Princess Cove Phase 2 JB Review: A Finished Causeway Home

Quick answer: who is Princess Cove Phase 2 for?

Phase 2 suits a buyer who wants a finished, freehold home a short walk from the Johor Bahru end of the Causeway, and who would rather look at the real unit, the real view and the real lift lobby than a show unit. It is less suited to a family with two cars, since each unit comes with one car park, or to a buyer chasing the lowest price per square foot in this corner of JB: its listed price per square foot is above the entry figures of the new launches next door. For the latest price list and available units, WhatsApp +60 17-279 8932.

My view

In one line: Princess Cove Phase 2 is finished and freehold, about 920 m from Johor Bahru Sentral in a straight line, with a 650 m sheltered link bridge listed to the CIQ; its listed price of about RM 1,400 to 2,300 per sq ft is above the entry psf of the new launches nearby, and the extra pays for being already built and for the township around it.

The price: The off-plan launches nearby work out at about RM 1,133 to 1,586 per sq ft at entry (starting price divided by the smallest unit), and the bottom of Phase 2's listed range sits at about the entry level of the Causewayz Square towers. Phase 3 next door starts at RM 430,000, but keys are not expected until 2027. Holding costs are also higher: about RM 462 a month for 1,000 sq ft including the sinking fund, the highest in the comparison below. Whether the premium is worth it depends on how much you value moving in now and seeing the actual unit first.

Who it suits, who it doesn't: It suits cross-border workers who cross every week, and buyers who want to inspect the actual unit, view and common areas before paying; a single person can look at the 544 to 548 sq ft R1 sea-view studio, and for two people I would go straight to the two-bathroom V7 or U1. It does not suit households with two cars, as every unit has one car park, even the large ones. Nor does it suit anyone who wants a small, quiet building: Phase 2 has 3,724 homes, about 420 an acre, with a large mall downstairs and Causeway traffic at the door.

How long to hold: You can move in or let it out now, with no wait for handover. A loan on a finished unit is usually released in one go, so full repayments start earlier; work out the monthly burden first. Because the price per square foot is high, I would treat it as a long-term home or a long-term base near the CIQ rather than a short-term trade.

Check for yourself at the viewing: whether it is a new developer unit or a subsale; the floor, the facing, and whether the sea view is open or partly blocked by other towers; afternoon sun and road noise; and the current maintenance fee and sinking fund. For a subsale, confirm the previous owner's charges are fully paid. Foreign buyers should first check that the unit meets Johor's current minimum price for foreigners.

• Suits: cross-border workers who want to be near the CIQ and JB Sentral; buyers who want to inspect a finished unit and view before paying; buyers who value a freehold title.
• Think twice if: you need two or more car parks; you want a small, quiet building; you are buying mainly on price per square foot.

Project facts (checked, updated October 2026)

Who is the developer?

R&F Development Sdn Bhd is the developer behind the whole Princess Cove township on the Tanjung Puteri waterfront. Phase 2 includes the sea-facing units marketed as the Seine Region, which look across the Strait of Johor towards Singapore. The township around it brings in R&F Mall, R&F Marina Place, the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House, a five-star hotel and a Grade A office tower. Phase 3, the next stage, is still under construction a few hundred metres away; see my Princess Cove Phase 3 review for how that one differs.

What is near Princess Cove Phase 2?

Distances below are in a straight line, so the walk or drive will be longer.

Inside the township are R&F Mall, R&F Marina Place and the opera house. The project also lists The ZON Duty Free, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gleneagles Medini and Thomson Medical Centre, international schools such as Excelsior International School, Raffles American School and Marlborough College Malaysia, Iskandar EduCity, Senai International Airport, and, across the border, Woodlands MRT and Changi Airport.

How I read the location. The numbers that matter here are the first three rows. JB Sentral, the bus terminal and the CIQ sit within about a kilometre, and the RTS Link station at Bukit Chagar, once it opens, will be about 1.4 km away. For a resident who crosses the border several times a week, that is the whole case for the address. The trade-off is that you live at the busiest edge of the city, with Causeway traffic, crowds on weekends and a large mall at your door.

What does "completed" change for a buyer?

