Tessa Lodge
Overview & Key Facts
Tessa Lodge is a small, freehold boutique development on Mountbatten Road in District 15 — one of the most storied residential addresses in the East Coast belt. Developed by Ohayo International and completed in 2008, its 13 units occupy a five-storey block that sits quietly behind the tree-lined avenue that stretches between the old Marine Parade and Tanjong Katong estates. The address is old Singapore money: Mountbatten Road has for decades been associated with good colonial-era bungalows, mature trees, and a neighbourhood pace that feels removed from the city even as the CBD is barely 15 minutes away.
The numbers tell a focused story. At an average transacted PSF of roughly S$1,630 on a freehold title, Tessa Lodge sits at a significant discount to the new-launch cohort now reshaping the wider D15 corridor — projects like The Continuum (also freehold) are clearing S$2,790 psf, a 41% premium over what Tessa Lodge has transacted. For buyers who value the freehold tenure and the Mountbatten address but cannot justify paying new-launch prices, this kind of gap can represent genuine opportunity.
With only 13 units, Tessa Lodge is one of the smallest private condominiums in the Katong-Mountbatten precinct. That scale is simultaneously the development’s most compelling attribute and its most important caveat — the quiet exclusivity, the unhurried pool, the neighbourly management are all directly a function of size. So too are the thin transaction volumes, the limited comparable data, and the capital-market illiquidity that boutique-scale inevitably carries.
Location & Connectivity
Mountbatten Road is the kind of Singapore address that rarely needs explaining to locals. Running roughly parallel to the East Coast corridor between Katong and the Sports Hub, it retains a low-rise, residential character — generous road widths, mature roadside trees, and a neighbourhood tempo that stands in contrast to the busier East Coast Road shophouse strip two blocks to the south. Tessa Lodge occupies this address with appropriate discretion: no massive arrival gate, no commercial amenities, just a quiet block that asks the street no favours.
The transport picture has improved materially since the Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 4 opening in June 2024. Tanjong Katong MRT (TE25) is approximately 0.52 km away — a comfortable 7-minute walk — giving residents direct TEL access to the CBD at Marina Bay in roughly 15 minutes and to Orchard in around 20 minutes. Marine Parade MRT (TE26) is 0.82 km to the east, a further option for eastbound connectivity. For East Coast residents who lived through the MRT-free years before 2024, the TEL has structurally changed the investment and own-stay calculus for this entire belt.
For drivers, the East Coast Parkway (ECP) is accessible in under three minutes via Fort Road or Tanjong Rhu Road, placing Changi Airport about 15 minutes away and the Marina Bay CBD at roughly 12 minutes off-peak. The Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) is reachable via Tanjong Rhu Road in around eight minutes. Parkway Parade, the east’s main retail hub, is a 10-minute walk along Mountbatten Road. Roxy Square, i12 Katong, and the Marine Parade hawker belt are all within a 1.5 km radius.
Schools & Education
4 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| CHIJ (Katong) Primary | primary | Within 1 km |
| Tanjong Katong Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Tao Nan School | 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
At 13 units, Tessa Lodge is a boutique development in the truest sense: on-site amenities are minimal by design. The development includes a lap pool, a small gymnasium, covered parking, and the essential common area infrastructure, but there is no clubhouse, no tennis court, no children’s waterplay feature, and no dedicated concierge. The pool will almost never be crowded. The gym will typically be available immediately. For residents accustomed to the mega-development experience, the facilities adjustment is real; for those who actively prefer a quieter community model, it is a feature rather than a shortcoming.
“Boutique condominiums on prestige addresses like Mountbatten Road are not competing on facilities — they are competing on exclusivity, neighbourhood character, and the long-term scarcity of freehold land in Districts 14–16. The best analogy is a private townhouse: you are not there for the tennis court.”
— Stacked Homes editorial on boutique condo tradeoffs
The practical economics of boutique-scale management cut two ways. Maintenance levies per unit tend to be lower because the facilities footprint is small and there is no large staff payroll to amortise. Management responsiveness is typically faster — decisions at an MCST AGM with 13 owners are materially simpler than in a 500-unit development. The countervailing risk is sinking-fund concentration: if a major structural repair or lift replacement is required, the cost is divided among 13 rather than 500, which can produce levy spikes that catch unprepared owners. Any buyer should request the latest MCST audited accounts and sinking-fund balance before committing.
Unit Sizes & Layout
Tessa Lodge offers two- and three-bedroom units as well as penthouse configurations, ranging from approximately 990 sq ft to 1,819 sq ft — generous by post-2015 standards for the bedroom counts involved. The 2008 completion date means layouts reflect the pre-efficiency-era norms: rooms are sized for actual furniture, living and dining areas are distinct rather than merged into open-plan strips, and bedrooms have enough width for queen and king frames with meaningful circulation space. Buyers downsizing from landed or older condo stock often find this era’s sizing more liveable than the compact layouts that have become standard in the decade since.
Interior finishings will reflect approximately 18 years of age. Original fittings — kitchen cabinetry, bathroom fixtures, flooring — are serviceable but not premium by current market standards. Most resale buyers should budget S$50,000–80,000 for a meaningful cosmetic refresh, with kitchens and wet areas the standard priority. The upside of the vintage is that the structural fabric of the building is typically more substantial than in leaner post-2015 builds, and the unit sizes mean renovations work with room rather than against it.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 BR | 1 | $1,484 | $1,390,000 |
| 3 BR | 1 | $1,630 | $2,000,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 2 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,390,000 to $2,000,000, averaging $1,695,000.
