The Urbanite
Overview & Key Facts
The Urbanite occupies a quiet stretch of Hertford Road in the heart of District 8 — a low-rise enclave that sits just far enough from the bustle of Little India and Race Course Road to feel genuinely residential, yet close enough to benefit from the neighbourhood’s extraordinary walkability. Developed by Hertford Development Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Hwa Seng Investment Pte Ltd, the project was completed in 2014 and comprises just 46 freehold units across five storeys — making it one of the smaller boutique developments in a district that is mostly defined by far larger projects like City Square Residences (910 units) and Piccadilly Grand (407 units).
The development’s name reflects its proposition rather plainly: this is urban living, freehold, in a central location that offers a rare combination of quiet street character and genuine city proximity. Hertford Road itself is flanked by other small-scale residential buildings — Hertford Collection (25 units), Vanadium (35 units), and Hertford Apartments — creating a street of intimate, low-density condominiums that feels markedly different from the high-rise corridors of Novena or Toa Payoh nearby. That sense of neighbourhood calm, hard to manufacture and easy to lose in Singapore, is arguably The Urbanite’s most distinctive offering.
Transaction records show 12 resale transactions in the last 12 months at an average of S$1,442 psf, with a gross rental yield of approximately 3.36% against an average rent of S$2,930/month. At 46 units, the development rarely sees more than a handful of transactions a year — a characteristic of boutique freehold condos that can work in either direction depending on market timing and holding period. The buyer profile skews toward owner-occupiers and long-term investors who prioritise tenure and location over facilities breadth or investment liquidity.
Location & Connectivity
The Urbanite’s location is one of its strongest and most nuanced selling points. Farrer Park MRT (North East Line, NE8) sits approximately 660 metres from the development — a 9-10 minute walk on flat ground, which is meaningful but not unreasonable for daily commuting by Singapore standards. Little India MRT (NE7 / DT12, serving both the North East and Downtown lines) is around 800 metres, offering useful interchange access to the Circle and Downtown lines from Dhoby Ghaut and Esplanade respectively. For MRT-dependent commuters, the two-station proximity is a genuine asset: Orchard is four stops via NE line, and the CBD at Raffles Place is under 20 minutes door-to-door by MRT in off-peak conditions.
For drivers, the picture is excellent. Orchard Road is roughly 8 minutes away by car, with CTE access via Thomson Road or Newton Road providing clean links to the CBD, Bishan, and northward. The development’s central fringe location means most of the island is reachable within 20-25 minutes in non-peak conditions. Parking is included and, at 46 units, competition for lots is nonexistent compared to larger developments.
The neighbourhood itself is exceptionally well-served for daily needs. Pek Kio Market & Food Centre on Cambridge Road is a 5-7 minute walk, offering one of the better wet market and hawker experiences in the area. Tekka Market and Food Centre at Little India adds another option 800 metres away. City Square Mall on Serangoon Road is a 10-minute walk, housing a Cold Storage supermarket and a wide range of F&B. Mustafa Centre — Singapore’s 24-hour retail institution — is less than 1.2 km away, useful for late-night grocery runs. United Square Shopping Mall on Thomson Road (with NTUC FairPrice) adds a calmer, family-oriented retail option within a short drive or longer walk.
The green axis of Farrer Park itself — historically Singapore’s first horse racing venue before becoming a public park and sports ground — is accessible within walking distance and provides open space in a district that is otherwise quite dense. KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital is under 1 km away on Bukit Timah Road, a practical consideration for families.
Schools & Education
3 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St. Margaret's Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace | primary | Within 1 km |
| Farrer Park Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| LASALLE College of the Arts | tertiary | Within 1 km |
| ACS (Junior) | primary | ~1.2 km |
| Singapore Chinese Girls' School (Primary) | primary | ~1.4 km |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) | primary | ~1.5 km |
Facilities
The Urbanite offers a compact but functional set of facilities befitting its boutique scale: a lap swimming pool, pool deck and sun lounger area, BBQ pit, gymnasium, and 24-hour security. There is no indoor sports hall, function room, tennis court, or the resort-style amenity spread that characterises larger developments. Residents’ maintenance fees are reported to be around S$288/month for a 2-bedroom unit — a notably modest figure that reflects the lean facilities programme and the advantage of shared costs across only 46 households.
