Advice on housing in Singapore pls

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I've read the previous threads on moving to Singapore but could anyone help with more specific advice regarding housing. It looks like we may be moving there later this year and DH's office will be based in the Jurong district which I understand is v industrial. We have a max of about 3,500 Sing dollars per month for housing and I'm interested in what you could get for this kind of money. We're not bothered about fashionable areas (just as well with our budget!) and ideally would like somewhere with a garden (cluster house?) as we have a dog and a cat as well as 3 kids. Ideally looking for somewhere with 4 bedrooms.

Are we being unrealistic? Does anyone have any insider knowledge about areas in the Southwest. Thanks so much to anyone who can help

Hi guys can I join in? We are moving very soon to S'pore and was hoping to meet some other mums there. We are trying to find somewhere to live close to dh's work and the Aussie school. Think we will do a reccy before the offical move just to see whats available. What was your move like, I'm just starting to think of what we will be taking and leaving in storage!

Hi Quokka! Course you can join in . Get those lists sorted - I know what it's like. Stress, especially with children to consider and what they'll need immediately, very soon and what can go into sea freight. Good luck - let us know when you are coming out. Feel free to email me - my address is somewhere below.....

thanks egypt, I'm a bit blown away by it all as we never planned moving! How long does the sea freight take?

Have you guys heard anything about the Aussie school?

i'm afraid i dont know anything about the aussie school. are u from oz? are you in the uk at the moment. sea freight from uk takes about 4 weeks. see if you can get some air freight too, takes about a week, or 3 in our case cos the company was crap.! dont worry, take each day as it comes and make lots of lists like i said! can you get placed in a serviced apartment whilst you wait for you shipment to arrive? think its essential really, unless you send your shipment in advance and hope to meet it here. riskier though. you may end up without it at some point.

Hopefully we will be going for a reccy so we can find something before the big move. I think with 2 boy's under 3yrs the less we move around the better! Was thinking of freighting 2 weeks before we leave London and then it should arrive 2 weeks later in S'pore

Yes I'm an aussie but have been living in London with my pommie dh for 8yrs. The aussie school is very close to dh's work so we want to live around that area. It takes him 2hrs to get to work atm so he wants to be as close as possible!

Whens your baby due? Do you know what your having?

where will your dh be working? just searched for the oz school and seen its north of central. we are out that way, but not so north. it's such a small place however, that its not far to get anywhere. do do a reccy before you come. I would say it was essential. And if you can and are happy to do it without your boys it would be so much easier. We did that. It would have been far too much for dd.

Baby was due on Saturday. No, don't know what we're having!

ooh how exciting about bubs! Have you got some clary sage oil to bring things on? Or are you happy for bubs to stay in for a while longer?

I think the company is called ESPN star? How terrible is that I'm not even sure !

Deffo want to do the reccy without the boys, we're hoping that the IL's will be looking after them .

hadnt heard of that one to bring labour on! no i am eager to be late - if that makes sense! i want to get to saturday as the woman who i wanted to look after dd is coming home from hols. her stand in has had to rush off home to a sick father, so i am panicking that we will have to just dump her with an acailable neighbour in the middle of the night if it comes earlier.
eek

lol I'm sure it will work out fine. My IL's drove from Brighton to London to look after ds1 while I was in Labour, but he slept through the whole thing!

Both mine were late ds2 was 11 days!

helloooooooooooooooo,
Back in London. Cold but sunny. Lovely walk in regents park on way back from nursery. Sure going to miss this.....
How are you Egypt? Are you being induced on saturday?????? Fingers crossed, baby will be there during day so DH can go back home to sleep with DD.
Was lovely meeting you and DD and thanks ever so much for providing play opportunities for DS.Was a lifesaver!

