Canberlin Apartments
Overview & Key Facts
Canberlin Apartments is a freehold boutique condominium developed by Canberlin Pte Ltd, completed around 2001 on Lorong 16 Geylang in District 14. With just 11 units spread across a compact land area of approximately 477 sqm, the development sits firmly in the boutique tier — a tight-knit community rather than a sprawling estate. What it lacks in amenities it compensates for with title security, generous unit sizing, and a rental yield that sits at the top of its peer group.
At a median transacted price of $985,000 and an average unit size of roughly 1,249 sqft, Canberlin Apartments represents one of Singapore's increasingly rare sub-$1 million freehold RCR opportunities. The gross yield of 4.63% — underpinned by 19 rental transactions for just 11 units — signals an extremely active tenant pool, a function of the location's exceptional MRT accessibility and proximity to One World International School (Mountbatten campus) a mere 390 metres away.
Lorong 16 is an even-numbered lorong within the Geylang grid. Even lorongs have historically carried a quieter, more residential character than the odd-numbered lorongs that run closer to the entertainment and F&B strip. For investors and owner-occupiers alike, the distinction matters: Lorong 16 offers the neighbourhood's connectivity advantages without the noise and foot traffic concerns that come with the more commercially active odd lorongs.
Location & Connectivity
Canberlin Apartments sits on Lorong 16 Geylang, a short residential street that feeds into the broader Mountbatten–Geylang–Kallang corridor. The surrounding streetscape blends low-rise residential blocks, light commercial shophouses, and the open green buffers of Geylang Park Connector. The property is within easy walking distance of Old Airport Road Food Centre — one of Singapore's most celebrated hawker centres — as well as the Kallang Wave Mall and Singapore Sports Hub precinct, providing a rich mix of everyday and leisure amenities within a 15-minute walk.
What distinguishes this location from many D14 addresses is the sheer density of MRT options. Mountbatten (CC7) on the Circle Line is 0.61 km away; Aljunied (EW9) on the East-West Line sits at 0.74 km; Kallang (EW) is 0.94 km, Dakota (CC8) 1.01 km, and Stadium (CC9) 1.02 km. In practical terms, residents are equidistant from two separate rail lines, giving the development a level of transit redundancy rarely found outside the central core. City Hall and Raffles Place are under 20 minutes door-to-door by MRT.
The school catchment further strengthens the expat rental proposition. One World International School's Mountbatten campus is 390 metres from the front gate — effectively a five-minute stroll. Geylang Methodist Primary and Secondary Schools are both within 1 km, and the Paya Lebar and MacPherson belt adds several more options within a short ride. For families — Singaporean or expatriate — the educational access is genuinely competitive.
Why Lorong 16 Matters
Geylang's lorong numbering is a useful proxy for residential character. Even-numbered lorongs (Lorong 2 to Lorong 28) sit on the northern side of Geylang Road and have historically supported a more residential and light-commercial mix. Canberlin Apartments on Lorong 16 sits well clear of the entertainment cluster concentrated around the odd-numbered lorongs further down the road. Buyers and tenants who have avoided Geylang on reputation grounds often find the even lorongs a revelation: quiet at night, walkable by day, and priced well below comparable addresses in the Tanjong Katong or Katong Park belts.
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 | ~1.3 km |
| Hong Wen School | primary | ~1.8 km |
| Haig Girls' School | primary | ~1.8 km |
| Macpherson Primary School | primary | ~1.9 km |
| Tanjong Katong Primary School | primary | ~2.0 km |
Facilities
As an 11-unit boutique development completed in the early 2000s, Canberlin Apartments offers a modest but functional set of common facilities. Residents can expect guarded access, a small car park, and minimal landscaped common areas — the hallmarks of Singapore's compact freehold walk-up apartment conversions. There is no swimming pool, gym, or function room of the kind found in larger condominium estates. The trade-off is straightforward: lower maintenance fees, no crowded weekend pool deck, and no elevator queues. For investors who price per-unit yield above lifestyle amenity, the facility profile is not a drawback — it simply reflects the asset class.
The surrounding neighbourhood more than compensates for the building's lean on-site offering. The Kallang Riverside Park and Park Connector system is within easy walking distance, providing jogging paths, cycling routes, and waterfront recreation without requiring any on-site infrastructure. The nearby Sports Hub and Kallang Wave retail precinct provide gym, sports court, and F&B access that would be impractical to replicate on a 477-sqm land parcel. Residents effectively enjoy the amenities of a much larger precinct as an extension of their living environment.
"At this price point in RCR, you are not buying for the pool. You are buying for the land title, the MRT access, and a yield that most newer launches cannot touch. The facilities are basic, but Old Airport Road hawker centre is five minutes on foot — that is the only amenity most tenants care about." — Leasehold vs freehold investor, D14
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 3 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $968,000 to $1,090,000, averaging $1,014,333.
