We've been on the hunt for a novel identify to alive since simply earlier Christmas. This has been a pretty consuming as well as far to a greater extent than stressful (than I anticipated) procedure for me as well as my hubby but at long lastly nosotros are finally inward our novel home. Albeit inward precisely the same condo block every bit nosotros already were as well as after having looked at many other places inward between.
Our ii twelvemonth lease was due for renewal or death at the kickoff of Feb (I can't believe how chop-chop that fourth dimension has gone). We were to a greater extent than than happy inward our previous apartment as well as would have got been happy to remain there. If cypher else to salve the fourth dimension of looking at other places as well as the hassle of moving. Unfortunately though our previous landlord wanted to heighten our rent past times 30% which pose it inward a cost make nosotros simply could non afford. So reluctantly nosotros gave notice of our intention to destination our lease as well as move. We did initially endeavor to negotiate on the rent alongside him but he was adamant that he would non come upwardly downward on his novel rental accuse per month. So moving it had to be.
Our set of requirements were really solely a want to remain within the East Coast area, to have got a balcony (we honey sitting out on it as well as run across it every bit an extension of our living space) as well as to live fairly high upwardly to instruct the best of whatever breezes as well as hopefully a reasonable sentiment too. As fourth dimension progressed as well as nosotros began viewing places I also decided that I would prefer a to a greater extent than lately built identify too. Although nosotros looked at ane older condo alongside an amazing amount of additional room for our coin it seemed a chip black as well as gloomy within inward comparing to our old domicile as well as our domicile now. The newer builds that I've seen sure as shooting seem to a greater extent than lite as well as airy, though yous do seem to a greater extent than oftentimes than non to have got to compromise on size unless yous have got a huge budget to play with.
I came to the determination every bit good alongside this motion that it has been harder to brand inward a agency because nosotros at nowadays know the identify (and particularly every bit nosotros similar where nosotros live) as well as have got sussed out the skillful as well as the bad parts. When my hubby arrived he was rattling reliant on the agent he used so for guidance every bit he had no extensive noesis of Singapore as well as inward plough where he wanted to live. He knew he wanted to live somewhere alongside a reasonably skillful commute to the metropolis as well as every bit he liked what he was shown inward the East Coast surface area he went for that. I jurist I was fortunate so likewise every bit I did non have got to live involved inward whatever of that procedure every bit I did non bring together him until half dozen months after he'd made the motion as well as had already flora a domicile for us. Since then, of course, we've been able to explore hither as well as other parts of Singapore as well as definitely felt that we'd made a lucky but skillful selection of location for us personally, hence our wishing to remain inward this purpose of the island.
So began the hunt. I've heard of many others hither who have got arrived as well as had amazing agents who have got shown them a multitude of properties whilst also showing them Singapore, places to eat, places to instruct as well as so on. Whilst champaign nosotros did non demand someone to present us Singapore this time, nosotros seemed to dip out likewise on finding a really skillful agent. Even my husband's agent when he firstly moved out hither didn't do anything extra, every bit it seems so many others do from experiences I've heard virtually since, apart from present him diverse condo blocks. Though at the fourth dimension he never fifty-fifty thought virtually an agent doing that type of thing for us so never considered it a requirement. In add-on my husband's company, that he was so working for, did non assist him inward lining upwardly an agent or a contact to assist him alongside the finding of a identify to alive when he firstly arrived. I don't know whether maybe those who seem to have got been lucky alongside agents have got been so because their companies have got taken a to a greater extent than active purpose inward the procedure of helping their novel employee alongside the settling into a novel country. All that said though the ane nosotros eventually dealt alongside regarding the condo nosotros have got at nowadays moved into has been genuinely rattling helpful. Including coming circular to ours inward the eve to personally reimburse me out of his ain steal for the cost of an unexpected (but urgently required) see past times an electrician, rather than us having to hold off for the Landlord to do so. Something I really did non await him to do as well as was pleasantly surprised that he came as well as did.
We looked at a few places earlier the Christmas pause but none of them were precisely what nosotros wanted. The agents all seemed rattling relaxed as well as set dorsum (including inward ane instance never getting back to us at all when nosotros made enquiries) virtually the amount of fourth dimension nosotros yet had to discovery a novel place. Although I'd live told that a lot of the agreeing on as well as signing of contracts is oftentimes done rattling roughly an destination of lease date, alongside landlords existence reluctant to sign over a identify to someone non intending to motion inward straightaway. We also knew that Christmas was approaching as well as nosotros were due to render to the UK so would lose a calendar week at that topographic point as well as that soon earlier our destination of lease it was Chinese New Year where lots of people would over again live away. So nosotros were rattling keen to, as well as felt it was best to start the procedure every bit early on every bit possible.
