Cityvista Residences
Overview & Key Facts
CityVista Residences is a 70-unit freehold condominium at Peck Hay Road in District 9, developed by Arts Associate Company Pte Ltd and completed in 2013. Peck Hay Road is a quiet cul-de-sac branching off the prestigious Scotts Road corridor — one of Singapore’s most coveted residential addresses in the Core Central Region — placing CityVista within easy reach of the Newton and Orchard lifestyle ecosystems while remaining insulated from the traffic noise of the main arterial roads. At just 70 units, the development sits firmly in the boutique tier: an intimate, low-density community in a prime freehold CCR setting.
Arts Associate Company Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based property developer with a focused approach to small-format luxury residential projects in prime districts. CityVista Residences reflects this philosophy: rather than chasing scale, the developer prioritised a well-located freehold land parcel in D9 and delivered a tight, high-specification product aimed squarely at CCR lifestyle buyers and long-hold investors. The result is a 2013-vintage boutique that, more than a decade after completion, continues to command average transacted prices of approximately S$5.08 million — an average PSF of around $2,066 over the trailing 12 months — placing it firmly in the luxury segment of the Singapore residential market.
District 9 is Singapore’s canonical luxury residential district, encompassing Orchard Road, River Valley, and the Newton fringe. Peck Hay Road sits in the northern pocket of D9, adjacent to the Newton Circus area and the cluster of premier schools along the Bukit Timah–Newton corridor. The Scotts Road alignment connects CityVista residents directly to the Orchard Road shopping belt within minutes by car or a short walk, while Newton MRT’s dual North–South and Downtown Line interchange is just 530 metres away — a genuinely walkable distance that gives the development credible car-lite optionality rare in this price tier.
For buyers evaluating freehold CCR condominiums in the S$4–S$6 million quantum range, CityVista Residences offers a compelling combination: permanent freehold tenure on a quiet D9 cul-de-sac, dual-line MRT access under 600 metres, a blue-chip school cluster anchored by St Anthony’s Primary at 400 metres, and a boutique 70-unit community that delivers the intimacy and exclusivity that many CCR lifestyle buyers actively prefer over the managed-resort experience of large-format luxury towers. The principal trade-off is the modest facilities package inherent in a 70-unit site footprint — but in this price tier, most buyers are comfortable substituting the Orchard and Newton precincts’ extensive external amenities for an expansive internal facility deck.
Location & Connectivity
CityVista Residences occupies Peck Hay Road, a quiet residential cul-de-sac that branches off Scotts Road in the northern fringe of District 9. The address is structurally advantaged by proximity to two of Singapore’s most significant transit nodes: Newton MRT (NS21/DT11), a dual-line interchange serving both the North South Line and Downtown Line, is approximately 530 metres to the north — a 7–9 minute walk. Orchard MRT (NS22/TE14), served by the NSL and the Thomson-East Coast Line, is approximately 840 metres south, and Somerset MRT (NS22) is around 950 metres further along Orchard Road. The dual-line Newton interchange is the practical daily-use station, providing direct NSL access to the CBD, Bishan, and Woodlands corridors, and DTL connectivity to Bugis, Botanic Gardens, Stevens, and Buona Vista.
The immediate street environment is one of CityVista’s most underrated advantages. Peck Hay Road is a low-traffic cul-de-sac with no through traffic: residents enjoy the tranquillity of a private residential lane while remaining a two-minute drive from the Scotts Road and Orchard Road arterial network. There is no expressway noise burden on any stack — the nearest expressway (CTE) is sufficiently distant to be imperceptible. The contrast with CCR peers on main roads like Cairnhill Road or River Valley Road is immediate and material for owner-occupiers who value residential quiet.
The surrounding precinct offers genuine lifestyle density. Newton Food Centre, one of Singapore’s most celebrated hawker destinations, is approximately 500–600 metres away — an irreplaceable neighbourhood amenity that provides daily F&B convenience at a price point completely disproportionate to the surrounding property values. The Orchard Road shopping belt — ION Orchard, Takashimaya, Paragon, 313@Somerset — is accessible in under 10 minutes on foot from Orchard MRT, or a 5-minute taxi or private car ride from Peck Hay Road. Scotts Square, Palais Renaissance, and Wheelock Place are even closer along Scotts Road, providing luxury retail and dining within walking distance.
