• Christopher Chitty
  • 5 December 2016

Project Name: The Quinn

Address: 9, 11, 13, 15 Bartley Road

Type: Residential Apartments

Site area: approx. 76,246.16 sqft

Tenure: Freehold

District: 19

Configuration: 139 units in four, 5-storey flats

Carparks: 141 lots

Unit types: 23, 1BR unit (484 – 603 sqft)

1, 2+1BR PH (1173 sqft)

16, 2BR units (646 – 829 sqft)

1, 2BR PH (904 sqft)

44, 1+1BR unit (560 – 603 sqft)

4,3+1 BR PH (1496 – 2013 sqft)

7, 4 BR PH (1572 – 1819 sqft)

16, 3BR units (1,055 – 1,141 sqft)

1, 3BR loft (1,227 sqft)

6, 3BR PH (1625 – 1862 sqft)

20, 2+1BR (786 – 893 sqft)

TOP: 2016 (Achieved)

Project Details

Propshort: If the 3BR penthouse is anything to go by, units at The Quinn are beautifully designed in a retro, colonial look with subtle post-modern sensibilities that exudes homeliness and comfort while suffused with its luxury offerings. It’s a top tier product with a small number of units to be considered rare. And with affordable prices, it’s certainly a must-have for property lookers with an eye toward truly unique homes. That it is freehold is icing on an already delicious cake.

For all its posh and class, The Quinn never comes off as pretentious. Low-rise, the four block, 5-storey development is influenced by French Indochine architecture which is so ubiquitous and yet subtle, that this classical atmosphere is felt almost immediately.

The Quinn exterior

The Quinn exterior

The display unit is a 3BR Deluxe penthouse (1841 sqft) that while isn’t quite sprawling and dripping in abundance as some of its ilk, is still spacious with every bit of the home having a purpose that fits perfectly into a greater whole. The pull back on offering wide swathes of space – typically seen in the form of massive balconies and large bedrooms which are then hamstrung by elaborate bathrooms and bay windows – makes The Quinn an extremely attractive and classy development that delivers on where it counts.

The colonial design aside, the display unit comes across as a traditional sort of home, where the living and dining rooms are separated so parents can raise their kids away from the television.

Living and dining

Living and dining

It is also an easy thing to miss but upon entering the apartment, it is the living room that greets you, instead of the kitchen. While this might be a result of this unit’s particular layout, it does hearken back to the layouts of older type of developments where the living room is an extension of the welcome area. It is infinitely a better look and one that is sorely missed.

The dining area is just behind the living area and not all that far from the television. It is however in its own space so neither aspects of the greater living room feel sacrificed so one or the other could exist. The high ceiling certainly helps in adding depth, alleviating much of the constraints one might feel in a unit with a regular ceiling height.

High ceiling in the living and dining area

High ceiling in the living and dining area

The balcony is accessible from a door behind the dining table. It is more long than wide though the fact that it runs behind the unit- is connected and therefore enterable through sections in the main area- and the two bedrooms on the ground floor, adds more synchronicity to a tastefully designed home.

Balcony that connects dining area with the two bedrooms .

Balcony that connects dining area with the two bedrooms .

The balcony on this level gives a commanding view of the adjacent Bartley Road and Underpass while the Bidadari Memorial Park reclines just opposite. There are very few buildings in the immediate vicinity so it’s an excellent view to take in any time of the day. The verdant greenery and expansive open sky are all fantastic additions to a gorgeous property.

The length of the balcony makes it suitable to host a party, provided it’s all done on a clear day. The balcony however, is exposed to the elements so leaving furniture out here might not be the best idea.

View of Bidadari from balcony

View of Bidadari from balcony

The bedrooms that are connected to the balcony is a common bedroom and one that can serve as a master bedroom. The rooms all come with an in-built wardrobe and enough vertical space to have a furniture or study deck built in to take advantage of that fact.

1st Common bedroom

1st Common bedroom

The other room can take a queen size bed though that or a king size bed would be limiting other furniture you might want to include that are not floating shelves. However, there’s plenty of walk space especially at the foot of the bed to where the exit/entrance to the balcony is.

2nd Common bedroom

2nd Common bedroom

The room is quaint but never cramped or starved for space and part of this is thanks to the developer’s sensibilities when it comes to where the bathroom is located. Used as a common bathroom for the ground floor, the absence of an en-suite bathroom might not appeal to some buyers, but ultimately, most units in many developments do not have the extra space to spare for the design to be split in this manner.

Common bathroom

Common bathroom

In The Quinn, the bathroom is shared and as a result, large, pristine and accessible, with a wet area protected by glass panels and boxed off with a swing door. It is a shared design that makes the best use of its space.

Just before the bathroom is the kitchen and what you see here, is largely what you get.

