Kebagusan City is a partly-subsidized budget apartment complex in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.

Completed in 2013, it consists of 3 massive concrete towers: Anggrek and Chrysant are the oldest one, while Grand Royal is newer and more upmarket.

I stayed in Chrysant tower for a few days and this is my honest review of the whole complex. Don’t forget to add your own review at the end of the article if you can.

Location

Neighborhood

In which neighborhood of Jakarta is the complex located?
Kebagusan City is located in the administrative village of Kebagusan, in the district of Pasar Minggu. This is a low-to-middle income area with mostly low-rise houses, organized in typical “kampung” style. One particularity is that the neighborhood is crossed by Jalan TB Simatupang and the Jakarta Outer Ring Road, two majors thoroughfares where several important office towers are built.

By car, how far is the complex from:
– Jakarta Airport: 80 minutes
– Grand Indonesia Mall: 60 minutes
– Kota Tua: 80 minutes
– Kemang: 25 minutes

How does it look like around the apartments?
Kebagusan City is surrounded by a cemetery, by empty lands, and by small houses. If you want to experience true Indonesian life, you will be pleased. There are many small businesses around like warungs, tokos, street sellers, etc. Of course, the downside is that it is a bit messy, dirty and noisy.

View from Kebagusan City

Cemetery Near Kebagusan City

What are the important landmarks nearby?

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

Malls:
None is very near. I’m pretty sure it will change in the next few years, but for now, you will have to go to Cilandak Mall, Citos (Cilandak Town Square) or Pejaten Village, both about 15 minutes away.

Supermarkets:
None is nearby. You will have to go to the malls listed above, or to Transmart in Kid’s City. You may also try Berkah Jaya, a traditional market only 5 minutes from Kebagusan City.

Restaurants:
Only warungs and typical Indonesian restaurants nearby. There are several canteens in the complex as well.

Bars:
None.

Universities:
Institut Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik Jakarta (IISIP)
Universitas Indraprasta PGRI
Universitas Pancasila
Universitas Tama Jagakarsa

Hospitals:
None too near. The closest would be RSUD Pasar Minggu.

Parks:
Ragunan Zoo is about 15 minutes away.

Offices:
TB Simatupang is the second Central Business District of Jakarta. Therefore, you will find many offices there, for instance, the ones for Nestlé, BP, Siemens, Trakindo, Novartis or Merck. Kebagusan City is especially near from the Arkadia Tower.

Transportation

What are the main roads or highways nearby?
Kebagusan City is on a small street, but it is just 5-10 minutes away from the Jakarta Outer Ring Road, a highway linking Bekasi to Tangerang and West Jakarta. From there, it is relatively straightforward to go to Pondok Indah, Lebak Bulus, Fatmawati and even the Airport. However, there are no convenient roads going to the city center of Jakarta.

What is the traffic situation near the apartment?
The traffic is reasonable compared to the rest of Jakarta, except during peak hours (especially on Jalan TB Simatupang).

Is it easy for taxis/Uber/Grab to find the location?
The taxis generally know about Kebagusan City.

Is there a Transjakarta bus stop nearby?
No, the nearest is 3 kilometers away (Ragunan Halt), which is too far in Jakarta.

Is there a train station nearby?
Yes, Tanjung Barat is about 10 minutes away by foot. It is a stop on the Red and Orange lines going, among others, to Depok, UI, Tebet, Tanah Abang, Gambir and Kota Tua.

How about the MRT?
No station planned in the area for now.

Are there sidewalks? Is it possible to walk around?
They are not in a good condition. You will have to walk on the side road, next to the cars and motorbikes.

Building Quality

Building and Architecture

What is the reputation of the developer?
The developer of Kebagusan City is PT Perdana Gapura Prima, a company normally used to build more high-end properties (for instance Bellagio Residence, Bellagio Mansion or GP Plaza). I tried several of their properties and I have often been disappointed by the maintenance. This was also the case in Kebagusan City.

Who is the architect?
The architect firm that designed Kebagusan City was Indo Megah, a company behind mostly budget-midrange properties such as Seasons City in West Jakarta or Green Apartment in Lebak Bulus. The main architect was Paul Mamo.

Who is the contractor?
I don’t have this information.

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.

