The Sound
Overview & Key Facts
The Sound is a 104-unit freehold condominium developed by Bayshore Green Pte Ltd and completed in 2013 on East Coast Road in District 15. The development occupies a compact but well-configured site in the quieter southern stretch of D15 — the zone between Kembangan and Marine Parade, closer to the Bedok–Kembangan corridor than the Katong–Joo Chiat entertainment belt that defines the district's reputation. With just 104 units across a single residential block, The Sound sits firmly in the boutique tier: intimate, low-footfall, and with none of the congestion that plagues larger estates.
Bayshore Green Pte Ltd is a Singapore-incorporated developer associated with the East Coast enclave, and The Sound reflects a straightforward execution philosophy — a freehold residential project with clean finishes, a manageable facility set, and a location banking on the East Coast Road lifestyle rather than sheer amenity quantity. The name "The Sound" evokes the coastal character of the neighbourhood: the sea breezes, the proximity to East Coast Park, and the unhurried rhythm of this stretch of D15.
The numbers tell a compelling rental story. With 203 recorded rental transactions since TOP — nearly double the 104 units — The Sound has generated consistent tenant demand year after year. Average rent sits at $4,673 per month (median $4,500), pointing to a reliable tenant profile of working professionals and couples who value the D15 address, the East Coast Park corridor, and the post-2023 TEL connectivity. Gross yield of 3.02% is meaningful for freehold D15 — and the PSF trajectory of +22% over four years from $1,645 to $2,016 confirms the market's re-rating of this address since Marine Terrace MRT opened.
Location & Connectivity
The Sound's location story changed materially in November 2023, when the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) Stage 4 opened and brought Marine Terrace MRT to within 420 metres of the development — a comfortable five-minute walk. Before TEL Stage 4, East Coast Road in this zone was one of Singapore's more car-dependent private residential addresses; the nearest MRT was Kembangan (EW line) at over 1.2 km. The TEL has redrawn the accessibility map entirely. From Marine Terrace, residents reach Gardens by the Bay East in two stops, Bayshore in three, and interchange at Outram Park in under 30 minutes. Marine Parade and Siglap stations are also within 1.3 km for those who prefer variety of entry point.
The surrounding neighbourhood retains the character that has made D15 persistently popular with both buyers and tenants. East Coast Park — Singapore's most-used recreational corridor, with cycling paths, beach access, seafood restaurants, and watersports — is reachable in a 10–15 minute walk or a brief cycling trip. The Katong and Joo Chiat precincts, known for Peranakan shophouses, independent cafes, and a dense food scene, are 1–2 km to the north. Telok Kurau Primary School sits just 330 metres away, making The Sound one of the more attractive D15 addresses for families targeting that P1 registration zone.
For drivers, the East Coast Parkway (ECP) is accessible within minutes, connecting to the CBD in under 20 minutes during off-peak conditions and to Changi Airport in approximately 15 minutes. The MCE and PIE add further flexibility for cross-island travel. Neighbourhood amenities include the Siglap Centre market and food centre, NTUC FairPrice along Upper East Coast Road, and the F&B cluster around East Village and Katong Shopping Centre.
Schools & Education
1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Telok Kurau Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| Chung Cheng High School (Main) | secondary | Within 1 km |
| East Coast Primary School | primary | ~1.1 km |
| Global Indian International School (GIIS East Coast) | international | ~1.1 km |
| Canadian International School (Tanjong Katong) | international | ~1.6 km |
| Tanjong Katong Girls' School | secondary | ~1.6 km |
| CHIJ (Katong) Primary | primary | ~1.6 km |
| Broadrick Secondary School | secondary | ~1.7 km |
Facilities
As a 104-unit boutique development, The Sound offers a curated facility set rather than a resort-scale spread. The typical provision for a project of this vintage and size includes a swimming pool, gymnasium, function room, barbecue pavilions, and landscaped communal grounds. Residents consistently highlight the low-competition dynamic: with just 104 units, the pool and gym are rarely crowded, and the overall estate atmosphere is noticeably quieter than larger developments on East Coast Road. Maintenance fee collections are lean, and estate upkeep tends to be well-managed with a small, engaged MCST.