For buyers who will primarily use the MRT, the hawker centres, and the broader city for recreation, the limited on-site facilities are not a material drawback. The trade-off is explicit and transactional: you buy The Urbanite for its tenure, its location, its boutique character, and its pricing relative to the neighbourhood — not for its swimming complex or clubhouse. Buyers expecting the amenity depth of Normanton Park or Treasure at Tampines will find The Urbanite underwhelming in this dimension; buyers who regard oversized facilities as a maintenance liability will appreciate the restraint.
“Simple facilities but really clean and near the metro station Farrer Park MRT. Will consider to purchase a studio here as condo fees are not exorbitant, yet place is in an upmarket central district.”
— Resident review via 99.co
Unit Sizes & Layout
The Urbanite’s 46 units span a range from 484 sqft (45 sqm) 1-bedroom units up to 1,227 sqft (114 sqm) 3-bedroom penthouses. The unit mix is weighted toward 1-bedroom (22 units, including PES variations) and 2-bedroom configurations (20 units, including PES and penthouse types), with 4 three-bedroom penthouses on the top floor. This skews the development firmly toward singles, couples, and small families — rather than the larger family cohort that 3-4 bedroom units would attract.
At 484 sqft, the 1-bedroom standard units are compact by any measure — smaller than comparable new-build 1-bedrooms, which now typically start at 420-500 sqft but with more efficient layouts. The 2-bedroom units at 59-61 sqm (635-657 sqft) are workable for couples or a small family. The 2-bedroom PES units at 69-76 sqm offer more generous ground-floor outdoor space and represent the best value-per-unit-type in the building for owner-occupiers who want a garden area. The three-bedroom penthouses at 110-114 sqm are the standout in the mix — generously proportioned by modern standards with top-floor light and, on the right stack, long views across the low-rise Hertford Road roofline.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 BR | 5 | $1,610 | $779,755 |
| 1 BR | 4 | $1,542 | $960,750 |
| 2 BR | 1 | $1,308 | $1,225,000 |
| 3 BR | 2 | $1,252 | $1,469,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 12 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $700,000 to $1,470,000, averaging $992,065 (~$1,442 psf).
Rents range from $1,750 to $5,200 per month across 92 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.4%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has declined by 2.6% (from $1,480 to $1,442 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The Urbanite’s natural comparison set is the boutique freehold stock on and around Hertford Road: Hertford Collection (25 units, freehold, ~S$1,600 psf), Vanadium (35 units, freehold), and on a larger scale, City Square Residences (910 units, freehold, S$1,889 psf). Against City Square, The Urbanite trades scale of facilities and liquidity for a quieter street address and approximately a 24% PSF discount. City Square’s bowling alley, larger pool complex, and 910-unit depth make it the better investment for buyers who value rental breadth and resale volume. Against Hertford Collection, The Urbanite is broadly similar in character but larger and with a marginally more established sales track record.
The more dramatic comparison is Piccadilly Grand (407 units, 99-year leasehold from 2021, S$2,164 psf) — an integrated development with direct MRT access to Farrer Park station. A buyer choosing between The Urbanite and Piccadilly Grand is choosing between freehold ownership at S$1,442 psf in a quiet boutique setting versus leasehold at a 50% PSF premium with MRT-lobby access, a much larger facilities programme, and better en-bloc optionality as a large-site leasehold. For investors with a 10-15 year horizon who prioritise MRT access and resale liquidity, Piccadilly Grand is the stronger bet. For owner-occupiers who value tenure security and neighbourhood quiet, The Urbanite’s freehold status at a materially lower entry price is a rational and defensible choice.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE URBANITE | Freehold | 2014 | 46 | $1,442 |
| PICCADILLY GRAND | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2021 | 2022 | 407 | $2,167 |
| CITYLIGHTS | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2004 | 2007 | 600 | $1,767 |
| CITY SQUARE RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2009 | 910 | $1,891 |
| STURDEE RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2015 | — | 305 | $1,999 |
| KERRISDALE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 1998 | 2006 | 481 | $1,395 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE URBANITE across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“A nice development located near to KK Hospital, Pek Kio Market, Novena and Little India area. City fringe and quiet within the mainly low rise residential area. Good amenities. Accessible with MRT and buses. Near CBD. City living in quiet enclave.”
