TIPS FOR REALTORS - LOFT APARTMENTS 

Usually young and looking to experience a unique home, the Caucasian expats want a conservation shophome with a garden, courtyard, bright rooms, air conditioning, clean new bathrooms and kitchen and large living and dining areas.  

In many shophomes, there is a problem of accommodating the washing machine and the dryer. The maid's room plus small utility area are used to accommodate the washing machine and dryer and there is little backyard or courtyard. Some owners put the washing machine under the kitchen counter and the dryer in the maid's room. Some put them on the second floor at the back if the shophome is longer.

The conservation or heritage shophomes are intermediate terrace ("townhouses") and corner terrace houses.  The main complaint of the intermediate units is that the rooms are dark and there are no balconies.  

However, with good design like a balcony, skylights and high glass windows facing the airwell, natural daylight brightens the interior of the room. 

The airwell in some shophomes may be closed up by a clear glass pane skylight at the roof level.  These window panes can be opened electrically.  However, there's a lot of costly maintenance of the motors required.  It may be best to have a manual operation for the skylight or no skylight.


An airwell with vertical window panes on the roof acting as a skylight. This permits ventilation and natural daylight to enter the house.  Rain does come in too. This structure is much easier to maintain. Plants can then be kept in the airwell. 


The 6 window panes in the loft or attic room which is above the master bedroom bring in bright daylight and may be too much for tenants who sleep late.  An electrically operated power blind has been proposed.

The open-concept kitchen is brighter than the conventional closed door kitchen.  This kitchen is located at the back of the house although there is one unit in which the kitchen is just behind the main door.

The Barbecue area is small, at the back next to the maid's room.

The Japanese ornamental carp or koi is believed by local Chinese businessmen to bring prosperity.  Good kois cost as much as S$30,000 to $100,000.  This unit has incorporated a fish pond in its air well.

This 2.5 storey 3+1 conservation, The Loft condos, shophome is well designed to attract the romantic single expatriate tenants.  It is around 3,500 sq. ft and not too big as bigger ones have built-in areas of 5,000 sq. ft. 
 

The kitchen hatch is much appreciated by many Caucasian expatriates.  It permits natural daylight to brighten the small kitchen.  A kitchen door prevents the leak of air conditioning cold air to the back yard.

The master bedroom is in front and therefore quiet compared to bedroom 2 which is near a car park of a shopping mall.  Up the loft, the star light of the tropical night sparkles through. 

This unit is extremely comfortable as it is fully air conditioned.  The one complaint was the leaking of the rainwater into bedroom 2 and 3.  It was said that the workmen forgot to close the windows.  On another visit, after a heavy rainfall, there were no spot of rain water seen. 

Romancing the history of the Peranakan with your beloved one in the heritage shophomes is a once in a life time unique experience for the hot blooded Caucasian expats who love the diversity of Asian cultures and living life to the fullest.        

As at 2002, the rentals of a well renovated 4-bedroom conservation, The Loft condos, shophomes range from $10,000 - $15,000.  3-bedrooms may rent for around $8,000 if well renovated. 2-bedrooms of 1600 sq. ft in Kim Yam Road rent around $5,000. A renovated Cairnhill shophome with two private car parking lots is asking $12,000.

References:
1. October 2000 report on $5,000 conservation, The Loft condos, shophomes.
2. Judy's Property webpage.
3. Singapore's unique homes. 

PICTURES OF A SHOPHOME

A loft above the master bedroom can be used as a study area. It is the attic room of a 2-storey terrace. The window panes can be shuttered by a motorized shade if the Tenant sleeps late. A pond for fish or water plants bring nature into the living area.  There is a display area on the side wall. The electrically operated skylight shuts out the rain but brings in natural daylight. It usually has maintenance problems as it is seldom used. The living and dining areas are separated by the fish pond.  The  white-grey marbled flooring make the shophome look more spacious.  Some owners do use elevated wooden stripped floors for the living area.  The master bedroom has wooden floor boards, a characteristic of heritage shophomes. Plenty of closet spaces.  If the air conditioner is not switched on, some tenants open the  the glass pane windows.  The air comes in from the louvers of the windows. The bedroom 2 has a small balcony which may only be used to keep potted plants as it is too small for a table and two chairs.  Many shophomes do not have much privacy as there will be a row of houses in front and at the back. The bedroom 3 is small but can accommodate one single bed. It may be an attic room as some shophomes are 2-stories with a higher attic room. The master bathroom is modern with marble clad walls and floors. It has a separate shower stall as well as a long bath.   In the early 1990s, master bathrooms do not have a separate shower stall but an attached shower hose above the bath tub.  The 3 panels of the wooden louvered windows of the master bedroom seen from the loft (a room below the  attic room). In some houses, the loft is closed up to become a guest room.

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Feb 2011 rentals and sales