Are there issues with the electricity supply?
Yes. The electric supply is limited for each unit. Originally, 1-bedroom apartments would get 900 watts, and 2-bedroom apartments would get 1,300 watts. It seemed that those numbers have changed, but in any case, you should ask the owner of the unit you want to buy or rent about the updated situation.

Are their issues with parking?
Yes and no. Not enough parking spaces were planned during the construction, however since there is still empty land around the complex, many people are simply parking their cars there. Since this situation cannot last indefinitely, the management has promised to construct a building reserved for parking cars of residents.

How many lifts are there in each tower?
There are 2 residents lift for tower A and C, and 3 in tower Grand Royal.

Design and Appearance

How does the building look like?

From outside:
I didn’t really like the appearance of Kebagusan City from outside. I felt it looked old-fashioned and massive.

Kebagusan City Jakarta

Kebagusan City Cheap Apartments

Kebagusan City Design

Reception:
The reception is large, with several sofas to sit down. It looks rather impersonal and not modern.

Lobby Kebagusan City

Reception Kebagusan City

Landscaping:
There is a small swimming pool area, with a garden and games. Nothing really remarkable.

Pool Kebagusan City Apartments

Corridors:
There is at least a false ceiling, meaning the pipes are hidden (contrary to Kalibata City). I didn’t like the fact that electricity meters are visible.

Corridor Kebagusan City

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

– Studio units start at 21m2
– 1-bedroom units start at 28m2
– 2-bedroom units start at 36m2
– 3-bedroom units start at 65m2

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: 3
Painting: 3
Doors: 3
Ceiling: 4
Elevator: 4
Pool equipment: 3
Furniture: 3
Artwork: None

Overall Quality: 3.3/10

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

Comfort

Facilities and Services

What are the facilities provided in the property?

– Swimming pool: Very small considering the number of residents. The area is not really pleasant. Still, it is better than nothing.

Pool Kebagusan City

– Kids Playground:

Kids Playground Kebagusan City

What are the services available within the property?

– There are quite many services available (though it is not comparable with Kalibata City): Canteens, warungs, minimarkets, fruit market, salon, laundry, property agents, mosque, ATMs, etc.

Atmosphere

How busy is the property?
It is very busy, particularly all common areas and the lifts.

Is it noisy?
Yes, a little bit. You can hear the mosques from the local neighborhoods around.

What is the background (ethnicity, social status) and attitude of residents?
Mostly low-to-middle class Indonesians. Do not assume that people are poor, though: I noticed some really nice cars in the parking lot for instance.

There are some foreigners as well. Every year, the Immigration does razzia on the complex to catch potential illegals.

Finally, you have many short-term renters (daily or weekly) as the rates offered are generally mucho lower compared to staying at a hotel.

Management

Maintenance

How old is the property?
It was completed between 2012 and 2014.

Are there visible damages?
Yes, plenty. The complex looks much older than it really is. You will often see scratched paint, rust or stains. The maintenance team is trying to keep up, but I believe it is not enough.

Cleanliness

The cleanliness could really be improved overall.

Cleanliness Kebagusan City

Security

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

Hospitality

All the Kebagusan City employees I met were friendly.

Rooms and Prices

Prices at Kebagusan City 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 (21m2) – Well-furnished in Tower A:

• Rental 1 Year: IDR 33 million (or 2.75 million per month)
• Buy: IDR 330,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 10 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 15.7 million/m2

2-Bedroom Type (36m2) – Well-furnished in Tower C:

• Rental 1 Year: IDR 51 million (or 4.25 million per month)
• Buy: IDR 450,000,000
• Break Even Point (Buying Price/Gross Annual Rental): 8.8 years
• Average buying price/m2: IDR 12.5 million/m2

Which units are the best?
Units in Tower A and C are cheaper as they are older and they have only 2 elevators. They also have an open-air lobby and larger balconies.

Personally, I like units in Tower A that are facing North, as you have a nice unobstructed view of Jakarta’s skyline. Avoid units facing the South in Tower C as you will have a view over a cemetery.

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:

• This area will probably have more attractions in the future (malls, supermarket, etc).
• Development of the Central Business District of TB Simatupang

– Factors pushing the prices down:

• The property is deteriorating
• Competition from better projects like Kalibata City and Bassura City

Overall evaluation of the price: Would I buy here?
Even though prices are very interesting in Kebagusan City, I would rather invest in a newer property with a better maintenance and a better location.