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For those who can recall, 2019 was an interesting year for District 2’s real estate landscape. This included the mega-development , the iconic Pearl Bank Apartments revival through the launch of and the smaller freehold , along with the proposals announced for the .  In this resident’s review, we speak to K, who has recently collected his keys and moved into his new apartment in Sky Everton in December 2023. He shares his experience and insight into living in the neighbourhood, as well as key considerations that interested buyers should be mindful of.  As a tall 36-storey tower located along Everton Road, Sky Everton is surrounded by a juxtaposition of low-rise landed homes, HDBs and older condominiums. It offers a similar location (and lifestyle) to the former Pearl Bank Apartments, which is why K was attracted to this project in the first place.   Developed by SL Capital, Sky Everton is the only freehold project out of the three new entrants to the area. It houses 262 units, which vary from one- to four-bedrooms (ranging from 463 to 1,345 square feet).  Compared to the two other launches (Avenue South Residences has 1,074 units and One Pearl Bank offers 774 units), it would naturally attract a different crowd of buyers due to its smaller size.  K was previously a long-time resident at the old Pearl Bank Apartments and had been actively looking for an apartment in the same neighbourhood after . To him, the expansive city views and high-floor views gave him comfort and made him feel at home. With this in mind, this was the primary reason why he chose an apartment in Sky Everton.  Before settling for an apartment in Sky Everton, he stayed in Hougang for a short period. The change in environment made him certain of his preference for high-floor units and city living.  “Compared to our experience living in Hougang, our time at Pearl Bank truly made us appreciate the expansive views that only high-rise units can offer. Beyond that, the serene ambience and tranquillity of being elevated were lifestyle traits that truly resonated with us”, K shared. Coupled with the convenience of being located in the city and having superb access to transportation and key amenities, their experience at their previous home significantly influenced their decision to seek a development that offers the same lifestyle traits as Pearl Bank Apartments.   “When one of our agents reached out to us and shared the prospects of this new upcoming project, we were intrigued. It seemed like a great find as it ticked off most of the things we were looking for in our new home”. He recalls that he only had the chance to visit the show flat once and it was just a few weeks after the official launch date. “Because we only managed to see the project a few weeks after it was launched, most of our ideal units (which were the southern-facing apartments) were already sold out by then”, he shared.  He also shared that he remembered that the showroom exuded a sense of spaciousness, which further convinced him of the project.  Naturally, One Pearl Bank was one of the strong contenders during his house-searching journey too since he was a fan of the location.  “I was initially partial to One Pearl Bank when it was launched (around the same time as Sky Everton) because I was familiar with the location and the site had a lot of sentimental value. However, considering that One Pearl Bank was on a much larger scale (774 units) and only offers a leasehold tenure, the more practical part of me eventually opted for Sky Everton”, he explained.  Like most homebuyers, K did not limit his search to only new launches. Other resale projects considered were located in the same area, such as Spottiswoode Residences, Spottiswoode Suites and Spottiswoode 18.  When asked why staying in a new development is important, K revealed it was due to a unique circumstance.  “We’re purchasing the new apartment under a trust, so financing was a big part when it came down to making a decision. Unlike most homeowners, taking up a mortgage did not apply to us so the resale market was not ideal. A new launch was much easier because of the payment structure and we could enjoy the advantage of staggered payments”.  K did not explore projects outside of District 2, mainly because he and his family have already grown accustomed to the comfort and familiarity of the neighbourhood for the past decade, before the en bloc of their previous home.  Since moving into Sky Everton, K really appreciates the breathtaking views he can enjoy from the comfort of his balcony.  “Seeing that the views were what eventually convinced us to purchase a unit here, my favourite aspect is the panoramic view that I enjoy throughout the day and night. Additionally, Sky Everton is located near town and the CBD and its location is invaluable to us”.  For those considering the development, Sky Everton is a 13-minute walk to Outram Park MRT Station (East-West, North-East and Thomson-East Coast lines) and a 15-minute walk to Tanjong Pagar MRT Station (East-West line). Those who have means of private transportation might find the nearby MCE and New Bridge Road convenient to drive to connect to most parts of Singapore too.  “Amenity-wise, the neighbourhood adequately caters to our lifestyle needs. The food options and mini-marts located along Everton Park are usually sufficient and it also helps that we are located near the bus stops and MRT stations. However, accessing supermarkets (such as Fairprice or Cold Storage) can be inconvenient as the nearest outlets are either at VivoCity or Tanjong Pagar Plaza”, K further explained.  K also kindly shared his experience with using and booking the condo facilities.  “Since moving in, I’ve tried booking the party deck and BBQ pit and it was a relatively straightforward process after the iCondo app was rolled out. Before that, I had to email the management office and submit a physical form to make a reservation and pay the deposit. Now that everything can be done seamlessly online, I’m sure all residents find it much more convenient”, K said.  