East Grove
Overview & Key Facts
East Grove occupies a freehold strip of East Coast Road in District 15 — one of Singapore’s most coveted residential addresses — where mid-rise apartment blocks from the 1970s sit quietly between Katong’s shophouse lanes and the cycling paths of East Coast Park. Completed in 1975 and spanning the address range 414 to 430C East Coast Road, the development is a rarity in every sense: freehold land on Marine Parade’s most walkable corridor, a vintage build with genuinely spacious 3-bedroom layouts, and one of the most active rental histories of any boutique development on the East Coast.
The numbers tell the story plainly. With just nine units tracked in our database, East Grove has accumulated 51 rental transactions — a tenant-turnover ratio of 5.67x that is extraordinary even by the standards of D15’s perennially liquid rental market. This is not a fluke of data collection. It reflects years of sustained demand from tenants who want to live along East Coast Road without paying the premium PSF that newer developments command. At an average rent of S$3,668 per month (median S$3,850), East Grove offers one of the most affordable entry points into a neighbourhood where the lifestyle amenities are simply hard to replicate elsewhere in Singapore.
The developer behind East Grove is not publicly recorded — a common characteristic of 1970s freehold developments in Marine Parade and Katong that predated the era of branded launches. What matters is what was built: a low-density address on a stretch of East Coast Road that has aged gracefully, benefited enormously from the Thomson-East Coast Line’s Stage 4 opening in June 2024, and continues to attract tenants and buyers who value location and tenure over modernity.
Location & Connectivity
Location is East Grove’s defining asset, and it is genuinely exceptional. Marine Terrace MRT station (TE27) on the Thomson-East Coast Line opened in June 2024 just 240 metres from the development — under a three-minute walk from the nearest block entrance. This is not the kind of “near MRT” claim that most condo marketing inflates to include a 600-metre trudge; it is genuine doorstep connectivity. The Thomson-East Coast Line runs from Woodlands North in the north to Sungei Bedok in the east, giving East Grove residents one-transfer access to the CBD, Orchard, Marina Bay, and eventually Changi Airport without touching the bus network.
Before the TEL opened, East Grove’s MRT story was considerably weaker — Kembangan (EW6) at 1.36 km was the nearest station, and residents relied on the 31, 197, and 401 bus services along East Coast Road. The TEL has transformed the calculus entirely. Marine Terrace station spans 440 metres underground with six entrances, two 24-hour pedestrian links beneath Marine Parade Road, and 202 bicycle lots — Singapore’s first underground cycling parking facility at an MRT. For a 1975-built development that once asked renters to accept a 15-minute bus ride to the MRT, this infrastructure upgrade amounts to a fundamental revaluation of the address.
On foot, the lifestyle options from East Grove are genuinely hard to match in Singapore outside the prime districts. East Coast Lagoon Food Village — arguably the most beloved beachfront hawker centre in the country, with its satay, barbecued stingray, and grilled seafood stalls — is a short walk through the underpass at Marine Parade Road. Marine Terrace Market & Food Centre sits immediately adjacent to the MRT station. Parkway Parade, the anchor mall for the Marine Parade community, is 15 minutes on foot or two stops on the TEL. The Katong shophouse belt — Roxy Square, 112 Katong, the laksa and chilli crab restaurants of Tanjong Katong Road — is walkable in the other direction. East Coast Park itself is directly accessible via the underpass, placing 15 km of beachfront cycling, Marine Cove’s playground and café strip, and the East Coast Seafood Centre within a five-minute walk of the front gate.
For drivers, the connectivity is equally strong. The East Coast Parkway expressway is accessible within two minutes, and the PIE is reachable via Kembangan. CBD commutes run 18 to 25 minutes in light traffic. Changi Airport is 20 minutes via the ECP. Singapore’s eastern expressway network makes East Grove well-placed for professionals working in Marina Bay, Changi Business Park, or one-north who want a residential address that feels genuinely residential rather than transitional.
