Relocating from Ireland - advice needed re landed house

[Kofki]

Hi,

My Husband and I are moving to Singapore for 2 years. We have 2 children (3.5 years and 15 months) and are expecting baby no. 3 in April. We wish to rent a 'landed house'? (budget $5-6k per month) with some character and a pool in a settled area. Can anyone please advise if such properties tend to come furnished or unfurnished? Also any advice re. districts would be welcome - my Husband will be working in district 20 but is willing to travel. We need to be close to a good montessori or pre-school.

All advice gratefully received!!

Regards,

Kofki

[woodsdevil]

Hi,

For 5-6k you should be able to get a landed house, it will probably be a terraced property. Of coz with furnishing it depends on your negotiation tactic and the asking price of the property. Most are negotiable, so sharpen up you bargaining skills.
The further you live out the more value you will get out of your property.

[Kofki]

Hi Woodsdevil,

Thanks very much for your response. One more thing - do landed houses have pools and is so are these expensive to maintain?

Thanks and best regards,

Kofki

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hi Woodsdevil,

Thanks very much for your response. One more thing - do landed houses have pools and is so are these expensive to maintain?

Thanks and best regards,

Kofki

A small percentage of them do and yes they are expensive to maintain. YOu have to remember that land is scarce and therefore they tend to build up most of the "land" area with livable floorspace therefore only allowing a postage stamp sized "Yard" or "Compound".

[Saint]

Hi Woodsdevil,

Thanks very much for your response. One more thing - do landed houses have pools and is so are these expensive to maintain?

Thanks and best regards,

Kofki

If you are after a house and a pool you can look at Cluster Housing. They tend to be townhouse style buildings with all the benefits of condo facilities. The link below is an example

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic19756.html

[x9200]

Kofki, I would be a bit less optimistic. 5-6k is not enough to get something decent. Go to the web page of the host of this forum:

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/housing- ... e-rent.htm

Fill in your criteria, open the property and than the map - there is a street view of the place below the map. See the properties. I do not think you will get any reasonable pool within this budget neither.
5-6k is good enough for a reasonable condo apartment of reasonable size in reasonable location. You may be better off with it.

[AndyD]

That budget will get you something in Kew Green I think, nice cluster housing, 4 floors, rooftop Jacuzzi (not sure when you would use a heated Jacuzzi in Sing but it’s a nice touch)… Not much outdoor space though but obviously use of the cluster space…

Have a search for Kew Green see what you think…

[Saint]

Have a search for Kew Green see what you think…

Or easier still, just click the link in my posting above

[AndyD]

Or easier still, just click the link in my posting above

HaHa, touche - missed that one...

[Kofki]

Hi Guys,

Thanks very much for your mails and your info. Kew Gardens looks really nice - didn't see a price mentioned? We can possibly go up to $7500 if that puts us in a location that doesn't require a car. I had thought that we would have to live slightly out of the city to get a house and had reckoned that I would need a car to ferry 3 kids under 3 around. One thing puzzles me though, if Singapore is only 25 x 14 miles why does everyone say that it is important to find schools/daycare beside where you live - surely everywhere is commutable within 45 mins or am I really missing something?!!

Thanks and regards,

Kofki

[irvine]

One thing puzzles me though, if Singapore is only 25 x 14 miles why does everyone say that it is important to find schools/daycare beside where you live - surely everywhere is commutable within 45 mins or am I really missing something?!!

Yes, this place is small, but places could be so near yet so far on heavy-rain days, and also introvert days (i.e. don't feel like being in the crowd). Although you don't have to find a place where the school/daycare is just next to you. Taxis are available all the time (it could be rare on rainy days though).

[movingtospore]

Well, here's the thing re a car. We moved here a few months ago with two small children and we don't have a car. If you take buses, they make you fold up your stroller/pram to get on the bus, which is a real pain when you're carting one child around let alone 2 or 3. If you take taxis, you can't easily cart your children around and their car seats so you are driving around without them in car seats. If you walk, it is really, really, really hot. And my five-year old whines the whole way...

If you can negotiate a car allowance from your husband's employer that's your best bet. We didn't and regret it.

On the other hand, I am getting used to not having a car. Someone suggested that we get a maid before we get a car and we did, which has indeed made a big difference. And even you have a car, half the time all the carparks at the malls etc are full. If you have three kids a helper will be a lifesaver here...make sure whatever you rent has an extra room.

[movingtospore]

I would also say, pick your school first, then decide where you want to live. I can walk our daughter to school which is fantastic, at this point. When she's older I don't mind sending her on a bus but I prefer to take her now.

And just fyi the school bus companies charge a fortune for transport.

[Kofki]

Hi MovingtoSpore,

Great info - thanks so much. Will get to work on schools today!! Re. maid - I know this sounds really silly but I guess I am slightly nervous having a stranger living in our home - it's just not part of our culture here - is it easy to get used to? I recently read a post on this forum about maids and Husbands and it's made me quite apprehensive, esp. as I am 7 months pregnant and feeling HUGE!! - is this something to worry about. Obviously I trust my Husband implicitly, but this is something neither of us have any prior experience of.. Am I being ridiculous?

Best regards,

Kofki

[irvine]

Kofki, just get a part time maid to clean the house then. The maid can come few times a week for a few hours a day. Mostly paid by the hour.