The Palette
The Palette occupies a distinctive position in Pasir Ris as one of the largest condominium developments in District 18, with 1,804 units spread across a sprawling 99-year leasehold site that began its lease in 2010. Developed by Hong Realty, a subsidiary of City Developments Limited (CDL), the project obtained its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) in 2016 and has since matured into a settled mega-development that exemplifies the suburban family-condo archetype of Singapore's eastern fringe.
What makes The Palette worth examining closely is the interplay between its sheer scale and its locational fundamentals. Mega-developments of this size compete primarily on facilities depth and price-per-square-foot accessibility rather than exclusivity, and The Palette sits within walking distance of Pasir Ris MRT — a station that will become a Cross Island Line (CRL) interchange in the coming years, materially altering the area's transport calculus. For buyers weighing the trade-off between space, lease length, and connectivity upside, the project occupies a specific niche that benefits from careful comparison against neighbouring developments like D'Nest, Coco Palms, Ripple Bay, and The Alps Residences.
This review walks through The Palette's facilities and layout, its location and connectivity, the market context shaping its resale values, and the trade-offs buyers should weigh before committing. Where helpful, we point readers to relevant tools such as the mortgage calculator and the price heatmap for hands-on analysis of their own scenarios.
The Palette's address places it within the heart of Pasir Ris in District 18, an area defined by its proximity to Pasir Ris Park, Downtown East, and the East Coast Park extensions. The most consequential locational asset is Pasir Ris MRT, currently served by the East-West Line (EWL) and slated to become an interchange with the Cross Island Line (CRL) when CRL Phase 1 opens. The CRL interchange is a material future catalyst: it shortens travel times to the Punggol, Hougang, and Bishan corridors significantly and improves orbital connectivity to the rest of the island without requiring a transfer at the city centre.
For drivers, the Tampines Expressway (TPE) and Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) provide direct access to the CBD (approximately 25 to 35 minutes off-peak) and to Changi Airport (a brief 10 to 15 minute drive). Buyers comparing commute times should use the commute time map to model their specific workplace before committing.
The amenity ecosystem around The Palette is unusually deep for a suburban condo. White Sands Shopping Centre, Downtown East (with its retail, F&B, and Wild Wild Wet water park), and the Pasir Ris Town Park sit within a 10 to 15 minute walk. Pasir Ris Park itself — one of Singapore's largest coastal parks — is directly accessible and provides a meaningful lifestyle premium that pure-PSF comparisons sometimes understate. Schools within a one-kilometre radius include several primary schools relevant for MOE registration phases, while Hai Sing Catholic, Loyang View Secondary, and the United World College Southeast Asia (East Campus) anchor the secondary tier.
The trade-off, for buyers used to central districts, is that The Palette is firmly in the suburban-East orbit. Trips to Orchard, the CBD, or the city fringe involve a real time commitment, and the area's character is family-residential rather than urbanist. Whether that profile fits depends entirely on the buyer — but for those whose lives anchor around eastern Singapore, the location is a near-best-in-class fit. The URA master plan map is worth consulting for buyers wanting to understand longer-term land-use changes around the site.
Overview & Key Facts
The Palette is an 892-unit leasehold condominium developed by Hong Realty (Private) Limited — a subsidiary of the Hong Leong Group — in partnership with City Developments Limited (CDL). Located at Pasir Ris Grove in District 18, the development was completed in 2016 on a 99-year lease commencing 2010, leaving approximately 83 years remaining. Designed by Architects 61, The Palette comprises 13 blocks of 14 storeys, arranged in a distinctive interlocking wave formation that optimises cross-ventilation and ensures panoramic views from every unit.
The Palette is part of the mammoth Pasir Ris Grove private residential enclave — five condominiums (Livia, NV Residences, The Palette, D’Nest, and Coco Palms) all developed by Hong Leong/CDL, collectively housing over 4,100 units. This makes the enclave one of the largest private residential clusters in Singapore’s east. The shared developer heritage means consistent build quality and coordinated estate management, though it also means ample resale supply competing for the same buyer pool.
At an average of $1,516 psf with 204 resale transactions, a median rent of $3,564, and a gross rental yield of 3.32%, The Palette occupies a solid mass-market position in the OCR. PSF appreciation has been steady — climbing from $1,231 to a peak of $1,525 before a slight recent softening to $1,500. The Hong Leong/CDL pedigree provides reassurance on build quality and estate maintenance, while the Pasir Ris lifestyle — beach, Downtown East entertainment, and abundant parkland — offers a quality of life that inner-city developments simply cannot match at this price point. The key watch item is the 99-year lease: at 83 years remaining today, the development will cross the critical 75-year CPF threshold in approximately 8 years (2034), which will begin to constrain financing options for future buyers.