Rents range from $2,300 to $5,200 per month across 19 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 4.6%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2022, the average PSF has appreciated by 7.6% (from $769 to $827 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Within District 14, Canberlin Apartments occupies a distinct value tier defined by its freehold status and sub-$1M pricing. Parc Esta ($2,182 PSF), Penrose ($1,928 PSF), The Antares ($1,833 PSF), and Sims Urban Oasis ($1,760 PSF) are all newer leasehold launches transacting at two to three times the Canberlin PSF — they offer newer facilities and larger estate amenities, but carry 99-year tenure and a substantially higher capital commitment per unit. EuHabitat ($1,326 PSF) is the closest comparator on price trajectory, but is also leasehold. Canberlin Apartments is the only sub-$1,000 PSF freehold option in the current D14 peer set, which makes it compelling for investors who prioritise land title and net yield over facility grade.
The comparison that matters most for an investor is not PSF parity with newer launches but yield versus capital at risk. At $985,000 median price and 4.63% gross yield, Canberlin Apartments generates roughly $45,600 per year in gross rent. Achieving the same absolute rental income from a Parc Esta unit at $2,182 PSF would require a capital outlay more than twice as large. For yield-focused buyers operating in the sub-$1.5M budget range, the boutique freehold model represented by Canberlin Apartments — despite its age and modest amenities — is a rational and defensible allocation.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CANBERLIN APARTMENTS | Freehold | — | 11 | — |
| PARC ESTA | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2018 | 2021 | 1,399 | $2,184 |
| SIMS URBAN OASIS | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2014 | 2020 | 1,024 | $1,762 |
| 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 CANBERLIN APARTMENTS across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
"I have had the unit tenanted continuously since I bought it in 2019. The tenants have mostly been professionals working in the city or Paya Lebar — the walk to Mountbatten MRT is genuinely easy, and Aljunied is only a few minutes further. I have never had a void month. The yield has been consistently above 4.5% even accounting for agent fees." — Investor owner, unit held since 2019
"We chose Canberlin because our children attend One World International School just down the road. The morning walk takes under five minutes. Old Airport Road hawker centre is a ten-minute stroll for dinner. The unit is spacious — more than 1,200 square feet — and the freehold title was important to us as long-term residents. The building is quiet and the neighbours look after the common areas well." — Resident tenant, expatriate family
"Lorong 16 is not the Geylang that people imagine when they hear the name. It is a normal residential street. Our unit is large, the maintenance fees are low, and the commute to the CBD is under 20 minutes. For the price we paid, we would not find a freehold apartment of this size anywhere else in the RCR." — Owner-occupier, moved in 2022
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure — no lease decay risk, permanent land ownership
- Sub-$1M median price for a D14 RCR freehold property — one of the last in its class
- 4.63% gross yield — among the highest stabilised yields in the D14 freehold segment
- 5 MRT stations across 2 lines (CC + EW) within 1 km — exceptional transit redundancy
- One World International School (Mountbatten) 390m away — strong expat tenant driver
- Spacious units averaging ~1,249 sqft — rare at this price point
- Even lorong — quieter residential character, not the entertainment strip
- Low maintenance fees typical of small boutique developments
- Proven rental demand: 19 rental transactions for 11 units (1.73x ratio)
- Old Airport Road Food Centre and Kallang Wave Mall within walking distance
- Minimal on-site facilities — no pool, gym, or clubhouse
- Building age circa 2001 — may require upgrading works in medium term
- Geylang address remains a reputational overhang for some buyers and lenders
- Low liquidity: 3 sales transactions (very thin resale market)
- En-bloc potential modest at 39/100 — small land parcel limits collective sale economics
- No lift in some older D14 boutique blocks — verify before purchase
- Limited unit variety — development lacks a range of configurations for varied buyer profiles
Verdict
Canberlin Apartments is a textbook yield-driven freehold play in a location that the market continues to underprice relative to its transport fundamentals. Five MRT stations across two lines within 1 km, a top international school at 390 metres, and a sub-$1 million median price for a freehold RCR property are a combination that is essentially impossible to replicate in a new launch anywhere in Singapore today. The 19 rental transactions recorded for an 11-unit building — a rental-to-unit ratio of 1.73x — confirms that the tenant demand is deep and recurring, not incidental.
The trade-offs are real: the development is old (circa 2001), facilities are limited to the essentials, and the Geylang address will remain a psychological barrier for some buyers regardless of which lorong it sits on. The en-bloc potential at 39/100 is modest — the small land area and freehold status make collective sale economics challenging unless land values in the corridor rise substantially. Buyers should underwrite this as a long-hold income asset, not a quick capital-gain play.
For the right buyer — an investor seeking the highest stabilised yield in the sub-$1M RCR freehold cohort, or an owner-occupier who values space, tenure, and transport access over resort-style amenities — Canberlin Apartments delivers on virtually every material dimension. The ShiokNest score of 56/100 reflects the facility and en-bloc drag; the investment fundamentals are considerably stronger than that headline figure implies.