The Commodore
What does it cost to own the only fully private condominium on a stretch of Canberra Drive otherwise dominated by Executive Condominiums — and is the premium worth paying? The Commodore is the live answer (as of 2026-05). TOP-ed in 2021 by JBE Holdings on a 99-year leasehold tenure in Sembawang and Canberra district, the 219-unit boutique sits a short walk from Canberra MRT on the North-South Line, in a planning subzone the Urban Redevelopment Authority has earmarked for sustained intensification. It is the private-tenure alternative to a cluster of newly-privatised ECs — 1 Canberra, The Brownstone, The Visionaire — that have just cleared their five-year and ten-year milestones. We pressure-test whether the no-MOP private status plus a fresh ninety-three-year lease justifies the spread against the EC cohort, or whether the 219-unit resale-thin liquidity and ongoing Northern Corridor supply pipeline cap the upside.
Project profile and private-tenure positioning (as of 2026-05)
The Commodore was launched in 2019 and obtained Temporary Occupation Permit in 2021 under JBE Holdings, a Singapore-listed developer with a portfolio focused on boutique-scale residential. The development sits on Canberra Drive in District 27, comprising 219 units across mid-rise blocks with a 99-year leasehold from 2020 — leaving approximately ninety-three years remaining as of 2026-05 (consult the lease decay calculator for a unit-level decay schedule).
The defining feature is tenure category. The Commodore is a fully private condominium — not an Executive Condominium — which means it carried no five-year Minimum Occupation Period from day one, no income ceiling on initial buyers, and no privatisation timeline to wait through. By contrast, the neighbouring D27 EC cohort — 1 Canberra (2015 TOP, privatised 2025), The Brownstone (2017 TOP), Symphony Suites (2017 TOP), and The Visionaire (2018 TOP, Canberra Link) — required buyers to navigate the EC scheme administered by HDB before resale eligibility opened up. For buyers excluded from EC purchase by income ceiling, citizenship, or simply impatience, The Commodore was the local private-tenure option from launch. Verify the project's structural data alongside its EC peers using the condo comparison tool.
Overview & Key Facts
The Commodore is a 219-unit boutique condominium developed by Oasis Development (a subsidiary of JBE Holdings Group), comprising six low-rise blocks of five storeys each along Canberra Drive in District 27. Expected to obtain TOP in 2026 on a 99-year lease from 2020, the development occupies a GLS site acquired in March 2020 — a period when land bids were constrained by pandemic uncertainty, giving JBE a competitive land cost that translates into relatively accessible entry pricing for a brand-new private condominium.
At $1,769 psf, The Commodore positions itself as the premium private-condo option in the Canberra corridor, sitting above the post-MOP EC cluster (The Brownstone at $1,476, The Visionaire at $1,360) but below the flagship Canberra Crescent ($1,988). The development’s headline advantage is proximity: Canberra MRT on the North-South Line is just 300 m from the site, with a sheltered linkway providing covered access — a meaningful quality-of-life feature in Singapore’s tropical climate that none of the competing ECs can match.
With only 219 units across a low-rise layout, The Commodore offers an intimacy and exclusivity that the larger Canberra developments (638-unit Brownstone, 448-unit Watergardens) cannot replicate. The trade-off is a more modest facilities roster — sufficient but not resort-scale — and the higher per-unit maintenance costs that come with a smaller MCST base. For buyers who value boutique living within walking distance of an MRT station at affordable quantum, The Commodore is a compelling north-side proposition.
Location & Connectivity
The Commodore sits on the eastern side of Canberra Drive, directly adjacent to the Canberra MRT station on the North-South Line. At approximately 300 m (3 minutes’ walk via the sheltered linkway), this is the closest Canberra-corridor condo to the MRT station — a distinction that matters daily. From Canberra station, Orchard Road is ten stops away (about 25 minutes), and Raffles Place is fourteen stops (roughly 35 minutes). The upcoming North-South Corridor, a 21.5 km expressway running parallel to the CTE, will further enhance road connectivity from Sembawang to the city centre.
Daily amenities cluster around Canberra Plaza, a neighbourhood mall under five minutes’ walk with an NTUC FairPrice supermarket, food court, and essential retail. One MRT stop north at Sembawang, Sembawang Shopping Centre and Sun Plaza provide deeper retail options. To the south, Yishun’s Northpoint City is two stops away. The developing Bukit Canberra integrated hub will add a hawker centre, polyclinic, and sports facilities to the immediate neighbourhood — a transformative addition for a precinct still building out its amenity ecosystem.
