moving to Singapore from Sydney

[sing sing]

Hi,
I am sure this must have asked a million times....... but want to make the right decisions.

I will be coming up to Sing in April wk 1 to start with a large MNC (Robinson Rd., Capitol Tower).
I will have a week or so to decide and get a 2 bed cond and select it or hire it, go back to Aust. for 8 weeks to wrap up an come back.
I have the following questions;

1. Which are the convinient residential area for travelling to Capitol Towers?Not keen on being any shopping centre/ MRT etc.. Taxi ride to office would be fine. I am told that 60% of the time I will NOT be in Singapore and will be travelling around Asia.
2. I am budgeting $2-3k for a fully furnished condo/ HBD. Is that realistic?
3. Is there a good value serviced appartment complex that I can use for the first week? say $100 instead of the hotel room at $150-200/day?
4. Which is a good bank to use in Singapore and for withdrawing cash when travelling around Asia?

Singapore rental/ property is going up and is this trend a short or a long term thing?? what is the feeling?? Everyone talks about it being the Casino effect but are the casinos operating.... do not think so.

thanks

Sing Sing

[ANZinSINGAPORE]

I did the same...here are the answers'

a) Large MNC...probably JPM if it's in Capital Tower
b) Convenient residental area. Anything on the East Coast or Area 10
..In fact anywhere. It's like asking where is convenient to Grosvenor Place.
c)$2-3K for a condo....more like 3k now for a 2br. HDB..no expats live in
an HDB
d)Serviced apartment... Fraser Suites...at least $180/day Surely your
company is paying for your first couple of weeks.???
e) Good bank....around Asia...Citibank. or UOB

f) Casino will not open for years. Rental going up and will continue to go up for at least the next two years.

[sing sing]

thanks for the info. and will look for a condo in the area you suggest.
The company is giving me a generous lumpsum to to manage my transfer so will need to get a serviced apt. initially before I get into a lease agreement.

thanks

[Jeppo]

c)$2-3K for a condo....more like 3k now for a 2br. HDB..no expats live in
an HDB

ANZ...I don't know where you got this idea from but there are plenty of expats living in hdb. Even if you're only talking about white expats, we're not all too snobbish to live like locals. I've been living in a hdb for over a year now and know quite a few others living in them to, I also believe SMS (a regular poster here) is living in one.

[humpbackwhale]

If you want to stay in condo, better ask your friends to get one here now (sign the lease first) else you might be in for a rude shock with a big rent increase a few months later when you are here; the rent is moving up every week.