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Rental Guide Singapore:
How to find, select and rent an apartment or house
Where to live? This is one of the major problems expatriates initially face when moving to Singapore and to best evaluate your circumstances the following factors, amongst other more personal issues, need to be take into consideration:
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| Advertorial | |
Rent a home in Singapore: Appoint Knight Frank Singapore for your home search |
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View a selection of homes for rent in Singapore |
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View 2 bedroom apartments View 3 bedroom apartments View 4 bedroom apartments View landed houses 4 - 6 bedrooms View penthouses |
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Do you have access to our very special e-relocation guide ?
Following the e-relocation step-by-step guide will save you a lot of time of visiting unsuitable homes and will reduce time you need to spend in a temporary home such as a serviced apartment or hotel. You are enabled to make choices on your future home based on unbiased information provided from the point of view of expatriates. We have observed that expatriates take great advantage of their knowledge. e-relocation users seldom fall for any unsuitable home thus guaranteeing a smooth and quick settling in process.
Inform your company to appoint Knight Frank as your home search agent as to be able to use e-relocation Singapore - the online step-by-step guide on relocating to Singapore. Your company can save cost as this service is free of charge and neither you nor your company will be charged. See here why we can offer you this service for free.
Kindly contact Knight Frank via the inquiry form and set up an appointment for viewing.
The below table features the content Step 5 THE HOME SEARCH in e-relocation Singapore which is connected to this part of www.entersingapore.info.
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Home Choices
As explained in the section Housing Market, the tiny size of the country dictates the shape of the city and its buildings. Homes are built high up into the sky rather than sprawl out in large sized plots of tropical gardens as it was custom in the colonial era. But Singapore still offers a large selection of different types of homes depending on your budget!
Landed Homes
Landed property is - opposed to high rise property - a building with its own "land" and does not share the ground with
other parties in the building.
The following types of houses may either have their own facilities or share them with other landed property:
These houses are joined and have one common wall with the neighbor. Most semi-detached are 2 store homes and they are popular with families with smaller children who need a small place to play outside.
Shop houses are traditional houses either restored or in need of renovation. They were originally purpose built for shop
owners who used to live above their shop. These homes feature a very small but long floor area and a built-up area of about 3 -4 levels. Fitting your furniture may be difficult, unless you plan to buy furniture in Singapore on purpose.
The houses were traditionally designed for natural ventilation and have high ceilings. Conversions with fully fitted air condition units have been successful, but the units need to be powerful and produce high electricity bills.
The layout of restored houses is very unconventional, meaning the bedroom may be in front as well as in the back of the house and the bathroom on another floor. Lot's of healthy climbing the stairs will keep you fit!
Not recommended for families with small children or elerly family memebers visiting often.
When you view shop houses watch out for signs of leakage as they tend to be prone to this. Maintenance cost of shop houses can be high.
Terraced houses have common walls with both neighbors unless they sit at the corner. Terrace houses do not have a garden (unless at the corner).
Detached homes do not share any wall and are either bungalows with single. Double or three stories or old colonial single or two story houses with white walls and black woodwork often are referred to as Black and Whites.
These houses try to keep their old structure and often come without air conditioning. You will enjoy all pros and cons of a tropical life as in the good old days. Many have huge gardens and extra small houses for servants (servant's quarters).
As a tenant you are responsible for repairs and maintenance and need to sign the lease under the existing conditions, which may be quite an adventure.
Note: Black & White Homes/Colonial Houses are rented out by the government and can be viewed online at the web site below.
| Advertorial | |
Rent a home in Singapore: Appoint Knight Frank Singapore for your home search |
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View a selection of homes for rent in Singapore |
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View 2 bedroom apartments View 3 bedroom apartments View 4 bedroom apartments View landed houses 4 - 6 bedrooms View penthouses |
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Cluster homes are detached houses that share various facilities (garden, pool, etc.) with a few other landed homes. Cluster homes are hard to get as they are all recently built and occupied by the owners.
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High rise buildings with share of facilities are often marketed as homes with "full condo facilities". They feature either some or all of the following available shared facilities:
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Penthouses come in all shapes and sizes and many have their own pools, Jacuzzis, private terraces or tropical roof top gardens. Topping most of the high buildings in Singapore they feature breathtaking panorama views over the coast or city. Some are even offered with a live-in maid. Rentals vary from S$ 10,000 to S$ 30,000 a month. Watch out for older penthouses which may not be fitted with heat-resisting roofs. Temperatures in the rooms below may soar during the day just like your electricity bill which is triggered by the air-condition! Often large window panes may have the same effect.
