House or Condo

[the colemans]

I posted in the 'relocating to Singapore topic yesterday'...

Basically me + wife and 2 children under 2 will be relocating to Singapore in Oct (fingers crossed) and are trying to weigh up pro's and cons of condo v House

Monthly rental budget $3500 - $4000. East Coast preferred location.

Condo - East Meadows (near Tanah Merah) MRT seems to tick all the right boxes but there's a limit to what you can learn over the internet.

House - the internet gives some (not much) detail on Houses but from what we can work out they seem to offer much better value in terms of floor space (although clearly no pool, facilities etc)

Is it very unusual for expats to go for a house? Anyone any views? is our budget overly optimistic?

Many thanks

[kat.]

Hi,
You should be able to get either a house or condo within your budget, just.
We went for a condo because the children can go swimming any time they like, we got a reasonable sized penthouse with a roof terrace and spa and it is near an MRT. We can also cycle to East Coast Park. But it is a bit further out of the city than we would have liked, a 30 minute drive. You have to think about what is most important to you. Come out and look around houses and condos - that should give you a better idea.
Kat.

[the colemans]

Kat
Thank you for responding. There's a chance that we won't be able to get out to look around and that we'll have to find a place whilst in a Serviced Apartment for 2 weeks when we arrive... we're pretty nervous about this to be honest!

How many condo's did you view before chosing? Are they all vacant when you view them and therefore ready to move in right away? is there any advantage to looking say, 1 month before?

Thanks again

[Grim Reaper]

In essence the following is the difference:

Condo has all the facilities like pool, tennis court, squash, gym, bbq pits, playground for kids etc.

House has the space, often double of the condo appartment for the same price.

When living in a house, be aware that most of the time you have to deal with more animals like lizards, snakes, frogs, spiders and alike, especially when you have a garden attached.

When in a condo, there are quite a few additional services, such as fumigation, that you would have to pay and organize yourself when living in a house.

Since you are looking at the east coast area, there is a wide choice for both, condos and houses.

2 weeks in a serviced appartment as such should give you some time to look at both options, if you plan ahead, meaning: tell more about your preferences regarding location and other requirements and then I / we could shortlist a few places, that you could visit once you are here?

[kat.]

Hi
We stayed in a hotel for 6 weeks when we initially came over. Found our place within the first month and moved in 2 weeks later. We saw a few houses (one with 6 bedrooms!) and tons of condos - some good, some BAD. The key is to be very specific about your needs with your agent so you're not shown unsuitable places. Plus take water with you cos it's hard going! Most of the places have tenants still living there, which is better cos you can see how a bed/sofa will fit. But means that it might be a month before you can move in. That is why I would recommend you come out - just the 2 of you, if you can manage that! I'll babysit if you like? About a month before you plan to move. Plus do not be rushed into making a decision.
Hope this helps.
Kats.