$15,000 - $20,000 Condo suggestions

[luckycricket]

You can look for the condos at Grange Road/Chatsworth road.. It is close to Orchard Road and has mixed neighborhood with a sizable Indian community.

The historic reason for this by the ways is that the Indian High Comm is on Grange Rd.

Not only Indian but many more embassies (US, UK, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Brunei and many more) are in this area.

[Audsgd]

That's a real decent budget to be working with so you won't have any issues with finding a place in anywhere in Singapore. However with your 15-20k budget you will be surprised there are only a few areas in Singapore that have good selection of condos in that higher range. Many areas won't require that size of budget.

It will come down to location and condo size / quality.

#1 familiar yourself with . app/website especially searching up the historical rental prices of condos. Actually rental prices by date and condo size is all there so you know the market rate. As some previous posters have mentioned, there lots of agents just copying each others adverts. Its super annoying. Which leads me to tip #2.

#2 find a good property agent. you may need to meet a few to get a feel. He or she should happily arrange and take you around to view all the condos. They will end up co-broking with the real agent that is leasing the condo. So should have no cost on your side. {Sanitized by Moderator}

#3 if you haven't toured Singapore then it's really hard to envisage where to live as each area has a very different vibe and culture. Is it close to schools, shopping, transport, place of work etc... Get the agent to take you around, you should get a feel very quickly.

#4 my own experience opinion going through similar search exercise. Some districts to start with are:
- Orchard (Claymore, Cairnhill, Paterson, Grange). To name a few specific condos that come to mind: Orchard residences, the Marq, the Ritz Carlton.
- the business district in district like Marina Bay and Tangjong Pagar
- Sentosa Island (not that convenient but really resort like)
- if you are into big landed houses then can try GCB good class bungalows in Bukit Tima and Orchard area. That might be stretching your budget though.

Anyway, hope some of my experience based tips help and good luck with your search.

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[malcontent]

Here is my take over the years in Singapore in terms of which types of expats that each area is popular with. Obviously, you can find all types of expats in any of these areas, but this is just what I have observed in terms of tendency for greater numbers...

1. Orchard - full package expats
2. Holland/Farrer - young expat families
3. River Valley - young single expats
4. Newton/Novena - younger Asian expats
5. Bukit Timah - older Asian expats
6. East Coast - active expats (Asian & Western)
7. Upper Bt. Timah - tight budget expats

$10-15k is considered normal rent for #1, or you could get a really nice penthouse unit in the other areas for that kind of money.

[Max Headroom]

You couldn't pay me to live in Orchard. Landlogged, no breeze at all and humming round the clock.

Once spent half a year in Goodwood; couldn't wait to move to East Coast.

[malcontent]

East Coast has a noticeably more laid back vibe compared to other parts of Singapore... also the air tends to be cleaner, being farther away from heavy industry. However, if you work in the West it can be a long commute when traffic is heavy. Some condos along the East Coast have a sea view, but that includes plenty of tankers and cargo ships.

[Audsgd]

You couldn't pay me to live in Orchard. Landlogged, no breeze at all and humming round the clock.

Once spent half a year in Goodwood; couldn't wait to move to East Coast.

Each to their own I think. The Paterson Hill, Tanglin and Grange road area its quite green and breezy and also walking distince to the botanical gardens and the river.

Once east coast gets MRT stations that would make a big difference but that's still quite a few years away.

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[Max Headroom]

Yup, to each his own. But unless you've lived at the coast, most people will be unaware of the difference in temperature, breeze and humidity near the sea. It's not a huge difference, but it makes things a couple of notches more bearable here, especially during the SW monsoon months.

I also lived in Bukit Timah a few years, but it's only after I moved to east coast that I realized how more stifling the Singapore interior is as compared to the coast. Keeping doors and windows open didn't make much of a difference up there, whereas here, there's always a slight seabreeze that keeps the air moving. We only use our air-cons at night.

That said, the drawback of living on the coast is corrosion. Wiring, appliances and devices appear to have a somewhat shorter lifespan near the sea.

Yeah, it would have been better without the vessels out there. But I hear the anchorage is getting moved to the west once Jurong is all done.

[malcontent]

After being here 24 years and becoming a property owner myself, I have a strong appreciation for older, larger, freehold developments. I don’t mind sacrificing a bit of convenience in exchange for a place considered “deep inside” - that usually means I’m being forced to exercise more and get more tranquility to boot, win-win in my opinion.

Fully agree with the comment on just how important it is to have access to some breeze... not just for comfort but also things get less moldy with good air circulation and it’s healthier to breathe fresh air than recirculated air conditioning all of the time. I also wouldn’t consider a unit without a large balcony, although it’s gone out of favor with the locals, being able to access the great outdoors without the hassle of taking the lift, it’s a big plus.

[Max Headroom]

Point taken; the deafening silence of Greenmead was utterly blissful. No such thing here of course. Then again, yes, mold was always an issue there, much much more than here.

Pros and cons I guess.