The single most important thing when moving to Singapore is to find a great place to call home for a while, and specifically those looking at renting in Singapore. We want to help you find that as this was so important to those of us who have already made the big move. If you already know the terminology then you might want to know where to live.
Renting in Singapore: Decoded
Singapore has its own local language when it comes to property and renting. To avoid confusion when looking for an apartment, we have laid it out plain and simple for you.
Condominiums are what a substantial proportion of the foreign professional population will end up renting in Singapore. Condominiums often come with facilities such as swimming pools, barbecue pits, gyms, tennis and/or others. A two-bed condominium in a popular area will cost between $4,000 and $5,000 per month.
HDB (Housing Development Board) flats are government-built flats that cover much of the Singapore cityscape, and 80% of Singaporeans live in one. Don’t be scared off by the name: there are some very plush HDB options out there with some flats going for over S$1m (€575k) near Chinatown. Renting a HDB flat in Singapore will greatly reduce yours rental costs and may present the option of living closer to where you work, or where you desire to live.
Landed property refers to any property where the ground on which the property stands is owned by the landlord (not the state). Bungalows are usually a type landed property, and here bungalows refer to any detached or semi-detached property.
Taking care when finding a place to live in Singapore
When using an agent to find a place to rent in Singapore, be sure to be prudent when it comes to the pricing. Remember that no matter what the agent says, the house in front of you is NOT the last in Singapore at that price, or in that area. In rare cases, agents have been known to use these arguments to push newcomers to take accommodation in awkward situations and on the wrong side of Singapore.
Had that exact problem yesterday when looking for a place to live… Singapore has got to deal with this problem.
Great summary of finding living quarters in Singapore…