Singapore Expats

Hi,

We are moving to Singapore early November and are staying in a Serviced Apartment for 4 weeks while we look for a condo on the East Coast. Is 4 weeks long enough or too long to find a place to live?

Thanks
Simone

It should be, but all depends on how flexible you are and if your dream dwelling is available.

4 weeks was ample for us and I think the market has cooled off slightly now. By that, I mean prices have not increased in the last 6 weeks compared with the 6 weeks previous or late July.

4 weeks is a long time.. take your time to find the most suitable place as you will be staying there for at least 1 yr..
hope your company is paying for your stay at the Service Apartment...

Four weeks should be enough time these days because:

there is less inventory to see

things are being snapped up quickly & not sitting around

landlords are doing less before people move in

I think if you devote 2 or 3 full days to it, you'll find a place in the first week and it will take a week or two to get it ready. Bring a camera and take lots of notes. I always get confused after seeing a lot of places all in the same day.

4 weeks should be more than enough. the key is finding a good and dedicated agent, who can show you around, someone who can show you lots of units per day. you can give your specifications and your agent should be able to come up with a list of units that suit your budget and requirements.

also, bear in mind, you can extend your stay in the Serviced Apartment, they are usually ok with a week by week basis, so don't rush into renting or buying

sillingw wrote:also, bear in mind, you can extend your stay in the Serviced Apartment, they are usually ok with a week by week basis, so don't rush into renting or buying

Yes, but they are pricey and if the company is only paying for 4 weeks, well then -- that's a different matter. Also, if they are moving items to Singapore, the shipping company will charge to store the items while they extend their search time. All very complicated, but it usually works out in the end (with lots of hard work).

Hi Simone,

Just went through the same thing. Here is one more thing to keep in mind. You MUST have your visa issued before you can sign an agreement. Given your timing, it sounds like you will be fine. (I didn't get mine until I had been here for 2 weeks, so it cut down on my looking time.)

Aside from that, the advice you've heard is sound. A good agent will pull it off in 4 weeks with no problems. Make sure that YOU are clear with your agent as to what you are looking for, and what is important to YOU. (They'll ALWAYS try to pad your 'top end budget' by $500 or so and they will ONLY show you places at the top end of your budget so it's up to YOU to make sure they are showing you places throughout your budget range!)
Give them clear feedback about what you like and don't like, and it will help narrow things down quickly.

Best of luck!

One other thing you must have is a cheque book from your bank so you can issue the deposit. Get that sorted asap as we found a place within the first week of being here (before my husbands work pass was issued) and had to give the agent cash to secure it as we could open a bank a/c until the work pass was through.

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Look forward to arriving soon.

Once you settle down in your Service Apartment, decide on the location, number of rooms required and your budget. Your agent should be able to find you something within 2 weeks and paper work could be done in less than a week.

Once you have your EP, open a bank account not only for your cheque book but also for your GIRO for bills and rent transfer.

solicitation removed by moderator

Cheers

Hi everyone,

Can I piggy back with a question in addtion to the one the original poster had ?

remersonh - is the visa compulsory even if the employer will be paying the rent/ sign on the contract?

Cheers
Zoro

We actually found our apartment within 2 days so no worries.