Two spacious two-bedroom units at Draycott Eight in prime District 10 are on the market. Both units are being marketed by PropNex Associate Group Director Ella Chang.

One of the units is a single-level apartment with a floor area of 1,173 sq ft. The asking price of the unit is $2.45 million, or $2,088.66 psf.

According to Chang during our interview on Oct 28, the apartment is currently the most attractively-priced unit within Draycott Eight.

The apartment enjoys views of the lush, well-manicured lawns within the project. It also overlooks the reflection pond, which allows residents to feel as if they’re living in landed property, says Chang.

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The other is a duplex apartment with a floor area of 1,647 sq ft. The duplex has an asking price of $3.018 million, which translates to $1,832.42 psf.

The living and dining room of the duplex apartment has a double volume ceiling of about 6 metres. The duplex has floor-to-ceiling windows, which bring in natural light during the day and offers panoramic views of the surrounding lush Goodwood Hill estate.

Both apartments are generously-sized with efficient layouts residents can make full use of. They are also currently tenanted, with attractive rentals.

Draycott Eight is part of the prestigious Draycott Park, Draycott Drive and Ardmore Park enclave, which is also renowned as the “billionaires’ belt”.

The prime neighbourhood is centrally located and close to The Tanglin Club, The American Club, as well as the famed Orchard Road shopping belt.

Developed by Wing Tai Holdings, the 99-year leasehold project was completed in 2005.

It has a total of 136 units spread across three 24-storey blocks on a total land size of around 153,000 sq ft, offering residents a unique experience with low density within the prime District 10 area.

Of the three blocks, two of them comprise four-bedroom apartments and penthouses measuring from 2,863 sq ft to 4,187 sq ft. The third block offers two-bedroom apartments measuring 1,173 sq ft to 1,798 sq ft.

Within the two-bedroom mix, there are single-level apartments and duplex apartments, also known as Sky Suites.

One of Draycott Eight’s key features include its clubhouse, which is a two-storey black and white conserved bungalow that was built in the 1920s.

The bungalow was once home to an Air Marshall of Singapore. Today it is the highlight of the project. Within the clubhouse, residents get to enjoy an impressive array of amenities including a library, a business centre, theatre lounge, massage room, a well-equipped gym, billiard rooms, a dining area for private parties and even an onsen room. There is also a temperature-controlled wine cellar where each unit is assigned a space of up to 15 bottles.

Other facilities within Draycott Eight include a tennis court, an Olympic size infinity pool right in front of the clubhouse, and lushly manicured landscapes.

The landscapes, says Chang, are being used by residents who used to hold group yoga sessions or themed parties such as Halloween before the Covid-19 restrictions.

In addition, the project offers a dedicated concierge service from 7am to 10pm daily. Run like a team of hoteliers, each block is assigned a specific team, where residents are recognised and addressed by name. The concierge service also provides pool towel service, complimentary beverages, and, more impressively, they’ll help with the heavy bags at the taxi drop-off point should residents require their services.

To Chang, the property offers many benefits for owners – whether as investors or those looking to buy to stay.

For investors and home owners alike, Draycott Eight enjoys a relatively affordable psf and quantum compared to the other projects in the area.

The unique lifestyle aspect of the project and lush surroundings will make one feel as if they are on staycation every day.

“More people are spending more time at home now.  A comfortable and relaxing environment is more important than ever,” says Chang.

For those looking to purchase a unit as an investment, units at Draycott Eight are very rentable, she adds.

“Due to the limited number of units and attractive features of the project, there’s usually back-to-back tenancy here. We usually have a waiting list of tenants,” says Chang.

“In fact, there was a client of mine from the UK, who was relocating to Singapore, and was looking for property recommendations to rent. Before coming here, they had asked their friends for rental recommendations. Their friends simply told them that Draycott Eight is the only place they should consider staying at. And so they have,” she adds.

Apart from the two-bedroom apartments, Chang is also marketing a four-bedroom apartment in the project that is up for rent.

