East Bay Gardens
Overview & Key Facts
East Bay Gardens is a boutique 40-unit 99-year leasehold development tucked along Lorong G Telok Kurau in District 15 — the quiet inner-lane side of the Katong–Marine Parade stretch. Its lease commenced in 1995, placing it firmly among the older, small-format walk-ups and low-rise apartments that dominate the Telok Kurau grid. Unlike the high-profile new launches that have reshaped the surrounding skyline, East Bay Gardens has largely flown under the mainstream radar, which is precisely what draws a specific kind of buyer to it.
The development is small by any measure — just 40 units — and its footprint reflects the inner-lane Telok Kurau character: low density, a handful of stacks, residents-only quiet, and no shared walls with a larger mega-project. In 2026, the last 12 months of transactions have averaged S$1,046 psf, with an average sale price of S$1.42M and a median of S$1.40M. By District 15 standards, that is genuinely low — more than 50% below the psf of new launches like Grand Dunman, Emerald of Katong, and The Continuum.
What East Bay Gardens offers is unusual for the district: a sub-S$1.5M entry ticket into the East Coast school catchment, a walkable 320m to Kembangan MRT, and a resale yield of 4.11% on an average rent of S$4,617. The trade-off is equally clear — a boutique block without resort-grade facilities, a lease clock that reads roughly 68 years remaining, and the modest liquidity that comes with just 11 sales in the past 12 months. It is, in other words, a deeply pragmatic purchase for buyers who know exactly what they are optimising for.
Location & Connectivity
The single most underrated asset of East Bay Gardens is its proximity to Kembangan MRT on the East-West Line — just 320m away, a genuine five-minute walk through the residential grid. In a district where most comparable small-format condos sit 800m to 1.2km from the nearest station, being inside the 500m radius is a meaningful daily-quality-of-life advantage. Kembangan itself is three stops from Paya Lebar interchange (Circle Line connection) and roughly 20 minutes door-to-door to Raffles Place. Eunos MRT is a secondary option at 1.1km, and the Thomson-East Coast Line’s Marine Terrace station sits 1.26km to the south-west for residents willing to walk or take a feeder bus.
For drivers, the location sits between the ECP and PIE with direct access via Sims Avenue and Still Road. The CBD is reachable in 15–18 minutes off-peak via the ECP, while Changi Airport is a 12-minute drive. The immediate Telok Kurau grid is a network of narrow one-way lorongs that discourages through-traffic — a point that residents value more than marketing materials ever convey.
The F&B and retail footprint within walking distance is one of the richest in the east. Haig Road Hawker Centre, Geylang Serai Market, and the Joo Chiat heritage food belt are all within 10–15 minutes on foot or a short drive. Parkway Parade at Marine Parade is a 6-minute drive and remains the default mall for full-service grocery, dining, and banking. i12 Katong and 112 Katong cover the mid-tier retail layer, and East Coast Park’s cycling track is roughly 1.5km south.
For families, the school catchment is the quiet headline. Three primary schools fall within the MOE 1km radius: Telok Kurau Primary (590m), Canossa Catholic Primary (1.23km — borderline), and East Coast Primary (1.48km — just outside but within the 1–2km band). Secondary options include Chung Cheng High (Main), Tanjong Katong Girls’ School, and Broadrick Secondary, all within 1.8km. International school parents are also well-served — GIIS East Coast and Canadian International School (Tanjong Katong) are both under 1.7km.
Schools & Education
1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Telok Kurau Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Canossa Catholic Primary School | primary | ~1.2 km |
| Chung Cheng High School (Main) | secondary | ~1.2 km |
| East Coast Primary School | primary | ~1.5 km |
| Global Indian International School (GIIS East Coast) | international | ~1.5 km |
| Tanjong Katong Girls' School | secondary | ~1.7 km |
| Canadian International School (Tanjong Katong) | international | ~1.7 km |
| Broadrick Secondary School | secondary | ~1.8 km |
Facilities
Expectations need recalibration here. East Bay Gardens is a 40-unit boutique block from the mid-1990s — it was never built to compete with the facilities-driven mega-condos that define newer District 15 product. What you get is a small lap pool, a compact gym, basic landscaping, a covered carpark, and 24-hour security. No tennis courts, no function rooms of meaningful scale, no clubhouse, no concierge. The facilities footprint is functional rather than aspirational.
For a certain profile of buyer — in particular, the MRT-walking professional, the small family already plugged into East Coast lifestyle infrastructure, or the right-sizer moving out of a landed property — this minimalism is a feature, not a bug. Maintenance fees in boutique developments of this vintage typically range from S$280 to S$380 per month for a 2-bedroom, materially lower than the S$500–S$700 bands common at mega-developments like Grand Dunman. Over a 10-year hold, the maintenance saving alone can offset tens of thousands in carrying cost.
The flip side is that if your weekend routine depends on a 50m lap pool, a tennis court, or a function room large enough to host 40 guests, East Bay Gardens will feel undersized. Most residents compensate by leveraging the neighbourhood — East Coast Park for swimming and cycling, private gyms for serious training, and restaurant-based hosting rather than condo function rooms. In a district this well-served by public infrastructure, the trade works.
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 11 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,208,000 to $1,710,000, averaging $1,417,091 (~$1,093 psf).
Rents range from $2,600 to $5,900 per month across 7 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 4.1%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 18% (from $886 to $1,046 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Against the District 15 benchmark set, East Bay Gardens is a price outlier. Grand Dunman transacts at ~S$2,537 psf, Emerald of Katong at ~S$2,640, The Continuum (freehold) at ~S$2,790, Tembusu Grand at ~S$2,462, and Amber Park at ~S$2,538. East Bay Gardens’ S$1,046 psf represents a 58–63% discount to those benchmarks.
