The Regalia
Overview & Key Facts
The Regalia occupies one of the most strategically enviable plots in Singapore’s Core Central Region — a corner site at the junction of River Valley Road and River Valley Close in District 9, completed by Kanopy Investment Pte Ltd (Far East Organization) in 1993. Standing 22 storeys on a 63,371 sqft freehold land parcel, the development comprises 112 apartments and 4 penthouses across a single tower, with unit configurations ranging from generously proportioned 3-bedroom layouts (from approximately 1,216 sqft) up to spacious 4-bedroom units and penthouses reaching 2,648 sqft. In an era when new-launch condo units in the same district average 700–900 sqft, The Regalia’s unit sizes reflect a bygone standard of spatial generosity.
The development’s freehold tenure is the headline proposition in a market where the majority of new CCR launches — River Green, Irwell Hill Residences, Kopar at Newton — are 99-year leasehold. At approximately S$2,203 psf on a 12-month average, The Regalia trades at a meaningful discount to its nearest freehold peer The Avenir ($3,190 psf) while offering the same land permanency. The 30-year vintage means buyers pay for location and tenure rather than brand-new fittings — a calculation that has historically rewarded patient, long-horizon D9 investors.
En-bloc potential adds a layer of optionality uncommon in newer developments. The Regalia has been formally launched for collective sale at S$403 million ($1,892 psf ppr), and with a permissible plot ratio of 3.36 that could yield approximately 302 new homes on the site, the redevelopment economics are compelling. The ShiokNest en-bloc score of 62/100 — driven by site area, plot ratio, and dual road frontage — confirms the market’s structural interest in the land beneath, even if a formal sale has yet to complete. For buyers willing to underwrite collective-sale timing risk, this optionality is priced into the asset.
Location & Connectivity
River Valley Close sits at the intersection of two of Singapore’s most desirable urban corridors: the Orchard Road shopping belt to the north and the Singapore River waterfront to the south. The Regalia’s address at the corner of River Valley Road positions residents within easy reach of both, in a district that combines the retail and F&B density of prime Orchard with the more human-scaled riverside character of Robertson Quay, Clarke Quay, and the emerging Great World precinct.
The Great World MRT station (TEL, TE15) is just 0.32 km away — a four-to-five minute flat walk — making The Regalia one of the closest condominiums on River Valley Close to a Thomson–East Coast Line node. This is a genuine differentiator for a 1993 development: the TEL opened in 2022, transforming what was once a car-centric corridor into a direct-rail connected district. From Great World, residents have a one-seat ride to Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, and the East Coast without transfers, as well as northward access toward Woodlands and the future Johor Bahru RTS Link interchange. Somerset MRT (NSL) at 0.63 km provides a second node on the North-South Line, with fast connections to Orchard and Raffles Place.
Day-to-day convenience is exceptional. Great World City mall (now rebranded Great World) is essentially at the doorstep — anchored by Cold Storage, a Golden Village multiplex, and a wide F&B offering. The Orchard Road belt, with ION Orchard, Takashimaya, and Wheelock Place, is a 10-minute walk or one MRT stop. The Singapore River promenade and Clarke Quay’s bar and restaurant strip are a 10-minute stroll south. Tanglin Club and the American Club are both under 1 km, making The Regalia a natural fit for expat corporate tenants on generous housing allowances.
Schools & Education
2 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Kheng Cheng School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) | primary | Within 1 km |
| ACS (Junior) | primary | ~1.2 km |
| Outram Secondary School | secondary | ~1.3 km |
| Gan Eng Seng School | secondary | ~1.4 km |
| Gan Eng Seng Primary School | primary | ~1.4 km |
| Singapore Management University | tertiary | ~1.4 km |
| St. Anthony's Primary School | primary | ~1.5 km |
Facilities
The Regalia offers a full complement of 1990s-era condo facilities typical of Far East Organization developments from this period: a swimming pool, tennis court, gymnasium, sauna, and BBQ area, along with 24-hour security and basement carparking. For a 116-unit development, the facilities-to-resident ratio is favourable — the pool and tennis courts are rarely congested, a meaningful contrast to the 300–500 unit mega-developments that dominate newer CCR launches. Residents consistently note the low-density character of the estate as one of its defining qualities: the sense of a private, well-managed boutique community rather than an anonymous high-rise.
The trade-off is vintage. Three decades of use means the facilities carry the specifications of their era — the pool is functional rather than resort-style, the gym is serviceable rather than equipped with the latest Technogym or Life Fitness arrays, and the communal spaces lack the contemporary club-house aesthetic that new-launch CCR buyers increasingly expect. MCST-informed buyers will want to review recent AGM minutes to understand the maintenance reserve position and any deferred capital works. That said, Far East Organization properties in this vintage segment have a reputation for reasonable upkeep, and The Regalia’s low unit count keeps maintenance fees per household manageable relative to its direct peers.
