Singapore - sorry I'm being a nuisance again - this time, housing....

[S999]

I'm sorry to bug you all but you've all been super helpful.

Where do I start in the process of looking for condos, houses please?

Am hoping DH's office will point us in some direction but if their help with schools was anything to go by, it will be hopeless...

Looking for 4 bed plus condo, house near Dover court I think...

I did this by Googling and joining forums - like this one and also Sing-specific ones - and searching for previous conversations around the subject. Also found some Singapore property websites and keyed in my criteria. Finally joined the forums I'd found and by then had taken a look at schools and found the areas I thought might best suit, and started to follow and research from there. In your case you would:
Look at areas around the school: west & central
Narrow down what kind of home lifestyle you want: condo with shared facilities / house / cluster home (do searches for all of these terms and lots of info comes up)
By then you start to build a picture.
If I sound vague it's because it's a broad topic. What kind of set-up do you want/envisage?
Some of the forums get a bit cross if you ask a question without researching first, be warned!
I found loads of info and narrowed things down then DH went out and did a proper rekkie. I will see the results of his work in 3 days when we finally arrive, whee!
If you have already seen (online) a few places you like why not post on here and see what the feedback is?

thank you londonmoo, you are right, I need to get my thoughts together. I am going out there soon to visit with DH so I think after that there will be a much clearer picture!
Congrats and good luck! Wow, three more days....can't imagine how you are feeling? Mind you, I think we go through every emotion in the book in the run up, now you just want to get on with things, I'm guessing...

Will your dh's office provide an agent? If so then just try and see as many places as you can them you can start to narrow down. Do you have a budget or is your rent covered by your dh's company? Have a look on propertyguru.com.sg as a start.

Then as London says you need to think about how you will live. Older condos are more spacious newer ones have better facilities etc.

An agent can save you lots of time. They will short list properties based on the criteria you give them - close to school, near MRT, 4 bed, condo with x and y facilities etc etc. It will save you hours of research. The one we used was great and her fee was paid by the landlord (basically the landlord's and the tenant's agents split the fees). PM me if you would like the name of the company.
It's also really worth seeing a range of places before you finally decide re lifestyle. Coming from the UK it's hard to know whether a condo is for you, iykwim. I loved the idea of cluster houses (more space, but with condo facilities and people to make friends with) but when I saw them I realised that life over four/five floors with three kids under 5 was not going to work very well for me - the stairs were all to wide for stairgates and in the modern ones often had open steps or sides (ie so impossible to make safe for the baby). Anyway, more detail than you need no doubt (!) but just trying to say that it's worth looking at some different lifestyles and see what they look like in reality before making a final decision. Good luck!

kday, thanks for your message.
We have always lived in central London in not that spacious apartments - 1400 sq ft max and now we have moved to a house, tall and thin, 4 floors - 3 kids under 6 - total nightmare. I have been obssessing about going lateral!
However, I would really like a house with a pool but no, DH's company not paying our rent so may have to rethink that one!
I would love the name of the agent please, the company may well pay for this, I think.
I will look at the singaporeguru website tonight. Thank you Merlion.

PM me too if you like, we used a great one

We lived in Singapore for 7 years. Haven't seen your previous threads but what do you want to know and I can help

Am such a bimbo coupled with being new to this site....how do I PM?!

Thanks items, well, I guess we are looking at schools such as Dover Court and UWC for my kids...i know districts 9, 10 and 11 are the desirable ones, but obviously very pricey. Are there any condo complexes that you recommend or rather any that you say steer well clear of? Also, if we didn't live in those districts, which would be the other best options? I would prefer to be as close to the schools as possible and DH works centrally.

We are looking at 4 beds upwards with a budget of around S$12-14,000 a month. Is that realistic?

If you are sure about fover/uwc why not look up the black and white houses. There is an estate walking distance.
Let me come back a bit later with a link.

I've PM'd you! Sorry it's brief. We leave for a holiday tomorrow and I'm busy dragging out all our winter things!

I quickly read posts and can't see where DH is working. You have listed the typical expat areas but really comes down to lifestyle as Singapore is tiny. East Coast for casual outdoor living (D15). East Coast park is great and coffee shops on there etc. D10 for Holland Village although I think totally overrated really. It gets so packed. A little north takes you to less transport but more "villagy" feel.
On schools, UWC is the most competitive and people wait years for it. Again need to think what you want. British curriculum? Huge school? Lots of facilities or enough to be happy? Community feel vs institution?

here

there's a 38 ridout road which would be conveniently located, looks well maintened and lvely.bits queensway/commenwealth.