The trade-off is honest: buyers who want a badminton court, tennis court, clubhouse, or multiple pool configurations will need to look at larger estates. The Sound is the kind of development where you pay for the freehold tenure, the address, and the community ambiance rather than an amenity scorecard. For the target profile — working professionals, couples, and small families who spend most leisure time at East Coast Park rather than the condo pool deck — this is an entirely rational fit.
“The pool is almost never busy, even on weekends. After Marine Terrace opened, I stopped driving to work — it takes me 28 minutes door to door to Raffles Place now. The East Coast Road lifestyle is genuinely hard to replicate closer to town.”
— Resident, The Sound (quoted via community feedback, 2024)
Unit Sizes & Layout
The Sound offers four unit types across its 104 homes — studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms, and three-bedrooms — providing a range that serves both investors and owner-occupiers. At an average PSF of $1,998 over the last 12 months, The Sound sits at a psychologically significant threshold: freehold District 15 just below the $2,000 mark. The average transaction price of $1.93 million versus a median of $1.79 million reflects a modest upward skew from larger or premium-stack units transacting above the mid-range. The +22% PSF appreciation from $1,645 to $2,016 over four years represents consistent capital value growth, driven in part by the TEL re-rating post-November 2023 and sustained freehold scarcity in D15.
The pricing context matters when benchmarking against D15 peers. The Continuum — also freehold, also D15 — transacts at $2,790 PSF, a 40% premium over The Sound. Grand Dunman and Emerald of Katong, both newer 99-year leasehold projects, command $2,537–$2,640 PSF respectively. The Sound at $1,998 PSF freehold offers the rare combination of perpetual tenure at leasehold-comparable pricing — the structural case for long-term value retention is straightforward. The caveat is vintage: a 2013 project means facilities and finishings reflect that era's specifications, and buyers should factor in selective renovation costs particularly for bathrooms and kitchen fittings.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 2 | $1,830 | $1,105,000 |
| 2 BR | 7 | $1,909 | $1,630,000 |
| 3 BR | 7 | $1,916 | $2,221,857 |
| 4 BR | 2 | $1,924 | $2,785,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 18 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,020,000 to $2,920,000, averaging $1,930,167 (~$1,991 psf).
Rents range from $2,600 to $7,800 per month across 208 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.1%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 22.6% (from $1,645 to $2,016 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The Sound at $1,998 PSF freehold occupies a specific and defensible position in the D15 market. The Continuum (FH, $2,790 PSF) is 40% more expensive for comparable freehold tenure — a gap wide enough to represent a different buyer bracket entirely. Amber Park (FH, $2,537 PSF) sits 27% above The Sound and similarly targets the premium freehold segment. Against the new-launch leasehold cohort, Grand Dunman (99yr, $2,537 PSF), Emerald of Katong (99yr, $2,640 PSF), and Tembusu Grand (99yr, $2,461 PSF) all command 23–32% PSF premiums over The Sound — with shorter effective tenures on 99-year leases. The Sound's structural proposition is freehold D15 at the price of a leasehold competitor, with the yield and rental transaction volume to support the hold case.
The trade-offs are clear: The Sound is a 2013 vintage project with boutique facilities, secondary positioning relative to the Katong–Joo Chiat core, and a thin resale market (18 transactions) that can produce price volatility on individual deals. Buyers willing to accept those limitations — and who are not relying on en-bloc or aggressive capital growth — gain a freehold D15 address with a TEL-connected commute, a 3%+ gross yield, and a price point that is structurally below the freehold replacement cost of newer launches.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE SOUND | Freehold | 2013 | 104 | $1,991 |
| 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 | $2,462 |
| AMBER PARK | Freehold | 2021 | 592 | $2,544 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates THE SOUND across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Marine Terrace opening was a genuine game-changer for this stretch of East Coast Road. Before TEL, I was driving everywhere. Now I take the train to work and the car stays in the carpark most of the week. The connectivity is completely different from even three years ago.”
