Astor
Overview & Key Facts
Astor is a compact 55-unit condominium tucked away at 51C Lengkong Empat in District 14 — a quiet residential pocket sandwiched between the Geylang heartland and the Kaki Bukit industrial belt. Developed by Astor Properties Pte Ltd and completed in 2007, it occupies the kind of site that barely registers on most property portals: small, unassuming, and easy to overlook in a district increasingly dominated by mega-launches like Parc Esta and Penrose.
With a 99-year lease commencing from 2002, Astor has approximately 75 years remaining — a figure that places it squarely in the zone where lease decay starts becoming a practical consideration for financing and CPF usage within the next 15 years. At an average PSF of $1,257 over the past 12 months, it sits at the budget end of D14’s private condo market, significantly below newer peers that command $1,700–$2,200 psf.
The development offers a mix of 2-bedroom (861–872 sqft), 2-bedroom + study (969–990 sqft), 3-bedroom (1,087–1,119 sqft), and 3-bedroom + study (1,227 sqft) configurations. Unit sizes are generous by today’s standards — a 2-bedroom here is larger than many new-launch 3-bedrooms — a reflection of early-2000s planning norms before the shoebox era took hold.
Location & Connectivity
Lengkong Empat is one of those streets that doesn’t appear on most Singaporeans’ mental maps. It’s a narrow, low-traffic road flanked by landed houses and a handful of low-rise developments, branching off Jalan Eunos. The immediate surroundings are predominantly landed residential — quiet and private, but also lacking in walkable amenities.
The nearest MRT stations — Kaki Bukit (0.84 km), Bedok North (0.86 km), and Kembangan (0.88 km), all on the Downtown Line — are clustered at roughly equal distances that fall just outside comfortable walking range, particularly in Singapore’s climate. In practice, most residents drive or take a short bus ride. The PIE is accessible within minutes by car, making CBD commutes feasible in 15–20 minutes during off-peak hours.
For daily necessities, Giant Express at Bedok Reservoir Road and FairPrice at Lengkong Tiga are within a kilometre, but neither is a pleasant walk. Bedok Town Centre and its hawker centre are a short drive away, as is the Eunos MRT area with its cluster of eateries. Paya Lebar Quarter — the district’s main lifestyle and retail hub — is roughly 3 km west.
One noted drawback flagged by residents: the PIE highway runs close to the development. Some units — particularly those in common rooms and kitchens facing the expressway side — experience noticeable road noise. Buyers should inspect units on both orientations before committing.
Schools & Education
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Telok Kurau Primary School | primary | ~1.8 km |
| Canossa Catholic Primary School | primary | ~1.8 km |
| Temasek Junior College | jc | ~1.8 km |
| Temasek Primary School | primary | ~1.8 km |
Facilities
With only 55 units, Astor’s facilities are necessarily modest. The development provides the essentials — a swimming pool, gym, BBQ pit, and 24-hour security with covered car parking. There is no tennis court, function room, or children’s playground — amenities that require a critical mass of units (and maintenance contributions) to justify.
For a boutique development of this size, the facility offering is neither surprising nor disappointing — it is simply the trade-off of living in a small, quiet compound. Residents who prioritise resort-style amenities would be better served by larger developments like euHabitat (697 units) or Parc Esta (1,399 units) nearby. What Astor offers instead is privacy and low density — 55 units means you recognise your neighbours, the pool is rarely crowded, and common areas feel personal rather than institutional.
“Peaceful area near city area. Recommended for families with children who want a peaceful and quiet setting.”
— Resident review via Singapore Expats
Maintenance fees benefit from the small unit count — shared costs are distributed across fewer households, but the limited facility set keeps the quantum manageable. Buyers should verify current maintenance levels, as boutique condos can be vulnerable to fee increases when major repairs (lift replacement, pool resurfacing) are needed.
Unit Sizes & Layout
Astor’s unit mix caters primarily to couples and small families. The 2-bedroom units at 861–872 sqft are notably spacious — larger than many new-launch 3-bedrooms in D14 — and the 3-bedroom + study at 1,227 sqft offers genuine family-sized living. There are no 1-bedroom or studio units, which limits the tenant pool but ensures a more family-oriented resident profile.
Layouts from this era tend to be more regular and efficient than contemporary designs, with fewer odd corners and wasted corridors. The 2-bedroom + study configurations (969–990 sqft) are particularly practical — the study can function as a small home office or children’s room, adding flexibility without the premium of a full 3-bedroom unit.
Interior finishings are mid-2000s standard — functional but dated by current expectations. Most resale buyers should budget $30,000–$60,000 for a cosmetic refresh of bathrooms, kitchen, and flooring. The upside is that the generous floor plates give renovation contractors more room to work with than the tight layouts common in newer builds.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 BR | 4 | $1,120 | $966,694 |
| 3 BR | 11 | $1,144 | $1,253,000 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 15 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $825,000 to $1,548,000, averaging $1,176,652 (~$1,261 psf).