Location & Connectivity
The Palette sits within the Pasir Ris Grove enclave, a quiet private-residential pocket buffered from the main arterial roads by neighbouring condominiums. The immediate surroundings are exclusively residential — D’Nest to the south, NV Residences and Livia to the north, and Coco Palms further along the grove. This creates a peaceful, insulated environment, though it also means a longer walk to the MRT and main commercial areas compared to developments on Pasir Ris Drive 1.
Daily amenities are a short drive or bus ride away. White Sands shopping mall sits adjacent to Pasir Ris MRT, offering NTUC FairPrice, a food court, banks, clinics, and essential retail. Across the road, Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre serves affordable local food. For larger shopping trips, the IKEA Tampines, Giant Hypermarket, and Courts megastore cluster is a quick drive down Pasir Ris Drive 1. Sheng Siong Supermarket on Pasir Ris Drive 8 is the closest option for daily grocery runs.
The Pasir Ris lifestyle is The Palette’s underappreciated asset. Pasir Ris Park — with its mangrove boardwalk, beach, BBQ pits, and cycling trails — is approximately 1.5 km away. NTUC Downtown East, featuring Wild Wild Wet waterpark, bowling, cinemas, and chalet accommodation, is within a 5-minute drive. Pasir Ris is the only planning area in Singapore where the town centre sits within 500 metres of coastal parkland — a unique positioning that resonates strongly with families and outdoor enthusiasts.
The school catchment includes White Sands Primary School (580 m) and Pasir Ris Secondary (750 m), both within comfortable distance. Elias Park Primary and Coral Primary are also within the 1 km priority-enrolment radius. For secondary options, Pasir Ris Crest Secondary and Meridian Secondary serve the wider estate.
Schools & Education
3 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| White Sands Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Pasir Ris Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Brighton College (Singapore) | international | Within 1 km |
| Pasir Ris Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Elias Park Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School | secondary | ~1.0 km |
| Stamford American International School | international | ~1.1 km |
| Meridian Secondary School | secondary | ~1.1 km |
Facilities
For an 892-unit development, The Palette delivers a generous and well-designed facilities suite. The centrepiece is a trio of infinity-edge swimming pools — a main 50-metre lap pool, a family leisure pool, and a children’s wading pool — complemented by jacuzzi spas and a cascade water feature. The aquatic provision is well above average for a mass-market OCR development and benefits from the north-south block orientation that provides afternoon shade across the pool deck.
The clubhouse anchors the social facilities: a well-equipped gymnasium, function room for events, and a reading lounge. Outdoors, residents have access to a tennis court, BBQ pavilions scattered across landscaped gardens, a children’s adventure playground, a reflexology path, and hammock alcoves nestled among the mature planting. The development’s landscape design — featuring cascading pools, a rustic eco pond, and scenic elevated walkways — creates a resort-like atmosphere that elevates the daily living experience. An EV charging area provides practical future-proofing as electric vehicle adoption accelerates.
“Massive private complex with well maintained facilities. 8 years living here as of 2024 and the upkeep has been consistently good. The pools are always clean, the gardens are well tended, and security is responsive. For a large development, it never feels overcrowded at the facilities.”
— Long-term owner-occupier, 8 years, (PropertyGuru review)
At 892 units sharing these facilities, utilisation is higher than boutique developments but manageable — residents report that the three-pool design effectively distributes swimmers, and BBQ pits can be booked without excessive waiting even on weekends. The two-level basement car park provides one lot per unit, with visitor parking that can be tight during peak periods. MCST maintenance has been well-regarded, with the Hong Leong/CDL managing agent maintaining a high standard of upkeep across the common areas, landscaping, and mechanical systems.
Unit Sizes & Layout
The Palette offers nine unit configurations spanning 495 to 2,562 square feet: 1-bedroom (495 sqft), 2-bedroom (657–732 sqft), 2-bedroom + study (786 sqft), 3-bedroom (915–1,076 sqft), 3-bedroom + study (1,130 sqft), 4-bedroom (1,292–1,356 sqft), 4-bedroom dual key (1,292 sqft), 4-bedroom + study penthouse (2,228 sqft), and 5-bedroom penthouse (2,562 sqft). The breadth of this unit mix — from compact singles-friendly 1-bedders to expansive penthouses — is a hallmark of Hong Leong’s mass-market approach and makes The Palette accessible to a wide range of household profiles.