Kitchen

Kitchen

In particular, the bright red and retro Smeg fridge. Every unit comes with a fridge like this which only serves to drive home the point that The Quinn isn’t just unique for its façade and layout, it is unique down to its little details (at least, where those details make sense). The other appliances are also included, including washer/dryer from Electrolux.

Even the see-through panel (marked by the blinds to the right of the sofa) separating the kitchen from the living room is part of the design. The blinds are part of the ID but not the panel; that comes with the units.

Living and dining areas

Living and dining areas

This is fantastic for parents as the extra visibility allows them to keep an eye on their children playing in the living room while they prepare meals in the kitchen.

It is all impressive. The Quinn’s quaint and modern sensibilities creates a fantastic dichotomy in the architecture. As a result, the living spaces have the added feeling of something extra, rather than coming across as generic homes built off a template.

And here’s the kicker; this is just the ground floor. There’s still the second storey.

The second storey of this unit comes attached with a terrace. This terrace is also linked to its own corridor so in many ways, the second floor can serve in a dual-key function where the tenants above can ingress and egress without disturbing the people below.

 Top level terrace

Top level terrace

The extra room shown in the picture above is part of the ID treatment with blinds to serve as a privacy screen as a closed off room isn’t allowed. Take away the room and the full scale of the terrace will be laid bare. However, with the construction of the room, residents can turn it into a dining area or even an entertainment room that is connected with the main area on the second floor. Break down some walls and throw up walls elsewhere and the layout changes according to whatever construction designs the resident may have.

Furthermore, all second storey units have its own bathroom to compliment the single bedroom. It also comes complete with its own pantry with a working sink and cabinets. The island is part of the ID treatment and is therefore not included in the actual unit (unless you purchase this particular unit).

Top floor pantry

Top floor pantry

But with or without it, the pantry area is impressive and unique as far as second storey penthouses go. The extra space allows for plenty of ideas to take hold and manifest with a good designer. As it is without the additions, the space is large and inviting for weekly BBQs or occasional dinner parties.

The bedroom is large for a queen, even a king size bed and is therefore sufficient for a married couple. This unit is ideal for a multi-generation family or even just two generations.

Top floor layout with bedroom, pantry and bathroom

Top floor layout with bedroom, pantry and bathroom

The bathroom here has a different layout than the one on the second floor but it’s just as large and perhaps more inclusive since it’s used by the people living upstairs.

Top floor pantry area comes with cabinets and sink

Top floor pantry area comes with cabinets and sink

The top floor continues the quaint but modern motif began by the first floor and it all fits together so nicely that even though you’re acutely aware of the luxury surrounding you, it still feels homely and welcoming instead of fake or trying too hard. It’s a great look and a fantastic unit.

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Location

Propshort: The Quinn is one of those projects where despite looking far and out of the way on assorted online maps, is extremely well-connected to amenities and public transport infrastructure. There are buses to three MRT stations with at least two within leisure walking distance. NEX mega mall at Serangoon is a 15-minute walk away or a five-minute drive. The location of The Quinn is reasonably peaceful even with the underpass nearby and is an all-round fantastic choice for discerning buyers wanting a little more class in their property purchases without having to sacrifice mobility and conveniences in the process.

A startling white with hints of black and turquoise, the antiquated and yet new looking series of flats wears its colonial style proudly. Just off Upper Serangoon Viaduct and into Bartley Road, the condominium sits snugly among old houses while overlooking the verdant Bidadari Memorial Garden. From an aerial view it is a triangle of white and black amid neighbouring red roofs.

The Quinn is a blast from the past and that is exactly the image developer Top Global (The Maisons) was going for.

The Quinn

The Quinn

The area is an old and quiet refuge though the Bartley Underpass roars just beyond the pale white balcony walls. Bartley Road is used mostly by residents of the area though many residents would ingress through Eden Grove.

Despite the nearby traffic, Bartley Road is connected and not as affected by the sounds due to the topography of the land. The underpass is aptly named and only rises up slightly on its way to Braddell Road. From the balcony of a high floor unit, the entirety of the underpass and Bidadari Memorial Park can be taken in.

View of Bartley Road and Underpass

View of Bartley Road and Underpass

Bartley Road borders The Quinn and this road is a straight albeit meandering path to Tampines Ave 10 and earmarked by Bedok Reservoir. Bartley MRT station is two bus stops from the closest bus stop at The Quinn.

North from The Quinn and along the Upper Serangoon Viaduct is Serangoon MRT station and the integrated mega mall of NEX. Further up is Kovan MRT and Heartland Mall though with NEX being the closer option, there’s little need to go further.

