Wembly Residences
Overview & Key Facts
Wembly Residences sits quietly on Yio Chu Kang Road in District 19 — a stretch of well-established private housing that runs between the Serangoon and Kovan submarket. Developed by Chelsford Green Pte Ltd and completed in 2012, it is a freehold boutique development of just 33 units, occupying a modest but well-located land parcel in one of the north-east’s most enduring residential enclaves.
At 33 units, Wembly Residences belongs to a distinct category of Singapore private housing — the post-2000 freehold boutique, typically developed by a smaller local developer on a single-family or small commercial redevelopment site. These projects trade on scarcity and tenure rather than facility breadth. The draw is not a 50-metre pool or an air-conditioned badminton dome; it is the knowledge that your land title is perpetual and that your immediate neighbours number in the dozens, not the hundreds.
What makes Wembly Residences genuinely unusual is its location relative to Cedar Primary School. At approximately 130 metres from the school gate, it is one of the closest private condominiums in Singapore to a consistently over-subscribed primary school — a fact that shapes both the buyer profile and the long-term demand dynamics of the development. For families navigating the Primary 1 registration exercise, this proximity is not merely convenient; it is strategically transformative.
Location & Connectivity
The development sits on Yio Chu Kang Road, a mature arterial road running through the residential belt between Serangoon and Kovan. For MRT connectivity, the nearest station is Serangoon interchange at approximately 860 metres — technically walkable, but in Singapore’s climate this is a 10- to 12-minute outdoor walk that most residents will supplement with a bus or a short drive. Serangoon MRT serves both the North-East Line (to Dhoby Ghaut and Harbourfront) and the Circle Line (to one-north, Bishan, and Bartley), making it a strong interchange once you reach it. Kovan MRT on the North-East Line is slightly further at around 1.04 km.
For drivers, the location is considerably more comfortable. The Central Expressway (CTE) is accessible via Braddell Road or Upper Serangoon Road, placing the CBD roughly 20 minutes away in off-peak traffic. Orchard Road is around 18 minutes. Paya Lebar Quarter, a growing commercial and lifestyle hub, is under 10 minutes. The NEX shopping mall at Serangoon — one of the better suburban malls in Singapore, housing a FairPrice Xtra, cinemas, and a library — is a short drive or two bus stops away. For daily groceries and hawker food, the Serangoon Gardens neighbourhood and the amenities along Upper Serangoon Road are within easy reach.
The surrounding residential character is predominantly low-rise landed housing and mid-size private condominiums. There is no MRT directly underfoot and no integrated mall, but the neighbourhood has the quiet, established feel of a mature D19 address that has attracted owner-occupier families for decades. Lorong Chuan MRT (Circle Line) is 1.48 km to the north, useful as a secondary option for residents heading toward Bishan or Marymount.
Schools & Education
4 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Cedar Girls' Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Serangoon Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Zhonghua Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Zhonghua Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Xinmin Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Yangzheng Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Xinmin Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
Facilities
With only 33 units, Wembly Residences offers the standard complement of facilities expected of a boutique development in its tier: a swimming pool, gymnasium, and landscaped common areas. There is no indoor sports hall, no resort-scale clubhouse, and no novelty amenities. This is entirely consistent with the product category — boutique freehold developments in this segment direct their land value into tenure and location, not into competing on facility count with 1,000-unit mega-developments. Residents who prioritise amenity breadth should look at the nearby Florence Residences or the new-launch Chuan Park; those who prioritise freehold ownership in a school-premium location will find the trade-off well calibrated.
“The pool is well-maintained and the compound is always clean. For a small condo it is more than adequate — you don’t get the queues at the gym that you see at bigger projects. We primarily bought here for the Cedar Primary proximity and the freehold status, not the facilities.”
— Owner-resident, via PropertyGuru
The maintenance fees at a 33-unit development carry a different dynamic from those at larger projects. Shared infrastructure costs are spread across fewer units, which can push per-unit maintenance fees higher relative to facilities provided. Prospective buyers should request the current maintenance fee schedule and sinking fund balance before committing, as boutique developments are more exposed to assessment variability when major facility repairs arise.
Unit Sizes & Layout
Transaction records show an average transacted price of approximately S$1.88 million and a median of S$1.62 million over the past 12 months, with an average PSF of around S$1,402 against a limited sample of 5 sales. Unit sizes at Wembly Residences span a range typical of a mid-tier boutique D19 development — the mix includes 2- and 3-bedroom configurations suited to young families and upsizing couples. At this PSF, buyers are paying a school-location premium while still sitting at a meaningful discount to new 99-year leasehold launches in the sub-market: Chuan Park is transacting at approximately S$2,596 psf, The Florence Residences at S$1,745 psf, and Affinity at Serangoon at S$1,698 psf. Against those benchmarks, Wembly Residences’ freehold status and Cedar Primary proximity represent a compelling value combination for the right buyer profile.
The limited transactional volume (5 sales over 12 months) means individual deals can skew averages significantly. Buyers should review the full URA caveat history directly via URA REALIS to understand unit-level pricing by floor and stack. Given the small development, different floors and orientations may carry distinct premiums — units with longer views toward the Cedar Girls’ Secondary school grounds or the landed belt to the north will command more than ground-adjacent units facing the service road.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 BR | 3 | $1,326 | $1,506,333 |
| 4 BR | 2 | $1,293 | $2,435,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 5 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,340,000 to $2,640,000, averaging $1,877,800 (~$1,402 psf).
Rents range from $2,000 to $4,200 per month across 21 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.4%.