Rents range from $2,350 to $4,800 per month across 32 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.7%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 37.4% (from $930 to $1,278 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Astor’s competitive set in D14 illustrates the classic price-versus-everything-else trade-off. Parc Esta ($2,182 psf, 1,399 units, TOP 2023) offers a vastly superior MRT location (Eunos station doorstep), extensive facilities, and a fresh lease — but at nearly double the PSF. Penrose ($1,928 psf, 566 units, TOP 2024) similarly benefits from Aljunied MRT proximity and newer finishings. Sims Urban Oasis ($1,760 psf, 1,024 units, TOP 2018) sits near Aljunied MRT with a full facility deck.
The closest competitor on price is euHabitat ($1,326 psf, 697 units, TOP 2015) — still $69 psf above Astor but with a significantly larger facility set, newer lease (99yr from 2010), and a more walkable Eunos location. euHabitat is arguably the natural upgrade path for buyers who like Astor’s value proposition but want better amenities and connectivity.
The Antares ($1,833 psf, 265 units, TOP 2023) near Mattar MRT offers a smaller boutique feel similar to Astor but with Downtown Line MRT adjacency and a fresh lease — at a 46% PSF premium.
The pattern is clear: Astor’s PSF discount of 5–42% versus every peer reflects the combination of an ageing lease, car-dependent location, and minimal facilities. Buyers choosing Astor are explicitly trading those attributes for quantum savings and spacious layouts — a rational choice for the right household profile, but not a hidden gem that the market has overlooked.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASTOR | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2002 | 2007 | 55 | $1,261 |
| 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 |
Lease Decay Analysis
The 99-year lease runs from 2002, meaning approximately 24 years have already been consumed. Roughly 75 years remain — still comfortably within the range where most banks will offer full financing without restrictions.
| Year | Lease remaining | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (now) | ~75 years | Full bank financing available |
| 2032 | ~69 years | CPF usage still unrestricted for most buyers |
| 2041 | ~59 years | Approaching 60-year threshold — CPF limits begin for some |
| 2061 | ~39 years | Significant financing restrictions for next buyer |
| 2101 | Expiry | Lease reverts to state |
For a buyer purchasing today with a 10-year horizon (exit around 2036), the lease situation is essentially a non-issue — you’d be selling a property with ~65 years remaining, which is still very bankable. The risk profile changes for longer holds.
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates ASTOR across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“Peaceful area near city area. Recommended for families with children who want a peaceful and quiet setting.”
— Resident review via Singapore Expats
“The unit interior is good, but the PIE Highway is just next to it — noise is too loud in the common rooms and kitchen.”
— Resident review via PropertyGuru
“Surrounded by landed houses with no convenience stores nearby — only suitable for people with cars.”
— Resident review via PropertyGuru
The resident feedback paints a consistent picture: Astor appeals to people who value quietness and privacy over convenience and connectivity. The landed-house surroundings create a low-rise, low-density feel that is increasingly rare in D14, but the trade-off is genuine isolation from daily amenities. The PIE noise issue is stack-dependent rather than development-wide — buyers who inspect carefully can avoid the worst-affected units.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Budget entry point in D14 — $1,257 psf vs $1,326–$2,182 for peers
- Generous unit sizes (2-BR at 861+ sqft, larger than many new-launch 3-BRs)
- Quiet, landed-house surroundings with genuine privacy
- Low density — 55 units means uncrowded facilities and familiar neighbours
- Decent gross yield at 3.65% supported by low purchase quantum
- Three Downtown Line MRT stations within ~900m radius
- Practical 2-BR + study layouts ideal for home office use
- Low total quantum (~$1.15M median) accessible for first-time buyers
- No MRT within 800m walkable threshold — car-dependent lifestyle
- Walkability score of 30/100 — no nearby convenience stores or eateries
- 75-year lease crosses 60-year CPF threshold in ~15 years
- Basic facilities only — no tennis court, function room, or playground
- PIE highway noise affects some unit orientations
- Very limited resale inventory — 55 units means long waits for listings
- Mid-2000s finishings require renovation budget
- No primary school within 1 km radius
- Small development vulnerable to lumpy maintenance cost spikes
Verdict
Astor occupies a very specific niche in D14’s property landscape: it is the budget entry point into private condo living in a district where newer launches have pushed average PSFs well above $1,700. At $1,257 psf, it offers roughly 40–45% savings versus Parc Esta and 35% below Penrose — a gap wide enough to be genuinely meaningful for buyers prioritising quantum over brand or facilities.
The 3.65% gross yield is respectable for a leasehold property, supported by the relatively low purchase price rather than unusually high rents. With average rents of $3,517 per month, it attracts tenants seeking affordable private housing near the Downtown Line corridor — a stable if unexciting demand driver.
The elephant in the room is the lease. At 75 years remaining, Astor will cross the 60-year threshold around 2041 — just 15 years away. Below 60 years, CPF usage becomes restricted and bank loan-to-value ratios tighten, which historically compresses resale demand and pricing power. For owner-occupiers planning to stay 10+ years, this is manageable. For investors eyeing a 15–20 year hold-and-exit, the math becomes increasingly uncomfortable.
The honest assessment: Astor is a sensible purchase for car-owning households who want quiet, spacious, affordable private living in D14 and plan to hold for own-stay. It is not the right pick for MRT-dependent buyers, facility-seekers, or anyone whose investment thesis depends on strong capital appreciation. The PSF discount reflects real structural limitations — lease decay, car dependency, and boutique-scale facilities — rather than market mispricing.