The discount is not irrational — it reflects the combined drag of a 30-year-old lease, sub-scale facilities, a 40-unit pool (poor liquidity), and ageing finishings. But the magnitude of the gap creates a genuine question: is S$1,500 psf the natural valuation ceiling for a 68-year lease boutique with walkable MRT, or is there room to narrow the discount toward S$1,200–1,300 psf as the surrounding sub-market continues to reprice? The recent 18% PSF uplift from 2022 to 2026 suggests some of that convergence is already underway.
For buyers comparing apples to apples, the more relevant peer set is other small-format 99-year Telok Kurau blocks from the 1990s — a group that includes various 30–80 unit developments along Lorongs G, H, J, and K. Within that peer set, East Bay Gardens’ MRT proximity is a genuine differentiator. URA REALIS data is the cleanest source for tracking this micro-market.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST BAY GARDENS | 99 yrs lease commencing from 1995 | — | 40 | $1,093 |
| GRAND DUNMAN | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2022 | 2023 | 1,008 | $2,537 |
| EMERALD OF KATONG | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2023 | 2024 | 846 | $2,640 |
| THE CONTINUUM | Freehold | 2023 | 816 | $2,790 |
| TEMBUSU GRAND | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2022 | 2023 | 638 | $2,462 |
| AMBER PARK | Freehold | 2021 | 592 | $2,544 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates EAST BAY GARDENS across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
Resident sentiment on small-format District 15 condos like East Bay Gardens skews toward the pragmatic. Owners value the MRT proximity, the quiet inner-lane setting, and the access to Katong’s F&B and schools more than they value facilities. The profile is typically long-term owner-occupiers, older right-sizers who have sold a nearby terrace or semi-D, and a modest tenant population drawn from the international school and East Coast professional community.
“Telok Kurau boutique blocks are the quiet value play in D15. You trade facilities for location and price, and you end up with a real neighbourhood rather than a gated compound.”
— Common sentiment captured across District 15 resident discussion on HardwareZone Property Talk
Negative feedback for this category of development typically centres on three themes: ageing common-area finishings that the sinking fund has not kept pace with, occasional issues with lift reliability in smaller developments with only 1–2 lifts per block, and the limited facility set that becomes noticeable when comparing to friends’ condos. None of these are dealbreakers for the target demographic, but they matter to a buyer expecting a full-service condo experience.
The community feel in boutique blocks like East Bay Gardens is also distinctive — with 40 units, residents tend to recognise each other, and informal WhatsApp groups for lift breakdowns, courier handoffs, and estate updates are the norm. That dynamic appeals to a specific profile and alienates those who prefer the anonymity of mega-developments.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- 320m walk to Kembangan MRT (East-West Line) — genuinely MRT-accessible
- Entry price under S$1.5M for D15 — rare in 2026 market
- 4.11% gross rental yield — materially higher than new launches
- Three primary schools within ~1.5km for P1 registration
- Low-density boutique block (40 units) — quiet, neighbourly feel
- Lower monthly maintenance fees vs mega-developments
- Generous floor plates (1,100–1,400 sqft) vs new-build shoeboxes
- Strong neighbourhood F&B (Joo Chiat, Haig Road, Katong)
- PSF up 18% over 4 years — participates in D15 repricing story
- Walkable to East Coast Park cycling and beach belt
- 99-year lease with ~68 years remaining (commenced 1995)
- Only 11 sales in last 12 months — thin exit liquidity
- No tennis, no function rooms, minimal facilities footprint
- Ageing common-area finishings typical of mid-1990s blocks
- Small block (40 units) limits comparable sales data for pricing
- Unknown developer background — minimal build-quality track record
- Likely no concierge, limited security staffing
- Interior renovation often required — budget S$80k–150k
- MOE 1km primary school catchment is borderline for some schools
Verdict
East Bay Gardens is a narrowly targeted proposition, and that narrowness is what makes it interesting. For a buyer who wants District 15 postcode, East Coast lifestyle, walkable MRT, and primary school catchment access — but who refuses to pay S$2,400+ psf for a new launch unit under 700 sqft — there are very few alternatives at this price point. A 1,100 sqft 2-bedroom at S$1.15M in 2026 District 15 is an increasingly rare find, and the yield math (4.11% gross, materially higher than the Grand Dunman range of 2.8–3.2%) makes it viable as a modest rental investment.
The honest caveats are about lease and liquidity. With roughly 68 years remaining on the 99-year lease, buyers crossing into a 15-year hold should mentally model the exit at 53 years remaining — a level at which CPF usage restrictions begin to tighten and the pool of financeable buyers narrows. Only 11 sales in the last 12 months means that exit liquidity is thin; a seller in a hurry may face a 3–6 month marketing timeline rather than weeks. The 40-unit count amplifies this — in any given year, at most two or three resale comparables will be on the market.
Against the alternatives: a Grand Dunman 2-bedder at 600–650 sqft will cost S$1.55M+ and delivers a fresh 99-year lease plus resort-grade facilities, at a ~35% price premium for materially less space. A freehold Telok Kurau walk-up at similar S$1.1–1.4M gets you tenure security but typically no MRT-walkable location and no condo facilities at all. East Bay Gardens sits in the middle: not the newest, not freehold, not the most connected — but uniquely priced for what it bundles together.