Although K mainly has good things to say about living at Sky Everton, one challenge he noticed is the limited number of lifts for a single block of 264 units. Although this issue is not uncommon amongst new launches in Singapore, this is one thing to carefully consider especially for those staying on the higher floors.  “During peak hours, I often find myself having to wait for the lift for quite some time and the waiting time can extend up to a few minutes. This is because Sky Everton is a single block and all residents would have to wait for the same lift and some form of congestion can be expected in the morning or evenings. I don’t quite mind but I did notice some frustration amongst my neighbours”, he elaborated.   Another gripe that he noted was the quality of his unit’s flooring.  “For those particular about the flooring in their unit, I did notice that my marble tiles are prone to scratches and will require frequent polishing in the long run. This seems to be a common issue amongst my neighbours as well, as we have often discussed it on the group chat we’ve established amongst ourselves”.  The residents also had to repeatedly highlight defects to the management on multiple occasions before they were addressed in the first few months. However, this is likely a teething issue that many new projects also tend to face.  On a more retrospective note, the strong sense of community among the residents was one thing that K was thankful for.   “The community here has been incredibly welcoming and pleasant and my neighbours are really nice which adds to the living experience at Sky Everton. I also noticed that the tenant profile in this condo is rather strong. I would estimate 50% of the current residents here are tenants, though almost 20% of the units are still vacant”, he shared.  Regarding parking arrangements, K was happy to share that it is quite accommodating for the project. Sky Everton has a 1:1 lot-to-unit ratio which spans across six floors of parking area. He notes that the current occupation rate is on the first three levels at 60 to 80% capacity.  “This might not be a big deal breaker, but it’s worth noting that there are no designated motorcycle lots in the condo. Visitors with motorcycles typically have to seek parking elsewhere and they usually head to the nearby HDB multi-storey parking lot”.  However, he did add that a few motorcycles are occasionally seen in the car park so that may not be too big of an issue. On a final note, having seamless food and parcel deliveries is becoming an increasingly important arrangement in today’s context. K shares that the security measures are fairly relaxed and deliveries are easily made without compromising safety.  “However, those who plan to deliver bulky goods should take note that big trucks are often prohibited from entering the site due to the limited lobby space. Sometimes, they might allow smaller vans to drop off goods before being redirected to park outside. But from what I observe, bigger vehicles would have to park outside the compound along the roads which can be a hassle for furniture delivery”. Fortunately, the surrounding roads along Sky Everton are spacious enough to accommodate temporary parking or drop-offs without obstructing traffic flow.  “While Sky Everton ticks off most of my family’s checkboxes to our ideal home, I do admit that it might not be suitable for everyone. Compared to the other new and resale developments, our condo premises are more compact and dense and understandably, not everyone will like that”, K shared.  However, he highlighted that amenities and facilities are not compromised in any way and he advises prospective buyers to weigh the importance of location and high-rise living in their list of priorities.  As finding a tranquil home was especially important to him, he was particularly sensitive to the surrounding noise.  “In terms of noise, it’s not as quiet as our previous residence at Pearl Bank Apartment but it’s still relatively tolerable. Most of the noise comes from the nearby expressway (MCE), which I always notice whenever I’m out on the balcony”, he highlighted.  As Brani Terminal is located rather close by, residents can also expect to hear occasional ship horns throughout the day.  On a more positive note, he appreciates that the living room and bedroom can still maintain a peaceful ambience due to the tightly sealed windows.  In consideration of the Greater Southern Waterfront project, K also recommends that prospective buyers take note of URA’s redevelopment plans for the area. “This might be an issue for the future, but we’re slightly concerned about the potential dust, debris and noise that may accompany the construction and redevelopment that has been scheduled to commence after 2030”.  Also as part of the , the Outram neighbourhood has been undergoing massive developments for some time. “Units facing SGH tend to be exposed to more noise pollution and dust, so potential buyers weighing their options between the Southern-facing units and those facing SGH might want to carefully consider their pros and cons to each option”.  On a final point, K shared that Sky Everton lacks a car washing bay. “This might seem unusual for a new development like Sky Everton, but this seems to be quite a common observation amongst other projects along Spottiswoode”, he shared.  The good thing for Sky Everton is that it is located just across the HDB multi-storey car park and residents can head over there to use the public car washing bay instead. “It’s not the most convenient arrangement, but it’s not a deal-breaking hassle”, K concludes.  As K recently moved in, he is earnestly enjoying his new life at Sky Everton.  Coupled with the panoramic views that he loves and misses from his time at Pearl Bank Apartments, he has no immediate plans to move and intends to stay there for at least the next five years.  “For now, I just want to enjoy my time here at Sky Everton. I really miss the lifestyle here and the views. I haven’t had much thought to leaving and finding my next home, yet”, K concluded.  Interested in featuring your view of your HDB or condo here? Fill in our and we’ll be in touch.