Is Arina East Residences worth buying?

by Lovelyhomes Editorial Team | Jun 12, 2025 | Property Reviews & Analysis

[This article was first posted on littlebigreddot.com on 14 May 2025]

Former La Ville Condominium was sold to Developer ZACD Group Limited through a collective sale on 1 December 2021.

Developed by ZACD Group Limited, a Singapore-based Developer – Arina East Residences will be having its public preview soon. A development located in the highly sought after District 15 of Singapore. Is this development worth buying? Let’s analyze and review this together!

To start off, Arina East Residences is a Freehold Development, so there is no lease start date. In the long run, as other big boys like Grand Dunman, Tembusu Grand go through their lease decay, Arina East Residences will stand tall as something that is timeless. Yes, that’s a plus point, but what’s its Price Point?

Be it for Home-stay or what most Singaporeans like to call, “investment”, the entry point to a project is extremely important. You would want to make sure that you are not purchasing the biggest asset in your life at a ridiculous price compared to your surrounding neighbors in the area. That being said, Freehold usually has a 10-20% premium as compared to its leasehold counterparts.

For this post, I will be splitting this analysis into a few categories and review it after each round using:

Size and Facilities
Distance to nearest MRT, is it within 15 minutes?
Distance to nearest Hawker Center, is it within 15 minutes?
Distance to nearest Shopping Centre, is it within 15 minutes?
Any Primary/ Secondary schools within 1KM of development?
Price Per Squarefoot – Premium over its Freehold Neighbors

Category 1 – Size and Facilities of Arina East Residences

To begin, Arina East Residences will consist of 107 residential units, offering unit mix of 1 to 4 Bedroom types. It will be a fully facilitated development which ladies and gentlemen, includes a Tennis Court! As well as the other typical Condominium Facilities such as luxury pools, pavilions, gym etc. to suit your leisure and fitness needs.

Honestly, I was surprise to learn that Arina East Residences, a well located Freehold Development has full facilities. Normally, Freehold Developments are either not situated in a very convenient spot that’s further from the MRT, or a smaller development with lack of facilities, let alone having a Tennis Court in it. It’s a win win for me this round!

Verdict for Category 1: Pass.

Category 2 – Distance to the nearest MRT

The nearest MRT to Arina East Residences is Katong Park MRT Station. According to Google Maps, its a 500m distance which is about 7 minutes walk from the development to Katong Park MRT Station. Personally for Private Properties, the walk to nearest MRT Station should always be below 15 minutes for me to consider it as being decently located.

Arina East Residences to Katong Park MRT Station by foot

Verdict for Category 2: Pass.

Category 3 – Distance to the nearest Hawker Center

Location of Arina East Residences

The nearest Hawker centre from Arina East Residences will be Jalan Batu Market & Food Centre. It’s a good 1KM away from the development and is estimated to be a 14 minutes walk according to Google Maps.

Arina East Residences to Jalan Batu Market & Food Centre by foot

Verdict for Category 3: This was a close one, but within 15 minutes it is. Pass!

Category 4 – Distance to the nearest Shopping Centre

I’ve seen several sites stating that the nearest Shopping Centre – Leisure Park Kallang is 0.93KM, approximately a 12 minutes walk from Arina East Residences. However (and this is always the case), Google Maps stated that the walking distance is in fact 1.8KM, approximately a 24 minutes walk.

Arina East Residences to Leisure Park Kallang by foot.

This could often be the case because Google Maps may recommend a longer route that avoids certain roads or areas, possibly due to pedestrian access restrictions or safety concerns, therefore the suggested routes might incorporate pedestrian paths that are not the most direct but are considered safer or more accessible. Google Maps may also adjust routes based on real-time data, such as traffic conditions or construction, leading to longer suggested paths.

I will take Google Map’s distance to generate the result for this category.

Verdict for Category 4: Fail.

Category 5 – Schools within 1KM of Development

For this category, I will be using Elite.com.sg as always.

Schools within 1KM from Arina East Residences via Elite.com.sg

According to Elite.com.sg, it seems there’s no schools within 1KM of Arina East Residences. However upon further research and confirmation using Google Maps, Dunman High School is a mere 400m, just 6 minutes walk from the development.

