Part 3 of 7: Thomson Reserve vs Dunearn House vs Lentor Gardens

1. The Price Floor · 2. The Floor Plan Trap · 3. The Pricing Test · 4. The Yield Reality · 5. The Spine · 6. The Exit · 7. The Management Reality

A launch psf means nothing on its own. It only means something against what's already transacting next door. Run that test on all three, and the "expensive" one and the "cheap" one both look different than the headline number suggests.

Direct Answer: Lentor Gardens Residences passed its pricing test comfortably: it launched above what its land cost suggested. Dunearn House's psf looks high on its own but is actually a relative discount against nearby freehold and D9 to D11 launches pricing above $3,300 psf. Thomson Reserve prices in line with its immediate TEL corridor comparables, neither cheap nor stretched.

Entry PSF vs the Nearest Comparable

MetricThomson ReserveDunearn HouseLentor Gardens Residences
Entry PSFEst. $2,5XX to $3,1XXEst. ~$3,000+$2,350 avg (actual)
Nearest resale compJadeScape resale $2,300 to $2,400 psf (Upper Thomson, same TEL corridor)D10/D11 leasehold resale, 21.7% median psf growth since 2021Lentor Mansion next door, the first harmonised launch and a like-for-like comparable
Nearby new-launch compSpringleaf Residence $2,175 psf (2025 launch, same TEL corridor)New launches within 2km priced above $3,300 psf, or freehold, or bothCorridor identified as approaching oversupply, particularly for 1BR units
Test resultConsistent with corridor: neither stretched nor a bargainRelative discount against nearby $3,300+ psf compsPassed (sold above its own land-cost model)

Sources: URA REALIS transaction data, PropNex Research August 2026 and each project's own review; see Thomson Reserve, Dunearn House, Lentor Gardens Residences.

What the Market Isn't Telling YouThe angle the showflat won't raise+ Read →− Collapse

The sales teams at all three will tell you their psf is fair. None will show you the specific comparable that makes the case, because the honest comparable doesn't always flatter the project. Dunearn House's $3,000+ psf sounds like the priciest of the three at first, and it is in absolute terms, but in a Bukit Timah corridor where freehold and premium launches sell above $3,300 psf, it's the relative value option, not the expensive one. Lentor Gardens Residences has already passed its pricing test in the most convincing way: real buyers paid more than the land cost suggested, on launch day, with no spin needed. Thomson Reserve's test is the least dramatic because it doesn't need drama. Its psf sits within an established, multi-project TEL corridor range, which is exactly what a buyer who wants predictability over a bargain story should want.

Which Fits Your Situation

The SingleLentor Gardens ResidencesThe only one of the three with a real, transacted price already validated by the market on launch day.
The Family of TwoDunearn HouseThe relative-value read against $3,300+ psf D9 to D11 comps matters more for a family paying the school-belt premium anyway.
The RetireeThomson ReservePriced in line with its corridor, the steadiest pricing story of the three for a buyer focused on capital preservation.
What James Thinks You Should DoJames's position+ Read →− Collapse

Never judge a launch psf on its own. Always ask "compared with what?" Dunearn House's number looks scary until you see what else is selling within 2km. Lentor Gardens Residences has already answered the question with a real sale. Thomson Reserve's pricing test is boring in the best sense: it costs what its neighbours cost, no more, no less.

James's Note · CEA R008385F · PropNex Realty Buyers ask me "is this psf too high" more than any other question, and it's almost always the wrong framing. The right question is "too high compared to what specifically, transacted when." Dunearn House fails the first framing and passes the second.... Read James's Full Note →− Collapse
Buyers ask me "is this psf too high" more than any other question, and it's almost always the wrong framing. The right question is "too high compared to what specifically, transacted when." Dunearn House fails the first framing and passes the second. That distinction is worth more than any single headline number.

FAQ

Which project is the cheapest per square foot?+−
Lentor Gardens Residences, at an average $2,350 psf, and it's the only one of the three that's an actual transacted price rather than a pre-launch estimate.
Is Dunearn House overpriced?+−
Not against its own corridor. Its estimated ~$3,000+ psf is the highest of the three in absolute terms, but new launches within 2km are pricing above $3,300 psf or are freehold, making Dunearn House a relative discount within its own micro-market.
Did Lentor Gardens Residences pass its own pricing test?+−
Yes. It launched at an average $2,350 psf, above the $1,965 to $2,051 psf its land cost alone suggested, a real market result, not a projection.
How does Thomson Reserve compare to nearby launches?+−
Its estimated $2,5XX to $3,1XX psf is above JadeScape's $2,300 to $2,400 resale and Springleaf Residence's $2,175 launch price in 2025, consistent with a corridor that has been repricing upwards on confirmed infrastructure, not a one-off premium.
Which of the three carries the most pricing uncertainty?+−
Thomson Reserve and Dunearn House both remain pre-launch estimates as of this comparison. Lentor Gardens Residences is the only one with a confirmed, transacted clearing price.

Read the Full Comparison Series

The Complete Comparison · The Price Floor · The Floor Plan Trap · The Pricing Test · The Yield Reality · The Spine · The Exit · The Management Reality · ↑ Back to the full comparison

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Sources+ Show all →− Collapse
URA REALIS · PropNex Research, August 2026 · James's project reviews for Thomson Reserve, Dunearn House, and Lentor Gardens Residences.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Property investments involve risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers should seek independent advice from licensed professionals before making any property or financial decision. James Ong is a licensed real estate salesperson (CEA Reg No. R008385F) with PropNex Realty Pte Ltd and is not a licensed financial adviser.

James Ong | CEA Reg No. R008385F | PropNex Realty Pte Ltd
WhatsApp: 9111-1173 | wa.me/6591111173