If you like affordable private residences and loathe maintenance fees, walk-up apartments may be the way to go. The problem is that walk-up apartments aren’t always in the most convenient areas: they’re sometimes near inaccessible landed enclaves or far from the nearest bus or MRT station. For those who like this type of property though, we’ve picked out some older walk-ups that are surprisingly close to train stations:
1. Hoot Kiam Mansion
Hoot Kiam Mansion is certainly old but could serve as a home if you’re not fussy, and must have an Orchard area location. The facade shows its age: we’d guess it came up sometime in the 1960s (the developer and completion date seem lost to time).
What it lacks in aesthetic appeal, it makes up for in location. Being along Hoot Kiam Road means it’s just a few minutes walk to Great World MRT station (TEL). From here, it’s just one more stop to Orchard. Great World City Mall also provides almost anything you’ll need; and as an alternative, you can walk to Valley Point (a River Valley Mall). So you don’t have to go into Orchard and brave the crowd for your shopping; but we’d imagine that’s one of the highlights of living here.
There are only 15 units in this walk-up; and while there’s the common inclusion of shops on the ground floor, it is a decent selection with a butchery and spa among others. There are no KTVs or sleazy massage parlours, but because you are right next to the busy Hoot Kiam Road you will have to expect a certain level of road noise.
Unfortunately, the lack of transactions means there’s no certain way to gauge the price; not without a closer look inside. But there are records of units here being three-bedders, that are rented out for $1,900 to $2,600 per month. This would, incidentally, make it one of the cheaper places to rent near Orchard/Great World.
Hoot Kiam Mansion is a freehold property, though that hardly stands out in District 10. Almost every private residence around here is also freehold. You can consider if you’re a no-frills type, and your number-one priority is just to be within the main shopping belt.
Latest Transactions
| Sold On | Address | Type of Sale | Unit Area (SQFT) | Price ($PSF) | Price ($) |
| 18 Jan 2013 | XX Hoot Kiam Road | Resale | 1,066 | $1,220 | $1,300,000 |
| 19 Jun 2012 | XX Hoot Kiam Road | Resale | 1,066 | $1,032 | $1,100,000 |
| 28 Jan 2010 | XX Hoot Kiam Road | Resale | 1,066 | $873 | $930,000 |
| 1 Feb 2001 | XX Hoot Kiam Road | Resale | 1,066 | $338 | $360,000 |
| 1 Oct 1999 | XX Hoot Kiam Road | Resale | 1,012 | $356 | $360,000 |
2. Chun Tin Court
Chun Tin Court is just a little bit further across the road from Beauty World Plaza, and Bukit Timah Shopping Centre. This also means you can walk to Beauty World station (DTL). Right across the street – and all the way down Cheong Chin Nam Road – you’ll find a long stretch of popular food places, some of which open till late. This does bring quite a lot of traffic and noise on the weekends though.
While there are no floor plans available, Chun Tin Court was built in 1984. There are also listings for this property, which advertise three-bedders at 2,162 sq. ft Today we’d consider something half that size to be a three-bedder, so Chun Tin likely has the gigantic units common to the ‘80s.
On the side of Chun Tin Court itself, the area is very private. It’s mostly landed homes, and it’s far enough from Upper Bukit Timah Road that you won’t be woken by honking and rumbling lorries. And as there are only 11 units here, this is a very private place to live.
There are no recent transactions here; with the last home being sold in 2018 (at the time it reached $1,239 psf). We doubt it’s anywhere that low today, being a freehold property in District 21.
Latest Transactions
| Sold On | Address | Type of Sale | Unit Area (SQFT) | Price ($PSF) | Price ($) |
| 21 May 2018 | XX Yuk Tong Avenue | Resale | 2,002 | $1,239 | $2,480,000 |
| 29 Aug 2014 | XX Yuk Tong Avenue | Resale | 2,164 | $823 | $1,780,000 |
| 14 Oct 2002 | XX Yuk Tong Avenue | Resale | 1,055 | $580 | $611,650 |
| 5 Apr 2000 | XX Yuk Tong Avenue | Resale | 2,971 | $321 | $955,000 |
| 31 Jan 1997 | XX Yuk Tong Avenue | Resale | 2,164 | $444 | $960,000 |
3. Kai Fook Mansion
If you want a private property in Tiong Bahru that’s effectively freehold (999-years), Kai Fook Mansion is a walk-up option. This development is just a short walk to Tiong Bahru MRT (EWL), and hence just two stops to Tanjong Pagar in the CBD. There are, however, no records of the completion date or developer.