Arina East Residences to Dunman High School by foot.

For additional information, here are some other schools that are located within 2KM of Arina East Residences:

Chung Cheng High School – 1.6KM, approximately 22 minutes walk

Broadrick Secondary School – 1.7KM. approximately 23 minutes walk

which would bring about more convenience if you are travelling by car, unless you enjoy some morning exercises.

Verdict for Category 5: Pass!

Category 6 – Price per Squarefoot

For this category, we will be looking at Arina East Residence’s PSF in comparison to the recent New Launches, as well as its Freehold Resale neighbors in the area.

According to EdgeProp, ZACD Group is set to preview Arina East Residences at prices starting from 3,000 PSF (Source: https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/zacd-group-preview-freehold-arina-east-residences-prices-3000-psf) That will amount to around $1.485 mil starting from a 1 Bedroom – 495 Sqft. A similar price range to Meyer Blue when it previewed last year.

As all may know, the starting from prices are usually for units with lower floors or facings that are not the best. To be safe in selecting a better unit, let’s take $3,250 PSF for this comparison!

I will take Meyer Blue for the recent New Launch comparison. Meyer Blue is a fully facilitated, freehold Development housing 226 units. This development was launched last year October and is similarly located in District 15.

Prices of Meyer Blue from Dec’24 to May’25

The average PSF taken from Meyer Blue’s transactions over the last 6 months is $3,162. If we take Arina East Residence’s estimated PSF of $3,250, that will amount to a 2.78% premium over Meyer Blue.

What are your thoughts on these? Taking into account both developments are Freehold luxury properties, we definitely have to look into more details of these projects for a better comparison! Let’s leave this to next week’s episode: “Property Showdown on Little Big Red Dot: Meyer Blue Vs. Arina East Residences“. Stay tuned! (:

Next, let’s have a look at Arina East Residence’s Resale comparison.

Arina East Residences and its comparing property

Let’s use The Line @ Tanjong Rhu for this comparison. The Line @ Tanjong Rhu is a freehold, fully facilitated development housing 130 residential units. It was completed in 2016 and just a 300m away from Arina East Residences. However, despite being fully facilitated with similar amount of units as Arina East Residences, this development does not have a Tennis Court.

Prices of The Line @ Tanjung Rhu from Dec’24 to May’25

There wasn’t much transactions at The Line @ Tanjong Rhu over the past year. Based on most recent past 6 months, these was only one transaction during December 2024 with the PSF of $2,295. This would calculate to Arina East Residences having a premium of 41.61% over The Line @ Tanjung Rhu.

Instead of a verdict for this category. Maybe we can have a thought on this to end today’s topic – Arina East Residences will be entering the market with a modern offering and full suite of condo facilities, but its estimated 41% price premium over The Line @ Tanjong Rhu – a relatively new freehold development just 300 metres away raises valid questions.

While Arina East appeals with brand-new fittings, potential for better common facilities, and proximity to the upcoming Katong Park MRT, buyers must also weigh the smaller unit sizes and whether the premium reflects real long-term value or simply developer pricing strategies in today’s market.

Ultimately, it’s not just about what you’re paying—but what you’re getting in return. For some of you, the freshness and launch momentum may be worth it. While for others, resale options like The Line @ Tanjong Rhu could represent better value without sacrificing location or tenure.

So in conclusion, what matters more to you? – Newness and perceived potential, or space and value in a still-modern development? (:

Love,

Lin Xuan

Disclaimer: I am in the Real Estate Field under the company ERA. The above are my sincere and friendly analysis. If you are looking to move into the next phase of life and is looking to upgrade or downsize your home to cash out – but is in a dilemma on what is the best option, I’m always available on WhatsApp at +65 8222 2556 to have a good chat! You may reach out to me for all Official Project Details such as Floor Plans, e-Brochures & Factsheets as well.

Wishing you a great week!