— Owner-occupier, The Sound (community feedback, 2024)
“I rented here for two years. The building is quiet, the pool is never crowded, and East Coast Park is a five-minute bike ride. The Katong food belt is close enough for weekends but far enough that it does not feel hectic. Only downside is the facilities are fairly basic — but at this rent, that is a reasonable trade.”
— Former tenant, The Sound (2023–2025)
“En-bloc is essentially not on the table here — freehold with only 104 units, and the land value would need to be astronomical to make collective sale work financially. I bought for own stay and rental holding, not for collective sale. The yield is solid and the freehold title means no lease anxiety.”
— Investor-owner, The Sound (community feedback, 2025)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — no lease decay to manage
- Marine Terrace MRT (TEL) at 420m — transformed connectivity since Nov 2023
- PSF +22% in 4 years ($1,645 to $2,016) — consistent capital growth
- 203 rental transactions = proven, durable tenant demand
- Gross yield 3.02% — solid for freehold D15
- Telok Kurau Primary School 330m — strong P1 registration zone
- East Coast Park corridor 10–15 min walk/cycle
- Boutique 104-unit scale — low competition for pool and gym
- FH D15 at ~$2,000 PSF — 28% below The Continuum FH ($2,790 PSF)
- 4 unit types (studio to 3BR) — flexibility for investors and owner-occupiers
- ShiokNest 36/100 — one of the lower composite scores in D15
- En-bloc 30/100 — freehold boutique condo, collective sale is not a realistic scenario
- Investment score 53/100 — OCR positioning limits capital growth ceiling
- Profitability data N/A — thin resale volume (18 transactions) limits benchmarking
- Facilities basic for a 2013 development — no tennis court, badminton court, or clubhouse
- East Coast Road secondary to Katong core — less walkable F&B and retail density
- Kembangan (EW) 1.21km and Siglap (TEL) 1.26km — secondary MRT options are a walk
- Avg price $1.93M vs median $1.79M — skew suggests some price variability by unit type
- 2013 vintage — finishings and fittings may need renovation budget
Verdict
ShiokNest scores The Sound at 36/100 — one of the lower composite readings in D15 — and that number deserves honest unpacking. The en-bloc score of 30/100 is very low: at 104 units with freehold tenure and a 2013 TOP year, the typical en-bloc catalyst (ageing leasehold projects with strong land value uplift) does not apply here. Freehold boutique condos rarely attract collective sale interest because the land premium needed to overcome a freehold premium is substantial. Buyers should not underwrite any en-bloc optionality into their investment thesis. The investment score of 53/100 reflects this structural limitation alongside the OCR positioning, and profitability data is not available given the relatively thin resale transaction volume (18 sales).
The bull case, however, is real. A gross yield of 3.02% from 203 rental transactions is a genuine income number — not theoretical. The tenant pool for East Coast Road freehold in this PSF range is durable: D15 consistently attracts professionals, expats, and couples who value the coastal lifestyle and the MRT access that TEL now provides. The PSF trajectory is clean (+22% in four years) and the freehold title means there is no lease decay to factor into long-term hold calculations. For buyers who want D15 freehold below $2,000 PSF with a proven rental market, The Sound delivers.
The honest summary: The Sound is not a score-optimised investment vehicle. It is a well-located boutique freehold development with strong rental fundamentals, a TEL-transformed commute story, and a price point that is meaningfully below both comparable freehold and newer leasehold alternatives in District 15. Buyers for whom the score number is a primary input should look elsewhere. Buyers who understand what drives the numbers will find The Sound more defensible than the composite rating suggests.