| Advertorial | |
Rent a home in Singapore: Appoint Knight Frank Singapore for your home search |
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View a selection of homes for rent in Singapore |
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View 2 bedroom apartments View 3 bedroom apartments View 4 bedroom apartments View landed houses 4 - 6 bedrooms View penthouses |
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HDB Flats/SHIFT (Apartments within Housing Developments)
Singapore has recently changed the conditions under which Singaporean are allowed to rent out their flats or sublet bedrooms to either Permanent Residents or non-citizens with employment passes, work permits or student passes. A whole flat can be only sublet if the owner has written approval of the Housing Development Board. Subletting of bedrooms is only permitted from 3 bedroom flats onwards and the landlord does not need approval from HDB. View the subletting conditions and make yourself familiar with your rights as a subtenant in an HDB flat at the web site below.
Low Cost Housing for foreigners is offered under the name SHIFT (Scheme for Housing for Foreign Talent) by the Jurong Town Corporation. You can either rent a house or an HDB flat with your family or find another foreigner willing to share the place with you. Rents for an executive flat with 3 bedrooms will be below S$ 1000 per month. The respective town councils manage the estates. The apartments come unfurnished. The location is mainly either in the East of the West of Singapore.
Note: If you are a foreign student you need to provide your landlord with a Student Pass, and a Medical Exam Report if you rent longer than 1 months.
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Those who have never lived in a high-rise apartment before will get used to it quickly. Close by facilities, security and concierge services and very often other services offered within the same building provide a convenient lifestyle.
When offered an apartment you should note that balconies and the space outside your front door are part of the rental area. However, large balconies facing South often cannot be used because of the excruciating temperatures building up in the city. East or North facing balconies are a nice feature in the morning and evening.
These homes are offered on one or two floors (referred to as maisonettes). Those with facilities are referred to as condominiums. Some condos are as high as 66 stores with many units which makes one wonder how the pool will look like on a Sunday. Surprisingly facilities are usually not overcrowded and you may enjoy many quiet laps with hundred pairs of eyes watching you undetected through their windows. Smaller condominiums sometimes offer fewer facilities.
Note: So called 'Walk up apartments' do not have an elevator!
Important: In case of a fire in a high-rise building it is safest to move to the nearest staircase and move downwards as soon as possible as they are fire- and smoke-proof. Aerial ladders only reach to the 18th floor or 52 m high and some buildings in Singapore are as high as 66 stores.
There are about 3600 serviced apartments in Singapore offering gyms, outdoor pools, cafes for light meals, business centers and a maid clean up service. Serviced apartments are very popular with foreigners assignments for less than a year.
They have small fully furnished kitchens and usually no full in-house restaurants to cater for your meals. Often there is a breakfast facility. Some feature full kitchens with oven and microwave. Sizes range from about 550 sq. ft (50 sq. m) for a studio to 1,500 sq. ft (135 sq. m) for a three-bedroom unit. Serviced apartments are mainly in district 9 and 10 of Singapore.
Apartments in River Valley Road area are not in walking distance from Orchard Road but may offer a shuttle service.We advise you to bargain especially if you are staying for more than 6 months. Rentals vary greatly as the rates are dependent on location, size, services and facilities provided.
On average you may need a housing allowance of about SGD 5,000 to 6,000 to live in a modern downtown 2-bedroom apartment. The lowest monthly rental for a modest one bedroom serviced apartment is around 2,500 - 3,000 SGD. Students attending the National University or INSEAD may have a look at the Ginza Plaza or Redwood West.
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Rents for shared apartments vary between S$ 700 and S$ 1000 per month per person including utilities. To minimize future misunderstandings you may need to agree on:
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Try to find a partner to share an apartment via the following expatriate chat rooms:
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Contact also the International Associations and see Education for further websites on student accommodation.
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Home Search Terms
Get to know the " rental jargon" used in classifieds and information provided by property agents in Singapore.
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House or Condominium
If you want to live in a condominium
with many others or like to live alone in a house depends very
much on your lifestyle and family circumstances. Generally houses
are built on small plots with small gardens and are often close
to high-rise buildings taking away the view and the light. Three-storied
houses have smaller floor areas than two-storied houses and you
may have problems to fit large furniture into your living and
dining rooms.
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Condominiums have the advantage of being serviced and of offering such nice facilities as a gym, a pool or a tennis court. Many expatriates like having 24 hours security especially when they are traveling a lot or leaving for their home countries during the summer holidays.
