Bougainvilla Apartments
Overview & Key Facts
Bougainvilla Apartments is a compact freehold condominium completed in 1998 by Singiap Company Pte Ltd, sitting at the residential end of Lorong 19 Geylang in District 14. With just 28 units across a single block, it represents a category of boutique freehold property that has largely disappeared from new-launch pipelines — one where perpetual land tenure, intimate community scale, and East-West Line walkability combine at an entry price materially below the leasehold mega-projects that dominate modern D14 supply.
The development targets a well-defined buyer archetype: an investor seeking stable rental income from Aljunied’s professional tenant pool, an East Side own-stayer who values freehold tenure over lease anxiety, or a buyer comfortable with a Geylang address on paper who has done the street-level research to understand that Lorong 19 is a predominantly residential lane with none of the character of the lower-numbered lorongs. For these buyers, Bougainvilla Apartments offers something Parc Esta, Penrose, and Sims Urban Oasis structurally cannot: perpetual land ownership at a meaningful PSF discount.
Transaction records confirm steady if thin market activity — 2 recorded resale transactions, 24 rental transactions — consistent with a boutique freehold asset that changes hands infrequently but sustains reliable occupancy. The 24 rental records are a meaningful signal: at 28 units, that represents a broad cross-section of the building, indicating active landlord participation and demonstrable tenant demand from professionals who commute via the East West Line.
Location & Connectivity
Lorong 19 Geylang is one of the more residential stretches within the Geylang planning area. The adult entertainment zone that gives Geylang its reputation is concentrated primarily in the even-numbered lorongs between Lorong 6 and Lorong 24 — Lorong 19 sits at the upper end of the Geylang lorong numbering, transitioning into the quieter residential fabric of the Aljunied corridor. Day-to-day street character is overwhelmingly residential: HDB blocks, small shophouses, eateries, and private apartments rather than the entertainment establishments further south-west.
Aljunied MRT station (East West Line, EW9) is 490 metres from the development — a genuine under-five-minute walk through the Lorong 19 street grid. This is materially closer than the ten-to-fifteen-minute walk that many D14 condominiums advertise. From Aljunied, the East West Line delivers Tampines in 14 minutes, City Hall in 10 minutes, and Jurong East in 28 minutes. Mountbatten MRT (Circle Line, CC6) at 890 metres and Kallang MRT (EWL, EW10) at 960 metres provide secondary access, making this one of the better-served connectivity addresses in RCR without the premium of Paya Lebar Quarter-adjacent developments.
The food and lifestyle ecosystem is a genuine draw. Geylang’s hawker culture is within walking distance — Old Airport Road Food Centre (under 1 km via Mountbatten Road), Geylang East Food Centre, and the street-food ecosystem of the lorong grid are all accessible. Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) is 1.5 km east and adds mall retail, supermarkets, and professional services. Kallang Riverside Park and the Singapore Sports Hub are reachable in approximately 15 minutes on foot, providing recreational green space that inner-city RCR condos rarely have in such proximity.
For drivers, the Pan Island Expressway and Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway are accessible within five minutes, putting Changi Airport under 20 minutes and the CBD under 15 minutes in off-peak conditions. The Geylang Road arterial connects directly to the Nicoll Highway, Marina Bay, and the Orchard corridor.
Schools & Education
1 primary school within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| One World International School (Mountbatten) | international | Within 1 km |
| Geylang Methodist School (Primary) | primary | Within 1 km |
| Geylang Methodist School (Secondary) | secondary | Within 1 km |
| Kong Hwa School | primary | ~1.2 km |
| Macpherson Primary School | primary | ~1.6 km |
| Hong Wen School | primary | ~1.7 km |
| Haig Girls' School | primary | ~1.8 km |
| Bendemeer Secondary School | secondary | ~2.0 km |
Facilities
At 28 units and a 1998 vintage, Bougainvilla Apartments offers a functional but modest facilities set. The development includes a swimming pool, covered car parking, and BBQ facilities — the baseline package typical of a boutique late-1990s condominium. A gym is present, sized appropriately for a small community. Buyers seeking a tennis court, function room, children’s water play area, or resort-scale lap pool should align expectations accordingly: the facilities at Bougainvilla Apartments are a supporting function, not a headline draw.
The upside of this trade-off is availability and maintenance cost. In a 28-unit building, the pool is never congested, the gym queue does not exist, and the BBQ area can be booked with a phone call rather than a formal reservation system. Maintenance fees for boutique developments with lean facility loads are typically lower than at large-scale condominiums, which directly improves net rental yield for investment-hold buyers.