There is one on evans road, adjacent to the botanic, but that location will attract higher bids.

The ross avenue looks reasonnably maintained and already has the over ground pool ( which, if you were to install one cost about $500/month spread through standard 2 year contract)

That said, i agree condo living is an easier approach.
If you do like your privacy though, these houses are fab.
They are refurbished to a decent standard ( new kitchen/bathrooms usually).
The bare look looks great with the rattan/teak furniture and summery indian cotton cushions Nd throws you will find there. Add a few plants and fans....
Cost will be mainly pest control and maybe upgrading one or 2 A/Cs.

And you'll make fiends at school in no time when they figure out where you live.
Everyone loves a big private garden for school end of term parties

oh my goodness, thank you so so much. looking at them all now!
thanks also kday!

well we haven't got confirmed places at schools, dover court is quite likely for jan and uwc for aug 2013, which i was quite surprised about but they have changed their waiting list policy.

we visit week after next. It's probably too early to start bidding on places if we aren't moving until december, right?

I was a bit wary of houses and big gardens and all the creatures they might attract but just saw the ridout road house!
thank you, will keep you posted. if we could just get schools sorted i might even ben excited!

For a December move you need to be looking around November!! Normally people arrive here, spend time in temp accommodation / serviced apartments for a couple of weeks while they look at property and negotiate a contract. It will take a few weeks for your furniture to arrive by sea so no point having somewhere to move into straight away. Get yourself an agent, brief her on what you want, where you want and arrange to meet her on your first day here for a tour round.... For Dover court / uwc, look at condos and cLuster houses ( like terraced houses built round a shared pool) around bukit timah, holland village, west coast....

thank you butterflies, well we are out there on 27th aug and we have appts with the agent on 28th just to pin down what we are looking for so she can keep us posted on properties that come up. I think we are definitely loking at a condo...any blocks you would say steer away from or would really recommend? I know that some of these agents have their own agendas.
Still waiting for schools....resorting to some serious prayer...
Sorry, DH's office is in Orchard.
Thanks for all your help.

Look at condos in duchess avenue, sixth avenue, holland road, jelita, dunearn road, bukit timah road etc. Try to find somewhere not close to a building site as works are 7 days a week and there's lots of building! Have a look at propertyguru.com.sg - search by map. If you're close to a main road or in a large condo with a shuttle bus, DH can bus it to work and you can take the car. Walking more than about 15 paces however means a total sweatfest so not great for people needing to look smart in work.......

We're on corner of Holland Rd and Taman Warna and we start at Dover Court on Mon. Took bus to and from Orchard today - easy. Friend came to us from the school and said it took 3 mins in taxi. Off-peak, granted, but still super-fast. And we're close to shops and foodie places too. Not the most spacious of grounds but well worth a look.

Hi londonmoo, my youngest starts in nursery at DC on monday (orientation). What year are you starting? DD 1 been there 4 years now, just about to go into junior school

Hello! Orientation for us too, on Monday at 10am - DS is 7 and going into Y3. Can't wait but also worried about him settling. Tough on him being an only one but he copes very well...

Look forward to seeing you around; do you work?

well our move looks pretty unlikely for jan now...after all that...we were led to believe that we would have places in DC for Jan but now headmistress has written to us rather negatively largely because she doesn't want to show us round the week of the orientation - understandably - but she got a bit hoity toity and said that there was no guarantee of places for Jan anyway. DH got stroppy and refused to apply.
I think we will still come but focus our efforts on securing places at UWC. DH's work has made quite a substantial charitable donation to UWC Africa, not sure how that will help but we'll try everything!
Was getting all excited and now who knows?....such a stress.

Sorry you didn't get a positive response at dc, I'm quite surprised. They dont know until week 3 of term how many people are dropping out at the end of term.... Hope it all works out anyway.

Londonmoo, my dd1 is starting in year 3 on Tuesday (no orientation for her). We are from the uk and her name is Charlotte in case your ds comes across her. Hope it all goes smoothly.

I am a swimming teacher (career change this year!) and also run the new mothers support group on a voluntary basis, quite busy but flexible too....

Ooh, butterflies, will tell DS to look out for her. Thanks.

Ps I once edited a local norf London parents' newsletter: local coffee mornings, sales, parties, maternity clothes bank and general new-parent support - so I know what all that involves! Nice to see your website.