Besides the many hipster stores and artisanal cafes of Tiong Bahru, there’s a stretch of small businesses right outside – and on the ground floor – of Kai Fook Mansion. It is very convenient here as one of these is an NTUC FairPrice, among the food options. There’s also Tiong Bahru Plaza near the MRT station – not the biggest mall by any stretch, but enough for a quick bite and some services like gyms. In any case, Tiong Bahru is the go-to place for boutique retail experiences and not big malls.
This is one of the bigger walk-ups on our list with 32 units. There aren’t floor plans available, but a check of listings showed units that were in the range of 900+ sq. ft. We also noticed asking prices of around $1.6 million or lower, so this may be a shot at living in the heart of Tiong Bahru, without breaking the bank.
4. Binjai Park
By the standards of many 999-year lease walk-ups, Binjai Park is not that old; it was built only in 2004. The owners of this 20-unit project caught a lucky break when King Albert Park MRT station (DTL, CRL) came up. This is within walking distance and is just one stop away from Beauty World station. As such, residents are within easy reach of Beauty World, which will be a major retail hub once The Reserve Residences and Linq @ Beauty World is up.
Binjai Park is surrounded by a landed housing enclave, and coupled with the low unit count, is excellent for those who like their solitude. It’s also a short drive to Bukit Timah Plaza from here, and there’s easy access to the Linear Park. Like most Bukit Timah homes, part of the appeal is the greenery and outdoor spaces.
There is a transaction on record for Binjai Park too: the most recent was in January 2023, when a 1,001 sq. ft. unit sold for $1.588 million. Even though this apartment isn’t at Beauty World itself, that’s decent value for a prominent city fringe location.
Latest Transactions
| Sold On | Address | Type of Sale | Unit Area (SQFT) | Price ($PSF) | Price ($) |
| 13 Jan 2023 | XX Binjai Park | Resale | 1,001 | $1,586 | $1,588,000 |
| 12 Jul 2022 | XX Binjai Park | Resale | 1,313 | $1,575 | $2,068,000 |
| 18 Apr 2022 | XX Binjai Park | Resale | 1,033 | $1,616 | $1,670,000 |
| 27 Oct 2021 | XX Binjai Park | Resale | 1,033 | $1,529 | $1,580,000 |
| 16 Aug 2017 | XX Binjai Park | Resale | 1,033 | $1,258 | $1,300,000 |
5. Novena Court
Novena Court was built in 1970 and is a freehold apartment with 107 units. Despite the age, and a facade that could use a facelift, this project can work for both owner-occupancy and as a rental asset.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital is relatively close by; given the high rental rates in Novena, an older freehold apartment is an affordable option for the hospitals’ nurses, admin, etc. (hospitals tend to have a large foreign workforce). For homeowners, it’s just incredibly convenient to be within walking distance of the Novena MRT station (NSL). Besides the quick ride to Orchard, the nearby VeloCity mall can more than meet daily needs. Alternatively, United Square Mall is also nearby.
The location is heavily urban, with fewer green spaces – but families who prefer convenience over greenery might not see the drawback. The main issue could be proximity to the hospital for some, if they harbour taboos (as far as noise and traffic go, Novena will present you with that whether there’s a hospital nearby or not!)
This project has a higher transaction volume than others on this list. Novena Court has 59 profitable transactions to 11 unprofitable ones. An 861 sq. ft. unit here transacts at just around $1.39 million, which is a decent option for a freehold, Novena area property. The smaller unit sizes are better for couples or small families though.
Latest Transactions
| Sold On | Address | Type of Sale | Unit Area (SQFT) | Price ($PSF) | Price ($) |
| 24 Sep 2024 | XX Jalan Novena Barat | Resale | 861 | $1,614 | $1,390,000 |
| 12 Jul 2024 | XX Jalan Novena Barat | Resale | 829 | $1,629 | $1,350,000 |
| 9 Apr 2024 | XX Jalan Novena Barat | Resale | 775 | $1,523 | $1,180,000 |
| 25 Mar 2024 | XX Jalan Novena Barat | Resale | 861 | $1,568 | $1,350,000 |
| 16 Nov 2023 | XX Jalan Novena Barat | Resale | 861 | $1,452 | $1,250,000 |
At Stacked, we like to look beyond the headlines and surface-level numbers, and focus on how things play out in the real world.
If you’d like to discuss how this applies to your own circumstances, you can reach out for a one-to-one consultation here.
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