Emerald Of Katong
Emerald of Katong arrives in the District 15 East Coast belt at a moment when Sim Lian’s reputation for moving mega-scale inventory is at its post-Treasure-at-Tampines peak, and the 846 units have answered the market in kind. URA caveats already record 844 sales within the launch window — effectively a sold-out book before TOP keys are even handed over — a velocity that places this development among the most consequential RCR launches of the cycle. In our review framework, a 99-year lease from 2023 with ~97 years of runway, a Thomson-East Coast Line station at the doorstep, and a developer with the balance sheet to ride out cycles is a fundamentally different proposition than the price-per-square-foot debate suggests. We rate the underlying location 8.5/10 and the project itself 8/10, with the principal caveat being entry pricing relative to Grand Dunman and Tembusu Grand on a like-for-like stack basis.
Snapshot as of 2026-05 — figures above reflect publicly available URA/HDB data at the time of this editorial review (as of 2026-05).
Built by Sim Lian JV (Katong) Pte Ltd on a Government Land Sales site along the Tanjong Katong corridor, Emerald of Katong sits squarely inside the Katong/Mountbatten heritage spine that has defined District 15’s East Coast identity for two generations. The tenure is 99 years from 2023 — approximately 97 years remain as of this review, which keeps the asset firmly inside CPF usage thresholds and bank-financing comfort zones for at least the next three decades. URA classifies the development as RCR, with 846 units across a mix spanning one-bedroom configurations through penthouse stacks, and a TOP target inside the 2024 window. Sim Lian’s track record on Treasure at Tampines — another mega-scale, fast-clearing inventory play — gives this launch a credibility premium that smaller developers cannot easily replicate. The project’s defining feature is location-first thinking: Tanjong Katong MRT (TEL) sits within direct walking distance, Marine Parade MRT (TEL) anchors the southern boundary, and Parkway Parade plus the East Coast Park frontage close the lifestyle loop.
Overview & Key Facts
Emerald of Katong made headline news in November 2024 when 835 of its 846 units sold on launch weekend — a 98.7% sell-through rate that stunned even seasoned industry observers. Developed by Sim Lian Group on a 221,436 sq ft site along Jalan Tembusu in the heart of Katong, District 15, this is the developer’s flagship foray into the east coast premium segment.
Sim Lian — the same developer behind Treasure at Tampines, Singapore’s largest condo — applied its proven formula here: competitive pricing at launch to drive volume, then ride the appreciation wave as the development matures. The launch price of approximately $2,400 psf undercut Grand Dunman and sat well below freehold competitors, sparking the frenzied balloting that saw some buyers camping overnight.
What elevates Emerald of Katong beyond a volume play is its location and unique surroundings. Jalan Tembusu sits in the genuine heart of Katong — the Peranakan heritage district — and the development is flanked by a 0.9-hectare ethnobotanical park created by Sim Lian and maintained by NParks, themed around culturally significant Southeast Asian plants. The Joo Chiat-Katong corridor is home to some of Singapore’s best independent cafes, Peranakan restaurants, and heritage shophouses, creating a neighbourhood character that no new development can manufacture. The Peranakan-inspired façade design by M.A.N Architects honours this heritage context.
Location & Connectivity
Emerald of Katong benefits from Tanjong Katong MRT station (TE25) on the Thomson-East Coast Line, approximately 460 metres or a 6-to-7-minute walk. When the TEL is fully operational, this provides direct no-transfer access to Orchard, Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, and the CBD — connectivity that transforms D15 from a traditionally car-dependent district into a genuine transit-accessible one.
Marine Parade MRT (TE26) is 900m away as a secondary option. The ECP is a 5-minute drive for those heading to Changi Airport (15 minutes) or the CBD (10 minutes). The Katong-Joo Chiat neighbourhood itself is a destination: i12 Katong and Parkway Parade provide mainstream retail, while Joo Chiat Road’s independent restaurants and cafes offer dining experiences that rival Tiong Bahru and Dempsey.
For families, the school cluster is exceptional. Tanjong Katong Primary (220m) and Haig Girls’ School (680m) are within the crucial 1km Priority Phase balloting radius, while popular choices like Tao Nan School and CHIJ (Katong) Primary fall within 2km. Broadrick Secondary (450m) and Canadian International School (adjacent, 2-minute walk) round out the options. Few D15 addresses offer this density of quality schools.
