Singapore Expats

We will move soon to Singapore, we are a family of 2 + hoping 1 baby soon
We don't know too much about Singapore districts, we would like to rent a furnished home of 2-3 bedroom, with large rooms, close to a metro station, in a green area, quiet, close to supermarket, in a district where other europeans live. We were thinking either a cluster small house or an apartment in a condominium. Our budget is max 6500$/month Can you recommend a district where to look for this kind of property.

How are the house expenses, other than rent, for a house compared to an apartment?

Thank you very much for your kind help

Jo2 wrote:We will move soon to Singapore, we are a family of 2 + hoping 1 baby soon
We don't know too much about Singapore districts, we would like to rent a furnished home of 2-3 bedroom, with large rooms, close to a metro station, in a green area, quiet, close to supermarket, in a district where other europeans live. We were thinking either a cluster small house or an apartment in a condominium. Our budget is max 6500$/month Can you recommend a district where to look for this kind of property.

How are the house expenses, other than rent, for a house compared to an apartment?

Thank you very much for your kind help

Anyone?

have you done any research at all? your questions are pretty bog standard which has been answered many times. do a search on the forum and also visit www.singaporeexpats.com.

here's a quick answer to your questions...

singapore is very small and you can live just about anywhere and everywhere is within reach. there's no one please where only european live. singapore is multi culture and no colour segregation. older property will have larger rooms. not much green in singapore since it is a tiny island. house expenses are very expensive.

durain wrote:have you done any research at all? your questions are pretty bog standard which has been answered many times. do a search on the forum and also visit www.singaporeexpats.com.

here's a quick answer to your questions...

singapore is very small and you can live just about anywhere and everywhere is within reach. there's no one please where only european live. singapore is multi culture and no colour segregation. older property will have larger rooms. not much green in singapore since it is a tiny island. house expenses are very expensive.

Thank you for your reply Durian, I already know the site and did some reading for the past few days, printed maps, etc Would be nice if we find a cluster house or eventually we will go for an 2-3 bedroom apartment in a condominium, if posible quiet, but still close to MRT and to supermarket and other stores... I am asking too much right?

Yep, too much. Cluster homes, by definition are not bodycount friendly when it comes to MRTs & amenities. They only build infrastructure (trains & shopping) where there is density of human traffic. As cluster homes have very low density it's not conducive to development. Quite? yes.

You can compromise a bit by looking for low-rise apartments. Eg. Novena has quite a few of these tucked away on residential streets but still within easy walking distance to the station, and prices are not too unreasonable (certainly no worse than a high-rise condo in River Valley etc).

There are also bungalow-type landed properties both here and near Newton, including not a few black and whites, but expect to pay through the nose for the privilege of living in one...

Use google earth to have a good look around! click the camera's and you can do a 360 degree scan.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Yep, too much. Cluster homes, by definition are not bodycount friendly when it comes to MRTs & amenities. They only build infrastructure (trains & shopping) where there is density of human traffic. As cluster homes have very low density it's not conducive to development. Quite? yes.

So eventually if I go for this type of home, I should buy also a car, right?

jpatokal wrote:You can compromise a bit by looking for low-rise apartments. Eg. Novena has quite a few of these tucked away on residential streets but still within easy walking distance to the station, and prices are not too unreasonable (certainly no worse than a high-rise condo in River Valley etc).

There are also bungalow-type landed properties both here and near Newton, including not a few black and whites, but expect to pay through the nose for the privilege of living in one...

Thank you, I will do some searching in singaporeexpats listing, it proved quite useful

Jo2 wrote:

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Yep, too much. Cluster homes, by definition are not bodycount friendly when it comes to MRTs & amenities. They only build infrastructure (trains & shopping) where there is density of human traffic. As cluster homes have very low density it's not conducive to development. Quite? yes.

So eventually if I go for this type of home, I should buy also a car, right?

Cars are very expensive! Infrastructure Mrt & buses are very very good, so a car is not really needed, taxis, are also reasonable

ksl wrote:

Jo2 wrote:

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Yep, too much. Cluster homes, by definition are not bodycount friendly when it comes to MRTs & amenities. They only build infrastructure (trains & shopping) where there is density of human traffic. As cluster homes have very low density it's not conducive to development. Quite? yes.

So eventually if I go for this type of home, I should buy also a car, right?

Cars are very expensive! Infrastructure Mrt & buses are very very good, so a car is not really needed, taxis, are also reasonable

Then I just have to find the right place to call "home", try for one month and if I feel there is a need for a car, I see what options are available. If the transport system is that good perhaps we don't need a car.. eventually just rent one for a 1-2 day in weekend.

IMHO, the right place to call "home" is very difficult without viewing the property and it's surrounding. if at all possible, i suggest staying in a Service Apartment or hotel and look for "home" by viewing as much properties as you can.

durain wrote:IMHO, the right place to call "home" is very difficult without viewing the property and it's surrounding. if at all possible, i suggest staying in a Service Apartment or hotel and look for "home" by viewing as much properties as you can.

Yes, of course I will do that for a few weeks, but before I want to make a list also with market prices, so the company agent would not try to fool me too much So I will have around 15 places + what the agent will recommend. I still have some time to do the list. One will be Caribbean at Keppel Bay, but I am wondering if the construction of Reflexions next by will be a down thing in terms of noise and polution..