With cypher much happening earlier Christmas after the pause nosotros re-commenced the search alongside renewed keenness. We saw a few places, some of which nosotros really liked but each fourth dimension nosotros seemed to simply lady friend out on them past times a whisker, much to our increasing frustration as well as disappointment. For example, inward ane instance nosotros were advised nosotros could solely sentiment on a sure appointment as well as at a sure fourth dimension every bit they were non letting anyone sentiment at whatever other fourth dimension due to non existence able to instruct access to the place. When nosotros arrived nosotros were greeted alongside the intelligence that someone else had already made an offering inward a higher identify what the identify was on the marketplace for. Therefore despite us making an offering alongside confirmation that nosotros could give them a cheque at that topographic point as well as so we, non surprisingly, missed out. Another identify did non come upwardly alongside a washing machine which nosotros asked for inward the offering that nosotros made. Our offering on that identify did really instruct accepted but nosotros were told if nosotros wanted a washing machine we'd either have got to purchase it ourselves (not something nosotros really wanted to do) or pay an additional $100 per calendar month rent to encompass the cost of the Landlord supplying one. Clearly over a ii twelvemonth lease that was going to plough out to live a pretty expensive washing machine!
It seemed every bit good that for whatever argue our precise wishing listing was proving difficult to suit as well as suitable properties were proving scarce. So nosotros agreed we'd facial expression at places that were lower downward inward buildings, that we'd facial expression beyond the East Coast surface area as well as if really pushed that nosotros could do without a balcony, every bit much every bit nosotros knew we'd lady friend it.
We had looked at a duo of places inward our electrical current condo at the rattling start of our search but at the fourth dimension felt they were both likewise depression downward inward the building. However alongside fourth dimension marching on nosotros began to wonder if nosotros should inward fact reconsider them if they were yet costless every bit past times this phase Chinese New Year's Day was fast approaching as well as the noesis that at that topographic point was non long left for us to discovery a novel identify was becoming a reality. At the same fourth dimension nosotros decided to brand some other higher offering to our quondam landlord simply a fiddling below what he wanted (he had solely had ane viewing since nosotros gave our notice so nosotros knew the identify was yet available) but that likewise was also declined. In hindsight maybe that was no bad thing every bit fifty-fifty that was stretching our budget somewhat.
So nosotros made farther enquiries virtually the ii other flats nosotros knew had been available inward our electrical current condo. Typically the slightly higher of the ii had finally gone simply that hateful solar daytime but the other ane was yet available. We'd already viewed it but knew it was precisely similar our electrical current identify so did non really demand to run across it again, so nosotros made an offering at that topographic point as well as so which was accepted - hooray! It meant nosotros had managed to remain inward the East Coast surface area as well as had kept a balcony but were simply a lot lower downward so nosotros had initially planned. It also meant nosotros could do the motion ourselves alongside the assist of friends for the heavy article of furniture rather than hire people to do it for us. Though having at nowadays done that as well as although solely over a few floors alongside lifts every bit good I really do appreciate the theater who came as well as packed all our materials upwardly when it was shipped here, when all I had to do was supervise a chip as well as read a bulk whilst they packed! Another skillful dot is that nosotros are also paying a lot less (and within our budget confines) than what our quondam landlord wanted (and I assume yet does) for the identical ane nosotros were inward previously. We have got had a rearranging of furniture, simply so it does experience a fiddling similar we've really moved as well as apart from the spare sleeping room everything is pretty much inward identify now.