Schools are a strength of the Canberra location. Canberra Secondary School is just 180 m away — practically across the road — and Canberra Primary 200 m. Both are within effortless walking distance for children, a convenience that resonates strongly with family buyers. Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary and Wellington Primary extend the educational options in the broader catchment. The area has attracted an 86.6% Singaporean buyer profile, reflecting its appeal to local families prioritising affordability and schools.
Schools & Education
2 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Canberra Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Canberra Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Sembawang Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Sembawang Secondary School | secondary | ~1.1 km |
| North View Primary School | primary | ~1.2 km |
| XCL World Academy | international | ~1.8 km |
| Yishun Town Secondary School | secondary | ~1.8 km |
| Yishun Primary School | primary | ~1.8 km |
Facilities
For a 219-unit, low-rise development, The Commodore provides a well-curated but necessarily compact facilities roster. The 50 m lap pool is the centrepiece — a generous length for a boutique condo — complemented by a children’s pool and poolside deck. A clubhouse, gymnasium, and function room serve the social and fitness needs, while outdoor amenities include a picnic lawn, tree house, tea pavilion, forest cabanas, and a spice garden community pavilion. The BBQ facilities and playground round out the family-oriented offerings.
The low-rise, five-storey design creates a landed-estate feel that the high-rise towers of The Brownstone and Watergardens cannot replicate. With only six blocks at five storeys, the ground coverage is generous, allowing for landscaped walkways between buildings and a sense of spaciousness that belies the 219-unit count. Residents describe the atmosphere as more reminiscent of a cluster-house estate than a conventional condominium — quieter, more private, and with significantly less lift congestion.
“The best thing about living here is how quiet it is. Only 219 units means the pool is almost always available, the gym never has a queue, and I recognise most of my neighbours. The trade-off is fewer facilities compared to The Brownstone next door, but I’d rather have uncrowded basics than a long list of amenities I can never use because they’re packed. The forest cabanas are my favourite spot — peaceful and private.”
— Early buyer, three-bedroom, pre-TOP 2026
The limitation is real, however. There is no tennis court, no basketball court, no skating rink, and no sky-level facilities. Buyers who want resort-scale amenities will find The Brownstone (50 m + 30 m pools, tennis, basketball, skating rink) a more complete package at similar or lower PSF. The Commodore’s pitch is quality over quantity — fewer shared facilities, but less competition for each one.
Unit Sizes & Layout
The Commodore offers a comprehensive unit mix from one-bedroom (463 sqft) through to five-bedroom penthouse configurations (1,916 sqft). The one-bedroom units at sub-$800K quantum are among the most affordable private-condo entry points near an MRT station anywhere in Singapore — a significant draw for young professionals and small-portfolio investors. At the upper end, the five-bedroom penthouses with double-height living areas cater to families who want landed-house proportions within a condo structure.
As a JBE Holdings development, the finishes are competent but not luxury-tier. Expect engineered timber flooring in bedrooms, porcelain tiles in common areas, and branded kitchen appliances from reputable but not premium brands. The build quality is solid — JBE has a track record with Skypark Residences EC and Signature at Yishun — but buyers upgrading from a CDL or CapitaLand product may notice the difference in finishing details. The five-storey ceiling constraint means no dramatic sky views, but every unit benefits from the low-density, garden-surrounded setting.
A practical advantage of the five-storey design is the walk-up option for lower floors. Blocks have lifts, but residents on the second and third floors often prefer the stairs — faster, healthier, and immune to the lift breakdowns that plague taller developments. This may seem minor, but in a post-COVID world where lift sharing created anxiety, the low-rise format has found a new appreciation among buyers.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 BR | 30 | $1,647 | $762,467 |
| 1 BR | 31 | $1,593 | $994,513 |
| 2 BR | 71 | $1,562 | $1,176,983 |
| 3 BR | 90 | $1,508 | $1,673,606 |
| 4 BR | 31 | $1,458 | $2,196,581 |
| 5 BR | 2 | $1,395 | $2,665,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 255 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $700,000 to $2,850,000, averaging $1,416,934 (~$1,758 psf).