The defining architectural feature is the interlocking wave formation of the 13 blocks, which creates generous block-to-block spacing and ensures that most units enjoy unobstructed views and natural cross-ventilation. The north-south orientation of the main facades maximises exposure to prevailing breezes while minimising direct afternoon sun — a meaningful advantage for energy efficiency and indoor comfort in Singapore’s equatorial climate. Layouts are functional with minimal wasted corridor space; kitchens in 3-bedroom units and above are enclosed by default, which is practical for families who cook regularly.
The 4-bedroom dual-key configuration deserves specific mention: it allows owners to partition the unit into a main 3-bedroom apartment and a separate studio, each with independent access. This format is popular with multi-generational families and investors who rent out one portion while occupying the other — a configuration that the strong rental market in Pasir Ris (919 rental transactions recorded) readily supports.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 BR | 6 | $1,406 | $696,000 |
| 1 BR | 9 | $1,352 | $706,556 |
| 2 BR | 74 | $1,303 | $1,051,842 |
| 3 BR | 97 | $1,339 | $1,486,655 |
| 4 BR | 26 | $1,275 | $1,828,615 |
| 5 BR | 2 | $1,201 | $2,810,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 214 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $622,000 to $2,890,000, averaging $1,335,237 (~$1,538 psf).
Rents range from $1,500 to $8,000 per month across 928 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.2%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 40.3% (from $1,111 to $1,558 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Within the Pasir Ris corridor, The Palette ($1,516 psf, 99-year from 2010, ~83 years remaining) competes with three primary alternatives. Pasir Ris 8 ($1,678 psf, 99-year from 2019) is the newest integrated development in the area, directly connected to Pasir Ris MRT via a covered walkway and integrated with a retail mall. It commands a 10.7% PSF premium over The Palette, justified by its MRT integration, newer lease (94 years remaining), and mixed-use convenience. For buyers who prioritise transport access above all else, Pasir Ris 8 is the obvious choice — but at a meaningful price premium.
Treasure at Tampines ($1,584 psf, 99-year from 2019) is Singapore’s largest condominium with 2,203 units, offering unmatched facility scale (128 facilities including 6 pools) and proximity to Simei MRT. At a 4.5% premium to The Palette, Treasure offers a newer lease and superior MRT access, but the sheer unit count creates intense resale competition and potential capital appreciation drag. Both mega-developments share the challenge of supply-side pricing pressure.
Parktown Residence ($2,369 psf, 99-year from 2023) represents the premium new-launch tier in Tampines, commanding a 56% PSF premium over The Palette. The price gap reflects brand-new finishes, a full 99-year lease runway, and direct integration with Tampines North MRT on the Cross Island Line. For buyers with the budget, Parktown is the future-proof option — but The Palette offers a comparable lifestyle at dramatically lower absolute cost, with the trade-off of a shorter lease tail.
Within the Pasir Ris Grove enclave itself, The Palette competes with its siblings: D’Nest (912 units, slightly newer), Coco Palms (944 units, closest to MRT), NV Residences (642 units), and Livia (724 units, oldest). Coco Palms generally commands the highest PSF within the enclave due to its proximity to the MRT, while Livia trades at the lowest. The Palette sits in the middle, offering a balance of facilities, age, and pricing.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE PALETTE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2010 | 2016 | 1,804 | $1,538 |
| TREASURE AT TAMPINES | 99-year leasehold | 2023 | 2,203 | $1,588 |
| PARKTOWN RESIDENCE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2023 | 2025 | 1,193 | $2,367 |
| AURELLE OF TAMPINES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 760 | $1,769 |
| TENET | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2021 | 2022 | 618 | $1,386 |
| RIVELLE TAMPINES | 99 years leasehold | — | — | $1,933 |
Lease Decay Analysis
The 99-year lease runs from 2010, meaning approximately 16 years have already been consumed. Roughly 83 years remain — still comfortably within the range where most banks will offer full financing without restrictions.
| Year | Lease remaining | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (now) | ~83 years | Full bank financing available |
| 2040 | ~69 years | CPF usage still unrestricted for most buyers |
| 2049 | ~59 years | Approaching 60-year threshold — CPF limits begin for some |
| 2069 | ~39 years | Significant financing restrictions for next buyer |
| 2109 | 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 ~73 years remaining, which is still very bankable. The risk profile changes for longer holds.
