The 1,206-unit Jadescape opened its showflat to the public last weekend and saw more than 9,000 potential property buyers thronging its showflat during its first weekend launch over the two days from Sept 8 to 9. The 22,000 sq ft sales gallery located in Bishan features Jadescape’s smart home and smart estate management features as well as its “Gold Standard” elderly-friendly units that is ideal for multi-generational residential living.. Average prices according to the developer is from $1,700 per sq ft.

Jadescape is located on the former Shunfu Ville en bloc site along Shunfu Road offering a total of 1,206 units with sizes from 527 sq ft to 4,230 sq ft. Prices start from $838,000 for the one-bedroom units, $988,000 for the two-bedders, $1.38 million for the three- bedders and $1.86 million for the four-bedders. Prices for other unit types are yet to determined.

According to visitors at the Jadescape sales gallery, they were enticed by the development’s high-tech features. These include the usage of facial recognition technology in elevator lobbies, an energy-efficient AC, a water heater system that recycles waste heat for warm showers and an integrated dishwasher with ultrasonic food washer. As Singapore’s first fully-smart project, it is also the first residential development here to adopt a Smart Estate Management System.

​The KL-SG High Speed Rail is postponed till May 2020. Regardless of the postponement, Jurong Lake District proposition as a second central business district has not dimmed, given the introduction of infrastructure such as new office spaces and shopping malls to entice people - Twin Vew condo would likely benefit from this decision due to its proximity to the future High Speed Rail. 

Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to suspend construction of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project until May 31, 2020, with service on the advanced train line expected to begin by the start of 2031, instead of the original end-2026 commencement date. Singapore's Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan and Malaysia's Minister of Economic Affairs Mohamed Azmin Ali exchanged legal documents in Putrajaya to vary the HSR bilateral agreement based on the new understanding. Under the new agreement, Malaysia will reimburse Singapore S$15 million by end-January 2019 for suspending the HSR project.

​If Malaysia does not proceed with the HSR project by May 31, 2020, it will also bear the agreed costs incurred by Singapore in fulfilling the HSR bilateral agreement. If a decision is not reached within two years, the project will be terminated, and Singapore's financial interests will be safeguarded. With the new signing, HSR services between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are expected to commence by Jan 1, 2031, instead of the original start date of Dec 31, 2026.

​The development charge (DC) rate for redeveloping land has been hiked for non-landed private homes for the fifth straight time, although watchers said that future increases could taper off as property-cooling measures put the lid on the collective-sale frenzy. Rates for this land-use group have been raised by an average of 9.8 per cent for the next six months, in a move by the Ministry of National Development (MND) on Friday - down from the 22.8 per cent jump in March.

Developers pay the DC, which is based on an assessment of land values, for the right to enhance the use of some sites or to build bigger projects. The MND revises rates on March 1 and Sept 1 each year, in consultation with the taxman's chief valuer, for land across 118 sectors island-wide. The biggest rise in rates, to the tune of 33.3 per cent was in sector 43, spanning Tanglin Road, Cuscaden Road, Orchard Boulevard and Grange Road. The development charge rate for these areas is S$18,200 per sq m (psm) of gross floor area; in sector 67, which includes Orange Grove Road, the rate is S$16,800 psm. This indicates that projects, e.g. 120 Grange, One Draycott and 8 Hullet will see an appreciation in their property prices in the near future.

The neighbourhood hosted record-smashing deals this year, with a government land sale (GLS) in Cuscaden Road in April and the collective sale of Park House in June. Other areas faced with above-average residential rate increases include parts of Bukit Merah and Telok Blangah, where the rate went up by 27.9 per cent to S$7,700 psm. Huttons Asia research head Lee Sze Teck said that the latest rate revision is likely to be the last increase of more than 5 per cent for non-landed residential sites. He has forecast future changes of zero to 2 per cent. 

Demand for new Punggol BTO flats far exceeds that for Yishun New Housing Board flats were launched in two northern towns, but those in Punggol garnered more attention than the ones in Yishun. As of 5pm on Monday, there were 5,608 applications for 1,221 three-room and larger flats - 4.6 times the number of flats available - in the newly launched waterfront district of Punggol Point, the most north-eastern part of the town where it meets the Johor Strait. In contrast, there were applications for just 60 per cent of the total number of four-room flats in Yishun, and 90 per cent of the five-room flats. Only three-room flats were oversubscribed 1.5 times, compared to 2.8 times for the same flat type in Punggol. Altogether, there were 6,620 applicants for 2,475 three-room and larger Build-To-Order (BTO) flats.

Hundreds of jobs will be generated from the opening of social media giant Facebook's $1.4 billion data centre in Singapore - its first in Asia and its 15th in the world. Jobs will include technical operations, electricians, air conditioning, and heating specialists, culinary, cleaning staff, logistics staff and security. The centre - to be at Tanjong Kling, formerly known as Data Center Park - aims to start operations in 2022. The 170,000 sq m, 11-storey building will feature a facade made out of a perforated lightweight material that will allow air flow and provide glimpses of the equipment inside. The centre is said to be the first to incorporate the new StatePoint Liquid Cooling system, which minimises water and power consumption. It aims to reduce by 20 per cent the amount of peak water used in climates like Singapore's. Facebook said the facility is expected to be powered by 100 per cent renewable power. US Internet giant Google announced last month that it is building a third data centre in Singapore to meet rapid user growth in the region.