Property Showdown: Aurea vs Chuan Park

by Lovelyhomes Editorial Team | Jun 12, 2025 | Property Reviews & Analysis

[This post was first published on Little Big Red Dot on 4th March 2025]

Editor’s update (April 2026): For a full breakdown of Aurea at Golden Mile — unit mix, pricing, sky terraces, TOP Q2 2029 timeline, connectivity and the complete project factsheet — read our comprehensive Aurea at Golden Mile project guide.

This is a new segment which we will be featuring on Little Big Red Dot. As property is always a hot topic, we thought “why not start a property showdown type blogpost?” I have been blogging about property and investing for quite a good number of years. If you would like to read my blog about investing, you can access it at daryllum.com.

Now back to the very first Property Showdown blog article on Little Big Red Dot. We are going to compare two very recent launches. Aurea at Beach Road by Far East Organization and Perennial Holdings and Chuan Park by Kingsford Development and MCC Singapore.

Property Showdown: Aurea vs Chuan Park

We will be breaking down this showdown into 7 categories. They are:

Distance to the nearest MRT Station
Number of MRT stops to the city centre (Raffles Place MRT Station)
Distance to the nearest hawker centre
Distance to the nearest shopping mall
Primary schools within a 1 kilometre radius
Price per square foot
Premium over the resale units in the vicinity

Category 1: Distance to the nearest MRT Station

Let us look at Aurea for a start. The nearest MRT station in this case would be Nicoll Highway MRT Station. This is a station on the circle line.

The walk from Aurea to Nicoll Highway MRT Station

The distance from Aurea to Nicoll Highway MRT Station is 700 meters. According to Google Maps, the walk will take 9 minutes. In this case, there is a portion of the walk that is unsheltered. I am assuming that you would be able to link from Aurea to Golden Mile Complex and subsequently Golden Mile Tower, as it was before. Then the last leg of the journey, about a third of the 700 meters, would be unsheltered.

Chuan Park’s distance to its nearest MRT station, Lorong Chuan MRT Station, is a lot shorter. The development is located literally next to the MRT station. Lorong Chuan MRT Station is similarly located along the Circle Line. It would take just a minute to walk the 64 meters to Lorong Chuan MRT Station from Chuan Park.

The walk from Chuan Park to Lorong Chuan MRT Station

The winner for category 1: Chuan Park!

Category 2: Number of MRT stops to the city centre (Raffles Place MRT Station)

This is not even a close fight. From Nicoll Highway MRT Station to Raffles Place MRT Station is just 4 mere stations. You will need to make a change from the Circle Line to the North South Line at Marina Bay. The total journey would take about 8 minutes and cost $1.29.

Nicoll Highway MRT to Raffles Place MRT

Lorong Chuan MRT Station is also on the Circle Line. However, the MyTransport App has got me making two transfers. One at Serangoon MRT Station to the North East Line and again at Dhoby Ghaut to the North South Line. This journey encompasses 9 stations and will take 17 minutes. It will also cost $1.77 which is more.

The winner for category 2: Aurea!

Category 3: Distance to the nearest hawker centre

If you live in Aurea and are feeling hungry, you could actually just walk to The Golden Mile. That is the refurbished Golden Mile Complex. I would expect there to be food options. However, it is important to have a hawker centre close by. Firstly, that is where most Singaporeans get their food from. Secondly, it is the more cost effective option. But most importantly, the food at hawker centres are just really good!

If you are familiar with the old Golden Mile Centre, Golden Mile Food Centre is located just across the road.

Location of Aurea

Since Aurea is located right next to the old Golden Mile Complex or the upcoming The Golden Mile, Golden Mile Food Centre is similarly just across the road. It would take you a mere 4 minutes to walk the 280 meters to get your meal at Golden Mile Food Centre.

Walk from Aurea to Golden Mile Food Centre

Chuan Park is surrounded by other condominiums. There is no food centre that is close by. Well not close like how Aurea is to Golden Mile Food Centre. Perhaps you can get some food at the New Tech Park across the road?

Location of Chuan Park

The nearest hawker centre is the one at Serangoon Gardens. That is 2 kilometres away and it will take you 28 minutes to get there. There is almost no shelter along the journey. You could also drive there. Getting a parking lot during peak hours is challenging though. There is of course no option to take an MRT to this area.