NEX and Serangoon MRT station

NEX and Serangoon MRT station

Down south and along the same Upper Serangoon Viaduct towards Upper Serangoon Road is Woodleigh MRT station. It is about three bus stops down and the closest bus stop from The Quinn is past the hardware stores along the Upper Serangoon Viaduct. The bus stop is closer to Vibes and is after the Bethel preschool, less than a 10-minute walk away.

Bethel preschool and bus stop

Bethel preschool and bus stop

Close by is a small gym called Gym Brigade. Although The Quinn does have a gym, serious lifters can join this nearby alternative for more back to basics heavier workouts. A bit further down is some of the closest eateries – a Chinese fishball noodle shop and a small hawker centre – with mostly Indian Muslim food. Between the two is a provision shop that sells snacks and some other food stuff. It’s convenient enough to get to on most days without having to travel to NEX.

Eateries and provision shop

Eateries and provision shop

Though NEX is further away, it is still within walking distance. In fact, walking to Serangoon MRT station is also possible, but only if you have roughly 15-minutes to spare. The closeness is great for a leisure walk to NEX on a weekend while the few nearby bus stops gets you to Bartley or Woodleigh MRT stations quickly on work days.

Woodleigh MRT station

Woodleigh MRT station

The bus stop to Serangoon MRT station is across the road so while still convenient, it will take comparatively a longer time to get to than the other two. The great thing is Woodleigh and Serangoon are on the purple line with Woodleigh being one station closer to Dhoby Gaut. Serangoon MRT is the interchange for the circle line of which Bartley MRT station is one stop from.

So even if getting to Serangoon MRT station is slightly less convenient, the two closer alternatives of Woodleigh and Bartley MRT stations more than make up for that with one being on the circle line and the other, on the purple. Furthermore, you can walk to Serangoon MRT station since it is a straight path.

The Quinn and Bartley underpass

The Quinn and Bartley underpass

As for schools, there are quite a few, according to onemap.sg. The closest two, within 1KM are:

  • Maris Stella High School
  • Yangzheng Primary School

The remainder are between 1 and 2KM:

  • Cedar Primary School
  • Paya Lebar Methodist Girls Primary
  • Andrew’s Junior School
  • First Toa Payoh Primary
  • Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary
  • Gabriel’s Primary
  • CHIJ Our Lady of good Counsel
  • Zhonghua Primary

With this many schools within the 1-2KM radius, parents have plenty of options of enrolment for their children with a higher rate of success.

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Analysis

As far as luxury condominiums go, The Quinn is attractively priced. That it is also freehold makes a $849,050 price tag for a 538 sqft unit feel like a steal. The colonial look is rare and it’s a treat to have a development that does not look immediately like it fell off a template. And with 139 units available, the 115 people that purchased units in The Quinn likely agree.

Source: URA, PropertyGuru

Source: URA, PropertyGuru

Despite being in a landed property area, the PSF values for the units transacted are comparatively lower than leasehold condominiums in similar areas:

Source: URA, PropertyGuru

Source: URA, PropertyGuru

PSF values in the area seem to be generally low with the most recent development, The Yardley which TOPed in 2005 having an average of $992 psf. Inflation plays a part here since The Yardley is much closer to Serangoon MRT station than The Quinn. Of course, other factors also come into play such as the exclusivity of the location and the unique architecture of The Quinn.

Rental

URA data for median rental yield in district 19 for the past four quarters is at $2.91 psf. For the calculation of the rental yield, the 1+1 BR will be used as it has the largest number of units transacted. Average price for the 560 sqft 1+1BR is $766,080. Average monthly rent is $1,955 after adding a 20% new build premium.

Gross rental yield therefore comes to a decent 3.1%.

While living here would be a good option since it’s a unique home to call your own, rental for the smaller units are just as viable, and at a decent monthly rate with three MRT stations nearby to boot. Even if the person drives, it is roughly 15 minutes to the CBD and the city with the CTE, PIE, TPE and KPE relatively accessible. The Quinn is a good choice either way.

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Summary

Homes like these are only ever seen in period movies or TV shows where their opulent white façade and dark-coloured slope roofs stand out from within the fog of the industrial age. But here, in Bartley Road in 2016, The Quinn is a dash of that old Victorian England style that blends in with its Singaporean surroundings and yet, manages to be unique.

Green door leads to lifts

Green door leads to lifts

Its aesthetics sets it apart but at the same time, location woes that luxury developments tend to suffer from are largely absent here. The Quinn is situated within reasonable distance of three MRT stations, two of which are within leisure walking distance. Getting to them via a bus takes less than 10-minutes minus the waiting time and along the way, there are a few hawker centres and a provision shop for day to day needs.

There are also many schools within the 1 – 2KM radius as well which adds another notch to the list of things The Quinn gets right. Suffice to say, this is a property that you can’t go wrong with.

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Eric Wong

Christopher Chitty

"I read, I write, I lift. I am content"