Pakubuwono Terrace is a budget apartment complex featuring 2 twin towers (24 floors each) with a total capacity of 1,720 units. Built in 2015, it was developed on 5 hectares of land by the group PT. Mitra Selaras Sejati. A more exclusive tower, Grand Pakubuwono Terrace, is being built next to it and it should be completed next year.

Don’t be fooled by the name: It is not related to all the elite apartments in Kebayoran Baru like Pakubuwono Residence, Pakubuwono Signature, Pakubuwono View, etc.

I stayed there for a few days and this is my honest review of it. If you know about this property, please add your own comment and rating at the end of the article.

Location

Neighborhood

In which neighborhood of Jakarta is the complex located?
Pakubuwono Terrace is in Cipulir, a subdistrict of Kebayoran Lama in South Jakarta. It is a residential area, with mostly middle-income residents. Most buildings are low-rise, organized in a “kampung” style (traditional Indonesian neighborhood with narrow streets).

By car, with normal traffic conditions, how far is the complex from:
– Jakarta Airport: 65 minutes
– Grand Indonesia Mall: 50 minutes
– Kota Tua: 75 minutes
– Kemang: 40 minutes

How does it look like around the apartments?
The area around the apartment is not really interesting. As you exit the complex, you arrive on Jalan Ciledug Raya, a busy road with a flyover running above it. You can walk around but it is not really pleasant (bad sidewalk, pollution, cars, hot, dirty, etc).

Outside Pakubuwono Terrace

What are the important landmarks nearby?

Nearby, there are a few landmarks you can go to:

Malls:
There is a group of low-end shopping centers about 1 kilometer west of Pakubuwono Terrace: ITC Cipulir Mas, Cipulir Plaza and Cipulir Metro. They have mostly non-branded small shops, or tokos, selling a variety of cheap goods: Clothing, shoes, jilbab, accessories, electronics, accessories, food, etc.

For a better mall, you will need to ride a car for at least 15 minutes to Gandaria City. 25 minutes away, you also have Pondok Indah Mall (1,2,3) and 35 minutes away, Senayan City and Plaza Senayan.

Supermarkets:
The nearest supermarket is Carrefour Express on Jalan Ciledug Raya, about 10 minutes away by car. It is not as large as a regular Carrefour, but still sufficient for your normal needs.

There is also a Pasar Jaya (traditional market) about 700 meters from the apartments.

Restaurants:
There are a few canteens and warungs in the complex serving Indonesian good. On Jalan Ciledug Raya, you can find a few more places, including a Sederhana Padang restaurant. Overall, the choice is limited.

Bars and Nightlife:
None around. The nearest bars are in Gandaria.

Universities:
None very nearby, the closest ones are Universitas Budi Luhur and the Senayan campus of Binus.

Schools or Pres-schools:
Integrated Children Academy

Hospitals:
Only local hospitals nearby. I would recommend Pondok Indah Hospital, 20 minutes away, for better quality healthcare.

Parks:
None is nearby.

Offices:
It takes at least 30 minutes to reach Senayan, where the business district of Jakarta starts. Add an extra 20 minutes for Mega Kuningan or Rasuna Said.

Transportation

What are the main roads or highways nearby?
You will need 10 minutes to reach strategic roads like the Jakarta Outer Ring Road between South Jakarta and West Jakarta, or Pondok Indah Arteri between Cilandak and Senayan.

What is the traffic situation near the apartment?
The traffic has improved after the opening of a flyover above Jalan Ciledug Raya, but it is still problematic in this area during peak hours.

Is it easy for taxis/GrabCar to find the location?
Yes, you should not have any issues.

Is there a Transjakarta bus stop nearby?
There is a Transjakarta halt (SESKOAL) in front of the apartment complex, but it is on top of the flyover so you need to walk up the stairs. From there, you can take 3 lines: 13A, 13B, 13C, going directly from Puri Beta to Blok M, Pancoran Barat and Tosari.

Is there a train station nearby?
The station Kebayoran is 2 kilometers from the apartment. It is a stop on the green line from Serpong to Tanah Abang.

How about the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) or LRT (Light Rapid Transit)?
No plans near Pakubuwono Terrace for the moment.

Are there sidewalks? Is it possible to walk around?
Yes, but it is not in a good condition. Walking is difficult.

Building Quality

Building and Architecture

What is the reputation of the developer?
The developer, PT Mitra Selaras Sejati, is relatively unknown and Pakubuwono Terrace is its main project. Another complex they own is Pesona City in Bekasi.

I found some issues with this developer, for instance in this article. It is also worth noting that their latest project, Grand Pakubuwono Terrace (a more expensive tower next to Pakubuwono Terrace) has been 3 years late.

I would recommend being cautious.

Who is the architect?
The architect was the consultant firm Design Global Indonesia. Their most famous projects are probably the Sahid Sudirman Center and the Centennial Tower in Jakarta.

Who is the contractor?
The contractor was PT. Pakubumi Semesta, a middle size company which is not too famous.

What is the situation with the land certificate?
The developer has a Hak Guna Bangunan Murni, which means the property was built on its own land. As an apartment owner, you get a Strata Title di atas HGB Murni.

Design and Appearance

How does the building look like?

From outside:
The towers are next to each other, with a cross shape. They look decent, though you can see that it is a budget property from the materials used.

Building Pakubuwono Terrace

Street View (The tower in construction is Grand Pakubuwono Terrace)

Entrance:
It is rather large and there is a convenient roof to help you not get wet during rainy days.