“The pool is small but always empty. I swim every morning before work and have never once shared it with more than one other person. That’s a quality-of-life thing you can’t get at a 400-unit condo.”
— Resident feedback via 99.co
The 1998 build vintage means interiors and common areas will show age compared with developments completed in the 2010s or 2020s. Buyers should factor a renovation budget into their acquisition cost for own-stay purposes. The low unit count means that when a well-managed MCST decides to upgrade common facilities — a resurfaced pool, updated gym equipment, a lobby refresh — the per-unit cost impact is proportionally significant, so prospective buyers should review the building’s sinking fund position before committing.
Unit Sizes & Layout
Bougainvilla Apartments consists of 28 units built in 1998, with unit configurations running primarily to 3-bedroom layouts around 1,000 square feet — a footprint typical of late-1990s boutique condominiums in this precinct, where developers prioritised practical family-sized configurations over modern studio-and-one-bedroom investment formats. Larger 4-bedroom units are also available in the development, offering more substantial floor plates for family own-stay purchasers.
The 1998 layout philosophy means proportionally more bedrooms relative to living area than a modern unit at the same square footage — bedrooms tend to be generous while living and kitchen areas reflect the era’s more compartmentalised floor-plan conventions. Buyers targeting own-stay use should view a live unit before committing; the generous bedroom dimensions and solid construction of late-1990s boutiques often surprise buyers who have only seen modern open-plan configurations.
Transaction data from EdgeProp and URA records indicates a median transacted price of approximately $1,775,000 and an average PSF in the $940–$960 range based on the recorded sample. This represents meaningful value relative to leasehold peers: Parc Esta 99-year at $2,183 psf is 130% more expensive on a per-square-foot basis; Penrose 99-year at $1,928 psf is 100% more expensive. The freehold title, Aljunied EWL walkability, and lower absolute entry quantum create a distinctive position for buyers who are PSF-aware.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 BR | 1 | $970 | $950,000 |
| 4 BR | 1 | $982 | $1,775,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 2 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $950,000 to $1,775,000, averaging $1,362,500.
Rents range from $2,100 to $4,900 per month across 24 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 2.8%.
Neighbourhood Comparison
Bougainvilla Apartments competes in a distinct corner of the D14 market: freehold boutique, 1998 vintage, sub-$1,000 psf based on recorded transactions. Its leasehold peers in the district operate at a material premium. Parc Esta (1,399 units, 99-year leasehold, ~$2,183 psf) is the flagship D14 new launch — it offers direct Eunos MRT access, resort-scale amenities, and a vibrant community, but at a 130% PSF premium and a lease clock that has already started ticking. Penrose (566 units, 99-year, ~$1,928 psf) is closer in scale and also leasehold, positioned near Aljunied MRT with modern facilities. Sims Urban Oasis (1,024 units, 99-year, ~$1,761 psf) offers a larger community with comprehensive facilities, again leasehold.
The freehold-versus-leasehold comparison at the D14 level is stark: every major new launch in the district is 99-year leasehold. Bougainvilla Apartments, along with a small number of other boutique freehold condominiums in the area, is one of the only ways to access freehold land tenure in this MRT corridor. The PSF discount relative to leasehold peers is predominantly a neighbourhood perception discount — the underlying land value case for freehold D14 RCR within 500 metres of an EWL station is structurally robust regardless of the Geylang postcode.
Buyers choosing between Bougainvilla Apartments and a leasehold peer should resolve the following questions: How long is my expected holding period? (Freehold advantages compound beyond 15 years.) Do I prioritise community facilities over land tenure security? (Parc Esta wins on lifestyle; Bougainvilla wins on permanence.) Is a Geylang address on title a problem for personal or professional reasons? (A genuine consideration for some buyer profiles.) How important is liquidity at exit? (Parc Esta’s 1,399 units provide a substantially larger buyer pool at any point in the market cycle.)
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOUGAINVILLA APARTMENTS | Freehold | 1998 | 28 | — |
| PARC ESTA | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 1,399 | $2,183 |
| SIMS URBAN OASIS | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2014 | 2020 | 1,024 | $1,761 |
| PENROSE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 566 | $1,928 |
| EUHABITAT | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2010 | 2016 | 697 | $1,326 |
| THE ANTARES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 265 | $1,833 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates BOUGAINVILLA APARTMENTS across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“I bought for yield and the freehold status. Aljunied MRT is genuinely 5 minutes on foot — not the padded 10-minute walk some listings describe. Tenant demand has been consistent; I’ve never had a void period longer than 6 weeks across 8 years of ownership. The Geylang address requires a bit of explanation to prospective tenants who haven’t walked the street, but once they visit, it’s a straightforward close.”