“The pool is never crowded — we have it almost to ourselves on weekday evenings. For a D9 condo it’s a genuinely peaceful environment, not at all like the busier developments on Grange Road.”
— Resident review via Singapore Expats Condo Directory
Parking is managed via a basement carpark, with unit entitlements matching the era’s standard — typically one lot per unit, with additional visitor parking. For a CCR development where many buyers or tenants are car-owning professionals, this is a base expectation met. The dual road frontage (River Valley Road and River Valley Close) provides convenient vehicular ingress/egress and reduces internal circulation conflicts.
Unit Sizes & Layout
The Regalia’s unit mix is built around the spacious 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom formats that were standard practice for Far East Organization CCR developments in the early 1990s. The 112 standard apartments begin at approximately 1,216 sqft for 3-bedroom configurations — a size that comfortably accommodates families and provides a genuine helper’s room and utility area that sub-1,000 sqft new-launch equivalents cannot. The 4-bedroom units and 4 penthouses occupy the upper floors, reaching 2,648 sqft — an almost vanishing unit type in contemporary new-launch inventory, where developers have substituted floor-to-ceiling heights and smart-home features for raw square footage.
The layout ethos of the era is immediately apparent: separate formal and informal zones, generous master bedroom suites, full-size dining rooms, and en-suite bathrooms across multiple bedrooms. These configurations serve multigenerational household living, families with school-age children, and corporate expat tenants requiring genuine guest-room capacity — the natural tenancy profile for a River Valley Close address close to international schools and the Orchard Road expat spine. At a median transacted price of S$2,880,000, the implied price per sqft is accretive versus newer launches in the CCR, where the same capital secures materially less living space.
Buyers targeting rental yield should note the active rental market: 186 rental transactions on record at an average of S$4,871 per month (median S$4,700), producing a gross yield of approximately 1.96%. While subdued relative to suburban condos, this yield is broadly in line with freehold CCR peers and reflects the asset class’s positioning as a capital-growth vehicle with a credible income floor.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 BR | 7 | $2,216 | $2,713,286 |
| 5 BR | 2 | $2,186 | $5,705,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 9 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $2,188,000 to $5,760,000, averaging $3,378,111 (~$2,203 psf).
Rents range from $3,200 to $12,600 per month across 186 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.0%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 27.6% (from $1,799 to $2,296 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Within the D9 freehold landscape, The Regalia’s primary comparison is The Avenir on River Valley Close itself — also freehold, also a boutique-scale development, but a 2022 TOP that commands S$3,190 psf versus The Regalia’s S$2,203 psf. The 45% premium for new-build fittings and contemporary amenities is a value judgement: buyers who are disciplined on renovation budget can close much of the gap for S$150,000–S$250,000 per unit, effectively acquiring D9 freehold land at a structural discount. EdgeProp’s transaction data shows The Regalia’s 12-month PSF range of S$2,134–S$2,508, confirming the pricing breadth across renovated and un-renovated stock.
Against the 99-year leasehold new launches, the comparison is one of asset class rather than direct price. Irwell Hill Residences (S$2,726 psf, 99-year, 540 units) offers full resort-style facilities and a modern finish premium, but the leasehold clock has been running since 2023. River Green (S$3,134 psf, 99-year) commands the highest PSF in the immediate micro-market but on a lease that began depreciating from launch. Kopar at Newton (S$2,512 psf, 99-year) sits at the more accessible end of the CCR leasehold spectrum. For buyers who intend to hold for 15+ years or pass the asset to the next generation, The Regalia’s freehold title is not merely a marketing term — it is a structurally different risk profile. A 30-year-old freehold property has not depreciated; the same 30 years off a 99-year lease would leave 69 years remaining, at which point bank financing constraints and resale market interest begin to narrow materially.
The en-bloc dimension further differentiates the competitive positioning. The Regalia’s S$403 million collective sale attempt at S$1,892 psf ppr — citing dual road frontage, a 3.36 plot ratio, and the potential for ~302 new homes on the 63,371 sqft site — places a floor under the asset value that purely owner-occupied or rental-yield condos do not possess. Comparable 2018 collective sales in the River Valley corridor, such as Pacific Mansion at S$980 million ($1,987 psf ppr), establish a credible reference frame. URA’s development control guidelines for the site’s planning zone underpin the redevelopment mathematics.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE REGALIA | Freehold | 1993 | 116 | $2,203 |
| IRWELL HILL RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 540 | $2,726 |
| RIVER GREEN | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 524 | $3,134 |
| RIVER MODERN | 99 years leasehold | — | — | $3,234 |
| THE AVENIR | Freehold | 2021 | 376 | $3,190 |
| KOPAR AT NEWTON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 378 | $2,512 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE REGALIA across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Best location in River Valley — you can walk to Great World City for groceries, to Clarke Quay for dinner, and to Orchard Road in 15 minutes. The MRT coming in 2022 was the icing on the cake. I’ve lived here 8 years and don’t plan to move.”
