How to rent out slower than others? 
Article 1.  Construction facing the living room. 
Article written in 1998

"Any viewing this weekend?" enquired an anxious Owner of a two-bedroom Tanglin Regency almost every week. I did have viewings for his condo but the negative feedback was the "construction site of the Tanglin View" adjoining the unit would be noisy.

Strength:

• He had fully furnished his 3-bedroom with upscale furnishings at around S$30,000 so as to differentiate his unit from other still empty ones. It was a good move and he showed he was a caring Landlord.

• The master bedroom had green views of trees and Tanglin Road and canal.

Weakness:

• The living room faced the active construction of the Tanglin View condos, with cranes and other equipment discouraging any prospect. Earth-moving equipment and noises were heard. 

Yet, surprising, I had an Australian couple who did not mind the construction activities, as they appreciated his quality of furnishing more! We had several viewings with no response and now there is one ready to close.

• A queen-sized bed was bought despite my advice to get a king-sized bed.

(in this case, our Australian couple wanted a king-sized bed but the Landlord said it could not be relocated to the 2^nd bedroom).

Every Landlord wants the best highest rental but be aware of the unit's strengths and weaknesses and act flexibly.

"Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?" asked the Owner frequently. The apartment was not rentable. However, due to his persistent phone calls, our agents had kept his unit in mind. An Australian couple with no children (therefore his light coloured fabric sofa would not be stained) was willing to lease. It would be a company lease - a well known international cinema operator. Rental was offered at $3,500 but he wanted $4,000 (to recoup his furnishing costs). It was $4,000 or no further negotiations.

Advice to new Landlords: Sit down and write how many viewings you had over the past 2 months. Seek feedback from various agents who had seen your condo. Since there were so many other units, there was no problem getting one.  If you wait another 2 months' vacancy when the piling starts, you would lose $7,000 in rental income. Add 6 months' vacancy when trucks come in and out of the Tanglin View construction site with piles of dirt and the loss would be $21,000.

After being rejected by this Owner, I found another unit in the same condo, not facing construction. The tenant was allowed to choose her furniture and tenancy commenced within 7 days (not 30 days as in some cases). The Landlord was more investment-minded and realistic. 2-bedroom in Tanglin Regency has been rented from $2,300 fully furnished and $3,500 for a 3-bedroom of 1,100 sq .ft would be considered a "good" rental. Corporate lease (better than personal lease) and immediate occupany were 2 favourable factors to be considered by the second Owner too.

In the case of the Australian couple, the wife broke her back when the "new" mattress of the previous new UE condo gave way. She rented without seeing the furniture and the landlady had purchased a sofa set with hard cushions. So, she tested this unit's furnishing and liked it. Both husband and wife like Tanglin Regency, otherwise there would be no closing.