Buying a completed unit is a different process from buying off-plan, and it is worth spelling out, because most of the alternatives around the Causeway are still under construction.

You see what you get. With a finished unit, the view, the noise from the road, the direction of the afternoon sun and the state of the common areas are all there to check. With an off-plan purchase you are relying on a brochure, a show unit and the developer's schedule.

You pay differently. An off-plan purchase is paid in stages as construction moves forward, so your loan is drawn down over the build period. A completed unit is usually paid in full at completion of the sale, with the loan released in one go. That means the full instalment starts sooner. As a simple illustration, on a round-figure RM 700,000 home with a 90% loan, you would be servicing the full loan from the start rather than a slowly growing amount.

Stamp duty is part of the cost. Budget for the stamp duty on the transfer and on the loan. The loan agreement is charged at 0.5% of your loan. For the transfer and how the tiers work, see my guide to stamp duty in Malaysia.

You can move in or rent out now. There is no wait for vacant possession. For a buyer who needs a base near the CIQ soon, that is the main practical advantage over the launches next door, which are expected to complete between 2027 and 2030.

Ask the right questions. For a finished unit, ask whether it is a fresh unit from the developer or a subsale, which floor and facing it is, whether the sea view is open or partly blocked by another tower, and what the current maintenance and sinking fund charges are. If it is a subsale, check that the previous owner's charges are fully paid.

Which Princess Cove Phase 2 layout suits you?

Phase 2 has a long list of layouts. Grouped by size:

What I would pick. For a cross-border worker who lives alone, the R1 Seaview studio at 544 to 548 sq ft is the interesting one: it is a studio, but larger than the standard D, and it is the layout named for the view. If you are two people, I would look past the two-bedroom, one-bathroom types (V5 and B) to the two-bathroom ones; V7 at 798 sq ft and U1 at about 838 sq ft cost little more space for a second bathroom, which matters every morning. Families should compare the three-bedroom A at about 1,180 sq ft with the E dual key at 1,317 sq ft: the dual key gives you a separate unit with its own door, which suits parents living with adult children. Bear in mind that every unit comes with one car park, including the larger ones.

What does it cost to hold each month?

The maintenance fee is RM 0.42 per sq ft a month, and the sinking fund is 10% of that on top, so about RM 0.46 per sq ft in total:

On a 1,000 sq ft basis that is about RM 462 a month. Among the projects compared below, Gen Sphere lists RM 0.35 psf and the three Causewayz Square towers list RM 0.36 psf (still to be confirmed), so Phase 2 is the most expensive to hold per square foot, which is common for a completed building with a large facility deck. Quit rent, assessment tax and utilities come on top. For how these charges work, see my guide to the maintenance fee and sinking fund.

Price per square foot against its neighbours

"At entry" means the starting price divided by the smallest unit, so it is only a rough guide; larger units and higher floors cost more. All of these are freehold and sit within about 600 m of Phase 2 in a straight line.

How I read it. Phase 2 is the only finished building in the table. Its starting price is close to Brixton's and above GEN RISE and Gen Sphere, and its listed per-square-foot range starts at about the level where the Causewayz Square towers enter. Phase 3 next door starts much lower, but you will wait until its expected completion for keys. In plain terms, Phase 2 asks you to pay for having the building finished today; the others ask you to wait in return for a lower entry or a newer product.

Can a foreigner buy here?

A foreign buyer needs approval from the state authority, and Johor sets its own minimum purchase price for foreigners, which can change. Check the current threshold for the exact unit before you book, and allow time for the approval in your plans. My guide to foreign-buyer minimum prices by state explains how the rules are set.

Facilities

The Seine Region sky lounge has an infinity swimming pool, a gym, a yoga room, a jogging track and an indoor function hall, and there is an international kindergarten within the development. Beyond the building, the township gives residents R&F Mall, R&F Marina Place, the waterfront promenade and the opera house.

Pros and cons (my view)

How to view Princess Cove Phase 2

WhatsApp Shyan Yee (REN 46305, IQI Realty) at +60 17-279 8932 for the current list of available units, floor plans and a viewing. Full specifications are on the Princess Cove Phase 2 project page.