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| Advertorial | |
Rent a home in Singapore: Appoint Knight Frank Singapore for your home search |
|
View a selection of homes for rent in Singapore |
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|
View 2 bedroom apartments View 3 bedroom apartments View 4 bedroom apartments View landed houses 4 - 6 bedrooms View penthouses |
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Living Space Choices
Since the rental marked has crashed you will be able to find condominiums of larger sizes (above 2500 sq ft) in city's prime locations district 9 and 10. Older properties' facilities and the unit itself should be renovated. If not, you probably have to put up with renovation sooner or later and you will have to live with the inconveniences involved. Most modern apartments especially those recently launched are smaller but may come with a telephone/Internet/TV socket in each bedroom and feature highly modern kitchens and bathroom suites.
Following the e-relocation step-by-step guide will save you a lot of time of visiting unsuitable homes and will reduce time you need to spend in a temporary home such as a serviced apartment or hotel. You are enabled to make choices on your future home based on unbiased information provided from the point of view of expatriates. We have observed that expatriates take great advantage of their knowledge. e-relocation users seldom fall for any unsuitable home thus guaranteeing a smooth and quick settling in process.
Inform your company to appoint Knight Frank as your home search agent as to be able to use e-relocation Singapore, a 250 page online step-by-step guide on relocating to Singapore. Your company can save cost as this service is free of charge and neither you nor your company will be charged as opposed to traditional relocation services.
We have typecast expatriates coming to Singapore and have selected suitable homes according to their needs as shown below. There are many more available and you can search our database for an overview of all currently available homes for rent in Singapore.
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Smaller condominiums near the city usually offer 24-hour security but come with a pool and sometimes a gym only.
Have a look at:
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Personal Utility Accounts
Documents to submit to the utility providers:
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Purchase a Property
There are restrictions for foreigners who want to buy property in Singapore. You may be able to buy an apartment in a high rise condominium or apply for permission to purchase a landed property if you are a permanent resident (PR). The Government has released a new directive for home purchase.
The amount of cash needed for a down payment on a purchased property has been reduced from 10% to 5% which will make it easier for individuals to purchase property. Although this will ultimately drive sale prices up, we expect it to be a gradual process and will not have an immediate impact on the leasing market.
Mortgage
A foreigner may bowwor 80% of a local's bank valuation of a property. Note that additional cost such a solitor's fee, mortgage stamp fee and loan Transfer fees, government department fees and transfer and mortgage registration fees apply.
Property Tax
If you live in the property purchased you need to pay 4% of its annual value as property tax. If you rent out the property the same tax amounts to 10% of the annual value.
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Rental Conditions
Homes are typically rented out for one to two years with an option to renew clause for extending the lease beyond the contract period. Upon renewal the rent will be based on the current market prices.
Special clauses
'Diplomatic clauses' applying after 12 months are widely accepted. Watch out if the landlord refuses to accept the construction clause as this might indicate a construction site planned next to your new home.
If you want to find out about plans for construction in the area of your new home, visit the web site below. It lists streets and planning areas in Singapore. Go to "DEVELOPMENT CONTROL" and then click "PHONE NUMBER & EMAIL OF PLANNER-IN-CHARGE". See also "Noise" for information on noise rules for construction and a telephone number to report noise.
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Renovation and repair
Repairs should be made before you move in and the landlord remains responsible for maintenance and repairs during the lease. See step 5 on how to control repairs in e-relocation Singapore before you move into your new home.
Security Deposit
A security deposit is kept by the landlord as compensation for any claims by the landlord for the event that the tenant breaches the terms of the lease agreement.The usual deposit is 2 months rent refundable on expiry of the lease without interest. The deposit also serves to guarantee that the tenant takes proper care of the premises.
Other Fees on signing the lease
Fees incurring to prepare the lease have to be paid by the tenant plus a stamp duty once the lease has been signed.
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Rental Prices
In General the rental depends on the circumstances:
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Current Rental in SGD per sqft
Source: KF Residential
Expenses for telecommunication facilities and gas and water are relatively low. However, please note that you may be responsible for the maintenance of your air conditions monthly or bi-monthly.This includes servicing and chemical treatment on top of paying your electricity bill which may be quite high due to the use of air conditioning units in your home.
See also Cost of Living for energy cost!
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Estimated Gross Rentals of Selected Condominium Developments (Samples)
Note: The information provided below is intended as a guide only. Actual rentals committed may vary depending on factors such as exact siting, floor level, orientation, amount of furnishings provided and condition of the apartment, etc.
Source: KF Residential
For further research on available apartments visit the Property Search Section
A. Apartments less than 8 years old
Location: Orchard, Tanglin, Holland, Newton and Bukit Timah (Sectors 22-30 Previously known as districts 09,10 and 11)
B. Apartments 8 years or older
Location : Orchard, Tanglin, Holland, Newton, and Bukit Timah (Sectors 22-30 Previously known as districts 09,10 and 11)
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Step By Step Rental Guide
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