Definition of common room?

[olr29]

Dear all,


I apologize in advance for bringing this up again. The definitions of "common room" found on the forum didn't really help picture the thing.

I struggle because I only know common rooms as a sort of recreational lounge in university dormitories, "day rooms" if you will.

So when I see ads like "condo which has a common room available for rent" I picture a flat with one bedroom (and a door) and some living room sort of space with sofas and TV without the option of real privacy.

How does my search for a two- or three-room apartment (with doors and kitchen) for single individuals translate into Singapore real-estate lingo?

Cheers,

olr.

[sundaymorningstaple]

How does my search for a two- or three-room apartment (with doors and kitchen) for single individuals translate into Singapore real-estate lingo?.

"A 2 or 3 bedroom apartment." There is no difference between a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment for singles or married couples. Should there be? Why would a single person need a 3 bedroom apartment for 1 person? Especially with rents going up as well. A common room is the Hall in local lingo or if from the US usually referred to as the living/dining room. Privacy - only if you rent an entire unit yourself.

[olr29]

Dear Sundaymorningstaple,

understood.

There is no difference between a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment for singles or married couples. Should there be?

Of course not.

Since I'm European I'm used to the notion that if I share a flat with someone I will at least have my own room, which for me is enough privacy already.

So I'm understandably irritated to see ads where - you mention out of financial reasons - people offer their living room for rent. Or am I wrong? So people not only sleep on the couch when they need marriage counseling but also when they rent a common room in Singapore ...

Thanks a lot for your explanations.

Cheers,

olr.

[Loops]

I don't know for sure but I'd think a common room meant a living room, where you have the sofa and the TV - a room available to everyone to use. If I was looking for a flat share, I'd be asking for a 'room to rent', or a 'single room". have you looked at any of these places talking about a common room? Perhaps you should look at a few and see what they mean by it.

When I was buying a house a few years ago in the UK they kept talking about a Q shaped house. I asked the estate agent what a Q shaped house was and they didn't seem to know!! Sometimes I think the people who write these adverts don't know what they mean either - best to go and view and see for yourself I reckon.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Dear Sundaymorningstaple,

understood.

There is no difference between a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment for singles or married couples. Should there be?

Of course not.

Since I'm European I'm used to the notion that if I share a flat with someone I will at least have my own room, which for me is enough privacy already.

So I'm understandably irritated to see ads where - you mention out of financial reasons - people offer their living room for rent. Or am I wrong? So people not only sleep on the couch when they need marriage counseling but also when they rent a common room in Singapore ...

Thanks a lot for your explanations.

Cheers,

olr.

Okay. Comes the dawn! I read and re-read you post a couple of times after seeing your reply until it dawned on me! What they are saying is you have a locked/doored bedroom and are also able to share usage of the common room (Hall/LivingRoom and possibly kitchen). Hope that clears it up. My apologies. So you have the privacy of your bedroom but joint/common usage of the Hall.

sms

[olr29]

No apologies needed. I still think the ad descriptions are rather misleading not only for me - seeing that there are 40 hits for this yesterday's post.
Why write "rent a common room" when it actually should mean "rent a bedroom - common room shared" or so...
So Loops' comment was quite right pointing at definitions that everybody seems to use and not everybody seems to know.

Since I haven't touched down yet, I just have to rely on what I read online.

Regards,

olr.