Singapore Expats

A friend of mine is moving to Singapore next week, and I was wanting to help him find a HDB flat for rent.

Are there any ways of finding a flat without using an agent? (eg some public hdb rental listing site)

I actually have a relative on my wife's side of the family who is an agent, and who was offering me (being related and all) 50% discount on agent commission, but I'm thinking even this is a huge rip-off.

(Please PM me rather than advertise any sites here)

Splatted wrote:A friend of mine is moving to Singapore next week, and I was wanting to help him find a HDB flat for rent.

Are there any ways of finding a flat without using an agent? (eg some public hdb rental listing site)

Theoretically, yes but if you're scouring postings, it's very rare that one of them WASN'T posted by an agent.

Splatted wrote:I actually have a relative on my wife's side of the family who is an agent, and who was offering me (being related and all) 50% discount on agent commission, but I'm thinking even this is a huge rip-off.

You can have a look at the classifieds in Strait times, saturday edition. Even there majority are advertized by agents. But there are chances you may run into occasional owner ads.

It is really baffling though why do owners keep going to agents to find tenants, when they themselves have to pay a month's commission. The reach of internet is widespread here and they could save so much money by advertizing directly.

But I guess that will impact the GDP of Singapore significantly as a huge of number of property agents will be rendered jobless and also the cars that they move in will not be needed either.

revhappy wrote:You can have a look at the classifieds in Strait times, saturday edition. Even there majority are advertized by agents. But there are chances you may run into occasional owner ads.

It is really baffling though why do owners keep going to agents to find tenants, when they themselves have to pay a month's commission. The reach of internet is widespread here and they could save so much money by advertizing directly.

But I guess that will impact the GDP of Singapore significantly as a huge of number of property agents will be rendered jobless and also the cars that they move in will not be needed either.

You are right; but still need agent service as to manage balance..............

skpsiva wrote: You are right; but still need agent service as to manage balance..............

Why?

sundaymorningstaple wrote:

skpsiva wrote: You are right; but still need agent service as to manage balance..............

Why?

Some people who are going abroad and renting the house they may appont an agent same as companies as well... many reasons ya...

skpsiva wrote:

sundaymorningstaple wrote:

skpsiva wrote: You are right; but still need agent service as to manage balance..............

Why?

Some people who are going abroad and renting the house they may appont an agent same as companies as well... many reasons ya...

The Landlord would need an Agent then but not the tenant.

Saint wrote:

skpsiva wrote:

sundaymorningstaple wrote: Why?

Some people who are going abroad and renting the house they may appont an agent same as companies as well... many reasons ya...

The Landlord would need an Agent then but not the tenant.

You are right ....I need to explore when a tenant need an agent.. hahahah!!

Well, when I came to Singapore, I needed one as a tenant. I simply did not have the time nor the patience to look for a place. Plus, I did not have a car. And we viewed many places!

I remember there was a case a couple of years back, must be 2001 or 2002, where an old lady was jailed for 6 months for renting her flat to a person whose WP/EP had expired and had over stayed. House owners were very much reluctant to rentout there flats without agents who were supposed to verify the validity of the WP/EP.