Rents range from $2,600 to $6,750 per month across 71 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.0%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 15.4% (from $1,514 to $1,746 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
In the Canberra corridor, The Commodore ($1,769 psf, 99-year from 2020) occupies the mid-tier between affordable ECs and premium private condos. The Brownstone ($1,476 psf, post-MOP EC) offers CDL build quality and resort-scale facilities at a 17% discount, but with a seven-year-old building and no sheltered MRT link. North Gaia ($1,312 psf, EC within MOP) provides the lowest entry quantum but is restricted to Singapore citizen buyers. Watergardens at Canberra ($1,487 psf, 448 units) by UOL is newer and larger but lacks The Commodore’s sheltered MRT access and low-rise character.
The Commodore’s competitive moat is the 300 m sheltered walkway to Canberra MRT combined with boutique, low-rise density (219 units across five-storey blocks). No other Canberra development replicates this combination. Buyers must weigh this against the slimmer facilities roster and higher per-unit maintenance. Canberra Crescent ($1,988 psf) at the premium end offers more units and potentially stronger facilities but at a 12% price premium without the sheltered linkway advantage.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE COMMODORE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 219 | $1,758 |
| NORTH GAIA | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2021 | 2022 | 616 | $1,312 |
| THE WATERGARDENS AT CANBERRA | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 448 | $1,491 |
| PROVENCE RESIDENCE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 413 | $1,182 |
| CANBERRA CRESCENT RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 376 | $1,989 |
| THE VISIONAIRE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2015 | — | 632 | $1,366 |
Lease Decay Analysis
The 99-year lease runs from 2020, meaning approximately 6 years have already been consumed. Roughly 93 years remain — still comfortably within the range where most banks will offer full financing without restrictions.
| Year | Lease remaining | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (now) | ~93 years | Full bank financing available |
| 2050 | ~69 years | CPF usage still unrestricted for most buyers |
| 2059 | ~59 years | Approaching 60-year threshold — CPF limits begin for some |
| 2079 | ~39 years | Significant financing restrictions for next buyer |
| 2119 | Expiry | Lease reverts to state |
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 ~83 years remaining, which is still very bankable. The risk profile changes for longer holds.
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE COMMODORE across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“The sheltered walkway to Canberra MRT sealed the deal for me. I commute to Raffles Place daily, and not having to worry about rain or sun on the walk to the station is genuinely life-changing after years of umbrella logistics at my previous condo. The development is compact but that’s what I wanted — I know my neighbours, the pool is never crowded, and it feels like a village.”
— Owner-occupier, two-bedroom, pre-TOP 2026
“We bought the one-bedder as our first investment property. Under $800K for a brand-new unit 300 metres from an MRT with a sheltered walkway — the rental math was compelling. Canberra isn’t Orchard Road, but for the young working professionals we’re targeting as tenants, MRT proximity and affordability matter more than prestige.”
— Investor couple, one-bedroom, purchased 2023
“Coming from The Brownstone across the road, I appreciate the contrast. The Brownstone has incredible facilities but 638 units means the pools are packed on weekends. Here at The Commodore, my kids have the pool to themselves most evenings. The five-storey design means we take the stairs half the time — no waiting for lifts. Less is more.”
— Family of four, three-bedroom, pre-TOP 2026
Pricing snapshot and yield mechanics (as of 2026-05)
Pricing in the Canberra submarket has tracked the URA Property Price Index for non-landed Outside Central Region with a private-tenure premium over the surrounding EC stock. Three-bedroom resale units at The Commodore clear at price-per-square-foot levels in the mid-S$1,500 to high-S$1,700 band (as of 2026-05), against newly-privatised 1 Canberra in the high-S$1,300 to low-S$1,500 range and The Brownstone slightly behind. The spread reflects both the fresher lease curve and the absence of any EC overhang. Cross-reference the live submarket via the price heatmap for current ask depth.
Rental yield economics are competitive but not exceptional. Canberra MRT proximity pushes monthly rents for three-bedders into the S$4,000 to S$4,600 band, producing gross yields of approximately 3.0 to 3.4 percent before strata maintenance, vacancy, and property tax — model the net figure with the rental yield ROI calculator. Compared to district averages tracked on the rental yield heatmap, this places The Commodore in the mid-to-upper quartile of D27 stock. The yield is slightly compressed versus the privatised EC cohort because the higher entry PSF outpaces the modest rental premium boutique private stock commands over ECs in the same micro-location.
Location anchors — Canberra MRT, KTPH, Sembawang Hot Spring Park (as of 2026-05)
The single biggest connectivity anchor is Canberra MRT station on the North-South Line, an infill station opened in November 2019 between Sembawang and Yishun. The walk from The Commodore is approximately six minutes depending on the block. Residents reach Orchard in roughly 35 minutes and Raffles Place in 45 — verify your own door-to-desk timing using the commute time map.