Schools & Education
4 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Tanjong Katong Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Tao Nan School | primary | Within 1 km |
| CHIJ (Katong) Primary | primary | Within 1 km |
| Broadrick Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| EtonHouse International School (Broadrick) | international | Within 1 km |
| Canadian International School (Tanjong Katong) | international | Within 1 km |
| Tanjong Katong Girls' School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Haig Girls' School | primary | Within 1 km |
Facilities
Emerald of Katong’s facilities are designed around a resort-inspired concept with multiple pool zones, a gymnasium, tennis court, function rooms, playgrounds, and landscaped gardens. Sim Lian’s experience from Treasure at Tampines (128 facilities for 2,203 units) informs the approach here: practical, well-distributed amenities that prevent the bottleneck effect common in smaller developments.
“We bought three units on launch day — one to live in and two for investment. The location is irreplaceable. You can’t build another condo this close to Tao Nan and CHIJ in the heart of Katong. The facilities are a bonus; the address is the real asset.”
— Buyer quoted on EdgeProp, 2023
With 846 units on a 246,222 sq ft site, the density is moderate for a D15 development. The facility offering is comprehensive but not on the scale of mega-developments like Parc Clematis or Treasure at Tampines. For most buyers, the trade-off is acceptable — you are buying Emerald of Katong for the address and school access, with facilities as a supporting amenity rather than the primary draw.
Unit Sizes & Layout
The unit mix ranges from 1-bedroom + study (484 sq ft) to 5-bedroom (1,561 sq ft) across six blocks of 18–21 storeys, with 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom configurations forming the majority at 34% and 29% respectively. Three-bedders range from 883–1,023 sq ft — competitive for a 2024 launch and designed under the newer GFA harmonisation guidelines that reduce wasted AC ledge space. Upper-floor units in the right stacks offer partial sea views and East Coast Park glimpses.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 BR | 82 | $2,760 | $1,336,878 |
| 1 BR | 288 | $2,698 | $1,780,090 |
| 2 BR | 101 | $2,605 | $2,344,040 |
| 3 BR | 337 | $2,582 | $2,868,558 |
| 4 BR | 36 | $2,550 | $3,864,861 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 844 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,240,000 to $4,142,000, averaging $2,328,053 (~$2,839 psf).
Price Appreciation
From 2024 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 12.2% (from $2,637 to $2,958 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Emerald of Katong and Grand Dunman are the two mega-launches reshaping D15. Grand Dunman ($2,504 psf) offers better MRT access (Dakota at 210m vs Tanjong Katong at 460m), a larger development (1,008 vs 846 units), and lower pricing. Emerald counters with a superior Katong address, closer school proximity (Tao Nan at 280m vs 890m), and the heritage lifestyle that the Dunman Road location cannot match.
Against freehold The Continuum ($2,790 psf, 816 units), Emerald is ~$270 psf cheaper with better school access but surrenders freehold tenure. Tembusu Grand ($2,461 psf) is the value option among D15 new launches but with a smaller development and less central Katong positioning. For school-driven buyers, Emerald of Katong is the definitive D15 choice; for transit-driven buyers, Grand Dunman takes the lead.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMERALD OF KATONG | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2023 | 2024 | 846 | $2,839 |
| GRAND DUNMAN | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2022 | 2023 | 1,008 | $2,537 |
| 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 |
| LIV @ MB | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2021 | 2022 | 298 | $2,441 |
Lease Decay Analysis
The 99-year lease runs from 2023, meaning approximately 3 years have already been consumed. Roughly 96 years remain — still comfortably within the range where most banks will offer full financing without restrictions.
| Year | Lease remaining | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (now) | ~96 years | Full bank financing available |
| 2053 | ~69 years | CPF usage still unrestricted for most buyers |
| 2062 | ~59 years | Approaching 60-year threshold — CPF limits begin for some |
| 2082 | ~39 years | Significant financing restrictions for next buyer |
| 2122 | Expiry | Lease reverts to state |
For a buyer purchasing today with a 10-year horizon (exit around 2036), the lease situation is essentially a non-issue — you’d be selling a property with ~86 years remaining, which is still very bankable. The risk profile changes for longer holds.
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates EMERALD OF KATONG across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“The balloting was insane — we were assigned number 600+ and still managed to get a unit because of the sheer volume. Sim Lian priced it right. Our 3-bedder at $2,350 psf already looks like a bargain compared to sub-sale prices today.”
— Buyer quoted on PropertyGuru, 2024
“We specifically targeted Emerald because of Tao Nan. Our eldest starts P1 in 2027 and being within 1km was non-negotiable. Grand Dunman was tempting for the price, but it’s 890m from Tao Nan versus our 280m. That distance matters in Phase 2B balloting.”
