What area is best for a young(ish!) male to rent?

[BillyB]

I believe in Holland, you can get a receipt for your service, they take credit cards in private brothels but tend to have a 10% surcharge as you describe.

disclaimer: This is information from the web, I have never been to private brothels in Amsterdam.

Quote - "i believe"..........what a parody!

[Rb85]

Thanks for all the replies so far, there has been some interesting information to read!

I'm sure any city I end up will seem exciting to me really! I grew up in the welsh countryside and have lived on the south coast of England for a good few years, so in comparison, it sounds like singapore will be a hell of a lot more exciting than my past and present abodes!

I have been to Asia a few times, china, Bangkok etc. I think if I ended up in a place like Bangkok I'd be found in a ditch after the first month, so I'm not too worried if its not as crazy as there! I do have a soft spot for Asian women yes, so that's definitely a plus point!

As said earlier by others, I think it's definitely worth trying and see how it goes, worst case is ill have to come back and I will have had a good experience in the mean time.

So it looks like Newtown, holland or orchard could be good places to start looking? Did you guys have accommodation sorted before you came, or did you stay in hotels etc for the first few weeks and looked for accommodation when you were out there?

[the lynx]

Thanks for all the replies so far, there has been some interesting information to read!

I'm sure any city I end up will seem exciting to me really! I grew up in the welsh countryside and have lived on the south coast of England for a good few years, so in comparison, it sounds like singapore will be a hell of a lot more exciting than my past and present abodes!

I have been to Asia a few times, china, Bangkok etc. I think if I ended up in a place like Bangkok I'd be found in a ditch after the first month, so I'm not too worried if its not as crazy as there! I do have a soft spot for Asian women yes, so that's definitely a plus point!

As said earlier by others, I think it's definitely worth trying and see how it goes, worst case is ill have to come back and I will have had a good experience in the mean time.

So it looks like Newtown, holland or orchard could be good places to start looking? Did you guys have accommodation sorted before you came, or did you stay in hotels etc for the first few weeks and looked for accommodation when you were out there?

Depends on your company's offer. Usually they will provide 2 weeks' of Serviced Apartment/hotel upon your arrival so that you can scout for a place to rent. Never settle for an accommodation before you arrive -- best that you see it with your own eyes to avoid being scammed. Landlords in Singapore are not notorious for nothing!

These 3 places that you mentioned are bloody expensive to rent for a room, let alone an entire unit.

[zzm9980]

You want at least a month Service Apartment; two weeks will be almost impossible to find, finalize, and move in to a place. I'd even recommend negotiating for two months. A lot of companies put you into one of the "standard" places: Ascott, Pan Pacific, etc. These guys cost around 10-12k/month for the service apartment. You can get a decent service apartment around Katong/Paya Lebar for half that. So tell them to give you two months in a place over there so you have more time.

[JR8]

The danger with flat-hunting is that the task will fit the time available to do it in. If you have a month (as others suggest in a Serviced Apartment) you will find a place in that month.

If you're footing the bill (as I was last time) I guarantee you'll find a place and move within two weeks.

IMO a month (funded) is standard and fine.



p.s. You bringing the sheep-dog with you?

[colio]

Rb85 - I think you'll LOVE it in Singapore. I don't know any expat poms in SG that don't love it there, especially the young single ones! The married with kids also love it.. IMHO the weather is enough for you to be happy.. no more English countryside weather.. think shorts & t's all year round!

Accommodation-wise, start looking around the property websites in SG now to get a feel of the condo styles you like as well as facilities. You can also look into areas - where is your office by the way? But as everyone says, you need some time in a Serviced Apartment in Singapore to find a place that really suits you - doing everything remotely you are bound to get ripped off. If you are visiting SG before your move, then you should engage an agent to start to look around. Unsure about how the rentals work in the UK, but in Australia you call each property & different agents show you the properties they have listed. In SG, you want to find one good agent & get them to show you all the properties you are interested in. They then negotiate with the managing agent to get their commissions.

And whilst you are there, if you are missing home there are bars you can go to where you'll not even know you are in Asia!! Poms, Aussies & Kiwis all around! Especially when the Rugby is on!

Good luck with it..

[nutnut]

I found something in 1.5 weeks and moved in! It's possible, my company paid me for 2 weeks in a hotel and I got the money for the full 2 weeks even though I found something quicker.

Result!

[sundaymorningstaple]

In SG, you want to find one good agent ....

Good luck with it..

[colio]

In SG, you want to find one good agent ....

Good luck with it..

SMS - Haha! Yes... one can only dream!

[Rb85]

The office is in the woodlands area. Im not sure what this area is like to live in, but from what I understand its quite out of the way? I'm guessing a happy medium would be somewhere between woodlands and the cbd.

Thanks for the positives colio, I was thinking the same about the weather myself! Especially this morning as I was de-icing my car!

Unfortunately the sheep dog will have to stay at home, I'll just have to find myself a dog out there...

[zzm9980]

Woodlands? Yeah not much there for a young single male.

Pick a place to live close to the North-South (red) MRT line. How close is your office to the Woodlands MRT stop? I don't recall a lot of office complexes within walking distance of there.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Woodlands is good. Only a short hop to Malaysia. Golf, dining, drinking and girls are all much cheaper there..........

[nutnut]

+1

Although, if you prefer to have a night life in SG, somewhere like Toa Payoh or around there is fairly lively, not too expensive and commutable.

If you would rather commute for booze at weekends and evenings, then, Woodlands is nice enough and cheaper.

[JR8]

+1

Although, if you prefer to have a night life in SG, somewhere like Toa Payoh or around there is fairly lively, not too expensive and commutable.

If you would rather commute for booze at weekends and evenings, then, Woodlands is nice enough and cheaper.

Toa Payoh gets my vote too. Very convenient for CBD and airport. Also some nature (!) at MacRitchie Reservoir. Plus it's closer to a 'real' SGn neighbourhood than the expat ghettoes (where I have also lived). Plus as it was built as a new-town it has everything within walking distance.

Only downside that comes to mind is that there are only two condos to choose from, Oleander Towers and Trellis Tower.

[colio]

Oh wow, yes Woodlands is pretty far from the CBD.. on the plus side it's got the largest shopping mall in Singapore & lots of parks & recreational areas so not as built up as other districts in SG.

Good old Wikipedia will provide you more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlands,_Singapore

In terms of where to live, it depends on what you like doing. If you want the typical expat bar/restaurant scene you want to live closer to places like Holland, Dempsey & of course Central. If you're not into that then Woodlands isn't a bad place to live.

I wouldn't suggest Toa Payoh for your first expat stay in SG. Whilst it is cheaper as people have advised, it's a lot more built up & older in style, so less expats & more locals. Nothing wrong with locals (I'm related to many of them!) but as your first expat "adventure" it may be difficult for you.. too much of a culture shock. After a few years in SG, then you can easily settle into a place like TP if you like..

Of course it all depends on your budget & what you like doing..

Ok la?