Price Appreciation
From 2022 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 18.4% (from $1,184 to $1,402 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The relevant comparison set for Wembly Residences is not the large-scale 99-year leasehold launches of the same sub-market. Chuan Park at S$2,596 psf with 916 units and MRT adjacency is a fundamentally different product — it offers lifestyle-scale facilities and a fresh lease at a roughly 85% PSF premium. The Florence Residences (1,410 units, S$1,745 psf) and Affinity at Serangoon (1,012 units, S$1,698 psf) both sit at a 19-21% PSF premium to Wembly on a 99-year lease. Against all three, Wembly Residences offers freehold tenure at a discount, trading facilities breadth and lease freshness for perpetual ownership and school proximity that none of them can match by simple geography.
The more direct comparison is with Serangoon Garden Estate and other small freehold developments along the D19 school belt. Serangoon Garden Estate transacts at approximately S$1,736 psf on freehold land with a very similar buyer profile. At S$1,402 psf, Wembly Residences represents a modest PSF discount to that peer, attributable partly to lower unit count (less market visibility) and partly to the specific Yio Chu Kang Road address versus the premium Serangoon Gardens enclave. For buyers who have done the school research and confirmed Cedar Primary eligibility from this address, the discount makes Wembly Residences the better-value freehold option on a per-sqft basis.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEMBLY RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2012 | 33 | $1,402 |
| CHUAN PARK | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2024 | 916 | $2,596 |
| THE FLORENCE RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 1,410 | $1,745 |
| RIVERFRONT RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 1,451 | $1,588 |
| AFFINITY AT SERANGOON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 1,012 | $1,698 |
| SERANGOON GARDEN ESTATE | Freehold | 2021 | — | $1,736 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates WEMBLY RESIDENCES across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“We moved here specifically for Cedar Primary and it has been everything we hoped for. The kids walk to school in under five minutes, come home for lunch, and the whole family schedule has simplified significantly. The condo itself is small and quiet — no large crowds at the pool, no noise from hundreds of units. It feels like a proper home rather than a resort.”
— Owner-resident family, via EdgeProp
“Freehold and 130 metres from Cedar Primary — that combination doesn’t come up very often in D19. We looked at other options in the area and nothing else ticked both boxes. The facilities are basic but we knew that going in. For an owner-occupier family, the location premium is absolutely justified.”
— Owner-investor, via PropertyGuru
“Quiet, well-managed, and the maintenance fees are reasonable for the size. My only complaint is the MRT walk — Serangoon is doable but on a hot afternoon you do end up taking the bus. Anyone without a car should think carefully. For us it works fine with one car but I would not want to rely entirely on public transport from here.”
— Resident tenant, via 99.co
The pattern across review channels is consistent: owners who bought for Cedar Primary proximity report high satisfaction and consider the location premium well justified. Renters and MRT-dependent residents flag the walk to Serangoon as a meaningful inconvenience. The development’s small size means it does not generate the volume of community reviews that 500+ unit projects attract — but the feedback that exists skews positive among the family owner-occupier profile the development naturally attracts.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — no lease decay, perpetual ownership
- Cedar Primary 130 m from the gate — doorstep P1 registration advantage
- Cedar Girls' Secondary 180 m away — secondary school pipeline secured
- 8 schools within a 1 km radius — strongest school-catchment density in D19
- Serangoon NE+CC interchange 860 m — dual-line access once reached
- 18% PSF appreciation over 3 years — strong capital value momentum
- 19–46% PSF discount to comparable 99-year leasehold new launches in D19
- Boutique 33 units — quiet compound, minimal crowd at facilities
- Established mature residential enclave — low-density landed neighbourhood character
- Strong owner-occupier demand base sustains asset quality and management standards
- Serangoon MRT 860 m — not truly walkable in Singapore's climate without a car
- Minimal facilities — pool and gym only; no courts, no clubhouse
- Low gross yield at 2.44% — not suitable as a pure rental investment
- Small unit count (33) — thinner resale liquidity than mega-developments
- Higher maintenance fee per unit than large-scale developments for comparable facilities
- Only 5 sales in last 12 months — low volume makes PSF averages unreliable
- No integrated retail or MRT-linked mall within walking distance
- Limited rental tenant pool — boutique freehold commands premium rent fewer tenants can meet
- No en-bloc upside at freehold — and the school premium means owners are unlikely to sell
Verdict
Wembly Residences is a very specific product for a very specific buyer. If you have school-going or soon-to-be-school-going children and Cedar Primary is on your radar — either for its reputation or for the Cedar Girls’ Secondary pipeline — then 130 metres of proximity is near-impossible to replicate at any comparable PSF in the D19 market. Freehold tenure adds a permanent optionality premium: there is no lease clock ticking, no 60-year anxiety, and no en-bloc downside if you simply want to pass the property to your children after they’ve attended the very school 130 metres from their front door.
The weaknesses are real and should be priced in honestly. At a 2.44% gross yield, Wembly Residences is not an investor’s play — the rental return is modest relative to D19 mid-market alternatives and well below what a 99-year leasehold new launch can offer on a per-dollar-deployed basis. MRT access at 860 metres is acceptable but not a strength; households without a car will find daily commuting via public transport workable but not effortless. And with 33 units, the buyer pool at exit is narrower — you are marketing to a similarly specific audience when you eventually sell.
The sharper comparison is not between Wembly Residences and mega-developments like The Florence Residences or Riverfront Residences. It is between Wembly Residences and other small freehold projects on the D19 school belt — and on that comparison, the Cedar Primary distance of 130 metres stands out as a genuinely rare attribute that is difficult to price objectively but easy to value experientially once your child is walking to school in under two minutes on a rainy Tuesday morning.