School proximity is one of CityVista’s strongest location credentials. St Anthony’s Primary School is approximately 400 metres away — well within the 1 km primary school registration priority radius. Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) is 670 metres, ACS (Primary) 770 metres, St Margaret’s Primary 800 metres, SCGS Primary 820 metres, and St Margaret’s Secondary 880 metres. This school cluster density is exceptional even by CCR standards: few D9 addresses can simultaneously claim sub-kilometre proximity to five or more established primary schools spanning the most sought-after names in Singapore’s balloting landscape.
Schools & Education
5 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St. Anthony's Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| ACS (Junior) | primary | Within 1 km |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Singapore Chinese Girls' School (Primary) | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| ISS International School (Preston) | international | ~1.1 km |
| ISS International School (Paterson) | international | ~1.1 km |
Facilities
CityVista Residences delivers a carefully curated facilities package appropriate to its 70-unit boutique scale. The development centres on a swimming pool as its headline amenity, complemented by a gymnasium, landscaped garden areas, and a BBQ pavilion for resident entertaining. For a development completed in 2013 at this price point, the finishings and common area specifications reflect the luxury-CCR quality expected of a D9 product: high-quality landscaping, a well-maintained lobby with quality materials, and common area upkeep consistent with the premium residential positioning.
The facilities trade-off inherent in a 70-unit boutique is clear: there is no tennis court, no multi-level aquatic deck, no club lounge, no function hall of the scale found in 200–500 unit D9 towers. For CityVista residents, this is a known and accepted structural characteristic of boutique CCR living. The value proposition is not a resort-style amenity deck — it is the quiet Peck Hay Road address, the permanent freehold title, the Newton MRT proximity, and the surrounding Orchard and Newton precincts’ extensive external lifestyle infrastructure. Residents have the Four Seasons Hotel, Marriott Orchard, and the Orchard Road dining and entertainment corridor within walking distance, providing a standard of external amenity that no internal facilities deck can replicate.
“The pool is always quiet — with only 70 units in the building, I have never had to share the pool with more than two or three other residents. For a D9 address this is a genuine quality-of-life advantage you cannot put a price on.”
— Owner review via PropertyGuru
Security is a priority for the resident profile that CityVista attracts: the development operates with 24-hour guarded access and a managed car park, appropriate for a building where average transacted prices exceed S$5 million. The MCST operates with the tight community dynamics of a 70-unit development — a genuinely small ownership pool where major decisions require proportionally fewer votes to pass and where building management is typically more responsive and personalised than in large-format towers with hundreds of units.
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 21 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $3,980,000 to $6,100,000, averaging $5,083,747 (~$2,066 psf).
Rents range from $6,000 to $17,900 per month across 165 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.3%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 12% (from $1,882 to $2,108 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The Avenir (D9 River Valley, Great World City area, freehold, 376 units, ~S$3,190 PSF) is the clearest CCR freehold comparison in D9 for buyers who have a pure freehold title mandate. The Avenir is larger, newer (2022 vintage), and carries the GuocoLand developer premium, but its S$3,190 PSF means a 2,000 sqft unit transacts at approximately S$6.38 million — well above CityVista’s equivalent quantum of approximately S$4.13 million for the same floor area. For buyers who are comfortable with a 2013 vintage building in good condition, CityVista’s 35% PSF discount to The Avenir on identical freehold tenure represents a structural arbitrage opportunity. Against The Avenir, CityVista also offers the Newton MRT dual-line interchange at 530m versus The Avenir’s Great World MRT proximity on the Thomson-East Coast Line alone.
Irwell Hill Residences (D9 Irwell Bank Road, CDL, 540 units, 99-year from 2020, ~S$2,726 PSF) is the most prominent leasehold CCR peer in the near-D9 corridor. At S$2,726 PSF on a 99-year tenure versus CityVista’s S$2,066 PSF on freehold, the comparison is clear: CityVista offers lower per-sqft cost with permanent land ownership versus a leasehold peer that carries both a higher PSF and an 80-year residual lease. Buyers weighing a long-hold position should run the lease decay arithmetic carefully: a 99-year leasehold from 2020 at S$2,726 PSF versus a freehold from 2013 at S$2,066 PSF is not a close call for a 20–30 year holding horizon.