— Resident review via 99.co
“Beautiful neighbourhood community. Peaceful ambience with gardens in the estate. Really enjoy living here. Highly recommend.”
— Resident review via PropertyGuru
“Lovely convenient place. Nice cosy environment. Great amenities nearby. Easy access to good and wide variety of food, city centre and MRT stations. Very serene neighbourhood.”
— Resident review via Singapore Expats
The consistent theme across platforms is the neighbourhood quality: low-rise calm, walkable food options, and genuine city proximity that larger developments in noisier corridors cannot easily replicate. The absence of critical reviews is in part a function of the owner-occupier profile — buyers who chose The Urbanite did so with eyes open about the facilities trade-off, and tend to self-select for the lifestyle the location delivers rather than amenity-seeking buyers who might later feel shortchanged.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — permanent ownership with no lease decay risk
- Sub-S$1,500 psf for freehold RCR — meaningful discount vs District 8 peers
- City-fringe centrality: Orchard 8 min by car, CBD 20 min by MRT
- Dual-MRT access (Farrer Park NE8 + Little India NE7/DT12) within 800m
- Exceptional walkability (73/100) — hawkers, supermarkets, clinics on foot
- Pek Kio Market hawker centre and Tekka Market within walking distance
- Boutique low-rise character — 46 units, quiet Hertford Road street setting
- Low maintenance fees (~$288/month for 2BR) vs larger complex developments
- Multiple top primary schools within 1.5 km (St. Margaret's, ACS, SCGS)
- Consistent rental demand from professionals and expats near Novena/Little India
- Minimal facilities — pool and gym only; no tennis, function room, or indoor sports
- Compact unit sizes — 1BR from 484 sqft, smaller than contemporary equivalents
- Very low transaction volume (12 sales/year) — limited price discovery, illiquid resale
- Low en-bloc score (39/100) — small freehold site less attractive to developers
- Low profitability score (34/100) — modest capital appreciation vs peers
- MRT walk is 660-800m — comfortable in cool weather, less so in Singapore heat/rain
- Minimal retail or F&B within development compound — all errands require leaving
- No in-compound childcare or commercial units
Verdict
The Urbanite is a specialist product in the District 8 market: a freehold boutique condo priced meaningfully below the neighbourhood benchmark, offering city-fringe centrality and minimal-friction daily living, at the cost of facilities depth and investment liquidity. At an average PSF of S$1,442 against Piccadilly Grand’s S$2,164 and City Square Residences’ S$1,889, the headline value gap is real — though the comparison requires care, as those projects differ substantially in scale, age, amenities, and leasehold status.
For an owner-occupier who commutes via MRT, eats at hawker centres, and does not require resort-style facilities, The Urbanite offers a compelling freehold central-fringe lifestyle at a price point that has become genuinely rare in District 8. The gross yield of 3.36% against an average rent of S$2,930 is modest but stable, reflecting consistent tenant demand from the professional and expatriate population drawn to the Little India / Novena corridor. The 73/100 walkability score is one of the higher readings for its price tier in the RCR.
The investment case carries more caveats. With only 12 resale transactions in the last 12 months, price discovery is thin — individual transaction quality and floor level can swing PSF significantly. The development’s en-bloc score of 39/100 and profitability score of 34/100 reflect the challenge of small freehold sites: en-bloc probability requires developer interest in the land, and with only 46 units and a small land footprint, the economics are less compelling than for larger freehold sites. Buyers seeking a pure appreciation play would find City Square Residences (910 units, larger site) or a newer 99-year leasehold development with more liquidity to be better fits.