Recently renovated, the single-level apartment is luxuriously sized at 2,896 sq ft.  Located on a high floor, it offers breathtaking views of the city, as well as unblocked views of the verdant Goodwood Hill estate, and the beautiful conserved black and white bungalows just across the road.

Adding value for her clients

As a property agent, Chang aims to fulfil three roles: being a problem solver, property matchmaker, and being the client’s advisor in all property-related matters.

Having been an agent in the property industry for over a decade now, Chang can say with confidence, that she has fulfilled these roles for her clients, to the best of her abilities.

To be sure, Chang has amassed a sizeable pool of clients who know they can rely on her to be in charge of their property affairs.

One of her clients, who called her to ask for property-related advice, told her that she is one of the few he trusts fully to be able to take her words “at face value”.

That conversation, which took place last year, is one Chang still holds dear to her heart.

“It reaffirms my commitment to serve my clients with full honesty and integrity and to always have their best interests at heart,” she says.

To date, Chang counts a mix of local and foreign clients, who have transacted residential and commercial properties with her.

Within her list of overseas clients, most of them hail from China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Dubai, as well as the US and the UK.

“My clients, especially the ones abroad, place their full trust in me. Now, due to the pandemic, the ones abroad can’t come to Singapore. As such, they tend to leave the handling of their property matters to me – from start to finish,” says Chang during our interview.

She adds that some of her clients – who don’t have a good command of English – usually seek her assistance to handle official documents, as they generally find it a challenge to fully understand the contents.

“Of course, with these services that pertain more to the tax and financial side of things, I can always refer them to a third-party service provider like a tax advisory company. But more often, I find that it makes things easier for them that I run through the document, help liaise with the relevant authorities and explain to them what is required of them directly.”

For instance, when the Singapore government passed the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 in April 2020, one of the regulations under the act included landlords having to pass on their property tax rebates and subsequent cash grants to their tenants.  Many of her clients who owned commercial properties were confused by the procedures. It was during this time that Chang found herself spending more time helping her clients sort through the official correspondences and liaising with the tax authorities to sort out the nitty-gritty details for their respective properties.

A passion for property

Chang, who was formerly in a corporate sales and marketing role, likes that the property industry is a dynamic one.

“I get to learn something new every day. There’s always something new for me to discover and pick up. I find these really help me provide more value to my clients,” she continues.

Some of the notable names Chang has transacted so far include Draycott Eight, Gramercy Park, Grange Residences, Parc Stevens as well as One Jervois.

Of the addresses, Chang still retains a soft spot for Draycott Eight, as she has transacted the highest number of two-bedroom units in the project since 2017.

When she’s not busy with her clients, Chang admits that she enjoys admiring the beautiful properties during her regular walks and bicycle rides around her neighbourhood.

“With these properties, I have seen how it has changed the lives of so many people due to the price appreciation throughout the years. Even today, the real estate market still excites me,” she adds.

Chang’s passion and hard work were evident, even when she was just starting out as a new agent.

“I closed my very first deal – a landed corner terrace in the east – within the first few months of getting my license. The opportunity came from one of my friends, who knew that I was a newly-minted agent, and he wanted to give me a chance,” she shares.

“Even though his property was already being marketed by other more experienced agents, I did my best to clinch the deal. As it was my first listing as an agent, I had to prove myself. At the time, I went door to door around the many streets to promote the property, handed out flyers, and spoke to the people within the estate. I don’t drive, so I did most of my rounds on foot – whether rain or shine,” she continues.

Clearly, Chang’s efforts paid off. Following her first deal, she reveals that she is now the sole property agent that handles her friend’s family property portfolio to this day.

At the end of the day, Chang loves that her job allows her to find beautiful homes for her clients that suits their needs.

“Seeing them happy, and in some cases, being able to serve two generations within the same family, is something I really enjoy in my role as a property agent,” she says.

Contact Ella Chang l 97800445 

Associate Group Director (R016289F)

PropNex Realty Pte Ltd

Website: https://ellachangrealty.com

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