— Buyer quoted on EdgeProp, 2024
“Katong is one of those places that gets better over time. The food, the culture, the weekend vibe on Joo Chiat — it’s not a manufactured town centre feeling. We chose lifestyle over pure investment metrics, and we’re at peace with that.”
— Buyer quoted on 99.co, 2024
- Tanjong Katong MRT (TEL) is a transformational connection. Direct one-seat rides into Orchard, Marina Bay, and the future Founders’ Memorial precinct via the Thomson-East Coast Line collapse historic East Coast drive times — verify your specific stack’s walk path on our price heatmap before committing.
- School catchment is genuinely top-tier. Tao Nan School and CHIJ (Katong) Primary sit inside the 1km and 2km radii respectively, and Tanjong Katong Primary plus the Victoria cluster round out one of the deepest school stacks in the East — check OneMap catchment for your specific block.
- Katong food belt and Parkway Parade close the lifestyle case. The Joo Chiat heritage shophouses, East Coast Road F&B spine, and a full-format mall at Parkway Parade put daily-needs and weekend-leisure infrastructure within a 10-minute walk — a combination that is genuinely scarce in RCR new launches.
- East Coast Park frontage is the unscripted amenity. The park connector network from the Katong/Mountbatten boundary into ECP gives residents a 15km coastal corridor that no facility-deck pool can replicate — structurally bid-supportive over long horizons.
- Long lease runway protects exit optionality. ~97 years left is comfortably inside the 75-year CPF/bank-comfort window for the next two-plus decades; run the trajectory on our lease-decay calculator.
- Sim Lian execution credibility post-Treasure-at-Tampines. The developer has demonstrated mega-scale handover competence and post-TOP defect-management at scale — a material risk reducer at 846 units; compare District 15 medians on our District 15 page.
- Entry pricing is rich versus older D15 stock. The premium over resale freehold inventory in the same postal sector is meaningful; URA caveat data shows the spread has compressed only modestly post-launch, capping near-term capital-gain plays.
- Grand Dunman and Tembusu Grand are direct, simultaneous competitors. Both sit in the same Dakota/Katong corridor with overlapping school catchments and TEL access — the buyer pool is genuinely split, and resale price discovery in the 2027–2029 window will be a three-way race.
- 846-unit scale creates secondary-market supply pressure. Once the holding-period restrictions lapse, the resale book will see persistent listings — stress-test affordability and exit timing via MAS TDSR rules before assuming a smooth exit window.
- Stack orientation matters more than usual. Lower floors facing Tanjong Katong Road absorb traffic noise; stacks facing the internal courtyard or with unblocked sea-glimpse angles command meaningful premiums that low-floor inner stacks cannot recover.
- 99-year leasehold versus freehold neighbours. Several established D15 condos within walking distance remain freehold; the lease-decay narrative will become a more material comparator over 15+-year holds — model the impact on the ROI calculator.
This project is built for three distinct buyer archetypes and frankly mis-sold to a fourth. The strongest fit is the East Coast own-stay family with primary-school-age children targeting Tao Nan or CHIJ (Katong) — the combination of catchment depth, TEL access, and Parkway Parade convenience is genuinely hard to replicate at this price point in RCR. The second strong fit is the CBD professional couple who values the one-seat TEL ride into Orchard and Marina Bay alongside the East Coast lifestyle premium that the western CBD-adjacent belt cannot offer. The third fit is the yield-focused investor targeting the Tanjong Katong / Marine Parade rental pool, where TEL connectivity and school proximity together support sticky tenant demand. The mis-fit is the flipper chasing 3-year capital gain — entry pricing is already rich, 846 units guarantee secondary supply, and the simultaneous arrival of Grand Dunman and Tembusu Grand inventory caps near-term breakout potential.
We recommend Emerald of Katong for East Coast own-stay families prioritising the Tao Nan / CHIJ (Katong) catchment, CBD professional couples valuing TEL access plus Katong lifestyle, and yield-focused investors comfortable with the 7+-year hold horizon — provided you stress-test against Grand Dunman and Tembusu Grand on a like-for-like stack-and-floor basis. We would avoid Emerald of Katong if you are a flipper targeting 3-year capital gain, a buyer who places a structural premium on freehold tenure (the D15 freehold stock within walking distance is a genuine alternative), or anyone uncomfortable absorbing the entry premium over resale inventory in the same postal sector. The fair-value zone, in our analysis, sits at a modest premium to the District 15 RCR median — pay further premium only for high-floor stacks with unblocked orientation and direct internal-courtyard frontage.