0806 Singapore Real Estate, Rental Houses, Apartments, Condos, Singapore Classifieds, Internet Property Advertisements published by: Asiahomes
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The past few months have been hectic rental months as many expatriates come relocate to Singapore. This article catches up with first-time Investors who may want to invest while others are predicting gloom and doom.

For best rental returns, always buy Districts 9, 10, 11, 21 and the condos within 5-minute walk to the subway.

• Expatriate enclave. Almost certain you will attract newcomers to rent such units because expats feel more comfortable not living with locals (see email correspondence below).

Expat wrote:

Hello!
We will be moving to Singapore in January for an 18 month assignment and are trying to get information about rental properties. The following are our requirements:

1) Not too far from the Ulu Pandan Wastewater Treatment plant, which is where my husband will be working
2) Close to the MRT as we will not have a car
3) Our monthly budget is S$4000 (or less, if possible)
4) At least three bedrooms with 1300 sq. feet (or more)
5) Fully air conditioned with a washer & dryer
6) Fully furnished, if possible
7) A complex with a pool and, if possible, a playground for our children.
8) A nice neighborhood with other expats, so that we are not the only foreigners.

Please let us know if you can find anything that meets our requirements.
My husband will be travelling to Singapore at the end of September and would like to look at as many places as possible at that time. Thank you so much for your help!

Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 04:48:59 +0000
From: David Sing drsing@asiahomes.com
Organization: www.asiahomes.com. Asia USA Realty. AFFORDABLE Singapore homes for expats. drsing@asiahomes.com
To: xxx@worldnet.att.net
Subject: Rental housing in Singapore

Thank you for your email.

We have many condos near the MRT and therefore NO NEED to worry.

1. 3-bedroom, brand new condo at Parc Vista (see www.asiahomes.com AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR EXPATS - PARC VISTA REPORT) is one of them. Rental around $3,000. 5 min walk to Lakeside MRT.
   
2. Parc Oasis Condo, also 5 min walk to Chinese Garden MRT.
   
3. Let me have the exact address of your husband office.

My mobile is 9668 6468 and office 254 3326. Please let me have 2 days' notice before you arrive, if possible to make appointments. Bye.

• Many Caucasians are given the wrong impression of locals living in HDB (Housing Development Board) apartments and do not want to be near HDBs. Noises, loss of privacy, urine in elevators and other frightful stories spread by their colleagues sometimes! No condo facilities may be one reason but since rentals are much lower, many Caucasians find the HDBs not the monster they think of.

• Condos next to HDBs are not preferred by expats. Many Caucasians tend to avoid such condos e.g. The Oleander Towers (see www.asiahomes.com Affordable Homes - Oleander Towers Report) as they feel a great loss of privacy and the high density.

• High floors are favoured by most Japanese. Unblocked views preferably with green tree leaves, sea or water.

• Caucasians do take low floors but usually above 2^nd floor. Many Caucasians are afraid of heights (over 10^th floor) unless they have lived in high rises in New York and Hongkong.

• Single Caucasian ladies will never take up ground floor units owing to worries about security. Many are bankers and professionals in their fields. Most families dislike ground floors unless they have dogs.

• Caucasians from Europe and the USA prefer balconies as they like to sun-bathe since the sunny days are very few in those countries like Holland.

• Condos facing the West and the sun are actually in favour for many Caucasians. Sun-block curtains will help to block out sunlight if necessary.

• Light for the house. Bright kitchens, floor-to-wall windows bringing in daylight are popular with expatriates.

• Landscaped garden and/or swimming pool attract Caucasian Tenants. A koi-pond sometimes help but may be considered an expense. However, the décor and pastel marble tiles (not black granite) help closing.

• Older houses like bungalows with renovated flooring, baths and kitchen cabinets and wardrobes and with big garden space and landscaping get many offers.
  
