Why We Chose Tengah as Our First Home

In our #POV series, MyNiceHome speaks to young home owners about their home ownership journeys, and invites them to share their unique stories and experiences, directly from their point of view.

In the heart of Singapore’s West, a new town is quietly taking shape –  Tengah, HDB’s 24^thand newest town that is planned with smart technologies town-wide from the outset. Tengah will be a town designed around nature and community, offering residents the experience of being “At Home with Nature.”

Hear from new home owners Li Hui and Arman as they share their personal journey of making Tengah their home.

Hello everyone! We are Li Hui (left) and Arman (right)!

We first met while studying at university, and after two years together, we decided to take the next step and apply for a Build-to-Order (BTO) flat. Although we initially tried for other BTO projects in different areas, it felt like a mix of luck and fate when we finally received the good news about our successful application for a flat in Tengah.

As we eagerly await the completion of our new BTO flat at Plantation Edge I & II, we have been reflecting on our BTO journey, what drew us to Tengah, and the excitement of starting our life together in this young town.

Our BTOgether Journey

Initially, Tengah was not even on our radar. Like many young couples in Singapore, we first tried our luck with a BTO application in a more familiar location – Ang Mo Kio. The central location and convenience of Ang Mo Kio seemed ideal, especially since it is close to where we both previously studied. But unfortunately, we did not get a queue number.

We were disappointed at first, but we did not want to give up. So, we started looking at other HDB towns instead. That is when Tengah caught our attention. Still in its initial stages of development, it was like a blank canvas with so much potential – a place where we could see ourselves growing along with the town.

In Love with Tengah’s Vision

Tengah isn’t just another HDB town. Designed with the environment in mind, it offers future residents like us the chance to live close to natural habitats with a variety of flora and fauna. And as nature lovers, this truly resonated with us.

We’re nature lovers – so it’s quite exciting to know that our future home will be surrounded by greenery!

We were immediately drawn to Tengah’s ‘Live Green’ concept, where the estate would be fully integrated with its natural surroundings. The idea of living in a place that prioritises greenery felt right for us. Plus, the lower application rate gave us a better chance of securing a flat.

Our chosen project, Plantation Edge I & II, is right next to the future Hong Kah MRT station, which means while we’ll be surrounded by nature, we’ll still have easy access to public transportation. The connectivity is a huge advantage. Tengah might feel like it’s on the outskirts now, but with the upcoming MRT line, we’ll be just a few stops away from Jurong East and it’ll be easy to commute from that regional hub.

Even though this is just an artist impression of Plantation Edge I & II, we can’t wait for it to be completed!

We’re also excited about Plantation Plaza, the new Neighbourhood Centre with shops, eateries, and community facilities. Having everything we need right at our doorstep is going to make life so convenient.

When we move into our flat when it’s ready, we can’t wait to explore the shops and amenities in Plantation Plaza.

Managing Our First Home Purchase

Deciding to apply for a BTO flat while we were still students was a bold move, but we knew it was the right one for us. With the Deferred Income Assessment and Staggered Downpayment Scheme (SDS) offered to young first-timer couples like us, we felt confident about managing the financial commitment.

The financial side was something that we both took seriously. We didn’t want to overstretch ourselves, so we planned everything out carefully. The Deferred Income Assessment and SDS were a tremendous help, allowing us to manage our payments in a way that fit our situation as students at the time.

Thanks to Arman, we meticulously tracked our budget and expenses. We also tapped on useful resources like HDB’s budget calculators and the MyNiceHome website, which offered practical advice on the entire BTO process, financing, and even renovation ideas.

Our excel sheet with all the useful resources that we’ve compiled during our research that we shared with our friends as well.

Visiting the MyNiceHome Gallery at the HDB Hub was especially helpful. Since Li Hui lives close to Toa Payoh, we would drop by the Gallery often. Seeing the mock-ups of different flats gave us plenty of inspiration, and helped us visualise what our future home could look like.

Looking Forward to Life in Tengah

Despite some initial apprehensions from friends about choosing a ‘faraway’ place like Tengah, we’re confident we’ve made the right choice. We see Tengah as a place where we can grow into the next phase of our lives. It’s not just about the flat – it’s about the environment, the community, and the future we want to build together.

We are both looking forward to collecting our keys in 2027 and having a place to call our own.

Now that we’ve secured our BTO flat, the next stage is planning for renovations. We’ve been watching YouTube videos and browsing design blogs to gather ideas for our flat’s interior.

Beyond the flat, we’re also looking forward to the vibrant lifestyle that Tengah will offer. One thing that we are especially excited about is the community gardens that will be available in Tengah. We love the idea of growing our own vegetables and herbs right in our neighbourhood. It might be a small thing for others, but to us, it adds to that feeling of being close to nature.

Advice for Future Home Buyers

For other young couples considering their first BTO, our advice is to not be afraid to explore new neighbourhoods like Tengah. It might not have the same “buzz” as some of the more established towns, but there is potential.

Most importantly, be realistic about your expectations and finances. Start planning early and use all the resources available to you to find your very own home that meets your budget, lifestyle, and needs.

We can’t wait to call Tengah home!

Story by: Mahat Supri