Singapore Real Estate Rental House Condos Classifieds Singapore Housing - EXPATRIATES' ANALYSIS sponsored by Asiahomes Internet, Blk 1002,Toa Payoh Lorong 8, #01-1477, Singapore 319074. Tel: (65) 9668 6468, 254 2728. Fax: (65) 256 0501. Email: drsing@asiahomes.com

Ref: 812061
Subject: Realtors, Closing on top Dutch entrepreneur, 3 dogs, 1 cat & trampoline.
Location: City/Central.
For Rent: Swettenham, near Orchard Rd, detached + big pool, $15,000 (see article for 40 houses for rent). US $20 for Book "Secrets Revealed: Renting detached houses in Singapore". 2 photos of brand new semi-detached and townhouse from Asiahomes Internet.

SURFER’S MUMMY
EXPATRIATES' ANALYSIS
OF LANDLORDS AND HOUSING
SHOWN BY Asia USA.
Contact drsing@asiahomes.com

In response to numerous Singapore rental housing queries
from Internet surfers relocating to Singapore,
this column reports the expatriate Tenants' analysis of
good housing or Landlord during house-hunting with Asia USA Realtors. Housing listed/or described are available for rent.

brought to you by Asiahomes Internet, Singapore's cheapest property Internet Advertisements for Owners, Realtors, Tenants at S$13.50/40 words/3 months

Date of report: December 6, 1998
From: Anne Brocklebank
To: Expatriate Tenants

This column reports on Singapore housing issues from the perspective of the Expatriates. Many family-oriented American/European expats will like to live in houses with big garden or yard. Swimming pool will be preferred.

In 1996/97, detached with pool fetched rentals above S$12,000 but in 1998, there are bargains at $8,000 but these are few. There are other considerations from the expat mother's point of view. Below is one short report of how a top computer-related Dutchman selected his "dream home" which is nowhere worth the $12,000 rent in quality to his American house with a huge swimming pool and garden.

This case is discussed in great detail in the book "Secrets Revealed: Renting Singapore Bungalows" written for the first-time expatriate mother relocating to Singapore.

Please post twenty US dollars (US$20), payable to "Asiahomes Internet", Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lorong 8, #01-1477, Singapore 319074. Email drsing@asiahomes.com or fax (65) 256 0501 for more details.

Profile: Dutchman < 50 years old. Setting up a start-up office in Singapore after considering Shanghai, Hongkong and 2 other Asian cities.

Rental budget: S$8,000, partially furnished specifications given to Asia USA Realtor.

Requirements: Big garden with privacy and spacious bedrooms. No pool. 4+1. Children will be studying in the UWC International School. May have 2 dogs.

Having problems renting your condo? Why not pay $13.50 to advertise in www.asiahomes.com. Expats relocating to Singapore use this website frequently as a starting point (see "About Asiahomes Internet" as it is full of information and photographs on Singapore rental housing. You have 90 days and 24-hour exposure of your property direct to other prospects including realtors. Email drsing@asiahomes.com

House hunting for the whole of Singapore except East Coast in June and November 1998

Listings below are a few of the over 100 detached houses viewed till the Dutch wife had "house-hunting fatigue". Some are available for rent. Contact drsing@asiahomes.com

MIDDLE CLASS AREAS OF SINGAPORE

  1. Beechwood Grove and other intermediate houses next to the American School in Woodlands, 6+1 or 7+1 renting for around $6,000 - $8,000 p/f/. Seen but not considered as it is too far from downtown and expat enclave areas. The American school was not the top choice of schooling as the Dutch family wanted the boys to have exposure to international cultures believed to be present in other international schools. The father wants the boys to get to know other cultures at such a young age and this may explain why the Dutch are first-class global traders.
  2. Chestnut Drive 5+1 7,000 sf built-up; 15,000 sf land. $14,000 p/f. Big inground pool.
  3. Faber Park 6+1 5,200 sf built-up; 9,500 sf land. $8,800 p/f. Inground pool.
  4. Faber Park 5+1 4,000 sf built-up; 8,200 sf land. $8,800 p/f. Inground pool.
  5. Faber Park 4+1 4,800 sf built-up; 8,000 sf land. $8,000 p/f. Inground pool.
  6. Faber Drive 6+2 4,500 sf built-up; 8,500 sf land. $10,000 p/f. Inground pool.
  7. Lentor Villas semi-detached in Northern Singapore 5 or 6+1 renting around $5,000. Brand new. 10-minute-drive to the American School. Not relevant unless children study in American school but rentals are real low. Few expats staying in this subdivision. See www.asiahomes.com SUBDIVISION'S LISTING - Lentor Villas and digital photo of Lentor Villa Semi-det by Asiahomes Internet. Click thumb nail pix for bigger picture.
  8. Sunset Heights 4+1 3,500 sf built-up; 7,000 sf land. $8,000 p/f. Very near to United World College and has many Caucasian families in this estate, estimated to be 50%.
  9. Sunset Place 5+1 3,500 sf built-up; 7,500 sf land. $11,000 p/f.
  10. Toh Tuck 5+1 4,100 sf built-up; 5,000 sf land. $10,000 p/f. Brand new. Big rooms. Garden may not be sufficient for trampoline.

