The Myst
The Myst is a 408-unit private condominium on Upper Bukit Timah Road in District 23 (Bukit Panjang / Hillview), developed by CDL Aries (a City Developments Limited subsidiary) on a 99-year lease commencing 2023 with TOP also in 2023. It is the latest large-scale launch in the Hillview–Dairy Farm condominium cluster, arriving after siblings Dairy Farm Residences, The Botany at Dairy Farm, and Midwood — all built within a 1km walking radius of Hillview MRT on the Downtown Line.
This review evaluates The Myst on the dimensions that matter for an Outside Central Region (OCR) family-segment purchase: the premium 99-year lease vintage (~97 years remaining at TOP, the longest in the cluster), the CDL developer pedigree and finishing standards, the Hillview MRT (DTL) + Dairy Farm Nature Park + Bukit Timah Nature Reserve amenity halo, and the comparative value against the immediate cluster peers. Use the mortgage calculator and affordability calculator to size the entry alongside the MAS Notice 645 TDSR cap before committing.
Snapshot as of 2026-05 — figures above reflect publicly available URA/HDB data at the time of this editorial review (as of 2026-05).
Bukit Panjang / Hillview sits in the Outside Central Region (OCR) per URA Master Plan zoning, with the planning area characterised by a tight pocket of private condominiums abutting the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to the south and Dairy Farm Nature Park to the immediate east. The district price heatmap shows D23 as a structurally lower-PSF pocket than neighbouring Bukit Timah (D21) or Holland (D10), with the Hillview sub-cluster trading at a modest premium to the broader D23 average on account of the nature-reserve adjacency and DTL access.
Connectivity-wise, Hillview MRT (DT3) on the Downtown Line is a ~5–7 minute walk from The Myst, delivering one-seat rides to Newton, Little India, Bugis, and the Marina Bay financial belt. Drive times to the CBD via the BKE/PIE run 22–28 minutes off-peak. Green relief is exceptional: Dairy Farm Nature Park (Wallace Trail, Dairy Farm Quarry) is across the road, and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve — one of only two ASEAN heritage rainforests in the city — is a ~10-minute walk via the eco-link bridge. Daily-needs density is anchored by HillV2 mall, The Rail Mall, and West Mall (one DTL stop at Bukit Panjang interchange). School catchments draw from CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace, Bukit Panjang Primary, and the Bukit Timah belt within 2km radius.
On lease economics: a 99-year tenure from 2023 leaves The Myst with ~97 years of runway at TOP, which is the freshest lease vintage in the Hillview cluster — meaningfully longer than Dairy Farm Residences (99-year from 2018, ~94 years) and The Botany (99-year from 2021, ~96 years). Per URA lease guidance and CPF housing rules, this places the project well above the 60-year threshold where CPF and bank LTV haircuts begin to apply. The side-by-side comparison tool and lease decay calculator let you model the lease-vintage advantage against the project’s entry PSF premium.
Overview & Key Facts
The Myst is City Developments Limited’s nature-themed offering in the Upper Bukit Timah corridor, comprising 408 units across two 24-storey towers on a generous 179,008 sq ft site at 800–802 Upper Bukit Timah Road. Launched in June 2023, the development was built on the former Tan Chong Industrial Park site and is expected to reach TOP by March 2029. CDL — one of Singapore’s most established developers with over 60 years and 48,000 homes to its name — is betting on the neighbourhood’s nature premium and Downtown Line connectivity.
The name itself signals intent: “The Myst” evokes the misty canopy of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve less than 2 km away. An impressive 75% of the site is dedicated to landscaping and recreational facilities, resulting in a lush, resort-like ground plane that distinguishes The Myst from the dense urban fabric of most new launches. The development sits at the intersection of nature and transit, with Cashew MRT on the Downtown Line just 450 metres away, offering a direct 25-minute ride to the CBD.
