Where to live....?

[Monikken]

We are on the move for the first time in july, and would be grateful with some advice according to where to live..... My husband will be working at the Tuas shipyard, and hopefully our 8yr old daughter will be attending OFS or ISS. Our housing budget will be max $7000. Would like 3+ bedrooms, kids in the area / condo, "ordinary" condo-facilities (and balcony). Preferably close to public transport. Any suggestions? Would be really glad if anyone could give me some advice, as there are so many condos to choose from. Condo is one thing, construction-noise and and how the area appears in general is another. A family-friendly area with bigger apartments are preferred rather than small, new and fancy. Any suggestions are welcome:-)

[Sunflower_Ger]

Hi

If your hubby is working at Tuas, I suggest you to consider Jurong East or Jurong West Ave2 or Ave3 areas. There are some terrace houses and condos there which can fit your budget. However, the location is a bit far from town.

If you want something nicer and quieter, you should find a place near West Coast. Rental will be slightly higher though but I think should be able to meet your budget.

Regards

We are on the move for the first time in july, and would be grateful with some advice according to where to live..... My husband will be working at the Tuas shipyard, and hopefully our 8yr old daughter will be attending OFS or ISS. Our housing budget will be max $7000. Would like 3+ bedrooms, kids in the area / condo, "ordinary" condo-facilities (and balcony). Preferably close to public transport. Any suggestions? Would be really glad if anyone could give me some advice, as there are so many condos to choose from. Condo is one thing, construction-noise and and how the area appears in general is another. A family-friendly area with bigger apartments are preferred rather than small, new and fancy. Any suggestions are welcome:-)

[jalanperak]

Go to some of the property rental websites (including this one)l and look at places along Pasir Panjang Road or West Coast Road. Lots of very nice places within your budget, well located between Tuas and your potential schools, and accessible to public transport.

[Monikken]

Thanks both of you! Grateful for all info:-)

[kate smith]

if your hubby is driving its not a problem where you live. Singapore is a small place so its easy to commute. Both schools you mention are in town location.

it will be more convenient to live near the school especially if you intend going in often.
look for older condos if you want space. the newer ones are small and most dont have balconies.

construction noise - dont believe what Agents say about the nearby developments, see for yourself. Agents have a bad reputation for saying anything to sell $$$. its hard to find  a good agent.

[AYE Parking lot]

While Kate does have a good point about Singapore being small and driving distances short I would urge you to be wary of living anywhere which would result in having to take the AYE to Tuas in the morning.  It is becoming more and more congested and 3 out of 4 mornings this week there has been a minor nose to tail which has resulted in 5+ kms of tail back and more than 40mins extra travelling time.

West Coast is a great area - Faber Park off Clementi 6 is excellent but as JP indicated Pasir Panjang is also worth a look.

[Best Areas]

will be at Keppel, Mount Faber and Telok Blangah

Near walking trails and Vivocity and less congested and polluted than in the west.

[Yessos!]

Island View condo sounds just like your thing! Massive older apartments, nice view and a great community feel, with pool for kids etc.
A good friend of mine used to live there in 2005 and paid under 3k a month, I think they are now around 7 to 8 a month. But well worth viewing, I loved her place and the vibe there. Massive balconies too!

[Landlord]

I live in Queen Astrid Park in a bungalow. The location is great - near Holland Village and other "expaty" type areas. Near schools and public transport and it's easy to get in to Orchard Road if you're driving.

I'd recommend it.

[Trevor b]

I live in Queen Astrid Park in a bungalow. The location is great - near Holland Village and other "expaty" type areas. Near schools and public transport and it's easy to get in to Orchard Road if you're driving.

I'd recommend it.

would you live in an appartment that is 28 years old and pay this price?
Beware Landlord trying to rent out his Condo or an Agent

[NewSchmo]

God.. landlords trying to rent out their apartment. Whatever next!

Nothing wrong with older places. All you get with newer condo is less space, an excess of marble in the bathroom, a fancy shrunken kitchen and maybe a prettier pool. If you find a renovated older unit then what's the point of new?

[Landlord]

Don't know what the PP is on about. I've bought my bungalow.

[another landlord dis 9-11]

would you live in an appartment that is 28 years old and pay this price?[/color]
Beware Landlord trying to rent out his Condo or an Agent

loads of people choose to do so - here in Singapore, and elsewhere in the world.

WHY? simple. locality, locality, locality.

you will see and note the difference(s)  if you've bought and sold a few times before, or bothered to observe real estate trends and preferences locally, or anywhere in the world.

a compact, updated shoebox or small character fixer-upper in the right prestigious addresses can easily generate the same selling and rental price, (if not way more) -  than a spanking new cookie-cutter acreage monstrosity located in the suburbia boondocks.

it's not equal. certain boundaries come with certain upscale crowds, certain perks, certain schools, a definite level of safety and caliber of playdates ... certain elitist amenities.

NOT saying i endorse or enjoy it; after having been there and done that in those places all my life, and seen through the whole farce and masks. but just saying at the end of the day, how such is life, despite how PC life is, or how we would want to pretend it to be.

new or old does not always matter. it's not straight apples and oranges.
the right elite districts are a definite must-have plus factor for many markets of some buyers/renters/parents (where choice of schools matter).
- you will have the precious who cannot live/shop anywhere else outside of their elitist communities or they "will just die, dahlin" ... and
- you also have the wannabes, poseurs + newly minted nouveau-riche (paying top dollar and willing to overpay) trying their darnest to get in, regardless.


both ways = win win situation for sellers/landlords. locality definitely talks, regardless of where in the world that piece of real estate is located.

a 30 yr old 2-bedder Orchard Road walk up with few updates and no amenities (pool etc) can cost as much as a Marine Parade/Punggol new condo, in rental and perhaps selling.
(and even between Siglap, Mountbatten and Marine  Parade - there is another very subtle locality/class distinction too, unfortunately. ask the Katong old-rich, they will tell you. Joo Chiat fares the worst in the East, with its close proximity to Geylang.

amusing to observe Bukit Batok and Jurong residents packaging their areas vaguely as "Bukit Timah"  = "all generally in the same direction lah".