The walk from Chuan Park to Serangoon Garden Market

If you are looking for a wet market, there is one at Serangoon Central. It is located at Block 267 Serangoon Avenue 3. Once again, it is not near. It is 1.7 kilometres away and it will take you 24 minutes to walk the relatively unsheltered route. Of course you could hop on the MRT and take a station down to get to Serangoon MRT Station. That still does not bring you exactly to the wet market. You still have to take a short walk.

The walk from Chuan Park to Serangoon Central Market

The winner for category 3: Aurea!

Category 4: Distance to the nearest shopping mall

Aurea is located right next to The Golden Mile. I would think that there should be a link from Aurea to The Golden Mile. This is an artist’s impression of how The Golden Mile retail would look like.

The Golden Mile Retail

The nearest shopping mall from Chuan Park would be Nex. Nex is located 1.3 kilometres away and it would take you 18 minutes to walk there. You could take the MRT down to Serangoon MRT Station to get to Nex.

The walk from Chuan Park to Nex

Yes taking one MRT station down avails you to Nex which is larger than The Golden Mile. However, the residents at Aurea could similarly take one MRT station down to get to Suntec City, Millenia Walk and Marina Square. There is definitely more retail and dining options there as compared to what is offered at Nex.

The winner for category 4: Aurea!

Category 5: Primary schools within a 1 kilometre radius

This is the kiasu category. I am only going to measure primary school distances because that is sometimes the reason why Singaporeans purchase properties in a certain area. I am not listing Secondary School and tertiary options. My source of reference if elite.com.sg. So shout out to them for creating this online resource tool.

I could not input Aurea’s postal code as it turned in an error. Hence I used the postal code of the building next door. Whatever the case, there is clearly no primary school within the 1 kilometre radius of Aurea.

Schools within 1 kilometre to Aurea

In contrast, there are three schools within a 1 kilometre radius of Chuan Park. The closest is St Gabriel’s Primary School at 0.428 kilometres, which is an all boys’ school. Both CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel and Yangzheng Primary School are both at 0.590 kilometres. CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel is an all girl’s school.

Schools within 1 kilometre to Chuan Park

The winner for category 5: Chuan Park!

Category 6: Price per square foot

At the point of writing, Aurea’s pricing has yet to be released. Indicative launch prices start from SGD$2,750 per square foot (psf). That should be for the less desirable units. Namely those on lower levels. I would believe that prices would be closer to just under SGD$3,000 psf.

Chuan Park was sold at an average price of SGD$2,579 psf. That works out to approximately 20% less than prices at Aurea. When it comes to affordability, sometimes that small difference makes a lot.

The winner for category 6: Chuan Park!

Category 7: Premium over resale units in the vicinity

A large proportion of buyers will eventually sell their properties. This despite them saying that they are not speculators and are in the market for the long run. When a property is sold, it competes not only with units in the same development but with units in neighbouring developments. The location attributes of a development are essentially very similar to those of neighbouring developments due to the fact that they are all in the same location. Hence it is very important to understand the market that is in the area. A new project launch will definitely cost more than those in the resale market. Especially as those in the resale market are longer down the road in their 99-year lease decay.

I will just choose one development. The closest development to the developments in question. Let us first look at what developments Aurea will be up against in the vicinity. The nearest developments are City Gate and Concourse Skyline. City Gate is nearer hence we will use that as the point of comparison.

The average psf at City Gate is SGD$2,082. Assuming Aurea has an average psf of SGD$2,850, this works out to a premium of 36.9%.

Prices of City Gate from Feb 24 to Feb 25

The appropriate development to compare Chuan Park to would be The Springbloom. It is across the road and has Lorong Chuan MRT Station next to it as well. Goldenhill Park Condominium is a freehold development whereas Chuan Park and The Springbloom are 99-year leasehold developments. In this aspect, there is no lease decay for Goldenhill Park Condominium. It would be more appropriate for us to consider The Springbloom. The premium exists because the new development has a fresher 99-year lease.