The Unique Neighbourhoods of Lorong Chuan and Serangoon Gardens Have you ever dreamed of staying in a place not dominated by towering high-rises but filled with greenery and low-rise houses instead? A place with its own unique flair and personality, where heritage and modern lifestyle blend seamlessly? Areas like Katong or Tiong Bahru might come to mind, but they can be a bit too upscale for some. What if we told you there’s a hidden gem in District 19 that offers the same charming living experience? Welcome to the quaint estate of Serangoon Garden, one of Singapore’s most distinct housing areas. A Brief History Serangoon Garden is a residential estate and a subzone in the Serangoon planning area, located in District 19. In the 1950’s the estate now known as Serangoon Gardens was built to provide housing for workers and their families in the area, such as teachers, labourers and airmen. These townhouses and bungalows, with their distinctive red roof tiling became synonymous with the area – a distinctive trait that a good number of houses retain, even today. As the area became populated, amenities and conveniences were built into the area, such as shops, eateries started showing up, and a recreational clubhouse, Serangoon Gardens Sports Club. Serangoon Garden Today: Amenities and Landscape Serangoon Garden has kept most of its landscape and architecture from the olden days, retaining its iconic look and feel, while offering modern conveniences to its residents. Many of the residential houses in Serangoon Gardens still retain their distinct red roof tiling, which can be observed over its low-rise skyline. Serangoon Garden Circus, where most of the shops were situated still stands, with their tenants hosting a wide range of food and services catered to the modern tastes of residents. The recreational clubhouse, now known as Serangoon Gardens Country Club, still stands, with members from the estate frequenting it for sports and recreational activities, as well as classes and enrichment activities for their children. The street food vendors that used to run their businesses out of carts along Serangoon Garden Way were also given a hawker centre to set up stalls and operate out of in 1972. The hawker centre, now known as Chomp Chomp Food Centre, is famous today for its selection of local food (famous dishes there include BBQ stingray and Hokkien Mee) and is one of the more well-known and frequented hawker centres in Singapore. Why Is Serangoon Gardens Such a Popular Estate? Serangoon Gardens is one of the most popular and recognisable estates in Singapore, and for good reasons. Kampong Spirit It is not uncommon to find people that have stayed there their whole lives, with their homes being passed down generations over the last 70 or so years of its existence. This gives the estate a warm, kampong feel with the community fostered between the residents of the estate that residents have fondly dubbed “the feel of an old English village”. A cosmopolitan village In addition to this expatriates, particularly those from Australia or France, tend to rent homes in Serangoon Gardens, due to its proximity to the Australian and French international schools. With an established community of foreigners and expatriates, there has been an increase in the number of businesses catered to the needs of these communities. You can find cafes and eateries at Serangoon Garden Circus serving western fare, as well as grocery stores such as Little Farms and a French grocer. The presence of these establishments within the landed enclave gives the neighbourhood a distinct, cosmopolitan vibe that can be likened to that of Holland Village. A Wealth of Amenities In comparison to other landed estates or enclaves in Singapore, Serangoon Garden offers more amenities to its residents. The mini hub at Serangoon Garden Circus offers everything for its residents, from food, to enrichment and tuition centres, as well as healthcare, and pet care shops. There is even a shopping mall, MyVillage with a FairPrice Finest for residents to do their shopping, along with dining options, and beauty parlours and hair salons. Scarcity of Housing in Serangoon Gardens Given the popularity of the estate, housing availability is scarce in Serangoon Gardens. This is especially so when we consider that most of the houses in the estate are landed homes. Currently, landed homes are high in demand, with a low supply. As a result, landed homeowners possess strong holding power, with the median price for a house in Serangoon Gardens in 2024 costing $4.62m, making it inaccessible for most homebuyers. With landed houses being scarce, costly, and mostly out of reach for most of us, we automatically look for non-landed private property options in the area. However, a search in the Serangoon Gardens estate would show that there are few condominium or private apartments. Table 1: Non-landed private projects in Serangoon Garden Estate (