I Hate Paying Agent FEE !!!!

[Max Headroom]

A bit of luck with your agent makes all the difference I suppose.

By the by, you, SE and I were pretty much neighbors, because I lived up Greenview Crescent with my family from '80 to '84.

[sundaymorningstaple]

So you well remember Bukit Timah/Dunern Road being underwater on occasion then before the widening/deepening of the canal!

[Max Headroom]

I remember seeing massive boiling torrents rushing down that drain yeah, and that whole stretch being flooded pretty frequently.

There's an overpass now, but I can't recall there being one then. We used to just cross the road, slide down the drain and then jump across the trickle, to get to Coronation, i.e. to play Defender in that arcade place

[sundaymorningstaple]

I didn't have quite that much enthusiasm as I was 37 at the time and trying to get a taxi to take me out to Sixth Lok Yang in Jurong wasn't easy back then. You needed to do a bit of slight of hand.

[x9200]

I would follow the suggestion of asking your HR for recommendation. If this fails I would just browse through the properties in the sites like this one, shortlist what you like and contact the agents directly. Once you think one of them behave reasonably you may try to use her/him for yourself.

Be paranoid, do not trust anyone and aim at reasonable service standards (a local average is low to very low) and don't look for excuses for mistakes the agent makes. He should be punctual, follow your suggestion, arrange a few viewings a day and fulfill promises he makes. Never buy "it's the standard thing" explanation. Even the good agents tend to explain many things this way. When in doubts ask here.

[TandD]

Thank you for all the tips. I've been regularly looking at . site to get an idea but very nervous of having to pay fees that are unnecessary and getting taken for a ride. By nature we're not as assertive as we'd like to be.

[JR8]

Thank you for all the tips. I've been regularly looking at . site to get an idea but very nervous of having to pay fees that are unnecessary and getting taken for a ride. By nature we're not as assertive as we'd like to be.

The fees due are laid down in law. The only room for varying them is if they get negotiated (i.e. with your agreement). Any fees due will be stated in the agreement you receive for instructing your agent.

Example:
http://www.propnex.com/commissionguideline.aspx

The system is similar to that in the States, where both the buyer and seller, or landlord and tenant have agents (unlike the UK where just the seller/landlord engages and pays for his agent).

[Beeroclock]

Thank you for all the tips. I've been regularly looking at . site to get an idea but very nervous of having to pay fees that are unnecessary and getting taken for a ride. By nature we're not as assertive as we'd like to be.

You need to push yourself to be assertive in matters like these.... Locking in accommodation for 2 years is an important decision and a long time to be stuck in a compromised/unhappy situation because you were too timid to speak up... good luck!

[Steve1960]

To be honest, I don't see the problem really. Using an agent likely means you'll be tapping into a pretty solid mental and online database of available homes that are at least fairly compatible with your criteria, as well as his or her local knowledge of Singapore's neighborhoods' pros and cons, not to mention his or her road network know-how. All of which will surely streamline your viewing days.

I reckon there's plenty of benefit to be gleaned from an agent; to wit, if he or she can cut your days viewing properties in half, then that alone will reduce your short-term accommodation cost bigtime, given the insane hotel room and Service Apartment rates nowadays.

But best of all, you'll have more time to focus on your work and family during the pretty stressful transition days, especially when you consider that you're bound to be knackered from the off-the-scale heat and humidity for the first few months.

This is exactly the benefit we got from using an agent and it made the entire process smooth and stress free. The agent has also done things like this:

a) Purchased the new mattress we wanted and had it delivered to the apartment before we relocated. I refunded her when we arrived.

b) Provided contact details for very good and reasonably priced contractors particularly for the air con

c) Attended any time the owner visited the apartment or had any work done in the apartment and made sure there were no misunderstandings

There is much much more I won't bore you with it all here. Suffice to say I think she has provided an excellent service and one that I have been happy to pay for.

We are just starting negotiations for the rental contract renewal now. I don't really need the agent to do that but it's not just about the renewal it's the value add of everything else she does during the year. So will I pay for her services again? Da*mn right I will.

I know there are not too many like this lady and we have been lucky.

[Saint]

Thank you for all the tips. I've been regularly looking at . site to get an idea but very nervous of having to pay fees that are unnecessary and getting taken for a ride. By nature we're not as assertive as we'd like to be.

Right, follow these simple guide lines and you won't be screwed over in term of fees.

1) Look at the various online property sites and find an apartment you would like to view. All adverts on these sites mean the Agent is acting on behalf of the Landlord and all commission has to be paid by the Landlord. The general advise is to look at adverts where the Agents has posted interior photos of the actual apartment. If only general exterior photos its more than likely it's a fake advert and when you phone the agent up they will probably reply by saying apartment just been taken but can I show you similar apartments. If you say yesy the Agent has now turned in to your Agent and you will liable to pay commission. Kindly say no thank you and walk away

2) If you only want a one year lease just ask for one and don't believe the Agent if they say minimum 2 years only. I have only ever signed 1 years leases and have done recently. My reason why? I don't know the Landlord from Adam and the thought of giving the Landlord 2 months rent as a deposit frightens me.

3) Stamp Duty, you as the tenant pays but that's just as much for your benefit as the Landlord.

4) rental prices are definitely coming down and there are far more partments available for rental than there are available tenants.

[Sergei82]

4) rental prices are definitely coming down and there are far more partments available for rental than there are available tenants.

My friend is now paying 2.4K for 2+1 HDB at Ghim Moh Road. His landlord demands sgd 800 pm increase and outright refuses to negotiate (contract renewal due in April). Motivation: changed quotas for foreigners renting HDB.

[Steve1960]

According to HDB quarterly data rental cost is not going down.

Maybe condo's only?

[Sergei82]

These estate predators put high hopes on those quotas. Fortunately, I'm renewing my TA in Feb 2015. By that time the situation will clear out.

[Saint]

4) rental prices are definitely coming down and there are far more partments available for rental than there are available tenants.

My friend is now paying 2.4K for 2+1 HDB at Ghim Moh Road. His landlord demands sgd 800 pm increase and outright refuses to negotiate (contract renewal due in April). Motivation: changed quotas for foreigners renting HDB.

I'm struggling to comprehend the Landlord's logic. Whatever happens, the Landlord will have to submit a new subletting application to HDB in April and there's a chance that at the time of application the FC quota is fully used so Landlord can't "Legally" rent out the HDB.

If you friend politely turns down the Landlord's kind offer to renew, the Landlord needs to find a new tenant willing to pay $3.2k. In April their Block/Neighbourhood may have quota but if it takes a month or 2 to find a new mug (tenant) by then the FC quota might have been taken up, Landlord can't rent!

[Steve1960]

I have been paying the median figure or less, as quoted by the HDB, for the last 7 quarters. 5 room HDB in central location.

Landlord is asking for a 200 SGD increase at contract renewal which I have agreed to, seems reasonable to me.