Singapore Expats

Hello everyone. I'm sorry to trouble you with this, but I need some input regarding the Emerald Hill Road area as a residential location. I am moving to Singapore in September and someone has offered me a rental there. One of my main criteria for a residence is that is should be near my work, either in terms of a shortish metro ride, a cheap taxi ride or a medium-ish walk. I will be working in Suntec City. and I would appreciate your input on how being located in Emerald Hill Road will suit me given my preference.

Thank you all in advance.

Emerald Hill is actually right smack in town! The nearest MRT station is Somerset, which is just 3 to 4 train stations away if you transfer using the circle line. Alternatively there are many buses along Orchard Road which will take you to Suntec City in 5 to 10 minutes if there's no traffic jam.

The rental at Emerald Hill is expensive though. But there are many properties available for rent in that area, so you have many choices, which means the one who offered you the apartment also faces strong competition. You will have good bargaining power!

You can do your research on this website as well, it's one of their main business lines.

All the best!

Great. Thanks very much. Yes, the rentals are indeed a bit high, but it's a flexible lease and a fully furnished apartment - and those are high on my list too. Thanks again!

I stay nearby so I think I know which part of Emerald Hill you will be staying.

I'm not sure if you have been to Singapore but Emerald Hill area consist of a stretch of conservation houses. I believe a few conservation houses have been "consolidated" and "converted" into apartments with a rooftop pool. Is that the one you are staying? If yes, you might be interested to know that there is a construction directly opposite that particular apartment.

That particular one is also at the end of Emerald Hill. Like the PP said, it is very near town area, with a 5 minutes walk to bars, shopping malls and train station. If you are working in Suntec, you can either catch a bus (several buses available) or catch the train (2 stations plus 10min walk). I would say it is a very convenient location.

Do negotiate hard and don't be bullied by the real estate agents because there are a lot of condos around Somerset MRT area available which are equally accessible, so you are not limited to only Emerald Hill.

I lived there before... lets see, if you are on the side that backs into the CTE, there will be alot of traffic noise, if you are closer to the bars, its noisy at night with many times bottles left around all the way up to the corner that turns in.

Hopefully its a newer or redone one, some of the old ones have a single bathroom and strange creatures. My friend that lived in one in the middle swears his was haunted.

Loud traffic noise from the CTE (as carolynw noted), drunk/bar leftovers if you're down the hill toward Orchard. Rats are a problem too. If you are on the quiet side, it can be wonderful.

Great location in the middle of Orchard, good for malls like Centrepoint, Paragon etc. Very close to MRT.

I've stayed with friends at the upper end and spend most of my life with friends at the lower end. Didn't ever experience intrusive noise in either place to be honest. Yeah there are bars, but its not like the UK where every drunkard is singing or fighting at chucking up time.

The only thing is, it is inside the ERP cordon, meaning you pay extra for taxis most of the time. And access is from a one-way road so you kind of have to loop the loop if arriving from the other side of town or want to escape back East.