilities, and the landscaped grounds feel far more private and spacious than in a typical high-density CCR development. Marble flooring in living areas and large balconies were standard in the original build and give units a generosity of finish that is typical of the 1980s luxury benchmark.
The caveat is age. The development is approaching 40 years old, and while the structure is sound, residents and market observers have noted the usual signs of deferred maintenance in a development where en-bloc discussions have been an ongoing backdrop. For buyers who prioritise immaculate shared facilities, this is the honest trade-off: The Balmoral offers space, prestige, and land value, but not the polished finish of a newly handed-over development. A successful en-bloc — which the 72/100 en-bloc score suggests is a plausible medium-term outcome — would reset the clock entirely, but in the meantime, buyers should factor in the cost of private renovations for their own unit.
“Huge space, very private, great for a family. The grounds are well-maintained and the pool area is quite large for a small development. You rarely see another resident if you don’t want to — it feels more like a landed home than a condo.”
— Resident review, Singapore Expats forum
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 3 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $5,300,000 to $9,980,000, averaging $6,876,667 (~$1,977 psf).
Rents range from $5,600 to $20,000 per month across 89 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.0%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 19.4% (from $1,656 to $1,977 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Within District 10’s freehold CCR universe, The Balmoral’s $1,977 PSF sits well below the benchmark set by newer freehold launches. Leedon Green, also freehold in D10, trades at $2,784 PSF — a 41% premium for a 2022-completed development with contemporary finishes and full resort-style facilities. Hyll on Holland, another recent freehold entry, is at $2,648 PSF. The PSF gap versus newer 99-year leasehold competitors like Skye at Holland ($2,945 PSF) and Fourth Avenue Residences ($2,465 PSF) is even more striking: The Balmoral offers freehold tenure at a discount to both, which is attributable almost entirely to the 1986 vintage and the resulting need for renovation spend.
The rational framing for a buyer comparing The Balmoral to Leedon Green is this: the $807/PSF gap on a 2,500 sqft unit represents approximately $2 million in price difference, against which the buyer must weigh the renovation budget (typically $300,000–$500,000 for a full refresh at this level) and the qualitative difference in facilities and finishes. For buyers who prioritise address prestige, unit scale, and en-bloc optionality over turn-key convenience, The Balmoral presents a compelling case. For buyers who want a new-build experience in CCR, Leedon Green or Hyll on Holland are the cleaner choices.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE BALMORAL | Freehold | 1986 | 81 | $1,977 |
| SKYE AT HOLLAND | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 666 | $2,945 |
| LEEDON GREEN | Freehold | 2021 | 638 | $2,784 |
| D'LEEDON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2010 | 2014 | 1,703 | $1,855 |
| HYLL ON HOLLAND | Freehold | 2021 | 319 | $2,648 |
| FOURTH AVENUE RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 476 | $2,465 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE BALMORAL across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“We’ve lived here for six years and the location is simply unmatched for our family. Both ISS campuses are under 10 minutes on foot, the kids can walk to school without crossing a main road, and Stevens MRT has made our commute to the CBD effortless since the TEL opened. For a family coming from overseas, this is as close to a perfect expat address as Singapore offers.”
— Resident review (expatriate family, Balmoral Park)
“The size of the units is the thing that gets everyone who visits. Friends who live in newer CCR condos are always surprised when they come here. My 4-bedroom is over 2,800 sqft and feels like a proper house. The trade-off is that you need to spend on renovation — the original bathrooms and kitchen are dated — but once you’ve done that, it is genuinely one of the most comfortable homes in Singapore.”
— Resident review (owner-occupier, Singapore)
“As an investment I bought here specifically for the en-bloc potential. The site is enormous, it’s freehold, and it’s in Balmoral. This is exactly what developers want. The rental yield isn’t spectacular but the tenant quality is very high — I’ve had senior finance professionals and corporate tenants back to back with no vacancy gaps. The address does the marketing for you.”
— Resident review (investor, Singapore)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure in prime District 10 (Balmoral Park) — full land ownership with no lease decay
- Stevens MRT (DTL/TEL interchange) at 0.60 km — dual-line access to CBD and Orchard
- Unmatched school catchment: ISS International (x2), ACS Primary, MGS, Nanyang Primary, NYGH all within 1 km
- Generous unit sizes (2,000–7,642 sqft) well above all contemporary CCR launches
- Strong en-bloc potential (72/100) — 23,249 sqm freehold site is prime redevelopment land
- PSF appreciated 19.4% from $1,656 to $1,977 — steady capital growth despite vintage
- High expat rental demand (89 transactions on 81 units) with avg rent $9,533/month
- Boutique scale (81 units) — privacy, community feel, and low management fees per owner
- Elevated, leafy plot on Balmoral Park — one of Singapore's most prestigious residential addresses
- Townhouse and maisonette formats unavailable in any new-build CCR development today
- 1986 vintage — kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas require significant renovation investment
- Gross yield of 2.02% is below D10 and Singapore CCR average — rental return is not the primary thesis
- Only 3 recorded sales transactions — very thin market liquidity; exit timing requires patience
- Deferred maintenance concerns in some areas given ongoing en-bloc discussions
- Walkability score 63/100 — limited on-foot retail; car or grab needed for most daily errands
- Investment score 46/100 reflects low yield and aging infrastructure dragging short-term metrics
- Average transaction price ~$6.9M makes it one of the most expensive entry points in this series
- No hawker centres or affordable food options within walking distance
Verdict
The Balmoral is not a development for everyone, and it does not try to be. It is a specific proposition: a freehold, house-scale residence in one of Singapore’s most prestigious micro-locations, at a price point that reflects both the address and the land value embedded in the site. For buyers who require a 2,000–7,000 sqft CCR home with freehold tenure, strong school proximity, and a quiet neighbourhood character, there is genuinely very little competition. The neighbours are GCBs and landed bungalows, not HDB or mass-market condos.
The en-bloc story is the key investment case. A 1986 freehold development on a 23,249 sqm site in Balmoral carries substantial redevelopment potential, and the 72/100 en-bloc score reflects that. At $1,977 PSF and average transaction prices near $6.9 million, The Balmoral is not cheap — but buyers are effectively purchasing both a luxury home and an option on a future collective sale. The site’s generous size, freehold tenure, and prime D10 location make it exactly the kind of asset that developers target when the CCR luxury market heats up.
The 2.02% gross yield is below-average for a CCR rental proposition, but the 89 rental transactions on just 81 units tells its own story: the development maintains extremely strong expat rental demand, with average rents of $9,533/month confirming that tenants are high-end corporate expats and professionals. For buyers who plan to hold the asset and rent in the medium term while waiting for a potential collective sale, the rental market provides solid income coverage. At PSF appreciation of 19.4% over the available data window ($1,656 to $1,977), capital value growth has outperformed many newer CCR launches.