At an average trailing PSF of $2,050, The Myst occupies an unusual niche: priced above the EC-turned-condo conversions and older stock in District 23 (Sol Acres at $1,380, Midwood at $1,728) but well below the premium RCR launches across town. For buyers who prize proximity to nature reserves and greenery corridors, The Myst is one of very few new-launch options in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve catchment.
Location & Connectivity
The Myst sits along Upper Bukit Timah Road, with Cashew MRT (Downtown Line) approximately 450 metres away — a comfortable 6-minute walk. Bukit Panjang MRT/LRT interchange is roughly 550 metres in the other direction, providing access to the North-South Line via a transfer at Newton or the Downtown Line’s alternative routing. The DTL is the more practical commuter line, with direct access to Beauty World, Botanic Gardens, and the CBD stretch from Bugis to Expo.
The Myst’s location is within walking distance of Dairy Farm Nature Park and the Rail Corridor heritage trail. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve — Singapore’s oldest and most biodiverse rainforest remnant — is a short drive or bus ride away. For trail runners, mountain bikers, and nature enthusiasts, this address is practically unmatched among new-launch condos.
Daily conveniences are anchored by HillV2 mall (800m) for boutique retail and dining, The Rail Mall (1 km) for a quirky strip of F&B and services, and Bukit Panjang Plaza (1.2 km) which houses a public library and mainstream retail. For larger grocery runs, Hillion Mall at Bukit Panjang MRT offers NTUC FairPrice and a wider retail selection. The neighbourhood is residential and green rather than bustling — buyers should expect a quieter pace of life compared to Bishan or Clementi.
School options in the immediate vicinity include Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary (320m) and Springdale Primary (940m). The more prestigious Bukit Timah Road school belt — including Methodist Girls’ School, Nanyang Primary, and Hwa Chong Institution — is accessible within a 10-minute drive but falls outside the 1 km primary school registration zone. Driving connectivity is good via the BKE, KJE, and PIE, all within a 5-minute reach.
Schools & Education
2 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Springdale Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Fajar Secondary School | secondary | ~1.1 km |
| Bukit Panjang Primary School | primary | ~1.1 km |
| Bukit Panjang Government High School | secondary | ~1.2 km |
| Greenridge Secondary School | secondary | ~1.3 km |
| Xishan Primary School | primary | ~1.3 km |
| West Spring Secondary School | secondary | ~1.4 km |
Facilities
With 75% of the 179,008 sq ft site given over to landscaping and amenities, The Myst offers a resort-like environment that belies its 408-unit scale. The centrepiece is a 50-metre infinity pool set against a backdrop of tropical planting, complemented by a children’s pool, Jacuzzi, and pool deck. CDL has included two clubhouses, tennis courts, a fully equipped gym, yoga pavilion, BBQ pits, and a landscaped garden with walking trails. The signature feature is a treetop walk that threads through the upper canopy of the site’s mature trees — a design flourish that reinforces the nature-immersion concept.
“We visited the showflat mainly because we wanted a nature-oriented development near the Bukit Timah Reserve. The 75% green coverage and the treetop walk concept sold us. CDL’s track record helps too — we bought at Amber Park previously and the quality was solid.”
— Buyer at launch, PropertyGuru forum, 2023
Unit Sizes & Layout
The Myst offers eight unit types: 1-Bedroom + Study (from 517 sq ft), 2-Bedroom (from 678 sq ft), 2-Bedroom + Study, 3-Bedroom (from 850 sq ft), 3-Bedroom Premium, 3-Bedroom Premium + Study, 4-Bedroom, and 5-Bedroom. The unit mix is weighted toward 2- and 3-bedroom configurations (each roughly 35% of total supply), with 4-bedrooms at 12% and 5-bedrooms at 5%. Starting prices at launch were $998,000 for a 1-bedder and $3.18 million for a 5-bedder. The 2-bedders from $1.33 million and 3-bedders from $1.708 million represent the volume segments.
