After close to 4 weeks of searching, I finally landed a decent place. I wish someone had told me some of the things I found below before. So here are some of tips I learn the hard way -- I hope it's useful to some ppl here:
1) Negotiate temp housing as long as possible. Luckily I got 4 weeks. Most get 2, which is not enough in current rental market in SG. Within the 2 weeks, you are still just getting to know the different areas, condition of building, and prices. Not enough time to find a good deal.
2) Use more than one agent s-- don't listen to what the agents tell you. A couple of reasons:
2.1 Agents have access to different level of rental inventory. This is a truth, I have contacted close to 10 different agents. While many listing they show you will overlap, there are always units that the other agents do not have access to.
2.2 Different agents will get you different prices even for the same unit. Some times the difference is more then 20% in rental.
2.3 Most agents in SG today will charge you (tenant) anyway. It's a twisted system but landlord's agent will be paid by the landlord and you will pay for your agent. It's a significant amount since they often ask for 1 month of rent (that's to 10% increase in rental rate for 1-year lease).
So make then work their a** off for you.
2.4 Unless you get a referral of a trusted agent, there's good chance you will run into some bad ones if you just call up from the papers. If they know you have limited time on temp housing, what some of them will do is to show you some really crappy place with really high prices. You will be fooled into taking the next one that looks 'decent' and is at 'reasonable' price. This almost happen to me the first week of searching using just one agent. Luckily I wised up an call up other agents and look on my own.
3) Look on your own as well. Despite my usage of 10 different agents, I found stuff on my own through the internet and newspaper. These are unique inventory that the darn agents charging some ridiculous amount can't find for you.
4) If you a single professional like me looking for a nice (i.e. relatively new/nicely renovated) studio/one bed near CBD and walkable to MRT, you will not find anything less than S$3K per month. So prepare to negotiate with your company on salary. This rate is as of end of July'08.
5) Supply of flat share in SG is actually limited, unlike other big cities like NY or London. New/renovated flat share with 2-3 people near CBD and walkable to MRT will set you back at least S$1.5K but most likely S$1.8K.
6) Final advice, carefully consider option for relocating to SG these days. Cost of living here has gone up a lot. For the quality of living you will get and the price you will pay, think twice or negotiate like hell on salary before taking the offer!! If you are relocating from the US, do not buy in to the SG as lower tax rate, cheaper food, blah blah. To afford the same quality of living (w/ current property prices), I would argue you need to be paid 15%-20% more than what they would pay you in the US.
