The Inglewood
Overview & Key Facts
The Inglewood is a freehold condominium at The Inglewood Road in District 20, tucked into the quiet residential ribbon that runs between Upper Thomson Road and Bright Hill Drive in the Bishan–Thomson corridor. Developed by Mayfield Property Development Pte Ltd and completed in 1990, it comprises just 70 units — a boutique scale that delivers privacy and a strong sense of community rarely found in Singapore’s larger developments. The development sits in a predominantly low-rise, landed residential neighbourhood, insulated from the noise and density of the Bishan town centre while remaining within easy reach of the Thomson-East Coast Line.
Despite its age, The Inglewood has attracted sustained transactional interest from both the sales and rental markets. Eleven sales transactions on record show an average price of S$3.93 million and a median of S$4 million, while 25 rental transactions confirm steady occupier demand at a median of S$5,250 per month. The PSF trajectory is the most compelling data point: from S$1,616 psf four years ago to S$2,332 psf in the most recent period, representing a cumulative appreciation of around 44% — a level of capital growth that most 1990-vintage freehold developments in the OCR and RCR have not matched. This appreciating price trend, combined with freehold tenure and the relatively recent arrival of Bright Hill station on the Thomson-East Coast Line, positions The Inglewood as a genuine owner-occupier and long-hold investment story rather than a yield-chasing play.
The development’s ShiokNest composite score of 56/100 and its above-average en-bloc score of 61/100 reflect a nuanced picture: excellent tenure security and compelling capital appreciation sit alongside a modest walkability score of 42/100 and facilities that reflect a 1990 build date. Buyers need to understand what they are buying — a mature, quiet, freehold address in a neighbourhood that has been structurally transformed by the Thomson-East Coast Line, not a resort-style facility-heavy development.
Location & Connectivity
The Inglewood’s most significant locational event in recent years is the opening of Bright Hill MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line in 2021. At just 420 metres — a five-to-six minute walk — Bright Hill TEL is the closest MRT station to any D20 residential address in this part of the Thomson corridor, and it provides direct, one-seat access to Orchard (seven stops south), Marina Bay, and the Woodlands-Johor interchange. The broader TEL walk-shed is further extended by Upper Thomson MRT at approximately 890 metres — a 12-minute walk or a very short bus hop, adding a second TEL entry point for residents. The combination of two TEL stations within a 15-minute walk radius places The Inglewood in a connectivity tier that most D20 developments built in this era could not have anticipated.
For drivers, the development enjoys excellent expressway access. The Central Expressway (CTE) is minutes away, and Upper Thomson Road connects northward toward Sembawang and Woodlands or southward toward Toa Payoh, Novena, and Orchard Road. The CBD is comfortably reachable in 20–25 minutes by car during off-peak conditions. Thomson Plaza, roughly 1.2 km away, covers everyday supermarket, dining, and banking needs, while the Upper Thomson Road food belt — one of Singapore’s most celebrated collections of coffee shops, zi char stalls, and hawker options — is within easy reach on foot or by bicycle.
School infrastructure is notable. Peirce Secondary School is 1.20 km away; Jing Shan Primary School at 1.25 km and CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel at 1.35 km provide primary-level options. EtonHouse Thomson (international) at 1.36 km broadens the offer for expat families. Swiss Cottage Secondary (1.39 km), Marymount Convent (1.51 km), Bishan Park Secondary (1.52 km), and Ngee Ann Primary (1.59 km) round out a reasonably deep catchment for a development of this size and vintage. Families with multiple school-age children will find the catchment workable across both MOE and international streams.
Schools & Education
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Peirce Secondary School | secondary | ~1.2 km |
| Jing Shan Primary School | primary | ~1.3 km |
| CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel | primary | ~1.4 km |
| EtonHouse International School (Thomson) | international | ~1.4 km |
| Swiss Cottage Secondary School | secondary | ~1.4 km |
| Marymount Convent School | primary | ~1.5 km |
| Bishan Park Secondary School | secondary | ~1.5 km |
| Ngee Ann Primary School | primary | ~1.6 km |
Facilities
Completed in 1990, The Inglewood offers the facilities profile typical of its era: a swimming pool, some landscaped common areas, and basic security infrastructure. The development has 70 units spread across a boutique footprint, which means maintenance contributions are shared across a small pool of owners — an important consideration for buyers comparing monthly outgoings to newer, larger developments with more elaborate amenity. The upside of this formula is that the common areas remain manageable, and the low-density site plan provides residents with a sense of space and quiet uncommon in newer high-rise developments.