Welcome on the forum Quokka! I'm in london too and should be in Singapore for good on the 1st June.
Just back from 2 week orientation visit. Can recommend a lovely estate agent if you need one. When are you going??

hi Slim, we should be there in the next couple of months. We will be be going for a very short reccy (4days) to see what we can rent. Whereabouts in London are you and have you found somewhere to live in S'pore yet or will you do that once you get there?

hi slim! Glad you are home safe and sound. Cool weather must feel so refreshing. Make the most of it!
No, not being induced, just wanting to hold out until neighbour has returned! Wish you were still here, dd would just LOVE to come and sleep at your house! Like you say, baby may be born in the day and the night won't be an issue.
Quokka, I'll let slim answer your q's re: herself, but she is just about sorted with house I think.
good luck with planning the reccy and slim good luck with the next couple of months of planning......x

DD sends your DS a big cuddle. She wanted him to come back for one as you drove away in the taxi!

hi,
Yes, would have been much simpler if we were already there round the corner!!!
We only coming 1st June, so I'm not sure the house would still be available. I'd really be gutted as you imagine, I could already picture DD and DS going on the bus together and playing in the afternoon......
Anyway, we'll never be too far away, we'll always find a nice condo nearby if the house is gone.
I've just spoken to tanglin and sent the application. When they get back to me, I'll let you know so we can talk about being in same class.
So you said you're holding on untill saturday, is that literally??? are you having contractions?????

Quokka, I'm in regent's park. I've answered above re, housing. I found there is plenty to see and no need to rush. There are condos coming on the market everyday. Not so many townhouses though. Not sure about the area you are after.
We have pretty much the same timing. check out the expat rentals website. They have some pics. If you use them, ask for Carol Ann Coventry. I gave her my brief and she was spot on with everything she showed me, sticking the budget and taste. She'll drive you around.
Get the magazine expat rental (S$5) when you get there. Good source of info on general expat life.

no, no contractions slim - fairly sure I can last until the weekend. famous last words. can you not submit your letter of intent now anyway? would the company not pay for the next month or so to secure it for you? it is in their interests that you are happy after all....

good luck with tanglin application.

plus - if it was the company that arranged your siting visit, they knew that you were searching for houses and would have been a waste of time if they dont let you go for what you have found. also rents may be higher in a month or 2 and they will be paying more for you by leaving it. go for it! have a word with them!

where's ELDESTGIRL? she must have had her baby by now......

gosh you guys have been busy - making babies!

Looks like the aussie school is full so might have to wait a semester to get ds1 into preschool .

looks like every expat I saw on the street was either pregnant or expecting!

Quokka, harrass them, they can't possibly leave you hanging?
There are some very nice alternatives, though. Lots of Montessori oriented playgroups. Maybe other mums can advise???

Egypt, I'd be just as gutted if we could not be round the corner! we can't commit just now 'cause we on local terms and housing is on us. So can't fork out rent since we still have not exchanged here.
No worries though (being optimistic ) we'll sure find something else.
Is your neighbour back?

I meant expecting or cuddling a new born

DS 3 tomorrow. Treated him to Chessington today, giving him B-day party at school tomorrow and lunch with mates at rainforst cafe on sunday.
Hard though, because he is just being such a real little s**t these days. Hope he's not going to be too bad tomorrow!!!
Those terrible twos are now well into threes, how much longer????????????

slim, your ds seemed so well behaved to me. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HIM!
Didn't realise you were on a local contract. I see now, you need to wait.
No neighbour not back until saturday, and not sure what time saturday either. getting backacke each night through the night now. noooooo
quokka, i'm really not sure what to say about schools, other mums surely would. we just went for the british school no question.

as in tanglin school...that is

slim don't say that I was hoping that ds1 would be growing out of it soon - he's nearly 3yrs.

Egypt, I feel more comfortable with him going to the aussie school, as thats what I know and I had such a great time at kindy (preschool). I've looked at the daily routine and sounds just like the one I used to go to. Same songs, activities etc. If he has to wait a semester then thats fine we can explore S'pore or go see my family in Perth. I'm sure the tanglin school is perfectly good but not as familiar for me iykwim?

yes i understand. thats how we felt about the brit school.

has anyone gone to Mayalsaia to buy funiture? Thinking we may leave our funiture here and rent a unfurnished place in S'pore.