Lobby Entrance Pakubuwono Terrace

Reception:
The reception area is quite big and comfortable, with plenty of sofas and air-conditioning. The ceiling is high, and the large windows let a lot of light flow in.

Reception Area Pakubuwono Terrace

Reception Desk Pakubuwono Terrace

Landscaping:
There are a few gardens and paths in the public areas but the maintenance is average.

Garden Pakubuwono Terrace

Central Pool Pakubuwono Terrace

Corridors:
Basic but satisfactory.

Corridors Pakubuwono Terrace

How spacious are the apartments?
The apartments are quite small, in line with the standards of a budget property:

– Studio units have two sizes, 23m2 and 31m2 with 1 bathroom
– 2-bedroom units have three sizes, 38m2 and 48m2 (1 bathroom) and 49m2 (2 bathrooms)

Bathrooms are simple and they won’t be large enough to accommodate a bathtub.

Materials, Equipment, and Finishes

What is the quality of the materials, furniture, and equipment used in the construction?
This is an evaluation of the quality I observed (ranked from 1 – worst – to 10 – best):

Tiles Lobby: 6
Tiles Corridors: 3
Tiles Apartment: 3
Painting: 4
Lighting: 4
Doors: 4
Ceiling: 4
Elevator: 5
Pool equipment: 4
Furniture: 4
Artwork: None

Overall Quality: 4/10

What is the quality of the finishes?
Decent quality. You can see some paint drips and concrete stains in the corridors.

Comfort

Facilities and Services

What are the facilities provided in the property?

– Two swimming pools + a kids pool: A bit small and crowded for swimming, but fine for kids and families. There are proper sunbeds for relaxing. The pool for children is next to a water treatment unit that looks pretty ugly and could be hidden better using more trees and plants.

Pakubuwono Terrace Jakarta Pool

Swimming Pool Pakubuwono Terrace

Kids Pool Pakubuwono Terrace

View of Water Treatment Unit

– Kids playground:

Kids Playground Pakubuwono Terrace

What are the services available within the property?
On the ground floor, there are some shops like mini markets, a pharmacy, a coffee shop, a canteen, ATMs, laundry, etc.

Minimarket Pakubuwono Terrace

Are there issues with the electricity supply?
The electric capacity per apartment is 1300 VA which is reasonable. You may have to be careful, though, if using an oven + 2 AC units per instance.

Are their issues with parking?
The parking occupies 2 stories in each tower. To my knowledge, there is enough space for each resident.

How many lifts are there in each tower?
There are 3 residents’ lifts per tower and 1 service lift.

Lift Pakubuwono Terrace

Does the apartment have running hot water?
No, you will have to install an electric water heater.

What is the air-conditioning system used?
There is no central air-cooling system so each unit has its own individual electric AC.

Atmosphere

How busy is the property?
Due to its low price at launching, Pakubuwono Terrace has been sold out rather rapidly. When I was there, it felt quite busy with often large groups of people hanging out in the lobby or the swimming pool.

Is it noisy?
Not too much from my apartment, but there is a mosque on the North side so it might be noisy there during prayer time.

What is the background (ethnicity, social status) and attitude of residents?
The very large majority of residents were Indonesian “pribumi” from the middle class. It felt like a family-friendly apartment complex, rather conservative.

Management

Maintenance

How old is the property?
It was completed in 2015.

Are there visible damages?
Not too many, but I few a few issues like rust, scratched paint, cracks in walls, broken tiles. Considering it is still a new property, it is not a good sign.

Cleanliness

I found the property to be clean enough.

Security

– Guards on duty at the gates and reception: 24/7
– CCTV cameras: Few
– Access card: Yes, you need an access card to enter the lift area.

Hospitality

The staff was friendly and professional. A guard kept following me because I was taking pictures, but I guess that’s normal.

Rooms and Prices

Prices at Pakubuwono Terrace may vary depending on many factors such as the floor, the unit type, the room condition and the furnishings.

Be aware that you may also need to pay for additional fees: Service charge, parking fee, electricity and water bills, etc. Here are a few examples of prices and ratios for this property:

Studio Type (23m2) – Well-furnished:

• Rental 1 Year: IDR 36 million (or 3 million per month)
• Buy: IDR 450,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 12.5 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 19.5 million/m2

2-Bedroom Type (38m2) – Well-furnished:

• Rental 1 Year: IDR 60 million (or 5 million per month)
• Buy: IDR 700,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 11.67 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 18.4 million/m2

Which units are the best?
The best units are the ones facing the East as they have a view of Jakarta’s skyline.

Investment Potential

Is there a potential for a price increase in the future?

A normal price increase would be around 5% per year. Here are some of the factors that may affect this rate:

– Factors pushing the prices up:

• The flyover above Jalan Ciledug Raya has eased traffic jams.
• Once Grand Pakubuwono opens, the neighborhood will be cleaner and gain more middle-class residents. This will, in turn, improve Cipulir. It is likely that a better mall will open within 5 years.

– Factors pushing the prices down:

• Cipulir is still under-developed and there is a potential to build more towers that will keep the prices down.
• The reputation of the developer and the quality of the maintenance do not make investors feel safe.
• The location is not very good despite being only a few kilometers from Senayan. Better infrastructure is still needed.

Overall evaluation of the price: Would I buy here?
Even though the prices have increased significantly since the project was launched, they are still reasonable. To give you an idea, they are almost the same as in Kalibata City, which has inferior facilities and is located further from Central Jakarta.

Still, I would be careful before investing there because the developer is not very famous. I prefer if they already have at least 10 existing projects for me to judge their honesty and quality.