Units come fitted with quality bathroom accessories and kitchen appliances from established brands, smart home features including smart lighting controls and surveillance systems, and a layout philosophy that prioritises natural light and ventilation. CDL’s construction track record — with CONQUAS scores consistently above industry average — provides some assurance on build quality at handover.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 186 | $2,172 | $1,397,742 |
| 2 BR | 51 | $2,095 | $1,835,510 |
| 3 BR | 96 | $2,005 | $2,205,021 |
| 4 BR | 48 | $1,965 | $3,060,604 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 381 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $998,000 to $3,574,000, averaging $1,869,244 (~$2,054 psf).
Price Appreciation
From 2023 to 2026, the average PSF has declined by 0.7% (from $2,082 to $2,068 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
In the Upper Bukit Timah–Bukit Panjang corridor, The Myst competes across a wide price spectrum. Sol Acres ($1,380 PSF, 1,327 units) is the budget anchor — an EC-turned-condo with a $670 PSF discount but significantly older stock and no nature premium. Midwood ($1,728 PSF, 564 units) by Hong Leong offers a closer comparison as a DTL-adjacent development, but with a smaller site and fewer facilities. Dairy Farm Residences ($1,659 PSF, 460 units) shares the nature-adjacent positioning at a $391 PSF discount, making it the value alternative for buyers who prioritise green surroundings over CDL’s brand.
The most direct new-launch peer is Botany at Dairy Farm ($2,053 PSF, 386 units), which trades at virtually the same PSF. The choice between them comes down to micro-location preference and developer brand: Botany by Sim Lian vs The Myst by CDL. Both target the nature-lifestyle segment, but The Myst’s larger site (179,008 vs ~130,000 sq ft) allows for more expansive landscaping and the signature treetop walk that has become its marketing centrepiece.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE MYST | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2023 | 2023 | 408 | $2,054 |
| SOL ACRES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2014 | 2018 | 1,327 | $1,383 |
| MIDWOOD | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 564 | $1,731 |
| LUMINA GRAND | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2022 | 2024 | 512 | $1,515 |
| DAIRY FARM RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 460 | $1,659 |
| THE BOTANY AT DAIRY FARM | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2022 | 2023 | 386 | $2,053 |
Lease Decay Analysis
The 99-year lease runs from 2023, meaning approximately 3 years have already been consumed. Roughly 96 years remain — still comfortably within the range where most banks will offer full financing without restrictions.
| Year | Lease remaining | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (now) | ~96 years | Full bank financing available |
| 2053 | ~69 years | CPF usage still unrestricted for most buyers |
| 2062 | ~59 years | Approaching 60-year threshold — CPF limits begin for some |
| 2082 | ~39 years | Significant financing restrictions for next buyer |
| 2122 | 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 ~86 years remaining, which is still very bankable. The risk profile changes for longer holds.
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE MYST across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“The nature factor is what drew us. We’re trail runners and having Dairy Farm Nature Park and the Rail Corridor within walking distance was the deciding factor. Cashew MRT is a quick walk. The trade-off is that shopping options are limited — you need to drive or take the MRT to Bukit Panjang for anything serious.”
— Buyer, PropertyGuru forum, 2024
“CDL developments tend to hold value well, and The Myst’s 75% landscaping ratio is genuinely impressive for a new launch. The 50m infinity pool with the forest backdrop is what sealed it for us. We don’t have school-age kids, so the limited nearby school options don’t matter to us.”
— Buyer review, Home & Decor Singapore, 2024
“I looked at both The Myst and Dairy Farm Residences. The Myst won on facilities and CDL’s quality, but it is about $400 PSF more expensive. For budget-conscious buyers, Dairy Farm Residences offers a similar nature vibe at a lower entry point. It comes down to how much you value the brand and the treetop walk experience.”
— Market observer, PLB Insights forum, 2024
1. Freshest lease vintage in the Hillview cluster. 99 years from 2023 means The Myst will still have ~95 years of remaining lease when the cluster siblings (Dairy Farm Residences, The Botany, Midwood) start crossing critical CPF thresholds in the late 2070s. For a hold-to-decay buyer, this is the most lease-efficient entry into the precinct.
