Thomson Reserve vs Upper Thomson Parcel A: buy now or wait?

What Springleaf Residence already told us

Parcel A has a neighbour that has already been tested. Springleaf Residence sits on Parcel B, right next to it. GuocoLand and Hong Leong won that land in April 2024 with the only bid, at S$905 psf ppr. When it launched on 15 August 2025, 870 of its 941 homes sold in two days at an average of S$2,175 psf. The 2-bedders all but sold out, and 95% of the 3- and 4-bedders went too.

Developers noticed. Parcel A had drawn no bids at all when it was first offered as a mix of homes and long-stay serviced apartments. Re-offered in 2025 as homes with shops, it drew five bids when the tender closed in October. The winning bid of S$1,062 psf ppr was 17% above what Springleaf Residence's land cost, and ERA put Parcel A's likely average launch price at S$2,300 psf or more. That's about 6% above Springleaf Residence's launch average.

So on this stretch of the line, the land got dearer between the two tenders. Waiting for Parcel A is unlikely to get you a Springleaf Residence price.

Land cost: the honest comparison

Thomson Reserve's land cost about S$1,178 psf ppr, against S$1,062 for Parcel A. That's a gap of S$116, or about 11%. On land cost alone, Parcel A could launch at a somewhat lower price per square foot than Thomson Reserve.

But that 11% is the whole of the land-cost argument, and it pays for a different location: Central Region instead of North Region, a primary school within 1 km instead of none within 2 km, and four fewer stops to town. Building costs, interest rates and the market can all move before 2027, and Parcel A's price is still an analyst's estimate for a project that hasn't been designed yet.

District 20 vs District 26: same line, different market

URA groups private homes into three market segments. Thomson Reserve is in the Bishan planning area: inside the Central Region but outside the core central districts, so it's Rest of Central Region (RCR). Parcel A is in District 26, in the North Region, so it's Outside Central Region (OCR).

This matters when you sell. Buyers, bank valuers and the price indices compare your home with others nearby and in the same segment. A Thomson Reserve resale will be judged against Bishan and Thomson condos; a Parcel A resale against Springleaf Residence and the other D26 launches around Lentor. RCR homes usually sell for more per square foot than OCR homes because they're closer to the city: you pay that premium when you buy, and it's what your buyer pays when you sell. Neither segment guarantees a gain.

MRT: right outside vs four stops closer

Both sites are next to a Thomson–East Coast Line station. Parcel A sits right beside Springleaf MRT, which is hard to beat for the walk. At Thomson Reserve, a pedestrian gate beside the main entrance opens onto the sheltered linkway to Upper Thomson MRT.

The bigger difference is where each station sits on the line. Upper Thomson (TE8) is four stops closer to Caldecott, Stevens, Orchard and the city than Springleaf (TE4). Over years of daily commuting, and for tenants comparing travel times, that adds up.

Both will gain when the Cross Island Line's first phase opens at Bright Hill, which LTA expects in 2030. Bright Hill is one stop from Upper Thomson and three from Springleaf.

Schools: the clearest difference

For families, this one usually decides it. Ai Tong School is about 500 m from Thomson Reserve, and in both 2025 and 2026 its Phase 2C places were balloted among Singapore citizens living within 1 km. Within 2 km are Catholic High, Ang Mo Kio Primary, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' and Marymount Convent.

Parcel A has no primary school within 2 km. On my map, using MOE's school locations, the nearest are Peiying Primary and Anderson Primary, about 2.5 to 3 km away in a straight line. That doesn't make it a bad home, but it takes out the family buyers who choose by P1 distance, both when you buy and when you sell.

Distances are straight-line estimates. For P1 registration, check the exact distance on OneMap with the unit's postal code.

Size: a mega-site vs a mid-size project

Each project has about 41 sqm of land per home, so neither is more crowded. What differs is scale. Thomson Reserve's 1,268 homes sit on 51,567 sqm, more than twice Parcel A's site. The towers cover only about 12% of the land, which leaves room for gardens and a chain of pools about 500 m long. The developer estimates maintenance at $390 to $520 a month, depending on the home type.

Parcel A's 595 or so homes will suit buyers who prefer a smaller estate. Its ground-floor shops will be a real convenience. Thomson Reserve relies on Thomson Plaza and the shops and eateries along Upper Thomson Road instead.

The developers

Thomson Reserve is by Tamarind Development, a joint venture of CapitaLand Development, UOL Group and Singapore Land Group, built by Lian Beng Construction. The same partners launched Parktown Residence in Tampines in February 2025 and sold 1,041 of its 1,193 homes over the launch weekend.

Parcel A belongs to Wee Hur Property, part of SGX-listed Wee Hur Holdings, and GSC Holdings. They're credible, but they haven't released a design, a unit mix or a showflat date yet, so there's nothing to compare on layouts, finishes or facilities.

Questions buyers ask me

Should I buy Thomson Reserve now or wait for Upper Thomson Parcel A?

If schools, a Central Region address or the commute to town matter to you, Thomson Reserve fits better: Ai Tong School is about 500 m away, it's in the RCR (District 20), and Upper Thomson MRT is four stops closer to Orchard than Springleaf. Parcel A suits buyers who put shops downstairs and the MRT right outside first, and who can wait until around 2027 for a launch with no confirmed price yet.

What is Upper Thomson Parcel A?

A government land sale site on Upper Thomson Road beside Springleaf MRT (TE4), in District 26. URA awarded it on 31 October 2025 to Wee Hur Property and GSC Holdings for S$613.9 million (S$1,062 psf ppr). The 24,422 sqm site can take about 595 homes plus about 2,000 sqm of shops on the 1st storey, on a 99-year lease.

When will Upper Thomson Parcel A launch, and at what price?

Nothing is confirmed. ERA expects it around 2027 and, based on the land price, at an average of at least S$2,300 psf. Those are analysts' estimates, not the developer's prices.

Which is closer to the MRT?

Parcel A sits right beside Springleaf MRT. Thomson Reserve is next to Upper Thomson MRT, with a pedestrian gate onto the sheltered linkway to the station. Both are on the Thomson–East Coast Line, but Upper Thomson is four stops closer to the city.

Are there primary schools near Upper Thomson Parcel A?

None within 2 km. The nearest, Peiying Primary and Anderson Primary, are about 2.5 to 3 km away in a straight line. Thomson Reserve has Ai Tong School within 1 km and four more primary schools within 2 km.

How did Springleaf Residence sell?

Very well. It launched on 15 August 2025 and sold 870 of its 941 homes in two days at an average of S$2,175 psf. Its strong sales helped draw five bids for Parcel A next door, which went for 17% more per square foot of floor area than Springleaf Residence's land.