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is a short drive south on Yishun Avenue 2, addressing the healthcare access gap that historically penalised the broader Sembawang corridor. Sun Plaza in Sembawang town centre handles daily retail and groceries, while the refurbished Sembawang Hot Spring Park — reopened in 2020 after a comprehensive National Parks Board redevelopment — sits a short drive north and is a genuinely distinctive amenity unavailable elsewhere on mainland Singapore. Schools include Canberra Primary, Sembawang Primary, and Northland Secondary; check the amenity heatmap layers for full school catchment overlap and the walkability and investment score map for the project's composite score profile.
Pros — private tenure, fresh lease, NSL delivery, RTS upside (as of 2026-05)
The investment case rests on four legs. First, private tenure from day one means no MOP wait, no EC income ceiling, and no privatisation timeline — the unit transacts on the open market today exactly as a freehold-equivalent product would, subject only to standard IRAS Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty rules for foreign and second-property buyers. Second, the lease decay clock is fresh: at year six of a ninety-nine-year tenure (as of 2026-05), the project sits at the gentle-decay end of the SLA Bala curve approximation, where annual price decay is materially lower than projects past year thirty.
Third, Canberra MRT delivery has already shipped — the rental premium tenants pay confirms the station's value is priced in and observable, not speculative. Fourth, the Northern Corridor narrative remains live and credible. The URA Master Plan earmarks Sembawang and Woodlands for sustained intensification, and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is targeting end-2026 commencement at Woodlands North, three stations away on the Thomson-East Coast Line reachable via Woodlands interchange. Cross-border commute optionality is a structural thesis few D9, D10, or D11 mature projects can match. Visualise the planning overlay on the master plan amenity map.
Verdict — a fresh-lease private boutique in an EC-dominated micro-market (as of 2026-05)
The Commodore occupies a deliberately narrow position: the private-tenure boutique alternative on a Canberra Drive stretch otherwise filled with the 2015 to 2018 EC cohort that is now privatising in stages. For buyers who want immediate open-market liquidity, a ninety-three-year lease runway, and Canberra MRT walkability without navigating the EC scheme, the project is a structurally rational choice. The premium over neighbouring privatised ECs is observable and explainable — fresher lease, no EC overhang, smaller scale — though buyers should be clear that paying for private tenure in an OCR mass-market submarket is a different bet from paying for private tenure in a CCR address.
For investors, the 3.0 to 3.4 percent gross yield is competitive but the 219-unit count means exit liquidity needs to be planned, not assumed. For owner-occupiers prioritising commute access, healthcare proximity, and the genuinely rare amenity of Sembawang Hot Spring Park within a short drive, the project rewards a long hold. Run a total cost of ownership calculation and an affordability calculation before underwriting; if you are financing, the TDSR calculator and mortgage calculator will pressure-test serviceability. Foreign buyers and second-property investors should layer in stamp duty implications, and HDB upgraders modelling a sale of an existing flat should test the decoupling calculator against current rules.
Risks — 219-unit resale thinness, OCR mass-market pricing, supply pipeline (as of 2026-05)
The risks compound around three vectors. First, the 219-unit boutique scale that creates the project's quiet residential character also produces resale-thin liquidity. With fewer than 220 units in total, the active listing pool at any given moment is small, and when sentiment turns, sellers face a narrow buyer funnel and elongated marketing periods. Benchmark live listing depth on the price heatmap before pricing a resale, and pressure-test holding-period assumptions on the cash flow calculator.
Second, D27 sits firmly in the Outside Central Region mass-market segment. The URA OCR price index, while structurally upward over long cycles, is more sensitive to cooling measures and macroeconomic shifts than CCR pricing. Buyers paying a private-tenure premium on top of OCR submarket pricing need to be clear that the spread relative to the privatised EC cohort can compress quickly if broader OCR sentiment weakens. Third, the Northern Corridor intensification narrative cuts both ways. New launches in the Canberra and Woodlands belt continue to come online — track ongoing tenders on the Government Land Sales map and check competing inventory within the immediate radius on the new launches map. More planning intensification means more competing stock, not less, and the boutique 219-unit count will not insulate The Commodore from neighbourhood-level supply pressure when fresh launches arrive at lower entry pricing.