Singapore Expats

Hey! My husband and I along with our baby will be moving to Singapore sometime in the next few months. He will be working in the Changi Business Park and is hoping to keep his commute around a half hour or less. From what I gather, using the MRT he will have to transfer lines at the Tanah Merah station, because of this I think we should limit our distance. I'm thinking a condo as far out as the Tampines or Bedok MRT stations should be about our limit. Does this sound about right?

Our budget can be as high as $6000SGD/month, depending on if his company actually writes the rent check(in that case we will take full advantage of the high end of the budget) or if they give us the monthly allowance and we write the check ourselves(in this case we will try and keep to the lower end of the budget, still being comfortable). Looking online is a little overwhelming to say the least. I want to have nice pools, playgrounds, a gym, close to grocery shopping and outdoor markets and spacious with a minimum of 2 bedrooms, 3 max. Double Bay Residence and Costa Del Sol look to be the kind of place I want. Resort style I guess. Can anyone give me other places to look at or consider? Or give me opinions on the places I have named.
Thanks!

Costa Del Sol, Bayshore Park and The Bayshore are all good options.

There is a shuttle bus that runs from Costa Del Sol and The Bayshore many times a day to the Bedok MRT station because the MRT station is too far to walk. Riders use a prepaid transit card, the same one they'd use to ride a SMRT bus or get on the MRT trains. Changing trains at Tanah Merah isn't a big deal because it doesn't require any escalator rides like some of the busier stations. Walking a few steps is all it takes.

One thing to note is that if you miss the shuttle bus from the condos I mentioned to the Bedok MRT, a cab is an option, but cabs can be hard to get in that part of town during peak weekday hours. The nearest bus stop is about 400 or so meters away and the nearest MRT station if taking the SMRT bus is Tanah Merah.

Hi Melissa,

You can narrow down your search to Amber area which is only few minutes away to CBD by bus, near to Paya Lebar mrt and shopping is just around the corner (Parkway Parade, Katong Mall). It's also near to East Coast Park. Some of apartments can give you the sea view. There are also several apartments in this area that can fit your requirement.

My husband will be working in the east at the Changi Business Park not CBD. I don't think we are talking about the same area.

Melissabuilt wrote:My husband will be working in the east at the Changi Business Park not CBD. I don't think we are talking about the same area.

You may consider the Pasir Ris and Tampines areas also. Pasir Ris has a similar vibe to the East Coast (Beaches and big parks), and you'll get more for your money. I'm not intimiately familiar with the bus routes, but I'm pretty sure you'd have more direct options to Changi BP from there than the condos on the East Coast. Use 'http://gothere.sg' to get commute time estimates and available bus routes.

Consider the condos near or around the Tanah Merah MRT. I see lots of shuttle buses going to the CBP -- whether these are provided by the employers or open to public I'm not sure. If you want more private space, check out Summer Gardens -- terraced houses that may fit your budget.

zzm9980 wrote:

Melissabuilt wrote:My husband will be working in the east at the Changi Business Park not CBD. I don't think we are talking about the same area.

You may consider the Pasir Ris and Tampines areas also. Pasir Ris has a similar vibe to the East Coast (Beaches and big parks), and you'll get more for your money. I'm not intimiately familiar with the bus routes, but I'm pretty sure you'd have more direct options to Changi BP from there than the condos on the East Coast. Use 'http://gothere.sg' to get commute time estimates and available bus routes.

Pasir Ris's green areas are currently in the process of getting filled up by condo's ........

Melissabuilt wrote:My husband will be working in the east at the Changi Business Park not CBD. I don't think we are talking about the same area.

All the areas mentioned (so far) are fine for working at CBP. There are also buses that go that way so don't limit yourself to just the MRT. The transfer at Tanah Merah can added 10 minutes to the journey and quickly gets tiresome.

I'm based in Siglap and work in both CBP and town. It's ideally situated for both and has plenty of amenities - shops, bars, restaurants. I bus, taxi (rarely), cycle and motorbike. Journey time varies from 10 mins (motorbike) to about 40 mins (bus).

Amber / Joo Chiat is not that much further away. Be a little flexible in how the commute is done and you open all sorts of interesting areas to live.

Pasir Ris and the Loyang area should be the best value for money condos. I think 4k should get you an awesome place there.

If you use a motorbike, then Loyang is a sure win

I have expat friends working in Changi business park that are currently staying around tanamera. You might like to consider the private residential estates around there!