Mattar Residences
Overview & Key Facts
Mattar Residences is a 26-unit freehold condominium completed in 2023 on Mattar Road in District 14, sitting within the MacPherson–Mattar residential corridor that has quietly benefited from a decade of urban renewal and the Downtown Line’s transformative impact on eastern Singapore’s connectivity. At just 26 units, this development occupies a rare position in the Singapore residential market: a genuinely micro-boutique freehold project completed to contemporary 2023 specifications on a road that shares its name with the nearest MRT station — a geographic clarity that makes the address immediately legible to buyers and tenants alike.
The freehold tenure is the headline attribute. In District 14 — a precinct dominated by 99-year leasehold mass-market projects such as Parc Esta (1,399 units, 99yr) and Penrose (566 units, 99yr) — a freehold title is a structural rarity. The closest leasehold peers transact at S$1,758–S$2,182 PSF; Mattar Residences’ pricing at approximately S$2,199–S$2,237 PSF (based on the two data points available from the 2023–2024 transaction window) reflects a modest freehold premium over that leasehold cohort, broadly consistent with what the Singapore residential market has historically applied to freehold versus 99-year stock of equivalent location and vintage.
The development was completed in 2023, making it one of the newest residential addresses in the immediate Mattar Road neighbourhood. With only 21 recorded sales transactions and 17 rental transactions to date, Mattar Residences is still in the early phase of its market history — the transaction dataset is thin by definition, and any trend analysis must be qualified accordingly. What the available data does confirm is that the median transaction price of S$1,517,000 and an average of S$1,571,054 place the typical unit in the sub-S$1.6M quantum range, making freehold D14 ownership accessible at a quantum below what most CCR freehold boutiques command. For buyers evaluating the D14 freehold segment, Mattar Residences is one of very few genuinely new-vintage options without a legacy leasehold liability.
The trade-offs are scale-related and transparent: 26 units means limited common facilities, thin resale liquidity, and a small MCST community. Buyers who prioritise resort-style facilities, high-volume resale activity, or established rental track records will find those attributes more readily in the larger leasehold peers. What Mattar Residences offers instead is the permanence of freehold title, the specification quality of a 2023 completion, and sub-250m access to a Downtown Line station — a combination that the MacPherson–Mattar corridor’s leasehold majority cannot replicate.
Location & Connectivity
Mattar Road sits in the transition zone between the MacPherson estate and the Aljunied–Geylang Bahru corridor in District 14, a precinct that has been systematically upgraded by the Downtown Line’s 2015–2017 opening and the ongoing HDB estate renewal programmes along MacPherson Road. The development’s defining location advantage is its proximity to Mattar MRT (DT25) on the Downtown Line, measured at approximately 210 metres — a walk of under three minutes that is genuinely among the shortest station-to-condo distances in the entire D14 district. This is not a borderline walkable distance; it is effectively adjacent.
The Downtown Line’s routing from Mattar is particularly valuable for professional commuters. Eastbound, the line connects directly to Upper Changi, Tampines, and the eastern employment cluster. Westbound, it runs through MacPherson (where the Circle Line interchange is available), Promenade, Bayfront, and then continues through the city core to Buona Vista and beyond — placing the one-transfer CBD within approximately 20–25 minutes of door-to-door travel from Mattar Road without a car. MacPherson MRT, a dual-line interchange serving both the Circle Line (CC10) and Downtown Line (DT26), is 920 metres south — a 12-minute walk or a single DTL stop — and provides the Circle Line connection for residents who need access to Serangoon, Dhoby Ghaut, or Harbourfront.
For families, the school proximity picture is anchored by MacPherson Primary School at 540 metres — within the 1 km radius that provides the highest primary school balloting priority under MOE’s Phase 2C(S) framework. Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ Primary School is 890 metres away, Red Swastika School at 1.27 km, and Kong Hwa School at 1.52 km. The concentration of primary schools within a 1.5 km radius is a meaningful demand driver for family tenants and owner-occupier buyers with school-age children. Beyond schools, the immediate neighbourhood amenity set includes the MacPherson hawker centre, the Geylang Serai market corridor, and the Paya Lebar commercial hub accessible in two DTL stops — providing a complete everyday-living ecosystem without requiring a car.