— Investor review via 99.co
“Lived here for two years while working in the CBD. Walk to Aljunied and straight to City Hall — it is genuinely convenient. The building is quiet, neighbours keep to themselves, and the Geylang food scene nearby is a serious bonus. Lorong 19 itself is a normal residential street; people make assumptions from the Geylang name but the reality is unremarkable in a good way.”
— Tenant review via PropertyGuru
“The pool is tiny but always free. The gym has what you need. Maintenance fees are low compared to big condos. For me as a single professional, this is exactly the right trade-off — I’m not paying for a tennis court and a spa I’ll never use. The MRT walk is honest — 5 to 6 minutes at a normal pace.”
— Resident review via EdgeProp
The pattern across resident accounts is consistent: occupants value the authentic Aljunied EWL walkability, the boutique community scale, low maintenance overhead, and proximity to Geylang’s food belt. The recurring caveat is the Geylang address perception in resale and rental conversations — specifically the need to contextualise Lorong 19 against the broader Geylang narrative for buyers or tenants unfamiliar with the lorong-level distinctions. Rental demand from professionals commuting via EWL has been steady, supporting the 24 rental transaction record and the gross yield figure.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — perpetual ownership in a leasehold-dominant D14 market where all major new launches are 99-year
- Aljunied MRT (EW9) at 490 m — authentic 5-minute walk, one of the best EWL proximities in RCR boutique freehold
- Mountbatten MRT (CC6) at 890 m — secondary Circle Line access without a dedicated transit trip
- 24 rental transactions recorded across 28 units — broad landlord participation signals genuine, durable rental demand
- Median $1,775,000 vs Parc Esta 99yr at $2,183 psf — significant value gap for comparable MRT access
- Lorong 19 is predominantly residential — more palatable day-to-day experience than the Geylang reputation implies
- 28-unit scale — uncongested amenities, quiet communal areas, rapid MCST decision-making
- Geylang Methodist Primary (0.70 km) — within P1 registration distance for priority balloting
- Geylang food belt and Old Airport Road Food Centre nearby — genuine lifestyle asset for food-culture buyers
- Low maintenance fees relative to larger developments with heavier amenity loads
- Geylang address carries persistent perception stigma — extends resale timelines and constrains buyer universe for future sale
- 1998 build vintage — expect renovation budget of $80,000–$150,000 for own-stay units; common areas show age
- Only 2 recorded resale transactions — boutique illiquidity; plan for 12–18 month marketing window at exit
- Gross yield 2.84% — modest; not a high-yield rental play without active renovation and management
- Minimal facilities — pool, gym, parking only; no tennis court, function room, or children's play facilities
- Lorong 19 is still part of Geylang — even-keeled residents accept this; buyers requiring prestige postcode will not
- Singiap Company Pte Ltd — boutique developer with limited track record versus established names like GuocoLand or CDL
- En-bloc probability low at 52/100 — small 28-unit land area reduces collective sale attractiveness vs larger land parcels
- Thin unit-mix data — 3BR/4BR sizing must be verified by physical inspection; comparable analysis less reliable than at large developments
Verdict
Bougainvilla Apartments is a focused product for a focused buyer. At a median transacted price of approximately $1,775,000 for a freehold 3-bedroom apartment 490 metres from Aljunied EWL, it occupies a value position that the leasehold new-launch market in D14 simply cannot access. Parc Esta at $2,183 psf is exceptional on facilities and community scale but is 99-year leasehold — in 50 years, it enters the lease-decay zone where financing becomes constrained and capital protection erodes. Bougainvilla Apartments does not have that problem.
The 24 rental transactions recorded across a 28-unit building speak to genuine investment utility: landlord participation is broad, tenant demand is real, and the 2.84% gross yield, while modest, is supported by active occupancy from professionals using Aljunied EWL for CBD and eastward commuting. Yield enhancement through renovation is plausible: the 1998 layout and finish level means a well-executed renovation can achieve current-market rents of $4,000–$4,500/month for a 1,000 sqft 3-bedder, improving gross yield toward 3.0–3.2%.
The risks are real and should be clearly understood: a Geylang address will always carry perception baggage in resale conversations, which constrains the buyer universe and extends exit timelines; 28 units means boutique illiquidity; 1998 construction vintage requires renovation budget allowance; and the area around Lorong 19, while predominantly residential, is not a leafy, prestige-postcode neighbourhood. For buyers who have weighed these trade-offs and prioritised freehold tenure, EWL access, and capital floor protection over lifestyle optics, the proposition is compelling.