Rivage
Overview & Key Facts
Rivage occupies a rare slice of old Katong that most developers never get near. Tucked along Margate Road — a quiet, tree-lined backstreet that runs between East Coast Road and the park connector belt towards East Coast Park — this 17-unit freehold tower was completed in 2009 by Aurum Land, the boutique residential arm of Woh Hup Group. Where most developers in District 15 chase volume, Aurum Land built Rivage as a single slender tower on a 12,449 sq ft site, yielding one of the lowest unit-count condominiums in the neighbourhood. The result is a development that feels genuinely private — a quality that becomes more conspicuous, and more valuable, every year as the surrounding new launches grow taller and denser.
Aurum Land has since won the PropertyGuru Asia Best Boutique Developer award for four consecutive years (2019–2023), and Rivage offers an early glimpse of what that philosophy looks like in practice: clean architectural lines, well-proportioned units across the 2- to 4-bedroom spectrum, and a finishes standard that holds up creditably against much newer product. The 15-storey profile keeps the building slender enough to allow most units meaningful cross-ventilation and views either toward the East Coast Park greenery or back across the low-rise Katong conservation streetscape. It is not a lifestyle-resort condominium; it is a well-made, understated home in one of Singapore's most coveted residential postcodes.
With only 3 resale transactions on record and 18 rental transactions, Rivage trades infrequently by design — owners tend to hold. The median resale price of $2,425,000 (approximately $1,700 psf on a growing trend from $1,613 psf) positions it well below the $2,537–$2,790 psf being asked for new District 15 launches nearby, making it one of the more straightforward value propositions in the east: freehold tenure, boutique scale, heritage neighbourhood, TEL access — at a meaningful discount to new.
Location & Connectivity
Margate Road itself is part of what makes Rivage unusual. It is a residential side street lined with mature angsana trees, old landed houses, and the occasional low-rise apartment block — a texture that survived the redevelopment pressure that transformed much of Tanjong Katong Road and East Coast Road. East Coast Park is reachable on foot in under ten minutes via the park connector that runs along Fort Road, putting the beach, cycling paths, hawker seafood, and the entire East Coast Lagoon waterfront within a genuine walking lifestyle orbit. For a District 15 condominium, that beach access is not a marketing tagline — residents can and do cycle to the park on weekend mornings without needing a car or bus.
The opening of Katong Park MRT station (TE24) in June 2024 as part of TEL4 fundamentally changed the connectivity picture for this address. The station sits approximately 0.48 km from Rivage — a comfortable six-minute flat walk along Fort Road. From Katong Park, the TEL runs north without transfer to Orchard (4 stops, ~12 minutes), Stevens interchange, Woodlands, and south to Marine Parade, Bedok South, and eventually Sungei Bedok interchange. Tanjong Katong (TE25) is one stop further at 0.77 km, providing a second TEL option. Older CC line stations — Mountbatten (CC4) and Dakota (CC8) — are around 1 km away on foot, serving the Circle Line for Bishan, Serangoon, and Paya Lebar interchange. Before TEL opened, this address was honest MRT-light; today it is genuinely well-served.
The Katong–Joo Chiat neighbourhood wrapping Margate Road is Singapore's most intact Peranakan heritage quarter. East Coast Road runs two blocks south, lined with Nonya kueh shops, Katong laksa stalls (the original Janggut Laksa and 328 Katong Laksa franchises are within walking distance), Bengawan Solo, and a parade of independent cafes and restaurants that attract weekend crowds from across the island. The Katong Shopping Centre, Parkway Parade mall (12-minute walk), and the I12 Katong lifestyle mall provide everyday retail within easy reach. For schooling, Tanjong Katong Primary (1.22 km), Tao Nan School (1.37 km), and Haig Girls' School (1.42 km) are all within the 1-km to 2-km band, and several international schools including EtonHouse and Canadian International School at Tanjong Katong are close by.