Rents range from $3,000 to $6,000 per month across 10 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.5%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2024, the average PSF has appreciated by 9.8% (from $1,484 to $1,630 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The D15 comparison landscape in 2024–2026 is dominated by a cluster of large new launches that have reset price expectations for the entire district. Grand Dunman (1,008 units, 99-yr leasehold, S$2,537 psf), Emerald of Katong (846 units, 99-yr leasehold, S$2,640 psf), and Tembusu Grand (638 units, 99-yr leasehold, S$2,461 psf) define the leasehold tier — full-facility mega-developments with developer warranties and fresh 99-year clocks, but quantum levels roughly 50–60% above Tessa Lodge for equivalent bedroom counts. The freehold comparators are more directly relevant: The Continuum (816 units, S$2,790 psf) and Amber Park (592 units, S$2,540 psf) are both freehold and relatively recent, but the PSF gap versus Tessa Lodge is 41–71%. That gap is the central framing question for any buyer at this address.
Tessa Lodge is not competing with these launches on facilities, scale, or newness. It is competing on a different axis entirely: freehold land on a prestigious road, at a PSF that has not yet been repriced to reflect the TEL accessibility uplift or the exceptional school cluster. Within the narrower universe of similarly-sized older freehold boutiques on Mountbatten Road and the surrounding Katong streets, Tessa Lodge’s 2008 vintage, thoughtful floor plate sizes, and location at the heart of the school-catchment belt make it a coherent choice for the buyer who has concluded that paying new-launch prices for a leasehold development is not the value proposition it superficially appears to be.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TESSA LODGE | Freehold | 2008 | 13 | — |
| 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 TESSA LODGE across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“We chose Tessa Lodge for the school proximity — three primary schools within 500 metres is genuinely unusual. The P1 registration stress dropped completely once we confirmed the distance to CHIJ Katong. The development itself is quiet and well-maintained, and the pool is never crowded.”
— Owner-occupier family, via HardwareZone D15 property thread
“The TEL has been a game changer for this address. Before 2024, getting to the CBD without a car was genuinely painful. Now Tanjong Katong MRT is a 7-minute walk and we can be at Marina Bay in 15 minutes. The property value has already started to reflect that.”
— Landlord, review via PropertyGuru community reviews
“Nice quiet place — exactly what Mountbatten Road should feel like. The road itself has good trees and the building is well-run. Facilities are minimal but we knew that going in. The Katong F&B scene is effectively your extended living room.”
— Resident review via 99.co resident reviews
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure on Mountbatten Road — one of D15's most prestigious residential addresses
- 41% PSF discount vs The Continuum (both freehold D15) — compelling relative value
- Three primary schools within 500m: CHIJ Katong Pri, Tanjong Katong Pri, Tao Nan School
- CIS Tanjong Katong (0.65km) and EtonHouse Broadrick (0.63km) for international-school expat tenants
- Tanjong Katong MRT TE25 (0.52km) — TEL opened June 2024, CBD access in ~15 min
- Marine Parade MRT TE26 (0.82km) as secondary TEL option
- Boutique 13-unit scale — uncrowded amenities, fast MCST decisions, discreet community
- Spacious 2008-era floor plates (990–1,819 sq ft) vs cramped post-2015 layouts
- Katong/Mountbatten F&B, East Coast Park, Parkway Parade all within 1.5km
- PSF trend +10% ($1,484 → $1,630) shows consistent capital appreciation
- Gross yield 2.52% — below D15 average; not a yield-play investment
- Only 2 recorded sales transactions — thin data, poor price-discovery liquidity
- Minimal facilities: pool and gym only, no clubhouse or tennis court
- Investment score 41/100 reflects limited transaction history and thin rental data
- Sinking-fund risk concentrated across only 13 owners — major repairs hit harder
- Interior finishings reflect 2008 vintage — expect S$50,000–80,000 refresh budget
- En-bloc potential low (score 45/100) — 13-unit MCST alignment is structurally difficult
- Walkability 58/100 — daily errands require short drive or bus to main retail nodes
- No direct bus interchange on Mountbatten Road; bus access supplementary to MRT
Verdict
Tessa Lodge is a highly specific purchase, and that specificity is a strength rather than a limitation. It is the right property for a small set of buyers who want three things simultaneously: a genuine freehold title, a Mountbatten Road address in one of Singapore’s most culturally and educationally well-served neighbourhoods, and an entry PSF that looks materially different from the new launches now defining the area’s headline pricing. At roughly S$1,630 psf against The Continuum’s S$2,790 psf — both freehold, both District 15 — the 41% discount is a number worth interrogating seriously.
The investment scorecard is mixed but not unfavourable. The yield at 2.52% is modest, which is expected at this quantum for a well-located mid-size freehold unit. Capital appreciation over the medium term is supported by the twin structural tailwinds of the TEL (which meaningfully improved the transport accessibility of this entire belt from 2024) and the permanent school cluster advantage — the proximity to three primary schools inside 500 metres is not replicated elsewhere in D15 at this price point. The en-bloc score of 45/100 is low but not unexpected for a 13-unit development: individual-owner alignment at small MCST scale is difficult, though the freehold land parcel on Mountbatten Road does carry latent redevelopment interest.
For own-stay buyers in the school-registration window or with older children at nearby institutions, Tessa Lodge represents one of the more compelling quiet corners of District 15 — a low-density, freehold development on a leafy road, steps from the TEL, within walking distance of more primary schools than most addresses in Singapore can claim. That combination, at a PSF that still reflects its 2008 vintage, is the central purchase argument.