Lion City residents
On the hunt for a new home? Not sure whether you want a house or a condo? Or which district to live in? Check out these reader tips and experiences as part of your hunt for a new locale!
Living style Rented bungalow on Singapore's East Coast. "After living in an apartment for five years and having two children in a year, we needed space! We also felt we needed to be 'on the ground' for a while to feel a bit normal. We'd previously lived in two condominiums. They're a great way to meet new people when you first arrive, but when you have a family - a house is just wonderful."
Rental hunt "Don't stick to one agent. Look at as many places as you can and always give your agents specific details - otherwise you'll be looking at 'wedding cake' houses until they drive you insane!"
Living style Rented, walk-up 1980s duplex apartment on Upper East Coast Road. "As soon as we walked in we knew this apartment was for us. The main living/dining room is bright and airy. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors lead to a verandah, which gives us more living space as it has a partial glass roof. Upstairs are three bedrooms - two with mezzanine levels, one used for storage and the other used by Daisy as her den. And the large upstairs hall is used as a play area to keep toys out of the bedrooms and clutter to a minimum. Our facilities are basic compared to other modern apartment complexes, we have a pool and some grass to run around on - but that's all we need."
Duplex hunt "We lived in a brand new penthouse apartment when we first arrived in Singapore and then moved to a cluster house, but our current apartment is our favourite. Because it's older, it wins on space - indoors and out. So always look for older, if you don't mind the ants!"
Image credit: © www.photographybyazlida.com
Living style Five-room HDB apartment in Bukit Panjang. "I love the Bukit Timah area so when I looked for an apartment I decided on Bukit Panjang. It's a fairly new estate which isn't too overcrowded. My apartment has a '3-plus-1' bedroom with separate living and dining area configuration, so it's more than enough room for Fergus and I. I've previously lived in rented apartments and condominiums. But as I don't need the sports amenities they offer, living in a friendly HDB neighbourhood suits me just fine."
HDB hunt "Always go for an area you feel comfortable in. Check out the neighbourhood in both the day and night to be sure. Try not to go for something too old or badly maintained - unless you're willing to fully refurbish it."
Living style Rented apartment on Hillview Avenue, Bukit Batok. "We've always chosen to live in condominiums. Our current home is located in a small-scale development, so we enjoy a sense of community and having facilities, but we also get some personal space."
Apartment hunt "Determine the area in which you'd like to live, look through the newspaper for properties in that area and call the housing agents listed. When you speak to them, be very specific about your price range and requirements. That way you won't end up wasting time viewing places which don't fit your criteria."
Living style Rented black-and-white house. "Coming from Hong Kong we knew we wanted a house, preferably on one level, with a largish garden - and we were very lucky to have been in the right place at the right time to get this place!"
Black-and-white hunt "Be persistent and make sure you're on all the right email lists. Visit www.unitedpremas.com or call 6876 6288 to register. It can be difficult to time your move just as a house becomes available, so a lot of success with black-and-white houses comes down to luck. I know a few people who could have taken one but were unable to break their own lease, which ends up being quite disappointing. Also, the bidding system is a bit of a lottery!"
Posted on July 09