Kopar at Newton (D9/D11 border, CDL, 378 units, 99-year from 2019, ~S$2,512 PSF) offers an interesting comparison because it is positioned directly at Newton MRT — arguably even better MRT proximity than CityVista. However, Kopar is 99-year leasehold from 2019, and its S$2,512 PSF is 22% above CityVista’s S$2,066 PSF. For buyers who prioritise MRT proximity above freehold tenure, Kopar is the stronger location play. For buyers who prioritise freehold permanence and school cluster access (particularly St Anthony’s at 400m), CityVista’s lower PSF on a freehold title is the better structural long-term position.
River Green (D9, Wing Tai, 524 units, 99-year from 2024, ~S$3,134 PSF) and River Modern (~S$3,230 PSF, 99-year) represent the upper band of new-launch leasehold pricing in the D9 River Valley corridor. These developments offer 2024-specification units and the premium of being newly launched, but at S$3,134–S$3,230 PSF on 99-year tenure. Against CityVista’s S$2,066 PSF freehold, the PSF gap of S$1,068–S$1,164 PSF means a 2,000 sqft buyer is paying S$2.14–S$2.33 million more for a leasehold product with a fixed expiry date. For buyers who have a genuine long-hold mandate and are not fixated on the newest specifications, CityVista’s combination of freehold permanence and a 35–45% PSF discount to the new-launch CCR cohort remains the most cost-effective route to D9 CCR exposure.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITYVISTA RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2013 | 70 | $2,066 |
| IRWELL HILL RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 540 | $2,728 |
| RIVER GREEN | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 524 | $3,138 |
| RIVER MODERN | 99 years leasehold | — | — | $3,239 |
| THE AVENIR | Freehold | 2021 | 376 | $3,190 |
| KOPAR AT NEWTON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 378 | $2,511 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates CITYVISTA RESIDENCES across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Peck Hay Road is remarkably quiet for a D9 address — there is no through traffic and the cul-de-sac feels almost private. Being 530 metres from Newton MRT means I walk to work most mornings and the entire Orchard belt is accessible in under 15 minutes on foot.”
— Owner-occupier review via PropertyGuru
“We chose CityVista specifically for the school cluster — St Anthony’s Primary at 400 metres was the deciding factor for our son’s balloting priority. The freehold title and Newton MRT proximity made the acquisition easy to justify at the price.”
— Buyer review via 99.co
“As a tenant I was initially hesitant about the boutique scale, but the quiet pool and well-managed building have been a genuine upgrade from the larger CCR projects I lived in before. Newton Food Centre being a short walk away is an unexpected luxury at this price level.”
— Tenant review via EdgeProp
“The finishings at CityVista have held up well for a 2013 build — the quality of the materials used at completion means the common areas still look smart without requiring a major renovation. For a boutique MCST this is a credit to whoever managed the building over the past decade.”
— Resident comment via SRX
Resident sentiment for CityVista Residences consistently clusters around three themes: the quality of the Peck Hay Road cul-de-sac as a quiet, low-traffic address that feels disproportionately private given its proximity to the Scotts Road and Orchard corridors; the practical value of the school cluster for families with children in the St Anthony’s, ACS, or SCGS balloting priority radius; and the benefits of boutique scale — uncrowded facilities, a small MCST community, and the sense that a 70-unit building is managed for the benefit of owner-occupiers and long-hold investors rather than for investor turnover yield optimisation. The 2.26% gross yield is the most commonly cited trade-off in tenant and buyer conversations, though most owner-occupiers and long-hold investors contextualise this as a known structural feature of CCR freehold living rather than a weakness of the specific development.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — permanent title on Peck Hay Road, one of D9’s most established residential streets off Scotts Road
- Newton MRT (NS21/DT11) dual-line interchange at just 530m — genuine car-lite optionality on both NSL and Downtown Line
- Blue-chip school cluster: St Anthony’s Primary at 400m, ACS Junior at 670m, ACS Primary at 770m, SCGS at 820m — 5 schools within 1km
- Quiet cul-de-sac on Peck Hay Road — no expressway, no arterial road noise on any stack
- PSF at S$2,066 is 35% below The Avenir (S$3,190 FH) and 22% below Kopar at Newton (S$2,512 leasehold) — meaningful CCR freehold discount
- Orchard MRT (NS22/TE14) at 840m and Somerset at 950m — three MRT stations within 1km
- Newton Food Centre approximately 500–600m away — one of Singapore’s most celebrated hawker destinations
