13 spacious condos boasting more than 2 tennis courts for tennis enthusiasts

For the serious tennis players out there, the number of tennis courts is certainly one that you’d look out for in a condo. It’s probably the facility that you most look forward to using; but it’s also the one most likely to be booked up (sometimes for months in advance).

What you’d really want to look out for is the ratio of tennis courts to the number of units. For example, a mega-development like D’Leedon may have three tennis courts, but with 1,715 units you may still have to plan in advance if you want to play tennis on the weekends.

As such, your best bet is still with bigger older projects, as most of these will come with a more than decent ratio of tennis courts to units.

All condos with more than two tennis courts

1. Maplewoods

Maplewoods surprised by having four tennis courts – not something we’d expect from a mid-sized (697 units) development. However, the land size (593,779 sq. ft.) makes lavish and sizeable common facilities possible.  

Maplewoods also stands out for having unusually spacious units, as you might expect from so few units sitting on so much land. This project has homes approaching 3,000+ sq. ft., while many units are between 1,378 to 1,797 sq. ft. This becomes something of a double-edged sword, as it can push the quantum into the $2 million to $3 million+ range. 

Like most Bukit Timah area condos, the greenery is the highlight; and the combination of big units and large landscaped areas makes this an ideal family condo. It’s also quite accessible by public transport, with King Albert Park MRT (DTL, CRL) within walking distance. 

Also note that KAP Residences, located near the MRT station, has overcome initial issues of a poor tenant mix; it now provides solid retail and entertainment options including a cinema, and we’d count this an amenity for Maplewoods residents as well.

That said, the closure of Turf City (previously less than a 10-minute drive from Maplewoods) was a loss for residents in the general area; Turf City previously provided childcare options, sports facilities, and unique dining outlets. And while Bukit Timah Plaza is equally close (and has a supermarket), it’s less unique as an amenity. 

It’s not all bad though, as there’s evidently a lot planned out for the Turf City area in the future. The only issue is the wait before we get to a fully developed area.

Maplewoods can be considered an old condo as it was built in 1997, but the freehold status mitigates some of the age concerns. 

2. Mandarin Gardens

Mandarin Gardens is one of the most reasonably priced condos with a sea view, with some of the smaller 700 to 800+ sq. ft. units barely pushing past a quantum of $1 million (as of end-2023). Mandarin Garden has four tennis courts, and like D’leedon is a mega-development of 1,000 units. However, besides being generally cheaper, Mandarin Garden is utterly gigantic – roughly about a million square feet, so it feels much more spacious.

Mandarin Garden is not immediately close to any amenities – there’s nothing but other residential projects surrounding it. However, we’d consider this a minor issue, as several buses right outside the condo will take you to Parkway Parade in a matter of minutes; this is a major mall, just across from the East Coast lifestyle stretch of Katong/Joo Chiat. Marine Parade MRT station (TEL) is also in front of Parkway Parade, and will be operational soon. The nearest MRT will be Siglap anyway, and the walk is not too far away (also depending on which block you are at, given the huge size of the development).

The main drawback, we feel, is the 99-year lease dating back to 1982, and the general need for a facelift in many parts of this condo. The lease decay, coupled with repeated attempts to en-bloc the project, might be off-putting to prospective buyers. 

But if you want an affordable and spacious Marine Parade condo, this is probably one of the better-priced options. 

3. Valley Park

Let’s get the most glaring issue out of the way: Valley Park is old and looks it – right down to the curved balconies and rounded blocks, which make some buyers narrow their eyes (curved layouts are notorious for being harder to work with, from an interior design perspective). This condo dates back to 1997, although a 999-year lease mitigates the lease decay.

Facilities are in a bit of an odd place here. While three tennis courts are nice, other facilities like the swimming pool and clubhouse are rather small. There are also squash courts here, although most buyers would probably not find it appealing (as squash is sadly less popular these days, and fewer people find squash courts useful). What will be off putting to many buyers, however, is the need to book and pay for the facilities. And yes, we mean pay as in “on top of your maintenance fees.”

That said, the location is quite prestigious, as the project is next to the Singapore River. There’s easy access to Clarke Quay, and there’s good proximity to Great World City and its MRT (TEL). For immediate amenities, Valley Point Mall is also just next to this condo (there’s an NTUC and Little Farms). 

Take note that at last check, this condo was around 21.5 per cent owned by foreigners, and 13.5 per cent owned by PRs, so there’s a large chunk of non-local ownership. 

(Ps. No, we’re not telling you that because we have an issue with foreigners. The issue is that foreigners would pay 60 per cent ABSD for a replacement property if they sell their unit here. This can make it tough on en-bloc prospects, as well as for finding a seller).

4. The Bayshore Road Cluster

This is a cluster of three condos all along Bayshore Road: The Bayshore, Bayshore Park, and Costa Del Sol. As all three are next to each other, we’re putting them under the same entry.

All three of these condos have more than two tennis courts, and Bayshore Park is the oldest (1986). It’s also the largest at around 1,093 units. The Bayshore is the next oldest, built in 1996, with 1,038 units, while Costa Del Sol is the newest and smallest (built in 2003 with 906 units). All three provide a sea view, although Costa Del Sol is the only one where – for now – every block is guaranteed an unobstructed view. 

The main highlight of this area is a sudden major upgrade to the neighbourhood. This used to be considered an inaccessible and ulu area, lacking in amenities; but now Bayshore MRT station (TEL) is in walking distance of all three (with a direct sheltered connection to Costa Del Sol); and a new HDB estate, featuring Plus model flats, will be appearing nearby. This will be accompanied by the usual assortment of malls and eateries; and there will also be some private housing in the mix. 

While this has pushed up demand and value, a less beneficial development is the Long Island plan. This has the potential to block the sea view of the condos here and shut down long stretches of East Coast Beach for the residents. 

Time will tell if all the changes form a net benefit; but the immediate concern of many buyers will be the 99-year leases of these condos, coupled with their age.

5. Melville Park

Melville Park has four tennis courts, and is a sizeable mega-development with 1,232 units. At over 813,800+ sq. ft, Melville Park can be more lavish with its facilities. Its other draw is pricing: this is one of the few condos where prices have stayed below $1,000 psf, even in 2023 and 2024. 

As of December 2023, for instance, a 1,045 sq. ft. unit transacted for just $938,000; a price that we would equate with some shoebox units in the wider market. This is hands down, one of the cheapest ways to get a large condo unit in the east. 

The low price does come with its drawbacks, one of which is age; this condo is on a 99-year lease starting from 1992, which is enough to worry some buyers. The other issue is the relative lack of amenities in the surroundings; there’s nothing much nearby, and you’ll need to travel out for your shopping, dining, etc. 

The most practical amenity here is probably Eastpoint Mall, as you can get on a bus to head down to Simei MRT (EWL) in just a few minutes. The mall is just next to the train station. Note that Tampines East MRT (DTL) is technically closer, but not everyone would feel that it is within walking distance.

Overall, this is a project for larger families and space-conscious buyers, who need an affordable east-side project for home-stay.

For more on various condos around Singapore, follow us on Stacked. We’ll also provide you with in-depth reviews of new and resale condos alike. 

This article was first published in Stackedhomes.

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