  Waterfront Condos like those in Costa Rhu and Pebble Bay attract Tenants with no children studying in Clementi areas, otherwise bus-rides take over an hour. Some Caucasian expats do not mind if the spouse works in Changi. Most units do not have waterfront units, so be careful. By waterfront, we mean living and master bedroom have panoramic view of the water, not the pool.

• Sea views usually found in high floors (above 15^th) such as those in The Bayshore attract Japanese and Caucasians.

• Pool views. Many Singaporeans think pool view is a premium. Caucasians living on high floors do not see the pool especially if there are other buildings opposite.

• Vacant piece of land nearby. Avoid investing in housing adjacent or near vacant pieces of land. Expats are nowadays more sophisticated and have more choices, not to stay near the pounding noises and dust of construction sites.

• 99-year leasehold properties are more common than freehold. Location and near subway are the main factors as to whether unit is "rentable".
  
  For example, Parc Oasis Condo (3 years old) attracts more expatriate tenants, Parc Oasis units will be less favoured when Parc Vista Condo (now brand new) is established. Both are surrounded by HDB (Housing Development Board) apartments but are popular with Jurong expats because of 5-minute walking distance to the subway. In the impending recession, such units will find Tenants, provided they are on high floors and have no obstructed views or have beautiful serene lakeside green views. Do not invest in ground floor units or those with no views.

  Expats now need not bother with the HDB (Housing Development Board) rentals which have been asking $1,500 - $2,000 for the bigger 3-bedroom units with no facilities. Also, there have been many cases of hasty eviction once the Government discovers illegal subletting of HDBs (public housing requiring certain conditions before subletting of whole unit).

  Surfers/Realtors interested, please
  Call Asia USA Realty 9668 6468, 254 3326 for viewing. Many units available

  • Singaporean Landlords prefer the Caucasian and Japanese Tenants in general. Indonesian Nationals are increasing in numbers nowadays but usually ask for short leases. Indian Nationals are gaining acceptance and many are professionals in computer field or finances.
  • Singaporean Landlords dislike Singapore Citizens as Tenants. Singaporeans want cheap and good and are not perceived not to look after the residence well. There are exceptions.
  • Rentals nowadays have plummeted. 2-bedroom condos in suburban areas, such as The Symphony Heights rent for less than S$2000 fully furnished. Bungalows with pool in prime Raffles Park areas rent for around $10,000 - $20,000 but much depends on the budget of the expatriate.

  There is a flood of new condos in the past 6 months, more than 2 per month! Prospective Tenants become choosy and demand many items of furniture. Older condos just do not have any queries at all as realtors in rental housing simply take prospects to new condos and houses. Cases recently rented by Asia USA are illustrated:

  1. Recently a Japanese Tenant offers S$4,000 for a 3+1, 1,750 sq. ft Grangeford Condo and demands many items of furniture. 10-minute walk from Orchard subway and shopping mall. The Landlord was willing to consider $4,000 in anticipation of the great recession in the next few months. The other offer was $5,500 for 6 months with option to renew and a new dryer but she has to take out her grilles and her furniture since the German Tenant usually has his own stuff! At least she has 2 genuine offers within 1 week. Orchard Road location and 10-minute walk to the Orchard subway.
  2. An American Tenant rented a Costa Rhu 3+1, 2,100 sq. ft Costa Rhu ground floor Condo for $4,000 fully furnished. Furnishing must be of upscale quality and therefore the living set and dining set cost $4,300! A handful of expats and agents bother to view the unit.
  3. Such predatory Tenants are common nowadays. Many inflexible Landlords have lost on in not providing "maid services" and "payment of utilities" and sticking to their target. Some package a car in the rent. We had a Landlady who did not mind including her C180 or E230 (take your pick) Mercedes in the rental package. These are extremely stressful times for Landlords who do not have deep pockets.
  4. Still, there are 10 new units vacant for months for every unit rented. An average of 3 months is needed to get a Tenant if the Landlord is pro-active in marketing his own unit. Read up on books or refer to articles in www.asiahomes.com.