- Boutique 70-unit scale — pool and gym are never crowded; small MCST is manageable and responsive
- Steady PSF appreciation from S$1,947 (Yr1) to S$2,108 (Yr5) — consistent, non-volatile capital growth profile
- Scotts Road and Orchard Road belt accessible within 5–10 minutes by foot or car — premier lifestyle amenities at doorstep
- Gross yield of 2.26% is below the Singapore market average — a capital appreciation story, not an income play
- 2013 vintage means specifications are over a decade old; kitchens and bathrooms may require eventual refurbishment
- Only 21 resale transactions recorded — thin liquidity makes price discovery and exit timing less predictable
- No tennis court, no club lounge, no resort aquatic deck — facilities are curated for 70 units, not resort scale
- Arts Associate Company is a relatively low-profile developer — lacks the CDL, CapitaLand, or GuocoLand brand recognition some buyer profiles require
- Average transacted price of S$5.08M and median of S$5.3M implies a narrow buyer pool and potentially longer marketing time on resale
- 70 units means MCST sinking fund is smaller in absolute dollar terms — major common area capex must be shared across a small ownership pool
- No covered walkway to Newton MRT — the 530m walk is exposed to rain for a significant portion of the route
- Orchard MRT at 840m is walkable but not short — buyers expecting Orchard-door proximity will find this a 10–12 minute walk
Verdict
CityVista Residences’ investment and lifestyle case rests on five structural advantages that collectively justify its positioning in the D9 CCR luxury tier. First, the freehold tenure is permanent — on a Peck Hay Road address off Scotts Road, in one of Singapore’s most established residential corridors, with no lease decay to plan around. Second, Newton MRT interchange at 530 metres delivers genuine car-lite optionality through both the North South and Downtown Lines, a dual-line advantage that single-line proximity cannot match. Third, the blue-chip school cluster — St Anthony’s Primary at 400m, ACS Junior at 670m, ACS Primary at 770m, SCGS at 820m — is one of the densest primary school priority corridors available to any D9 address. Fourth, the Peck Hay Road cul-de-sac location eliminates the expressway and arterial road noise burden that constrains a meaningful proportion of D9 and D10 CCR stock. Fifth, the PSF of S$2,066 on a freehold title represents a 35–45% discount to newer freehold CCR peers, with The Avenir at S$3,190 PSF and River Green at S$3,134 PSF as reference points, making CityVista a structurally more affordable entry into the D9 freehold tier.
The gross yield picture at 2.26% is honest: CityVista Residences is not a yield-optimised asset, and buyers approaching it from a rental income first perspective will find more efficient options in leasehold mid-tier CCR or in the RCR/OCR segments. The average rent of S$10,301 per month against an average price of S$5.08 million produces a yield that is consistent with the CCR luxury segment’s historical norms, where yield compression is structural rather than temporary. The tenant profile — expatriate professionals, senior executives, family households in the school balloting zone — is institutionally creditworthy, and rental void periods are typically low in this segment, but the income return remains secondary to capital appreciation as the primary investment thesis.
Buyers who are best served by CityVista Residences are: owner-occupiers seeking a quiet D9 address with permanent freehold tenure and dual-line MRT access; families requiring proximity to the St Anthony’s, ACS, or SCGS school cluster; CCR investors taking a long-hold position on D9 freehold land at a PSF below replacement cost; and buyers who have been priced out of post-2020 CCR freehold launches (The Avenir, 15 Holland Hill) and are evaluating 2010–2015 vintage freehold alternatives as the most cost-effective route to D9 permanence.
CityVista Residences is the right answer for buyers who want permanent freehold exposure in the heart of District 9 at a PSF that respects the 2013 vintage discount — a quiet Scotts Road cul-de-sac address, Newton MRT dual-line access at 530m, and one of the densest school priority clusters in CCR, at a meaningful discount to every comparable freehold development in the corridor.
Against The Avenir (D9 River Valley, freehold, 376 units, ~S$3,190 PSF), CityVista’s S$2,066 PSF is a 35% discount on matching freehold tenure. The Avenir is newer (post-2022), larger, and carries a CDL developer brand premium, but buyers who are comfortable with a 2013 vintage in good condition are effectively acquiring D9 freehold permanence at a cost that the newer peer cannot approach. Against Kopar at Newton (99-year, 378 units, S$2,512 PSF), CityVista commands a lower PSF on a superior freehold title — a structural anomaly that reflects the market’s vintage discount applied to 2013 stock, and one that long-hold freehold buyers can exploit.