Aljunied MRT (EWL, EW9) is 1.02 km from the development — a 13–15 minute walk — extending East West Line access for residents travelling to Tampines, Changi, or Jurong on the opposing EWL axis. Geylang Bahru MRT (NE12) on the North East Line is 1.25 km, providing a third line connection for routes to Dhoby Ghaut, Serangoon, or Punggol. Collectively, the four-station, three-line access pattern from a single freehold address on a quiet residential road in D14 is a location profile that is genuinely difficult to replicate at the sub-S$1.6M quantum range anywhere else in Singapore.
Schools & Education
1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Macpherson Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Red Swastika School | primary | ~1.3 km |
| Kong Hwa School | primary | ~1.5 km |
| Geylang Methodist School (Primary) | primary | ~1.5 km |
| Geylang Methodist School (Secondary) | secondary | ~1.6 km |
| One World International School (Mountbatten) | international | ~1.9 km |
| Bartley Secondary School | secondary | ~1.9 km |
Facilities
At 26 units, Mattar Residences delivers a facilities package that is appropriately calibrated to its micro-boutique scale. The development is not designed to compete with the resort-style amenity decks of Parc Esta or Penrose; it offers instead the essentials that a small owner-occupier and tenant community requires, executed to 2023 specifications with the benefit of contemporary design standards. The facilities set is expected to include a swimming pool and gym as core amenities — the baseline provision for boutique freehold developments in this price tier — complemented by landscaped common areas reflecting the compact but considered site design typical of 2020s-era boutique completions.
The practical implication of 26-unit scale is that facilities are effectively private in daily use. A swimming pool shared among 26 households is, for most of the day, a private pool. A gym serving 26 units is a gym where residents can expect a free machine at any hour. For the target buyer profile — professionals, small families, and investors seeking freehold permanence rather than lifestyle-club membership — this uncrowded access is a quality-of-life advantage that larger developments cannot structurally offer. The maintenance fee burden is also proportionally lower: with fewer amenities to maintain and a smaller headcount, the estimated monthly maintenance contribution for Mattar Residences is likely to be among the lowest in its price tier, preserving cash flow for owner-occupiers and improving net yield for investors.
The facilities trade-off is clearly stated: there is no tennis court, no multi-pool aquatic deck, no club function room, and no concierge of the scale available at Parc Esta’s 1,399-unit amenity complex. Residents who require those amenities have access to them in the broader neighbourhood — the Paya Lebar commercial belt two DTL stops away offers extensive gym, retail, and dining infrastructure, and MacPherson Park provides outdoor recreation within easy walking distance. Mattar Residences is correctly understood as a home-base rather than a lifestyle resort: the value it delivers is in the freehold address, the 2023 finish quality, and the 210-metre Mattar MRT proximity, not in a facilities arms race with its leasehold peers.
Unit Sizes & Layout
Mattar Residences’ 26 units are spread across a compact configuration that reflects the small-footprint freehold land on which the development sits. The unit breakdown covers multiple bedroom categories typical of a boutique D14 development targeting owner-occupiers and small-household tenants; based on the rental transaction profile (17 rentals averaging S$4,003 per month with a median of S$3,500), the unit mix likely includes 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom configurations sized to attract the professional household and small-family rental segment that defines MacPherson’s tenant base.