    11.  

    UPPER CLASS AREAS (PRIME AREAS) OF SINGAPORE
  11. Barker Road 4+1 8,000 sf built-up; 13,500 sf land. $18,000 p/f. Big inground pool + garden but opposite school. Immense garden and pool even by American standards, but frontage very small. 3-storey with big roof terrace.
  12. Bukit Tunggal Road 4+2 4,000 sf built-up; 15,000 sf land. $12,000 p/f. Above-ground pool, koi pond, 8-min walk Novena subway.
  13. Duchess Road 4+2 3,000 sf built-up; 6,800 sf land. $8,000 p/f Harlyn Road 6+1 6,000 sf built-up; 5,000 sf land. $18,000 p/f.
  14. Holland Grove View 4+1 4,000 sf built-up; 3,000 sf land. $10,000 p/f. New semi-detached. Expat enclave area with Caucasian and other children congregating at park.
  15. Merryn Road 6+1 5,500 sf built-up; 4,520 sf land. $13,000 p/f. Brand new.
  16. Namly Ave 6+1 4,000 sf built-up; 4,400 sf land. $12,000 p/f. Re-built, like brand new.
  17. Nassim Road 4+1 6,500 sf built-up; 14,000 sf land. $14,000 p/f. Big inground pool.
  18. Oriole Crescent 5+1 4,500 sf built-up; 10,000 sf land. $8,000 p/f. Small inground pool. House construction in backyard area stopped for one year.
  19. Pierce Road 5+1 8,000 sf built-up; 26,000 sf land. $14,000 p/f. 78 windows. Aboveground pool.
  20. Sime Road 5+2 5,000 sf built-up; 10,000 sf land. $10,000 p/f. Big inground pool + garden.
  21. Swettenham Road 4+1 5,400 sf built-up; 12,000 sf land. $10,000 p/f. Big inground pool. See www.asiahomes.com Photo-Ads. Presently renovations in progress and asking $15,000. Top residential area of multi-millionaires, 5-minute drive to Orchard Road and <15-minute drive to United World College. 5-minute drive to the Dutch Club and American Club. Mature green trees in a tropical forest ambience and tranquility and no high rise condos or HDB apartments around. The Minister in charge of the police is living a few houses away and there is the regular police patrol car, giving a added sense of security.
  22. Swiss Club Road 6+1 7,500 sf built-up; 16,000 sf land. $16,000 p/f. Big inground pool in exclusive neighbourhood where everyone has a pool. Son likes this bunker architecture house. Around 3 years old. Big garden and pool behind.
  23. Trevose Crescent 5+1 5,000 sf built-up; 17,000 sf land. $13,000 p/f. Big inground pool. Construction of club house down hill.
  24. University Road 4+1 4,500 sf built-up; 10,000sf land. $10,000 p/f. Hill top. Cul-de-sac.

    25.  

    VARIOUS PARTS OF SINGAPORE

  25. Black and white houses. Older houses with old bathrooms renting around $3,000 - $10,000. Usually old baths 2, 3 or 4+1 with big gardens and no pool.

    26.  

    --------------------------------------------------------

    NOT VIEWED BY THE DUTCHMAN BUT AVAILABLE FOR RENT

    This list is written for the benefit of new surfers to give an indication of rentals

    for single-family detached houses with garden, in response to numerous Internet queries. There are cheaper semi-detached houses which are not listed here as 39/40 are detached. Email drsing@asiahomes.com if you need more details or want to schedule house hunting.

