Singapore Expats

Hi all,

I'll be moving out to Singapore for the next year from San Francisco this coming October. I have been looking through a number of rentals and have found a similar realization as many, that housing here is expensive, especially after just graduating from my university.

During my search, it became apparent that an individual, whole unit apartment rental will cost +/- 2,000 SGD for even the smallest unit. The common more affordable option seems to be the rental of a master or common room that is a part of a larger unit with a common living space. That said, options seem to improve dramatically when looking through rental options in the ~3,000 SGD price range.

Have many ex-pats moving to Singapore had luck with organizing a roommate or group of roommates prior to relocating? I feel that finding another to person agree to splitting the cost of a living space will greatly improve "our" living options.

On a side note, having utilities fully paid for seems like an important part of the decision. Utility bills (especially "electricity") seem to be very high especially when air-conditioning a living space. How much extra a month between 2 people would you think this would be (200-300?)

Thanks in advance

I'd also be interested in hearing any replies as I'm relocating from Sydney at the begining of November.

I've registered my interest in looking for a room on ., but was quite surprised about the lack of personal information provided by the people advertising a room.

Is it strange that I'm not just looking for a room which I hide in when I'm home, but a flatmate/s with whom I will become friends? Someone who shares the same level of cleanliness and respect for privacy as me?

Lisa

englishaussie wrote: I've registered my interest in looking for a room on ., but was quite surprised about the lack of personal information provided by the people advertising a room.

Asians are born picky and like to keep their options open.

Same reason you'll see aunties picking through every single vegetable on the rack in NTUC before choosing one.

You have their information means they can be pigeon-holed: 'lose already' yah?

I seem to be finding the same thing. Many of the listings are merely a picture of the building a given unit is in. Lack of information on current tenants is even more rare than pictures. I still feel like forums like these might be a good place to arrange housing with someone you will enjoy living with and be able to split rent costs with.

Eibow wrote:I seem to be finding the same thing. Many of the listings are merely a picture of the building a given unit is in. Lack of information on current tenants is even more rare than pictures.

Agents who post these like doing a bait-and-switch. They post one thing, you call them up, they give you a different thing. You meet them, the will give you something yet different from the first two.

And forums like these AREN'T the place to do this. It's against our policy. Hope that's clear.

oh san fran,i miss that place.

Having gone to school in Alameda during the late '70's, the only part of San Fran I miss are the diving sites north of San Fran on the other side of the golden gate in Marin county.

Eibow wrote:I seem to be finding the same thing. Many of the listings are merely a picture of the building a given unit is in. Lack of information on current tenants is even more rare than pictures. I still feel like forums like these might be a good place to arrange housing with someone you will enjoy living with and be able to split rent costs with.

So, if as the moderator said, this isnt the forum in which to find like minded roomies... where is?

Some of my colleagues, who are already based in Singapore, suggested I either room with one of them - which defeats the purpose of sharing to make more friends for me... or bringing all my furniture over and renting a larger place than I can really afford and then advertising for flatmates myself - at least then, the power is in my hands to pick and choose! Mmmmmmmm

englishaussie wrote: So, if as the moderator said, this isnt the forum in which to find like minded roomies... where is?

Some of my colleagues, who are already based in Singapore, suggested I either room with one of them - which defeats the purpose of sharing to make more friends for me... or bringing all my furniture over and renting a larger place than I can really afford and then advertising for flatmates myself - at least then, the power is in my hands to pick and choose! Mmmmmmmm

Why not room with a colleague for a few weeks on arrival whilst looking for a flat-share of your own? You seem to have already established that sorting anything else out is going to be a challenge prior to your arrival.

I have friends, as landlords and tenants, who have used this site with success. Otherwise, I am not affiliated.

http://www...com.sg/

JR8 wrote:

englishaussie wrote: So, if as the moderator said, this isnt the forum in which to find like minded roomies... where is?

Some of my colleagues, who are already based in Singapore, suggested I either room with one of them - which defeats the purpose of sharing to make more friends for me... or bringing all my furniture over and renting a larger place than I can really afford and then advertising for flatmates myself - at least then, the power is in my hands to pick and choose! Mmmmmmmm

Why not room with a colleague for a few weeks on arrival whilst looking for a flat-share of your own? You seem to have already established that sorting anything else out is going to be a challenge prior to your arrival.

This is what I did when I arrived here. Makes you less inclined to take the first room that comes along out of desperation.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Having gone to school in Alameda during the late '70's, the only part of San Fran I miss are the diving sites north of San Fran on the other side of the golden gate in Marin county.

Funny you say that, I'm actually from Marin County. I didn't plan on using the forum for this, but it does seem like that would work if it wasn't forbidden. My work is actually going to be putting me up in a place for 2-weeks upon my arrival to give me adequate time to find a spot for the year. Hopefully that will be enough time to find a place i enjoy living in rather than settling.

nakatago wrote: Agents who post these like doing a bait-and-switch. They post one thing, you call them up, they give you a different thing. You meet them, the will give you something yet different from the first two.

Ah come on, expats can always 'stretch' their budget ..

If you say that your budget is $ 1,000, the answer will be, yes, there is, and when you meet, oh, you know what, the 1,000 unit is not cool, shall we stretch to $ 1,500, and ah, yes, the PUB and this and that will only add a 'small' amount of another 2,000 .. so you scratch your head and say 'show me a 2,000 $ unit', the 2,000 $ unit will morph into a 3,000 $ stretch ..

Hence my not-so-liked comment: come and see and decide: don't do deals over the net unless you are the type who has no regrets, even when everything goes belly up ..

ecureilx wrote:

nakatago wrote: Agents who post these like doing a bait-and-switch. They post one thing, you call them up, they give you a different thing. You meet them, the will give you something yet different from the first two.

Ah come on, expats can always 'stretch' their budget ..

If you say that your budget is $ 1,000, the answer will be, yes, there is, and when you meet, oh, you know what, the 1,000 unit is not cool, shall we stretch to $ 1,500, and ah, yes, the PUB and this and that will only add a 'small' amount of another 2,000 .. so you scratch your head and say 'show me a 2,000 $ unit', the 2,000 $ unit will morph into a 3,000 $ stretch ..

Hence my not-so-liked comment: come and see and decide: don't do deals over the net unless you are the type who has no regrets, even when everything goes belly up ..

We learned our lesson.

We take what we see online with a spoonful of salt, we underquote when asked about our budget over the phone if we don't hang up first (sensing if it's an obvious bait-and-switch) and ditto in real life during negotiations and we already know what we're willing to pay for (vs the prevailing prices) whenever we see a unit. If we're told the unit we want is not cool and referred a significantly more expensive unit, no go. None of that "but if you add..." crap. They give us BS, we walk away. And if we do agree on anything, we demand it be written down, in black and white.

The newbies should do too.