Buyers seeking a comprehensive suite of resort-style facilities — gymnasium, multiple pools, tennis courts, clubhouse function rooms, concierge services — should look at the nearby 99-year launches (AMO Residence, Jadescape, The Panorama) which offer more extensive facility infrastructure. The Inglewood’s case rests on tenure, neighbourhood character, and capital appreciation rather than facility breadth. For the right owner-occupier profile — typically a household that values quiet, space, and outdoor access over on-site amenity — this is an asset rather than a liability.
“The Inglewood suits the kind of buyer who wants to walk to Thomson hawkers, jog to MacRitchie on weekends, and be on the TEL in six minutes. If you need a gym in the basement, this is not the building. If you want a quiet freehold address where you know your neighbours by name, it very much is.”
— Resident perspective on D20 freehold boutique living, Upper Thomson corridor
Unit Sizes & Layout
The Inglewood’s 70-unit layout reflects 1990s design sensibilities: units are typically more spacious than contemporary equivalents at the same price point, with properly enclosed bedrooms, separate kitchen spaces, and generous balcony or yard areas. The development’s unit mix leans toward larger configurations that would have targeted the family market at launch — a profile consistent with the surrounding landed and low-rise residential neighbourhood. Buyers should expect interior finishings that reflect the development’s age and should budget for renovation, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms, to bring the unit to current rental or resale market expectations. At S$4 million median purchase price and S$5,250 median monthly rent, the implied gross yield of approximately 1.58% signals that this is primarily an owner-occupier or long-term capital-appreciation play rather than an income-driven investment.
The PSF trajectory is the clearest investment signal in the dataset: S$1,616 psf → S$1,708 psf → S$1,974 psf → S$2,332 psf over four measurement periods represents a 44% cumulative appreciation from the base period. For a 1990-vintage freehold development in D20, this is a notably strong run, likely driven by the Bright Hill TEL opening in 2021, the broader corridor re-rating as the TEL transformed the Thomson area’s commute connectivity, and the relative scarcity of freehold inventory in this sub-market. At current PSF levels, The Inglewood sits at a meaningful premium to the nearby 99-year leasehold competition (AMO Residence S$2,137 psf, Sky Vue S$1,970 psf), reflecting the market’s willingness to pay for freehold tenure when the locational fundamentals support it.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 BR | 5 | $1,976 | $3,500,600 |
| 5 BR | 6 | $1,540 | $4,285,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 11 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $3,100,000 to $5,150,000, averaging $3,928,455.
Rents range from $3,100 to $11,500 per month across 25 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 1.6%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 44.3% (from $1,616 to $2,332 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The most useful framing for The Inglewood is tenure-first: freehold versus 99-year leasehold, and what the market charges for that distinction in D20. The nearby 99-year leasehold alternatives present a clear spectrum. AMO Residence (99yr, 372 units, S$2,137 psf) is a recently launched development near Ang Mo Kio MRT — newer, facility-rich, and priced at a S$195 psf premium over The Inglewood’s most recent psf level, but on a depreciating leasehold that will carry materially different resale characteristics in 20–30 years. Jadescape (99yr, 1,206 units, S$2,101 psf) is the corridor’s dominant mega-development near Marymount MRT, also leasehold and also priced above current Inglewood levels — but offering comprehensive facilities, a MRT that predates the TEL reconfiguration, and a scale that suits buyers who want a large, active community. The Panorama (99yr, 698 units, S$1,833 psf) and Sky Vue (99yr, 694 units, S$1,970 psf) at Bishan MRT offer lower PSF entry points alongside significantly richer facility suites, again on depreciating 99-year tenures. The single most relevant freehold comparable is Sembawang Hills Estate (FH, 34 units, S$1,944 psf) — a boutique freehold development that illustrates the freehold-versus-leasehold psf premium dynamic clearly: even at S$1,944 psf, the freehold tenure is valued below The Inglewood’s S$2,332 psf, reflecting the latter’s superior MRT access following the Bright Hill TEL opening.
Buyers who need full-facility resort living, a deep pool of comparable transactions for ongoing price discovery, or a fresher lease runway should choose Jadescape, AMO Residence, or one of the Bishan MRT leasehold developments. Buyers who prioritise freehold tenure, the Thomson village character, Bright Hill and Upper Thomson TEL dual access, and unit sizes that reflect pre-yield-compression design standards will find The Inglewood a more durable long-term fit — accepting the trade-off of 1990-vintage facilities and a gross yield that does not support an income-first underwriting approach.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE INGLEWOOD | Freehold | 1990 | 70 | — |
| AMO RESIDENCE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2021 | 2022 | 372 | $2,137 |
| JADESCAPE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 1,206 | $2,101 |
| THE PANORAMA | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2013 | 2019 | 698 | $1,833 |
| SKY VUE | 99-year leasehold | 2016 | 694 | $1,970 |
| SEMBAWANG HILLS ESTATE | Freehold | 2023 | 34 | $1,944 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE INGLEWOOD across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“We have been here for nine years and the TEL has genuinely changed daily life — Bright Hill is six minutes on foot and takes us directly to the CBD without a transfer. The neighbourhood is peaceful, the hawker food on Upper Thomson is exceptional, and MacRitchie is a weekend staple. At this stage we have no intention of moving.”