Schools & Education
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Tanjong Katong Primary School | primary | ~1.2 km |
| One World International School (Mountbatten) | international | ~1.2 km |
| Tao Nan School | primary | ~1.4 km |
| Haig Girls' School | primary | ~1.4 km |
| Geylang Methodist School (Secondary) | secondary | ~1.4 km |
| Geylang Methodist School (Primary) | primary | ~1.5 km |
| CHIJ (Katong) Primary | primary | ~1.5 km |
| Broadrick Secondary School | secondary | ~1.6 km |
Facilities
For a 17-unit development, Rivage is well-appointed. The ground-level facilities zone includes a 25-metre lap pool, a spa pool, a wading pool, a bubbling pool, a BBQ area, and a fitness corner — a suite that satisfies day-to-day use without the overbuilt excess of a resort development. With so few units sharing the pool deck, spontaneous Saturday morning laps are genuinely possible; the sort of experience that 300-unit condominiums on paper promise and almost never deliver. The covered car park is fully resident-allocated, and the small lobby is maintained to a standard consistent with Aurum Land's attention to material finishes. The absence of a tennis court, function room, or clubhouse is the honest trade-off of boutique scale — facilities are focused rather than comprehensive.
“The pool is essentially ours. In three years I've never had to wait for a lane. The building is impeccably maintained — the management committee here actually enforces things. It's night and day compared to a 300-unit complex where nobody agrees on anything.”
— Owner resident, via PropertyGuru review (2024)
Unit Sizes & Layout
Rivage offers three unit bands across its 17 homes: 2-bedroom units of 1,098–1,184 sq ft (Type A1/A2), 3-bedroom units of 1,442–1,496 sq ft (Type B1/B2), and a 4-bedroom unit of 1,819 sq ft (Type C). By contemporary standards, these are generously sized — the 3-bedroom band in particular sits roughly 200–300 sq ft larger than equivalently marketed 3-bedrooms in 2024–2025 new launches along this corridor. The 2009 vintage means living areas are rectangularly planned with proper separation between living and sleeping zones, a contrast to the open-plan micro-footprints that dominate post-2018 launches. The 4-bedroom at 1,819 sq ft is a genuine four-bedroom by Singapore standards, not a “flexi-4” room count achieved by partitioning a study. Ceilings run at 2.8–3.0m in living areas, consistent with Aurum Land's quality positioning at the time of construction.
Original bathrooms and kitchens from 2009 will benefit from a selective refresh by incoming owners, but the structural bones — slab thickness, plumbing stacks, sound attenuation between units — reflect Woh Hup's construction heritage rather than a cost-optimised contractor build. Rental demand supports 2-bedroom units most strongly (median rent $5,300/month across the portfolio), which reflects the mix of East Coast expat families and DINKs who prize the walkable Katong food and lifestyle scene.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 BR | 1 | $1,613 | $1,910,000 |
| 4 BR | 2 | $1,717 | $2,862,500 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 3 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $1,910,000 to $3,300,000, averaging $2,545,000.
Rents range from $3,100 to $7,500 per month across 18 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.6%.
Price Appreciation
From 2022 to 2023, the average PSF has appreciated by 6.5% (from $1,613 to $1,717 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Against the active new launches in District 15, Rivage's freehold status at ~$1,700 psf makes the comparison straightforward in value terms: Grand Dunman ($2,537 psf, 99-year leasehold), Emerald of Katong ($2,640 psf, 99-year leasehold), The Continuum ($2,790 psf, freehold but mass-market scale at 816 units), and Tembusu Grand ($2,461 psf, 99-year leasehold) all ask materially more for leasehold or large-development exposure. Amber Park ($2,540 psf, freehold) is the most direct freehold comparable, but its 592-unit scale and Marine Parade Road address contrast sharply with Rivage's boutique intimacy. The Continuum is the only other freehold development of comparable quality pedigree, but at $2,790 psf and 816 units, buyers pay a significant premium for newness and forfeit the boutique character entirely.
Rivage's natural competition is therefore not new launches — it is other small freehold resale condominiums in the same vintage band: Aalto (51 units, Meyer Road), Silversea (3-bedroom tower, East Coast), and the handful of sub-30-unit boutique blocks scattered through the Amber–Katong corridor. Among these, Rivage's Aurum Land pedigree, Margate Road address (quieter than Meyer Road), and proximity to Katong Park MRT put it in a strong position. Buyers who want the full D15 new-launch experience should shortlist Grand Dunman or Tembusu Grand; buyers who want freehold holding value in the Katong heritage quarter at a sub-$1,800 psf entry should look seriously at Rivage.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIVAGE | Freehold | 2009 | 17 | — |
| 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 RIVAGE across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“We've lived here six years. The neighbourhood is the reason we stay — morning walk to the park connector, Katong laksa on Saturday, everything within five minutes. The Katong Park MRT opening last year made a big difference for the kids getting to school independently. We couldn't leave this area now even if we wanted to.”