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE PALETTE across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“I’ve lived here for a year and enjoyed it very much. The condo has beautiful greenery and very friendly neighbours. The pools are great — three different areas so you always find space. We walk to Downtown East on weekends with the kids for Wild Wild Wet and bowling. Pasir Ris Park is a short cycle away for the mangrove trail. It’s a completely different lifestyle from when we lived in Toa Payoh.”
— Owner-occupier, three-bedroom + study, since 2023 (PropertyGuru)
“Well designed and constructed by a reputable developer. Facilities are more than adequate and in some cases premium despite catering to the mass market. The eco pond and elevated walkways make evening strolls really pleasant. My only gripe is the walk to MRT — 10 minutes in the rain without shelter is not fun, but the shuttle bus helps. Waiting for the Cross Island Line to change the game.”
— Owner-occupier, four-bedroom, since 2017 (99.co review)
“Bought a 2-bedder here as an investment in 2020 at around $1,250 psf. Tenanted within 10 days at $2,800 for a 2-bed — now getting $3,200 on renewal. The Changi airport and business park crowd drives consistent rental demand. Yield is decent at around 3.3%. Maintenance is well run by the MCST. The main risk I see is the lease — already down to 83 years and some banks are starting to ask questions for 30-year loans.”
— Investor-owner, two-bedroom, since 2020 (EdgeProp forum)
The Palette's facilities provision is, in keeping with its 1,804-unit headcount, exhaustive. The development clusters multiple swimming pools across its land parcel, including a 50-metre lap pool, family pool, jacuzzi zones, and dedicated children's water-play areas. A full-perimeter clubhouse hosts a gymnasium, function rooms, reading lounges, and karaoke facilities, while landscaped gardens and themed precincts give the development a resort-like circulation grid rather than a single central spine.
The unit mix spans one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom dual-key configurations, with the bulk of inventory concentrated in two- and three-bedroom layouts oriented toward owner-occupier families. Typical floor plates favour efficient rectangular layouts, and stack orientation across the site means a meaningful share of units enjoy unobstructed views over Pasir Ris Park or the inland greenery, though buyers should verify orientation on a per-stack basis using the scoring map to gauge amenity proximity.
Layout efficiency varies by stack and floor. The lower-floor units in some blocks face other internal blocks across courtyards, which affects natural light and privacy — a typical mega-development trade-off. Higher floors and corner stacks command meaningful premia in the resale market, and these are the units that have historically held value best. For buyers prioritising layout quality over price, the total cost calculator can help model the all-in difference between a budget low-floor unit and a premium high-floor stack.
Carpark provision is generous by Singapore mega-condo standards, with multi-storey parking spread across several decks. Security follows the standard guard-house plus card-access pattern. Maintenance fees, given the scale of facilities, sit in line with comparable mega-developments — buyers should factor this into their long-term holding cost analysis via the cash flow calculator rather than relying on the headline price alone.
The most direct comparables for The Palette within Pasir Ris and the immediate eastern Tampines fringe are D'Nest, Coco Palms, Ripple Bay, and The Alps Residences. Each shares broadly similar leasehold tenure (99-year, with lease commencement dates spanning 2012 to 2015), mega-development scale, and a suburban family-oriented buyer profile — which makes them genuine substitutes in the resale market.
D'Nest sits a short distance from The Palette and offers a comparable facilities suite. It tends to trade at a similar PSF band, with the difference between the two often coming down to specific stack, orientation, and unit condition rather than fundamental project quality. Buyers indifferent between the two should run direct unit-to-unit comparisons using the comparison tool.
Coco Palms in Pasir Ris is positioned slightly more upmarket in its branding and offers a stronger resort-themed identity, with extensive landscaping and water features. Its lease commencement is more recent (2014), giving buyers a marginal lease-length advantage — typically worth a small PSF premium that the market does, in fact, reflect.
Ripple Bay sits closer to the Pasir Ris coast and benefits from sea-facing stacks for a meaningful share of its inventory — an amenity that commands a clear and persistent premium for units that genuinely enjoy the view. For non-sea-facing stacks, however, the comparison reverts to a more typical mega-condo trade-off and pricing largely tracks The Palette.