The transacted price data is limited but directional. The two available PSF data points — S$2,199 (Yr0) and S$2,237 (Yr1) — represent the initial transaction window for a 2023-completed development and do not yet constitute a meaningful price trend. What they confirm is that the development has transacted consistently above the S$2,100 PSF threshold, placing it above the leasehold D14 peers (Parc Esta at S$2,182 PSF, Penrose at S$1,927 PSF) and in a freehold premium tier that is appropriate for its tenure. With a median sale price of S$1,517,000 and an average of S$1,571,054 across 21 recorded sales, the typical unit quantum sits in the S$1.4M–S$1.7M band — accessible sub-S$2M freehold ownership in a D14 location with outstanding DTL connectivity.
The 2023 vintage delivers contemporary unit specifications: expected fitments include branded kitchen appliances, stone or stone-effect countertops, engineered timber or large-format tile flooring, and contemporary sanitary fittings in the bathrooms. Ceiling heights at 2023-standard are typically 2.9–3.0 metres in living areas, creating a sense of proportion that compensates for compact floor areas. For a boutique development completed to this standard in D14, the fit-out quality is a competitive differentiator versus older resale stock in the same district where 2010–2015 vintage units require material renovation investment to reach equivalent specification.
Higher-floor units benefit from elevation above the low-rise Mattar Road streetscape, providing open sky views that are uncommon at this price point in D14. Buyers should verify specific stack orientations during viewing — units facing north towards Mattar MRT benefit from the station proximity while avoiding the afternoon western sun, and units above the fourth storey are unlikely to face future obstruction given the surrounding landed and low-rise residential fabric. The combination of a quiet residential road, proximity to an MRT station without the associated noise, and a new-build finish makes Mattar Residences a rare offering in the D14 resale market.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 BR | 1 | $2,282 | $1,130,000 |
| 1 BR | 11 | $2,263 | $1,390,922 |
| 2 BR | 9 | $2,183 | $1,840,222 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 21 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,130,000 to $1,957,000, averaging $1,571,054.
Rents range from $3,100 to $6,800 per month across 17 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.8%.
Price Appreciation
From 2023 to 2024, the average PSF has appreciated by 1.7% (from $2,199 to $2,237 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Parc Esta (MCL Land, 1,399 units, 99yr leasehold, TOP 2022, S$2,182 PSF) is the dominant D14 benchmark by volume and scale. It offers resort-scale facilities — a 24-pool aquatic deck, tennis courts, a clubhouse, and extensive landscaping — that Mattar Residences cannot match on 26 units. Parc Esta’s Eunos MRT proximity (CC9/EWL) is competitive, but Mattar Residences counters with freehold tenure, a significantly smaller MCST community, and a DTL direct-line connection that Parc Esta lacks. For buyers choosing between the two, the decision distils to: resort-living with 99-year tenure versus boutique permanence with superior DTL access. The freehold premium at Mattar Residences versus Parc Esta is approximately S$17–S$55 PSF at current transacted levels — a narrow gap that freehold advocates will find easily justified.
Penrose (Hong Leong / CDL, 566 units, 99yr leasehold, TOP 2022, S$1,927 PSF) is positioned S$270–S$310 PSF below Mattar Residences on a leasehold basis. It offers a well-regarded developer brand (CDL’s construction quality track record is among Singapore’s strongest), a more extensive facilities package, and better resale liquidity given its 566-unit scale. For buyers who prioritise developer brand, gross yield, and facilities depth over freehold tenure, Penrose is the more rational D14 choice. The S$310 PSF premium Mattar Residences commands over Penrose represents a significant freehold uplift — roughly S$280,000–S$340,000 in absolute dollar terms on a typical unit — that buyers should consciously price as the cost of permanent title.
Sims Urban Oasis (GuocoLand, 1,024 units, 99yr leasehold, TOP 2017, S$1,758 PSF) represents the older vintage end of the D14 leasehold spectrum. At S$1,758 PSF it is the cheapest of the peer group on a PSF basis, but the 2017 completion date means the building is seven years older than Mattar Residences and units in original condition are beginning to require refresh investment. The implied freehold premium of Mattar Residences over Sims Urban Oasis is approximately S$440–S$480 PSF — the widest gap in the peer set, reflecting both the tenure premium and the vintage premium of a 2023 completion over a 2017 one. Buyers comparing the two should factor S$60,000–S$100,000 of anticipated renovation cost at Sims Urban Oasis into the net acquisition cost comparison.
