A slice of the East: 99.co’s top 5 property picks

Singapore’s East-enders have a reputation for being lazy, and that’s not a bad thing. With easy access to Changi beach, park recreation, and some of the best food, it’s bound to be a laid back place. Here are our top 5 picks in the east side, for amenities and location:

1. The LINE@Tanjong Rhu

This prime property is a 130 unit, 20 storey freehold condo. It’s on this list for its fantastic location: the LINE is 10 minutes from Suntec City and Marina Bay Sands. On top of that, it’s practically next door to the Singapore Swimming Club and Dunman High School.

The nearby Katong Park is no longer as famous (in the 1950s it was a hotspot, as this area was beachfront), but it now serves as a small, quiet retreat.

It’s not super-accessible by public transport – in our opinion, it’s a bit of a walk to Mountbatten MRT (with luxury properties, developers tend to assume residents will drive.)

Features that get our attention are the sky lobby with its breath taking view, and the Marina Bay Sands’ like infinity pool.

Prices are around $2,359 per square foot. Contact the agent for more details.

2. Parc Olympia

Parc Olympia was quite famous when it launched in 2012. Developers released it at an unexpectedly low price for the time, sparking off a price war with the nearby Palm Isles. Some of us are still traumatised by the ridiculous, hour long queues to get into either show flat in those days.

Parc Olympia continues to be one of the best options for living on the eastern-most end of Singapore. This is a 99-year leasehold, seven and eight storey condo, with 468 units. It’s close to the Singapore Expo, Changi airport (which, let’s admit, is a giant shopping mall that planes happen to land in), and Tampines 1.

Our favourite features here are the putting green (hear that golfers?), rock climbing wall, full length running track, full size basketball court, and skateboard ring. You’ll note these are very unusual facilities for a condo – but that ties in with the theme. Olympia was some sort of sporty Greek deity.

We vote this condo as having most entertaining facilities, ever.

Prices are just $971 per square foot! So contact the agent for more details.

3. Costa del Sol

This is one of the older developments in the area, having been around for 13 years. It’s a 99-year leasehold, 906-unit condo, with towers reaching 30 storeys. Costa del Sol famously ticked off the residents of Bayshore and Bayshore Park when it was completed, as it blocked their sea view.

The units here are known for their large, floor-to-ceiling picture windows, which provide an ocean view. Facilities are pretty standard, but the pools are the highlight: apart from the standard lap pools, there are tropics-themed pools complete with waterfalls. You can even swim under some of the small bridges leading to the different blocks.

Here’s the clincher: there is a residents’ underpass (you need the key card to get through the gate) that will get you to East Coast beach in about three minutes. Imagine being able to pop out to the beach for a quick walk, any time of day.

Prices are around $1,132 per square foot, so contact the agent for details.

4. Suites@ East Coast

Okay, we’re going to do someone’s job for them. Properly.

Suites@East Coast is a great condo that is a freehold, five-storey condo with 116 units. It’s situated along Upper East Coast road, which puts it in close proximity to Bedok Central. At the time this condo was launched Bedok Central was just the interchange, a market, and light retail – but today Bedok Central has two new malls, and it’s starting to generate serious buzz. Bedok Mall, a 328,000+ square foot development with tenants like Uniqlo, Fairprice, Best Denki, etc. is now minutes away from tenants and residents.

In addition, you can get to East Coast beach in just over 10 minutes by car, and both Chai Chee Secondary and Tampines Secondary School are nearby.

You heard it from 99.co first: As Bedok Central picks up, the demand for these units is bound to rise.

The general location is still quiet, which makes it ideal for people who don’t like the crowds of noise of CBD-like areas (while still being in reach of amenities via Bedok.)

And the best part: just $1,612 per square foot. It’s not often you find a good freehold condo at that price. Contact the agent for more details.

5. East Meadows

This is one of the older condos in the area, and it was completed in 2001. It’s on this list for partially the same reason as Suites@East Coast; the recent pick-up in Bedok Central is bound to help properties in its vicinity.

This is a 99-year leasehold development with 482 units, in a series of 14 or 15 storey towers. It’s one of the most accessible condos on this list, because it’s right next door to the Tanah Merah MRT station. This makes it one train stop away from Bedok Central (see point 4 about the mall.)

There is an often overlooked Cold Storage in East Village, which is about 10 minutes away. In addition, Changi Expo and the airport are also just two or three stops away from the Tanah Merah station.

This condo should especially be considered for tenants or residents with healthcare needs (e.g. regular dialysis treatments), as it is very close to Changi General Hospital, the healthcare central of the East Coast. It is less than a 10-minute drive.

In addition, we’d point out that Tanah Merah interchange is a stop for Bus 14, which will take you direct to Orchard if you don’t mind a slightly long ride (about 35 minutes.)

Okay, we haven’t talked about facilities because they’re admittedly run-of-the-mill. You have your pool, gym, tennis courts, etc. But that’s not why we’re putting this condo on the list – it’s here because of the combination of its price, and solid location.

Prices are only around $1,017(!) per square foot, so nag an agent into showing you around.