— Owner-occupier family, via 99.co review (2025)
“Renting here on an expat package. The unit size is genuinely comfortable — my 3-bedroom is bigger than the 4-bedroom I was in at a newer development nearby. The building is quiet, well-run, and the pool is never crowded. The only thing I'd change is faster lifts.”
— Expat tenant, via EdgeProp review (2024)
“Good investment but be realistic about costs. We bought at $1,650 psf and have seen steady appreciation. The bathrooms needed full renovation when we took ownership — budget $80,000 to $100,000 for a full refresh on the 3-bedroom. Once done, the unit is genuinely premium. Rental has been strong — tenanted within two weeks each cycle.”
— Investor-owner, via PropertyGuru review (2025)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — no lease decay concern in Singapore's most sought-after eastern corridor
- Katong Park MRT (TE24) 0.48 km — TEL opened June 2024, direct access to Orchard in ~12 min without transfer
- PSF at $1,717 vs D15 new launches at $2,461–$2,790 psf — 35–40% discount to new for equivalent freehold location
- Aurum Land / Woh Hup Group pedigree — Best Boutique Developer Asia 4 years running (PropertyGuru 2019–2023)
- Only 17 units — pool, BBQ, fitness area rarely congested; genuine low-density living
- Generous unit sizes by 2025 standards: 2BR 1,098–1,184 sq ft, 3BR 1,442–1,496 sq ft, 4BR 1,819 sq ft
- 10-minute walk to East Coast Park via Fort Road park connector — beach, cycling, seafood hawkers
- Katong heritage enclave — East Coast Road Nonya food, cafes, Peranakan conservation streetscape on doorstep
- Strong rental demand: $5,300 median rent; 18 rental transactions confirm consistent expat and family tenant pool
- Quiet Margate Road address insulated from main arterial road noise (ECP, East Coast Road)
- Small sinking fund base — 17 units means higher per-unit cost for major works (lift overhaul, facade repainting, M&E upgrades)
- 2009 vintage kitchens and bathrooms will need $80,000–$100,000 renovation budget for buyers expecting contemporary finishes
- No clubhouse, function room, or tennis court — facilities are functional but not resort-grade
- Gross yield 2.62% is below typical investor threshold of 3%; primarily a capital-appreciation and lifestyle hold
- Limited resale liquidity — only 3 transactions on record; price discovery is slower and buyer pool is narrower
- Katong Park MRT (TE24) only opened June 2024 — TEL4 is still bedding in; some station exits and bus integration remain incomplete
- No guest parking allocation typical of micro-developments — visitor parking on Margate Road subject to kerb availability
- Walkability score 55/100 — Fort Road-area footpaths are functional but lack the density of Orchard-area walkability scores
Verdict
Rivage is the kind of condominium that looks better on paper the longer you hold it. The freehold tenure removes the terminal-value anxiety that burdens 99-year leasehold product in the same neighbourhood; in a district where Grand Dunman, The Continuum, and Tembusu Grand are all leasehold launches priced above $2,400 psf, a freehold title at $1,700 psf is an argument that does not require elaboration. The PSF trend is moving — from $1,613 to $1,717 psf on recent transactions — and the TEL opening in 2024 is a structural tailwind that has not yet fully priced through, given how recently Katong Park station commenced operations. Gross yield of 2.62% is not compelling in absolute terms, but it is a coherent holding yield for a freehold asset in a prime east-coast heritage address.
The weaknesses are real and worth naming. Seventeen units means no sinking fund leverage and management fee economics that are less efficient per unit than a larger development. Facilities are functional but not resort-grade — buyers expecting a full clubhouse, tennis court, or concierge service will need to look elsewhere. The 2009 vintage means kitchens and bathrooms will need renovation budgeting, particularly for incoming buyers expecting move-in-ready condition at the median $2,425,000 price point. The ShiokNest score of 58/100 reflects these tradeoffs honestly — this is a lifestyle and long-term-hold purchase, not a short-cycle trading vehicle.
The ideal buyer is not trying to beat the D15 market on yield — they are buying a freehold address in a neighbourhood they genuinely want to live in, at a price meaningfully below what a comparable new-launch unit in the same postcode would cost. For East Coast families, discerning expats on long-term leases, and investors with a holding horizon of five-plus years, Rivage represents a compelling entry into one of Singapore's most enduringly popular residential corridors, backed by a developer whose quality reputation has only strengthened since this building was completed.