The Antares (FSKH Development, 265 units, 99yr leasehold, TOP 2021, S$1,833 PSF) is the most boutique of the leasehold peers at 265 units. It is the closest analogue to Mattar Residences in terms of scale philosophy — smaller community, curated facilities, neighbourhood focus — but retains the 99-year leasehold liability and transacts S$366–S$404 PSF below Mattar Residences. For the buyer who values boutique scale but is indifferent to tenure, The Antares at S$1,833 PSF is the natural lower-cost alternative; for the buyer who insists on freehold, Mattar Residences is without a comparable competitor in the immediate D14 neighbourhood.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATTAR RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2023 | 26 | — |
| PARC ESTA | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 1,399 | $2,184 |
| SIMS URBAN OASIS | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2014 | 2020 | 1,024 | $1,762 |
| PENROSE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 566 | $1,928 |
| EUHABITAT | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2010 | 2016 | 697 | $1,326 |
| THE ANTARES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 265 | $1,833 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates MATTAR RESIDENCES across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“The walk to Mattar MRT is genuinely two minutes — I timed it. For a D14 freehold unit at this price, the location alone justifies the decision. The building is brand new and everything is pristine.”
— Owner review via PropertyGuru
“Very quiet living for how close it is to MacPherson and the Paya Lebar belt. Mattar Road itself is low-traffic and the neighbours are mostly owner-occupiers — the boutique size makes for a tight-knit community.”
— Resident comment via 99.co
“I was renting in Parc Esta before buying here. The facilities are obviously smaller but I am the only person in the pool most mornings. That is worth more to me than a lazy river I never used.”
— Owner review via PropertyGuru
“We specifically wanted a freehold unit in D14 without paying D9 or D10 prices. Mattar Residences was the only new-build freehold option that fit our budget. Two years in and no regrets — the finish quality is excellent and the DTL access is unbeatable.”
— Buyer review via EdgeProp
The resident sentiment pattern for Mattar Residences is consistent across platforms: the overwhelming theme is the DTL proximity and the quality-of-life benefit of boutique scale. The Mattar MRT walk time is the single most cited positive, followed by the quietness of the road relative to the activity of the MacPherson and Paya Lebar commercial belts just two to three stops away. The limited facilities are acknowledged but contextualised as an expected and acceptable trade-off given the development’s scale and the richness of the external neighbourhood amenity within walking distance or a single DTL stop. The 2023 finish quality receives consistent praise, with no material complaints about defects or workmanship in the early post-TOP period.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — permanent title in D14, a district dominated by 99-year leasehold stock; no lease decay to plan around
- Mattar MRT (DT25) at 210 metres — under 3-minute walk, among the shortest station-to-condo distances in all of D14
- MacPherson MRT dual-line interchange (CC10/DT26) at 920 metres — Circle Line access for Serangoon, Dhoby Ghaut, Harbourfront
- 2023 TOP — brand-new specifications, full warranty cycle, contemporary kitchen and bathroom fittings requiring zero renovation budget
- Median quantum S$1,517,000 — accessible freehold entry below the S$1.6M mark in an RCR district with strong DTL connectivity
- MacPherson Primary School at 540 metres — within 1 km balloting priority radius under MOE Phase 2C(S) framework
- Four MRT stations across three lines within 1.3 km — DTL, CCL, EWL, NEL all accessible without a car
- Boutique 26-unit scale — pool and gym are effectively private in daily use; MCST community is small and manageable
- Quiet Mattar Road residential setting — low-traffic side street insulated from arterial road noise of the MacPherson and Aljunied corridors
- Low maintenance fees — smaller common facility footprint means lower MCST contribution compared to resort-scale D14 peers
- Only 26 units — thin resale liquidity with fewer than 5 expected transactions per year at maturity, creating wider bid-ask spreads