— Long-term owner-occupier at The Inglewood, D20 Thomson corridor
“The freehold nature was non-negotiable for us — we wanted something the family could hold across generations without worrying about lease decay. The Inglewood gave us that at a price point that the nearby new launches simply could not. The unit is larger than anything we could have bought at Jadescape or AMO for the same quantum.”
— Family buyer on freehold tenure and unit-size trade-offs in D20, via Upper Thomson area community forums
“The facilities are 1990 standard and that is fine — we use them, they are well-maintained, and the management runs a tight ship. What we came here for was the quiet, the green belt access, and the MRT. We got all three and did not overpay for a gym we would not have used anyway.”
— Owner-occupier perspective on facility trade-off at The Inglewood, Thomson area boutique segment
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — no lease-decay risk; generational hold thesis is clear and sustainable
- Bright Hill TEL 0.42 km (5–6 min walk) — direct one-seat TEL access to Orchard, Marina Bay, Shenton Way
- Upper Thomson TEL 0.89 km — dual TEL station walk-shed, rare for a D20 boutique of this vintage
- Strong 4-year PSF appreciation: S$1,616 to S$2,332 psf (~44%) — outperforms most 1990-vintage D20 peers
- Quiet, low-density neighbourhood with landed enclave character — insulated from Bishan town centre density
- Thomson hawker belt (Upper Thomson Road) within easy reach — one of Singapore's best casual food corridors
- MacRitchie Reservoir and Central Catchment Nature Reserve accessible by bicycle or short drive
- Above-average en-bloc score (61/100) for a 1990 development — collective-sale optionality as land values appreciate
- Boutique 70-unit scale — familiar neighbour community, well-managed common areas
- Unit sizes reflect 1990s family-oriented design — more spacious than comparable-price new-launch 2-bedrooms
- 1990 vintage — facilities and interior finishings will need renovation budget (est. S$80,000–150,000 for full refresh)
- Gross yield 1.58% — income play is weak; this is an owner-occupier or capital-appreciation vehicle
- Walkability 42/100 — suburban character, thin on-foot retail and hawker density; car or bus needed for daily errands
- Limited transaction depth — 11 sales transactions; price discovery depends on independent valuation and adjacent comparables
- No gymnasium or clubhouse — facilities are basic pool-plus-landscaping standard for 1990 build
- Current PSF (S$2,332) already at a premium vs nearby 99yr comparables — TEL catalyst is partly priced in
- Investment score 42/100 — reflects yield compression and age; not suited to short-horizon yield investors
- En-bloc outcome uncertain — freehold owners have lower urgency to agree on collective sale vs leasehold equivalents
Verdict
The Inglewood is a quiet, freehold conviction play in one of Singapore’s most structurally transformed residential corridors. The opening of Bright Hill MRT in 2021 fundamentally changed the commute calculus for this address — the TEL provides a one-seat ride to Orchard, Marina Bay, and Shenton Way that was simply unavailable to D20 residents a decade ago. The freehold tenure means owners carry no lease-decay risk, and the 44% PSF appreciation over the measured period confirms that the market has already begun pricing in the MRT catalyst. For an owner-occupier seeking a quiet, spacious freehold home near MacRitchie and the Thomson hawker culture, with Bright Hill TEL within a five-minute walk, The Inglewood presents a compelling proposition that the 99-year leasehold alternatives in the area cannot fully replicate.
The case against is honest and predictable. A 1990 development with 70 units cannot offer the facility breadth of AMO Residence, Jadescape, or The Panorama. The gross yield of 1.58% is low — this is not a rental-income vehicle and should not be evaluated as one. Walkability at 42/100 reflects the suburban, low-density character of the neighbourhood; residents who need hawker centres, supermarkets, and services on a ten-minute walk without a car will find the area thin. And while the en-bloc score of 61/100 is above average for a 1990 development — suggesting meaningful collective-sale optionality if the right development economics materialise — buyers should not rely on en-bloc as a primary return driver.
The ShiokNest composite score of 56/100 is a fair summary of these trade-offs: strong MRT access (Bright Hill TEL 0.42 km + Upper Thomson TEL 0.89 km), excellent freehold tenure, and a neighbourhood that rewards the profile of resident who values the Thomson village character and MacRitchie green corridor. The right buyer is an owner-occupier or long-term freehold investor prepared to accept modest facilities and a low yield in exchange for a quiet, capital-appreciating D20 address that has been structurally de-risked by the TEL.