Private accommodation. Possible?

[Sergei82]

Hi, everyone. I know it is common in Singapore to share flat with somebody else.
This idea, actually, blows my mind...
Before I got to Singapore, I want to find out:
is it possible to find any PRIVATE studio-type accommodation in Singapore at price around S$1000/month? Any rubbish-facilities as gym or pool are not needed. It can be half-furnished (only requirement - conditioner), I don't care. Size of the flat doesn't matter much too.
The only condition I have - it should be private, no toilet/kitchen sharing with a couple of other families.
Is it feasible task or no?
Or the only place I can get privacy in Singapore with minimum facilities is hotel???

[beppi]

In Singapore, the term "private housing" refers to those built by companies in the open economy, as opposed to governmental housing, called "HDB" after the authority who builds 90% of all flats here. Such "private housing" is more expensive than HDBs, but that's not what you were asking for.
As there are very few studio or one room flats, and they are invariably not cheap, it is often a better option to share a bigger flat (which does not necessarily mean sharing a bathroom, as most flats have several) or renting a smaller flat. Two room flats can be had for under S$2000 and a room with AC/bath in a shared flat starts at around S$700.
I suggest you come here and have a look at what options are available before you decide what you want. And try to avoid the ubiquitous housing agents, as they normally cost much more than their meagre service is worth.

[Sergei82]

Corrected the name of the topic.
As I understand, you're telling me that it's hard to find one-room in Singapore?
Renting a smaller flat - that's my goal, actually.
One more question - HDB! Does it mean something concrete? Or it is a very broad term? Are there any such types of houses where I can rent a small private flat? Or HDB == sharing?

[nakatago]

HDB - housing complexes built by the Housing Development Board.

The variety ranges from no-nonsense utilitarian flats in a rectangular building (with as many as 12 units in a floor/storey) to condo-type (re: really nice flats) with 4 units in a floor.

Studio-type or 1-bedroom flats are very rare; they usually are condominiums (which can be expensive) though 1+1 flats exists but a housing agent has told me these are reserved for old folks who are just enjoying the rest of their lives.

Try looking at the numerous housing ads in this site or in the others. HDB flats are usually termed as:

m + 1

where m is the number of bedrooms. The "+1" is the common areas--living room (sometimes absent) and/or kitchen.

If there's another +1 (e.g. 2+1+1), that means another room--usually a smaller room that is can be a bedroom, storage or study.

For your case, you may try to look for a 2+1 but at your budget it is either improbable or you'll live very far from the main city area.

[Sergei82]

Well, I can stretch my budget. $S1000 was just a first approximation, I don't know the situation.
+it's not necessary for me to live in the center. I'm sure, the prices fall down rapidly if you go closer to outskirts.
I'd better deal with transportation challenge than with a challenge of living for a year or so in, how we called it in USSR, communal flat.

In Seoul, where I'm living now, sometimes it is enough to cross a river in order to find the same flat, but twice as cheaper. I don't know about Singapore.

Which non-central districts of Singapore are decent enough to look at?

[x9200]

Which non-central districts of Singapore are decent enough to look at?

Everything is reasonably decent (could be older or newer though) and everything is in similar style (esp. for HDB). This is chiefly the matter of how much time or money you would like to spend for everyday commuting if you plant to work in the central districts or around. Try for example some Western parts, like CCK (Chua Chu Kang) - relatively new HDB blockhouses and a handful of condos with the prices 2-4x lower than in the central area. This website got a search engine (see the button above) to list the property by district and price.

[beppi]

As far as I know, 2+1 HDBs are currently available for S$1600-1800/month, possibly even cheaper in places like Choa Chu Kang, Woodlands, Punggol or Sengkang - but I wouldn't want to commute an hour (one way) to the city centre.
If I were single, I would actually much prefer to share a nicer flat in a central location with like-minded people and pay half of what I mentioned above. Of course finding the right combination of price, location and people takes some effort, but it's definitely not impossible.
(It's also a good way of avoiding the obnoxious property agents - they usually don't do shared flats!)

[macaroonie]

Can we rent 1+1 flats?

[Sergei82]

Is it a proposition to me or a questions to the others?

[nakatago]

Is it a proposition to me or a questions to the others?

but seriously, if this will turn into a flat-sharing thing, please continue it in the classifieds section.

if a question, I think, yes; I've seen 1+1 for rent advertised but that is very rare. By the time you find one 1+1 advertised and called to check the availability, you probably would have found someone to share a flat with, moved in, had a housewarming party and already considered redecorating the place.

[macaroonie]

Oh what i meant is, is it legal to rent 1+1 flats.... (not that i want to share with you - not that there is anything wrong with you )

[Sergei82]

I don't know. Maybe, living in HDB is not AS bad as I imagine, but I've never been living with somebody else in one flat, except my parents a long time ago and my ex-gf a while ago (it ended badly).
So, I'm not a gay or something, the only thought about sharing the accommodation kills me.
Well, I have some people who're helping me with finding the accommodation in Singapore at the moment, but I'm afraid I'll have to do it myself when I arrive next Wednesday.

[nakatago]

I don't know. Maybe, living in HDB is not AS bad as I imagine, but I've never been living with somebody else in one flat, except my parents a long time ago and my ex-gf a while ago (it ended badly).
So, I'm not a gay or something, the only thought about sharing the accommodation kills me.
Well, I have some people who're helping me with finding the accommodation in Singapore at the moment, but I'm afraid I'll have to do it myself when I arrive next Wednesday.

I know what you mean; I used to live alone back home and I really like the nice and quiet, not having to mind having other people around. Not to mention not worrying about schedules on chores and laundry.

Since I moved to Singapore, I had to change lifestyles as living alone here is not feasible. However, I have my room all to myself so there's my little fortress of solitude.

You could rent a master's bedroom so that at least you'll have your own toilet and bath (make sure it has an attached t&b--some don't).

[Sergei82]

How about one of your flatmates invites a woman in his room?
Will there be screams and banging walls with their heads all night long???

[nakatago]

How about one of your flatmates invites a woman in his room?
Will there be screams and banging walls with their heads all night long???

room 1 - a couple and their 2-yr old daughter
room 2 - a girl and a gay guy, occasionally, the girl's boyfriend
room 3 - mine

no action happenin'--they're all practicing Catholics--though the baby tends to bawl a lot ("WAAAAHH!!! MOMMY!!!! CARRY!!!!"). And they haven't complained about any noise coming from my room.

We all just have to learn to accommodate each other's quirks and get along.