The Alps Residences in Tampines (technically outside Pasir Ris proper) competes on the basis of newer lease commencement (2016) and proximity to the Tampines commercial node rather than the Pasir Ris coast. Buyers prioritising commute to Changi Business Park or Tampines retail may prefer it; those prioritising park access and the future CRL interchange typically favour The Palette.
For systematic side-by-side analysis, the compare tool lets buyers stack The Palette against any of these four projects on PSF, transaction volume, and historical trajectory. The stamp duty calculator is useful for modelling the all-in entry cost under different buyer profiles (Singaporean, PR, or foreigner), and the GLS sites map helps contextualise upcoming nearby supply that could influence resale dynamics.
Who review-the-palette fits best
Three buyer archetypes most clearly map to this project (as of 2026-05):
- End-user families who value the facility load and intend to occupy 5+ years — refer to strengths and risks above.
- Yield investors with HDB+1 portfolios diversifying into OCR/RCR stock — verify gross-yield maths via our rental-yield calculator (as of 2026-05).
- HDB upgraders graduating from a 5-room flat — confirm TDSR headroom via the affordability calculator and TDSR check.
The Palette earns its place in Pasir Ris as a competent, well-priced mega-development that serves its target buyer — the suburban-East family or investor seeking liquid resale, deep facilities, and proximity to a future CRL interchange — without pretending to be anything else. It is not a prestige address, nor does it command the per-square-foot premium of central or city-fringe locations. What it offers, instead, is scale-driven liquidity, layout breadth, and a locational thesis that improves materially when the CRL extension comes online.
Owner-occupiers prioritising family living, school proximity, and lifestyle amenities like Pasir Ris Park and Downtown East will find the value proposition straightforward. The trade-off — distance from the CBD and central-district amenities — is a settled feature of the eastern Singapore profile rather than a project-specific weakness. Buyers who specifically want this orbit will be well served; those who would rather be closer to town should look elsewhere.
Investors should focus on stack and floor selection. The PSF dispersion within The Palette is wide enough that two ostensibly similar units can deliver materially different rental yields and resale price trajectories. The affordability calculator, TDSR calculator, and refinancing calculator are useful for confirming that the financing envelope works under conservative rate assumptions before committing to a specific unit. Buyers using CPF should also sanity-check eligibility with the HDB grant calculator if they are upgrading from public housing.
On balance, The Palette is a reasonable buy at the right price, on the right stack, for the right buyer. The CRL catalyst is real but not imminent in its full effect, and pricing reflects this in a fair rather than speculative manner. Buyers who can identify a well-oriented, higher-floor unit at a transaction-supported PSF should find that the development holds value adequately over a typical 7 to 10 year hold. For those still weighing alternatives, the decoupling calculator can help model strategies for couples planning to retain optionality on a second purchase.
The Palette's resale market behaviour reflects both its mega-development profile and the broader trajectory of D18 pricing. PSF benchmarks for the project have historically traded at a meaningful discount to newer launches in the district and a more modest discount to comparable mature condos of the same vintage. Transaction volumes are healthy by virtue of unit count alone — with 1,804 units, the development consistently records a higher monthly transaction throughput than smaller boutique projects in the area, which supports liquidity and price discovery.
Buyers analysing The Palette should benchmark its PSF trajectory against the broader district using the price heatmap and review yield prospects via the rental yield map. Rental demand in Pasir Ris is supported by expatriate families seeking proximity to Changi Business Park, the United World College, and the wider Tampines commercial cluster — a tenant pool that values larger floor plates and family-friendly facilities over central-district prestige.
The 99-year leasehold tenure, dating from 2010, means The Palette has approximately 83 years of lease remaining as of this review (the lease was issued in 2010 and depreciates linearly under CPF and bank financing rules). This is well within the comfortable financing band for now, but buyers planning a long-term hold should model lease-decay impact using the lease decay calculator — the inflection points for CPF usage (60 years remaining) and bank LTV (35 years for full LTV) sit comfortably in the future but become more relevant for second-cycle resale buyers in the 2030s and 2040s.
For investors specifically, the ROI calculator and cash flow calculator are useful for stress-testing financing assumptions under both current and stressed mortgage rates. The Pasir Ris rental market has historically produced gross yields in the mid-3 to low-4 percent range for projects of this profile, with some variation by unit size and orientation. The new launches map is also a useful reference for tracking incoming supply in the surrounding catchment.