Emerald of Katong Review: Bestselling condo launch of November 2024

Katong is one of those neighbourhoods that locals and expats get all excited over, so the overwhelming popularity of upcoming 99-year leasehold condo Emerald of Katong does not come as a surprise.

835 of the 846 (98.7%) Emerald of Katong units put up for sale at its launch weekend on 16 November 2024 were sold at an average price of $2,621 psf, making it the best-selling condo that month, on the back of interest rate cuts.

Launched by Sim Lian Group, Emerald of Katong will be located at Jalan Tembusu off Haig Road, surrounded by popular schools and attractive dining and shopping amenities.

I get the appeal of the area, but there’s more to Emerald of Katong’s off-the-charts popularity that meets the eye. It all boils down to a combination of a sought-after location and relatively competitive prices. So, is it worth the hype? Let’s find out.

*Information from 99.co, PropertyGuru, and other property listing websites is accurate as of time of writing.

Emerald of Katong Price

At Emerald of Katong’s launch on 16 November 2024, 1-bedroom units were sold at $1,240,000 to $1,425,000, 2-bedroom units for $1,688,000 to $1,965,000, 3-bedroom units for $2,167,000 to $2,853,000, 4-bedroom units for $2,749,000 to $3,498,000 and 5-bedroom units for $3,604,000 to $4,142,000.

The average psf launch price of $2,621 psf is relatively affordable for the sought-after Marine Parade area in District 15.

Emerald of Katong units are currently selling for $1,050,000 to $3,550,000 on PropertyGuru, or $1,955.03 psf to $2,964,74 psf.

For comparison’s sake, at Silversea, a nearby 99-year leasehold condo on Marine Parade Road, located a 13-minute walk from Tanjong Katong MRT station, 3-bedroom units measuring 1,485 sqft to 1,690 sqft are currently listed for sale on PropertyGuru for $3,100,000 to $4,300,000 ($2,072.19 psf to $2,544,38 psf). Silversea was built in 2014, and has enjoyed strong capital gains since its launch.

We can see that Emerald of Katong’s launch prices are comparable t those at Silversea, which is 15 years older—more evidence that the prices of the former are a really quite competitive.

Due to Katong’s enduring popularity and Emerald of Katong’s reasonable launch prices, the first batch of owners have the potential to enjoy decent investment gains in the long term, provided they watch the market and sell at the right time.

Emerald of Katong is also the first condo development in the area that follows the new Gross Floor Area (GFA) harmonisation guidelines. This basically means that the developers have had to make the effort to offer more space-efficient layouts, instead of trying to get buyers to pay higher psf prices by adding big air con ledges or high ceilings, for instance.

Contrast this with Tembusu Grand just across the road, which was launched in 2023 at similar prices and not affected by the GFA harmonisation guidelines. For the price they had to pay, buyers would have found themselves receiving less space-efficient units, meaning they got less bang for their buck. Emerald of Katong, by comparison, looks far more worth it.

Emerald of Katong Site Plan

You can find the Emerald of Katong site plan here. The site map shows the layout of the amenities within the condo development. Amenities include swimming pools, a gym and a tennis court—a fairly typical but also complete set of amenities, as far as large condo developments go.

Emerald of Katong Location

Emerald of Katong is located at Jalan Tembusu on the city fringe, and a 13-minute walk from Tanjong Katong MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line, which transports you to Shenton Way in the CBD in just five stops.

The very phrase “city fringe” should already explain why buyers went gaga over Emerald of Katong. To sweeten the deal, the Katong area is considered very attractive due to its lifestyle amenities.

For one thing, East Coast Park, with its seafront views and numerous recreational offerings, is reachable on foot. Katong in general is also known as a foodies’ paradise, and there are scores of popular eateries on nearby East Coast Road, Tanjong Katong Road and Joo Chiat Road.

The development is also located within walking distance of several malls, including Katong Shopping Centre, Parkway Parade and i12 Katong Shopping Mall.

Families with kids are also in luck, as there are numerous reputable schools nearby, including Tanjong Katong Primary School, Tanjong Katong Secondary School, Tanjong Katong Girls’ School and Haig Girls’ School.

Overall, this is a solid location and one that affords not only convenience but lots of attractive lifestyle perks.

Emerald of Katong Floor Plan

You can find the Emerald of Katong floor plans here. Emerald of Katong consist of 1- to 5-bedroom units.

1-Bedroom + Study

The 1-bedroom units all come with a study and measure 45 sqm (484 sqft). The bedroom opens out directly into the living room, and the bathroom can only be accessed via the bedroom—something to note if you are someone who has guests often.

2-Bedroom

The 2-bedroom units measure 50 sqm (624 sqft) to 65 sqm (700 sqft), and come with or without studies. All units have layouts placing the living/dining area in between the two bedrooms, enabling residents to enjoy greater privacy, which I like a lot.

3-Bedroom

The 3-bedroom units come with and without studies and measure 82 sqm (883 sqft) to 95 sqm (1,023 sqft). All the layouts line the bedrooms up side by side.

4-Bedroom + Study

The 4-bedroom units measure 90 sqm (969 sqft) to 122 sqm (1,313 sqft) and come with and without studies. The units without studies cluster all the bedrooms together, while those with studies (except the larger luxe + study units) separate one bedroom and the study from the other three bedrooms, placing the living/dining area in between.

5-Bedroom

The 5-bedroom units measure 137 sq (1,475 sqft) to 145 sqm (1,561 sqft). The wet and dry kitchen are very spacious, and some but not all units have private lift access.

Emerald of Katong Rent Price

What kinds of rents can Emerald of Katong expect to enjoy when it receives its TOP in 2029? We can look at nearby condos to get an idea.

At Meyer Mansion, which is located on Meyer Road, a 10-minute walk from Tanjong Katong MRT station, 3-bedroom units measuring 1,109 sqft to 1,496 sqft are being put up for rent on PropertyGuru for $6,700 to $10,500 a month.

Based on these rents, I would say Emerald of Katong’s rental yield has the potential to be decent, but not spectacular.

Emerald of Katong Review

Emerald of Katong has made waves for its popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. It enjoys an attractive location in a very sought-after city fringe neighbourhood, offering not only convenience but also a pleasant living environment with a wide range of eateries and recreational options.

It’s also the first launch in the area to be affected by the GFA harmonisation rules, which has prevented the developers from resorting to tricks previously used to bump up the square footage on paper and charge buyers more.