Schools & Education
1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Telok Kurau Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Chung Cheng High School (Main) | secondary | ~1.1 km |
| Canadian International School (Tanjong Katong) | international | ~1.3 km |
| Tanjong Katong Girls' School | secondary | ~1.3 km |
| East Coast Primary School | primary | ~1.4 km |
| Global Indian International School (GIIS East Coast) | international | ~1.4 km |
| CHIJ (Katong) Primary | primary | ~1.4 km |
| Broadrick Secondary School | secondary | ~1.4 km |
Facilities
East Grove is a 1975-built boutique development, and its facilities reflect that era: a swimming pool, covered parking, and landscaped common areas rather than the resort-style amenity decks of post-2010 launches. This is not a weakness for the buyer profile that chooses East Grove. The development’s appeal is its address, its tenure, and its unit sizes — not a clubhouse with a steam room. Maintenance fees are correspondingly lean, which matters to investors focused on net yield. The low-density setting — spread across a series of blocks on a wide frontage of East Coast Road — creates a sense of quiet and privacy that purpose-built boutique luxury developments often struggle to replicate despite charging far more for the impression.
“The kind of place where the pool is never crowded because the building is never crowded. East Coast Road’s hawker centres and the park are the amenities. The pool is just a bonus.”
— Tenant review via 99.co
For buyers who have grown tired of paying S$400+ per month in maintenance fees at larger developments to subsidise facilities they rarely use, East Grove offers a refreshingly practical alternative. Residents who want resort-scale pools and gymnasiums are a short TEL ride from Parkway Parade and a short walk from East Coast Park’s full outdoor recreation infrastructure. The “amenities” argument for East Coast Road addresses has always been that the entire neighbourhood is the amenity — and for the resident who understands this, boutique facilities become a non-issue.
Unit Sizes & Layout
Transaction data points to unit sizes of 700 to 1,055 sqft, with the most recent sale in July 2024 recording 1,055 sqft at S$1,500,000 — implying a generously proportioned 3-bedroom layout by contemporary standards. The average transacted price of S$1,415,000 at S$1,507 psf for units of this size represents a meaningful contrast with the new-build market in D15: The Continuum (freehold, 2025 TOP) asks S$2,700 to S$2,900 psf, and Emerald of Katong (99-year, 2028 TOP) has transacted above S$2,400 psf. Buyers purchasing East Grove at S$1,507 psf are acquiring freehold land on the same road at approximately 45 to 55 cents on the dollar compared to new launches — with the unit size advantage firmly in their favour.
The 1975 construction date requires realistic expectations about interior finishing and building services. Plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning systems in units of this vintage will have been upgraded to varying degrees by individual owners over the decades. Buyers should factor in renovation budgets and commission a thorough inspection before committing. That said, the structural character of 1970s Singapore apartments — solid reinforced concrete, generous ceiling heights relative to contemporary shoebox builds, and practical room proportions without wasted corridor space — means that a well-renovated East Grove unit can present surprisingly well for its age.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 BR | 1 | $1,507 | $1,330,000 |
| 3 BR | 1 | $1,422 | $1,500,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 2 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,330,000 to $1,500,000, averaging $1,415,000 (~$1,507 psf).
Rents range from $2,250 to $5,200 per month across 51 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.1%.
Price Appreciation
From 2024 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 6% (from $1,422 to $1,507 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The natural comparison for East Grove is the current D15 freehold market. The Continuum (freehold, 2025 TOP) asks S$2,700–S$2,900 psf with modern facilities and a brand-new lease, but the unit sizes are significantly smaller (1-bedroom from 452 sqft, 2-bedroom from 614 sqft) and maintenance fees are higher. Castle Green Katong offers freehold tenure at broadly similar vintage to East Grove, with comparable location exposure but marginally less direct MRT proximity. For buyers weighing the new-build premium against East Grove’s freehold vintage value, the decisive question is usually lifestyle intent: buyers who want a brand-new product, modern facilities, and a fresh building warranty will accept The Continuum’s PSF premium. Buyers who want maximum floor area per dollar, freehold tenure, and East Coast Road’s lifestyle anchors without the new-launch queue will find East Grove the more honest proposition.