— Resident review via Singapore Expats Condo Directory
“Good condo for city living — convenient to shopping, restaurants and the river. Units are big and cosy by today’s standards. Infrastructure is showing age in some areas but the location is irreplaceable.”
— Resident review via Singapore Expats Condo Directory
“Expats will find this ideal — close to international schools along Grange Road and Clemenceau Avenue, a short cab to the CBD, and a genuine community feel you lose in the larger towers. Rental rates are relatively affordable for District 9 and the unit sizes are far larger than anything comparable at this price point.”
— Tenant review via Singapore Expats Condo Directory
The consistent resident and tenant sentiment reflects a development that performs strongly on the dimensions that matter most for River Valley Close: location accessibility, unit space, and community character. The main friction points — aging interior finishes in un-renovated units and the standard 1990s amenity package — are specific and manageable. The relatively modest unit count (116 total) produces a sense of genuine community cohesion that resonates in reviews across platforms, with multiple residents noting the pool and facilities feel “never overcrowded.” Expat tenant demand from MNC professionals and families connected to the nearby international school corridor has historically kept The Regalia’s occupancy rates healthy even during broader market soft patches.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold CCR title — perpetual tenure at ~S$2,203 psf, well below The Avenir (S$3,190 psf freehold peer)
- Great World MRT (TEL) just 0.32 km — 4–5 min walk, among the closest on River Valley Close
- Walkability 89/100 — Cold Storage, Great World City, Clarke Quay, Orchard all within walking distance
- Generous unit sizes from ~1,216 sqft (3BR) to 2,648 sqft (penthouse) — rare in new-launch CCR inventory
- Active rental market: 186 transactions, avg S$4,871/mth — strong expat corporate tenant demand
- Low-density boutique estate (116 units) — pool and tennis court rarely congested
- Strong school cluster: Kheng Cheng (0.29km), Fairfield Methodist Primary (0.32km), ACS Junior (1.21km)
- En-bloc optionality: launched at S$403m ($1,892 psf ppr) — dual road frontage and plot ratio 3.36
- Somerset MRT (NSL) also walkable at 0.63 km — dual-line access to CBD and Orchard
- PSF appreciation trend: ~$1,799 → $2,226 → $2,296 psf (confirmed upward trajectory)
- Low gross yield at 1.96% — freehold CCR is a capital-growth play, not income-generating
- 1993 vintage: facilities and interiors require renovation budget (est. S$150k–250k+ per unit)
- En-bloc overhang: successful collective sale forces exit — uncertainty for buyers needing certainty of tenure
- Only 9 sales in last 12 months — low liquidity makes comparable pricing analysis thin
- Gym and clubhouse amenities lag contemporary new-launch CCR competitors
- Street-level noise possible on River Valley Road-facing lower floors — high floors preferred
- MCST sinking fund: buyers should request AGM minutes to assess deferred capital works
- Competing leasehold new launches offer superior new-build finishes at similar quantum
Verdict
The Regalia is a compelling niche proposition for the buyer who understands what they are purchasing: freehold land title in Singapore’s Core Central Region, at a 30% discount to its nearest new-launch freehold peer, with a genuine TEL MRT node at 0.32 km, and a structural en-bloc optionality that younger developments cannot offer. For families requiring generous living space in a low-density boutique environment steps from Great World and the Singapore River, it delivers on fundamentals that no 700 sqft new-launch CCR unit can replicate.
The weaknesses are real and transparent. At 1.96% gross yield, The Regalia is not an income instrument — CCR freehold makes sense as a capital-growth and legacy-holding play, not a cash-flow generator. The 1993 vintage means facilities and interiors require a renovation budget for buyers expecting contemporary finishes, and prospective owners should review MCST reserve funds carefully before committing. The en-bloc overhang creates uncertainty for buyers with a 3–7 year horizon: a successful collective sale is transformative financially but may force an exit on someone else’s timeline. Long-horizon buyers comfortable with this optionality are differently positioned from those who need certainty of occupation over a fixed period.
Against the competitive set, the framing is clear. Irwell Hill Residences at S$2,726 psf (99-year) and River Green at S$3,134 psf (99-year) are modern developments with superior amenity packages but structurally different asset profiles — they are leasehold. The Avenir at S$3,190 psf is freehold but priced at a 45% premium to The Regalia. Kopar at Newton at S$2,512 psf (99-year) sits between the two in price but on a leasehold clock. For the value-oriented CCR buyer who prizes freehold tenure, Great World MRT walkability, and the optionality of a site with clear redevelopment economics, The Regalia presents a case that the alternatives do not.