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| This is really a photograph of our previous apartment prior to the arrival of the article of furniture but other than the flooring nosotros are on the identify nosotros are inward at nowadays is precisely the same! |
The fun wasn't over though. As is measure practice, after nosotros had moved out of our previous identify nosotros carried out an inventory banking concern gibe alongside our quondam landlord as well as his agent where everything was checked, agreed as well as signed past times all parties. However his agent so afterward proceeded to dot their were additional problems alongside the apartment which would also live deducted from our deposit if non rectified. This was something that did non sit down comfortably alongside our thought of fairness every bit nosotros could no longer access the belongings to sentiment for ourselves the additional problems that had at nowadays been identified as well as this extra banking concern gibe had been done without us existence acquaint for it. As it happens nosotros have got at nowadays received the bulk of our deposit dorsum every bit was originally agreed as well as without existence charged for the additional 'problems', but solely alongside some persistence on our purpose virtually the validity of this additional inspection as well as the querying of where sure things that were existence quoted at us were really written inward the tenancy agreement. With our novel identify nosotros have got so gone to non bad pains to instruct the agent to authorities annotation whatever apparent shaver faults. For example, nosotros have got ceiling fans inward this apartment as well as the handheld controllers do non work, apparently they never have. Not a huge employment every bit they tin yet live turned on if nosotros do want to utilisation them as well as really nosotros solely to a greater extent than oftentimes than non utilisation the AC inward our sleeping room over night, preferring the balance of the fourth dimension to have got balcony doors as well as windows opened upwardly to permit inward natural breezes. Nonetheless though I got this clearly noted at nowadays so when nosotros come upwardly to eventually exit hither at that topographic point tin live no queries virtually whether they were at ane fourth dimension working or not. Likewise at that topographic point is also a grade on a duo of the bath tiles on the flooring (again non a problem) which has been highlighted to our agent to note. Of course of written report I've also been busy taking photos of everything where at that topographic point is the potential for a question to arise at a afterward date.
Moving inward to the novel identify has non been without hitch either though, the firstly nighttime after nosotros moved nosotros turned the oven on which tripped the fuse. We flicked that dorsum on as well as all the lights blew. Fortunately nosotros yet had ability but no lights no affair what nosotros tried. The electrician came to facial expression at it as well as had to supervene upon a purpose inward the fuse box as well as thankfully everything at nowadays seems to live alright. Although when our agent came inward the eve to reimburse us for the cost he confirmed that the exact same thing happened to the previous tenants. So I hope that the novel purpose has fixed the employment rather than simply delayed it from happening again.
Despite all this as well as initial reservations virtually existence so depression downward I'm really pleasantly surprised by, so far, how fiddling I've missed our high floored apartment (though I volition ever slightly lady friend our previous body of body of water sentiment alongside Republic of Indonesia inward the distance on a clear day). Firstly it is noticeably much quieter lower downward inward the building, though I imagine when they set about the pile driving on the novel condo build upwardly the route it won't affair what flooring nosotros are on it volition live every bit noisy every bit ever. I tin yet remove heed the structure dissonance but it is a lot quieter as well as sure as shooting seems to a greater extent than distant as well as less obtrusive, I jurist the buildings as well as trees shelter us a chip more. We are also to a greater extent than sheltered from the psyche route close by, all nosotros instruct at nowadays is the dissonance of the ramp every bit cars come upwardly as well as instruct from the condo. I tin really remove heed aeroplane vocal as well as am depression plenty downward at nowadays to instruct a skillful facial expression at all the unlike types of birds every bit they flit betwixt the trees as well as shrubs. This sure as shooting makes me experience similar nosotros are a chip to a greater extent than secluded as well as less overlooked. Our novel identify also has hateful solar daytime curtains (our old identify did not) which provide a sure amount of additional privacy from our nearest neighbour's balcony. I'm non sure yet whether nosotros instruct every bit much of a breeze every bit previously but nosotros yet instruct plenty to live comfortable most of the time.
I jurist yous can't ever tell moving isn't stressful no affair how much yous invention for as well as railroad train for it, though I didn't await this much but the unexpected volition ever happen. So far our novel landlord (and the agent) have got been to a greater extent than than accommodating alongside our requirements as well as hopefully from hither on we'll have got a pleasant as well as happy remain inward our novel home.
UPDATE - June 2015
Since writing this post virtually my personal experiences of condo hunting inward Singapore I've been made aware of this non bad website which may simply live the response to some of your prayers. Keylocation.sg, whilst non a condo listings site, allows yous to search on what matters to yous when choosing your novel location. You tin search on commuting fourth dimension but also things such every bit nearby schools as well as fifty-fifty supermarkets! Enabling yous to salve valuable fourth dimension as well as have got a clearer thought of precisely what yous want when it comes to arranging viewings. With so many condos inward Singapore as well as novel ones springing upwardly virtually everyday it sounds similar a non bad starting dot to me.
UPDATE - June 2015
Since writing this post virtually my personal experiences of condo hunting inward Singapore I've been made aware of this non bad website which may simply live the response to some of your prayers. Keylocation.sg, whilst non a condo listings site, allows yous to search on what matters to yous when choosing your novel location. You tin search on commuting fourth dimension but also things such every bit nearby schools as well as fifty-fifty supermarkets! Enabling yous to salve valuable fourth dimension as well as have got a clearer thought of precisely what yous want when it comes to arranging viewings. With so many condos inward Singapore as well as novel ones springing upwardly virtually everyday it sounds similar a non bad starting dot to me.