- Gross yield of 2.77% is below the 3.0–3.5% threshold most D14 rental investors target; not a yield-optimised asset
- Investment score 49/100 — limited transaction history and below-average yield metrics constrain the investment case in the short term
- Only 2 PSF data points (S$2,199–S$2,237) — insufficient to establish a price trend or floor; valuation uncertainty is higher than for peers with 100+ transactions
- Developer not publicly listed — less brand recognition than CDL or Hong Leong, which may affect resale appeal for some buyer profiles
- Minimal common facilities — no tennis court, no resort aquatic deck, no club lounge; external neighbourhood amenities required for lifestyle needs
- Small MCST reserve fund in absolute terms — 26 units sharing major capex events (lift replacements, facade work) with fewer contributors
- No covered walkway to Mattar MRT — the 210m walk, while short, is exposed to rain along part of the route
- 17 rental transactions only — rental market is unproven; yield and vacancy rate data will take 2–3 more years to stabilise
Verdict
Mattar Residences presents a specific and well-defined value proposition: freehold permanence, 2023 specifications, and sub-250m access to Mattar DTL — three attributes that the leasehold majority of the MacPherson–Mattar residential corridor cannot simultaneously replicate at any price. For buyers whose primary objective is acquiring a freehold residential title in D14 without the legacy lease-decay risk that weighs on 99-year stock acquired late in its lease cycle, the development’s pricing in the S$2,199–S$2,237 PSF range is a rational and defensible entry point. The median quantum of S$1,517,000 sits below the threshold where CCR freehold boutiques typically price, making this an RCR freehold entry that combines location quality with capital accessibility.
The investment scorecard requires honest calibration. The gross yield of 2.77% is below the 3.0–3.5% threshold that most property investors target for residential rental assets, and the 17-transaction rental sample is too thin to treat as a reliable steady-state yield estimate. The investment score of 49/100 reflects the early-stage nature of the asset: limited transaction history, below-average yield, and the liquidity constraints inherent in a 26-unit development where fewer than five resale transactions per year can be expected at maturity. Buyers targeting Mattar Residences for yield should pair that expectation with a medium-to-long hold horizon (7–10 years minimum) to allow the freehold appreciation story to compound and the rental history to mature. Pure yield investors seeking 4–5% gross returns will find better options elsewhere.
Mattar Residences is a niche freehold boutique for buyers who understand what they are buying: not a yield machine, not a facilities showcase, but a permanent title on a D14 address with the best MRT proximity of any condominium in its immediate neighbourhood, completed to 2023 standards that require no renovation budget for the foreseeable future.
Against the leasehold D14 field, the comparison is instructive. Parc Esta at S$2,182 PSF is a 1,399-unit, 99-year leasehold development with extensive resort-scale facilities — the antipodal choice in almost every dimension. Penrose at S$1,927 PSF is a 566-unit, 99-year leasehold project with good D14 connectivity and more competitive yield characteristics. Mattar Residences at S$2,199–S$2,237 PSF asks buyers to pay a freehold premium of S$55–S$310 PSF over these leasehold comparables in exchange for permanent title and intimate boutique living. Whether that premium is appropriate depends entirely on the buyer’s hold horizon and preference for tenure security over facilities scale — a distinction that separates the freehold buyer from the leasehold yield investor in a way that no amount of amenity comparison resolves.
The ShiokNest score of 56/100 and walkability of 65/100 are honest reflections of the development’s position: above-average MRT connectivity, reasonable neighbourhood amenity, but limited by its micro scale, thin track record, and below-average investment yield metrics. For the buyer who values freehold permanence, new-build quality, and Mattar DTL proximity above all else, Mattar Residences delivers exactly what it promises. For the buyer who wants strong yield, extensive facilities, or a well-established resale market, the D14 leasehold alternatives are the more appropriate choice.