  26. Belmont Road 4+1 5,000 sf built-up; 24,000 sf land. $20,000 p/f. Available April 1998.
  27. Cluny Hill 3+2 3,500 sf built-up; 13,000 sf land. $14,000 p/f. Tropical jungle ambience. 5 minutes drive to Orchard Road, Tanglin Mall.
  28. Gentle Road 5+1 3,200 sf built-up; 5,200 sf land. $6,000 p/f. 5-minute walk to Novena subway.
  29. Gentle Road 7+1 3,800 sf built-up; 4,000 sf land. $11,000 p/f. Brand new.
  30. Namly Drive 7+2 7,000 sf built-up; 14,000 sf land. $15,000 p/f minimum
  31. Nassim Road 6+1 7,000 sf built-up; 15,000 sf land. $30,000 p/f. Brand new. Pool.
  32. Pierce Road 6+1 7,500 sf built-up; 31,000 sf land. $16,000 p/f. Multi-millionaire residential area in the same neighbourhood as Swettenham Road. .
  33. Pierce Hill 4+1 8,000 sf built-up; 17,000 sf land. $30,000 p/f.
  34. Robin Close 6+1 4,000 sf built-up; 7,500 sf land. $7,500 p/f.
  35. Shelford Road 6+3 3,000 sf built-up; 15,000 sf land. $8,000 p/f. Expats who don't mind older bathrooms with huge garden and large basement. No pool.
  36. Stevens Road 4+1 6,000 sf built-up; 10,000 sf land. $17,000 p/f.
  37. Swettenham Road 6+1 8,000 sf built-up; 16,000 sf land. $20,000 f/f. Multi-millionaire residential area within 5-minute drive to Orchard Road and near the Botanic Gardens and Holland Village. See Christine's Photo-Ads "Houses for Rent".
  38. Third Avenue 3+1 6,000 sf built-up; 20,000 sf land. $17,000 p/f.
  39. Woollerton Drive 4+1 3,600 sf built-up; 8,000 sf land. $7,500 p/f.
  40. Holland Green 4+1 brand new detached at Holland Road/Sixth Avenue vicinity. See www.asiahomes.com SUBDIVISION LISTINGS: Holland Green Report and digital photo.
  41. Duchess Crest Townhouses 5+1 brand new at Bukit Timah Road/Farrer Rd vicinity. See digital photo by Asiahomes Internet. Click on thumbnail pix to see bigger photo.

Conclusion:

The husband began house hunting began in June, with a specification of a rental budget to be below $8,000. A detached at Sunset Heights (see listing No. 8) was chosen as it had a spacious patio, privacy and a big garden. 5-minute drive to the UWC (United World College). Rental asked was $8,000 and a closing at $7,500 could be possible. There was no pool. However, an expatriate resident in Singapore advised against any decision till the wife had seen the place.

In November, the family arrived. 3 dogs and 1 cat and a big trampoline were additions. The wife liked a detached at Duchess Road (listing No.13) at $8,000 but it is a busy road and it would not be safe for the kids. The Faber Park bungalow with pool, koi pond (listing No.3) at $8,800 and near to the park was seriously considered. However, it was fully tiled and the children would need pads to cushion against falling down from the trampoline during exercise. The husband was not excited about the place although the wife loved it.

Asia USA Realtor did recommend that the Dutchman should live in a prestigious area as he is into a global business and the residential address reveals to his Far East contacts how successful he is. Obviously if he lives in Toh Tuck, which is a non-prime area of Singapore, he could not be deemed "successful" in his business.

The Dutchman was giving the Swettenham detached (listing No. 21) serious consideration after being rejected with an offer of $12,000 for the equally prestigious Swiss Club Road detached (listing No. 22). It had a leaking roof and the bathrooms were not brand new. Owner offered $10,000 to take it as "it is" and wanted more money if there are renovations required. Presently, the house is under renovation and available for lease at $15,000.

The final choice was a detached in this prestigious neighourhood. A foreign bank subsidised the rent which was $19,000 but its employee was no longer in Singapore and there were at least 12 months of the lease remaining in the bank's tenancy agreement. The Dutchman offered $12,000. Should have offered $10,000 as it did not have an inground pool and had old kitchen appliances. The offer was accepted. It is a nice quiet tropical jungle area with the sounds of insects at night and birds singing in the morning.

A good serene forested area for jogging. However, at the 2nd inspection, the bus driver of an International School sped past the house as there are no humps on this road. As with the Singaporean Chinese mother, the ever-worrying Dutch wife disallows her 2 boys outside the house, ensuring that the remote-controlled gate remains closed.

The disobedient big Pointer-type dog jumped over the low fence while the terrier squeezed through the bars, down a small slope to chase after other joggers and dogs on the road. The Asia USA realtor has to get a contractor to install a high fence 3 feet x 45 feet before an accident happens or the dogs get lost.

The younger boy fell from the trampoline onto the grass on his bum but was not hurt while playing with 3 other boys.

The air conditioner in the master bedroom was blowing hot air during the first 2 nights despite the fact that the air conditioners were said to have been serviced.

The cooker hob looked like it was 10 years old with worn out faded wordings of "Bosch" and other signs of wear and tear. New houses have brand new appliances but there is a price to pay for renting older houses.

So many worries for the Dutch couple during the first week of settling in. So far, the cat has not wandering outside…cars are still speeding along the road… the garbage truck people will not remove the cut grass and trees outside the house as this is not within his scope of work.

There is corruption in Singapore, commented the Dutch wife in a conversation on corruption in the Far East with the husband the the Asia USA Realtor, citing the fact that the Realtor suggested a small "tip" to the truck people to remove the cut trees and branches and it did work. The Dutchman said the truck people deserved the small compensation as they did not earn much.

The various reasons for rejection of over 100 houses by the Dutch family as well as by others are too lengthy. First-time US surfers who want the details on how to select a rental house, please email drsing@asiahomes.com to purchase the book US $20 for Book "Secrets Revealed: Renting detached houses in Singapore".

 

email: drsing@asiahomes.com
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