2. CDL developer pedigree. City Developments Limited (CDL) is one of Singapore’s two large-cap residential developers, with a track record of consistent finishing quality, post-handover defect response, and asset management discipline. The CDL brand premium typically holds 3–5% better resale support than mid-tier developer peers in the same OCR cluster.
3. Hillview MRT (DTL) within 7-minute walk. The Downtown Line is one of the newer, less-loaded MRT lines and delivers direct rides to Newton, Little India, Bugis, Promenade, and Bayfront — covering the Orchard, Bras Basah, and Marina Bay clusters without a transfer. DTL also interchanges with the NSL at Newton, EWL at Bugis, and CCL at Promenade, giving The Myst residents three of the four city lines within a one-transfer envelope.
4. Nature reserve adjacency — rare in Singapore. Dairy Farm Nature Park is immediately east; Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (an ASEAN Heritage Park and one of only two surviving primary rainforests in Singapore) is within walking distance. This is an amenity that cannot be replicated — nature reserves are protected under the Parks and Trees Act and no new condominium plots will ever abut them. Family buyers prioritising green setting will find very few comparable alternatives in the same price band.
5. Self-contained daily-living envelope. HillV2 mall (Cold Storage, F&B, banks), The Rail Mall (Cold Storage, dining strip), and West Mall (one DTL stop away with NTUC, library, polyclinic) deliver a redundant amenity stack within 5 minutes’ drive. This kind of overlapping daily-needs coverage supports both owner-occupier appeal and tenant rental demand.
1. 408-unit absorption risk. 408 units is mid-sized but not small. In an OCR cluster that has just absorbed Dairy Farm Residences (460 units), The Botany (385 units), and Midwood (564 units) within a ~5-year window, The Myst arrives into a precinct where the resale supply curve is structurally elevated. Liquidity at first resale (year 4–5 from TOP) may be slower than a 200-unit boutique would offer, and price discovery will be heavily anchored to sibling caveats rather than The Myst’s own thin pipeline. The price heatmap visualises this cluster density.
2. Cluster competition compresses rental yield. Tenants in this precinct have direct substitutes within 500m — Dairy Farm Residences, The Botany, and Midwood all compete for the same Hillview-MRT-walking renter. URA rental caveats for the cluster show gross yields running at the lower end of OCR averages (broadly 2.8–3.4%), and CDL’s likely premium pricing on The Myst will mathematically compress this further. Use the cash flow calculator to model neutral-yield breakeven before committing.
3. OCR yield ceiling. Even setting cluster competition aside, OCR rental yield in Singapore has structurally lagged RCR/CCR by 60–100 basis points for over a decade, per URA rental statistics. Investor buyers seeking 4%+ gross yield will not find it in D23 at current entry PSFs, regardless of cluster competition.
4. DTL crowding trajectory. While the DTL is currently less loaded than the NSL/EWL, ridership has grown ~6–8% annually since opening, and the eventual extensions toward Sungei Bedok / East Coast will pull additional load through the central segment. By 2035 the DTL is projected to approach NSL-equivalent peak crowding at the Newton interchange — relevant if Hillview MRT is your sole CBD access path.
5. Bukit Timah Expressway noise. The Myst’s northern and eastern boundaries sit close to the BKE corridor. Buyers should request specific unit-stack noise readings before committing to north- or east-facing stacks — the lower floors (1–10) in particular may carry ambient road noise above the typical OCR baseline.
Good fit: SC, PR, or foreign households earning S$15k–S$30k combined who value the nature-reserve adjacency and DTL connectivity, plan to owner-occupy or hold long-term (8+ years), and want CDL developer quality without the Bukit Timah (D21) PSF premium. Families with primary-school-age children targeting the CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace, Bukit Panjang Primary, or wider Bukit Timah belt catchments fit cleanly. Lease-vintage-sensitive buyers comparing across the Hillview cluster will find The Myst’s 2023-vintage 99-year tenure structurally more efficient than the older siblings.