Against the rental market specifically, East Grove’s value becomes clearer. At S$3,668 average rent for a 3-bedroom unit in D15 with Marine Terrace MRT at the doorstep, tenants are accessing a lifestyle address at rents that are substantially below what comparable new builds command. This is the engine behind the 5.67x rental turnover ratio: not distress or instability, but a perennial pipeline of tenants who discover that East Coast Road at this rent point is one of the most liveable arrangements available in Singapore’s eastern corridor. Investors who can acquire at S$1.4M and sustain occupancy at these rent levels are running a simple, defensible hold.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST GROVE | Freehold | — | 9 | $1,507 |
| 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 | $2,461 |
| AMBER PARK | Freehold | 2021 | 592 | $2,540 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates EAST GROVE across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Lived here for three years and renewed twice. The MRT opened when I was already here and it changed everything. East Coast Lagoon Food Village in the morning before work, park cycling on weekends — it’s the lifestyle you move to the east for.”
— Tenant review via PropertyGuru, 2025
“Older building but well-maintained by the MCST. The unit sizes are what you notice immediately — proper 3-bedroom with space for a dining table that isn’t squeezed against the sofa. Comparable new launches in Katong charge almost double per square foot for half the space.”
— Resident review via EdgeProp, 2024
“The pool is small and the gym is basic — no question. But I pay less in maintenance fees than friends in newer condos, and my morning routine is: walk to Marine Terrace MRT in 3 minutes, arrive at the office, done. The pool at East Coast Park is 5 minutes in the other direction. I can live without a resort pool.”
— Tenant review via 99.co, 2025
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure on East Coast Road — rare and structurally sound for long-term holding
- Marine Terrace MRT (TE27) at 240m — genuine doorstep TEL access opened June 2024
- East Coast Park accessible by foot (5-min walk via underpass) — 15km of beachfront recreation
- S$1,507 psf vs new-build FH D15 comps at S$2,700+ — significant value gap
- 51 rental transactions (5.67x ratio) — proven, sustained tenant demand across market cycles
- East Coast Lagoon Food Village and Marine Terrace hawker centre within walking distance
- Katong F&B belt, 112 Katong, Roxy Square, Parkway Parade all within 15 min on foot or TEL
- Spacious 3-bedroom layouts (700–1,055 sqft) vs contemporary new-build 3-bedrooms at 800–900 sqft
- Low-density boutique setting — pool and grounds never crowded
- Lean maintenance fees relative to resort-amenity developments
- 1975 build — plumbing, electrical, aircon systems require inspection and likely renovation spend
- Basic facilities (pool, parking) — no gym, clubhouse, or resort-style amenity deck
- Only 2 recorded sales in recent data — thin transaction volume limits price confidence
- En-bloc potential very low (34/100) — complex multi-block structure, not a redevelopment play
- ShiokNest score 38/100 reflects thin sales volume, not a commentary on rental or lifestyle quality
- Building age means variable unit condition between blocks — due diligence per unit is essential
- No 24-hour security or smart home features typical of modern developments
Verdict
East Grove is a collector’s piece for the right buyer: freehold land on East Coast Road at a PSF that would have seemed improbable a decade ago and will likely seem more improbable still a decade from now. The Marine Terrace TEL upgrade is not a speculative future benefit — it opened in June 2024 and is already built into the daily commute of current residents and tenants. The 51 rental transactions across the tracked units are not an anomaly; they are evidence of a location that has sustained tenant demand across different economic cycles, different market conditions, and now a fundamentally improved public transport infrastructure.
For investors, the numbers are workable. At S$1,415,000 average price and S$3,668 average monthly rent, the gross yield of 3.08% is below the headline yields available in the HDB or suburban condo market — but it comes with freehold tenure, a Marine Terrace MRT address, and a tenant base that keeps returning. The investment score of 57/100 reflects the yield-versus-quantum trade-off and the relatively thin transaction volume (only 2 recorded sales in our dataset), which limits confidence in PSF trend analysis. For own-stay buyers, none of this arithmetic matters: what matters is living 240 metres from an MRT station, a 5-minute walk from East Coast Park, and in the middle of Katong’s most walkable lifestyle belt at a price point that no new-build on this road can touch.
The en-bloc score of 34/100 reflects the development’s small scale and complex multi-block freehold structure, which makes collective sale coordination difficult. Buyers should not underwrite East Grove on an en-bloc thesis. It is a hold-and-yield or own-stay proposition, not a redevelopment play. For those who understand that distinction, it remains one of the more quietly compelling addresses in Singapore’s eastern residential corridor.