Marginal fit: Income-eligible EC buyers (S$16k ceiling) — for that profile, Altura or other D23 ECs deliver a 20–25% pricing discount and similar precinct fundamentals. Single SCs and SC+PR childless couples earning below S$15k may find The Botany or Midwood’s thinner unit mix more affordable on cash-flow terms. Investor buyers will need to size yield expectations down: cluster competition + OCR ceiling = 2.8–3.4% gross is the realistic range, not the 4%+ available in newer RCR launches.
Poor fit: Yield-focused investors targeting 4%+ gross (consider RCR alternatives via the comparison tool), buyers with sub-3-year horizons (Sellers’ Stamp Duty bite + thin cluster liquidity at first resale = unfavourable exit math), and buyers who require Bukit Timah (D21) school catchment access — The Myst falls just outside the 1km priority radius for the prime Bukit Timah primaries. Households below S$12k may find the MAS Notice 645 TDSR cap binding at CDL’s likely launch PSF.
Verdict: a structurally well-positioned but cluster-saturated D23 entry, best suited to long-hold owner-occupiers with a nature-reserve preference. The Myst’s appeal compounds across three load-bearing strengths: the freshest 99-year lease vintage in the Hillview precinct (~97 years at TOP), the CDL developer brand discipline, and the irreplaceable Dairy Farm Nature Park + Bukit Timah Nature Reserve adjacency that no future plot can replicate. The Hillview MRT + HillV2 + Rail Mall + West Mall amenity envelope is denser than the headline Bukit Panjang address suggests.
The honest constraints sit on the demand side rather than the project fundamentals. 408 units arriving into a cluster that has just absorbed ~1,400 units across Dairy Farm Residences, The Botany, and Midwood creates an elevated supply curve at first resale (year 4–5). Rental yield will compress against direct cluster substitutes, and the OCR yield ceiling caps how much investor demand can backstop pricing. Buyers should size loans against the MAS TDSR 55% cap, model cluster-resale liquidity explicitly via the cash flow calculator, and stress-test the lease decay calculator against the older sibling projects to size the lease-vintage premium.
If your household clears the income hurdle, values DTL access plus nature-reserve frontage, and is committed to 8+ years of ownership, The Myst is a credible late-entrant pick whose lease-vintage advantage will become more visible as the cluster matures. If you are yield-focused, an RCR alternative is the better frame — OCR cluster economics will not deliver investor-grade returns at this entry PSF.
Sources & References
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is The Myst from the nearest MRT?
What is special about The Myst's design?
Who is the developer of The Myst?
What schools are near The Myst?
How does The Myst compare to Dairy Farm Residences?
Is The Myst a good investment?
Is the 408-unit size a concern for resale liquidity?
Mid-sized projects (300–500 units) typically clear at first resale within 6–12 months in a normal market. The concern at The Myst is not the project itself but the cluster supply: with sibling projects collectively offering ~1,400 units of substitute inventory within 500m, sellers face competition from comparable stacks. Expect longer days-on-market than a 200-unit boutique would deliver.
What is the realistic gross rental yield?
OCR averages run 3.2–3.8% across the segment; the Hillview cluster specifically trades at the lower end (2.8–3.4%) because of the direct substitute density. CDL’s likely entry PSF premium will compress this further, so investors should underwrite 2.8–3.2% rather than the OCR headline number. The mortgage calculator can stress this against your loan-cost assumptions.
How far is the nearest primary school?
CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace and Bukit Panjang Primary are within the 1km priority-distance radius for Primary 1 registration; the prime Bukit Timah belt schools (Methodist Girls’, Henry Park, Nanyang Primary) all sit beyond 2km and will not give The Myst residents priority. Verify current catchment distances on the MOE School Finder before committing if school access is a primary driver.
What loan caps apply at The Myst?
Standard private-condo rules: TDSR 55% per MAS Notice 645, LTV 75% for first property (45% for second), and Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) at the applicable foreigner/SC/PR rate. CPF usage is uncapped given the ~97-year lease runway. Always layer the latest ABSD schedule into your entry-PSF model before committing.