9520Singapore real estate, bungalows with pools, condo or house for an expatriate small kids, educational stories for asiahomes.com realtors. Excerpts from "The Internet Realtors, Singapore", sponsored by  AsiaHomes Internet. Last updated: 21 Jun 2001


The early bird catches the worm


Friday, January 5, 2001

"You lucky dog! Where do you live?" Mrs Nevsky asked the Landlady of a $10 million bungalow in a good class bungalow area of Singapore.  Good class bungalow areas are designated by the Government to be areas where there are only bungalows and they must be at least 15,000 sq. ft in land area.

"Are you offended," I asked the Landlady, a petite but stern looking Chinese lady.  No, she smiled.  Caucasian Americans have their idioms and Mrs Nevsky has her idiosyncrasies, I guessed.  Mrs Nevsky, a blonde, might be what writers in American magazines called a trophy wife.  But you could not help falling in love with her and women would not walk out of the room when she entered the room. She had that sincere appreciation and care for people which just could not be faked. 

Her 5-year old boy would drive her up the wall with the pressing of his talking watch and she would gently tell me: "There you go, you are encouraging him by laughing when he buzzed his watch."  

The Landlady's house at a cul de sac has never failed to attract prospective tenants.   It was a matter of the rental amount rather than the quality of the house.  It was at least 80 feet wide, giving you a sense of spaciousness even before you enter the house and see the big pool and granite flooring of the living and dining area.  The bougainvilla and orchids wafted their fragrances from the trellis at the patio beside the pool.  A thatched hut at the pool side has a bar and barbecue counter.    The cul de sac ensured that there was not much vehicle traffic and the children could cycle and play. There were several Caucasian children in this high class prestigious residential enclave.

One Dutchman had offered his personal cheque before for Holland but asked her not to cash it.  This was not acceptable. 

"No comments from you, honey?" Mr Nevsky had been summoned  from his office to see the place at 6.00 p.m.  He was a man of few words.  It was a nice house he agreed.  "Let's talk it over," he said. 

Saturday, January 6, 2001

"The co-broking agent advised that an offer of $17,000 would be accepted by the Landlady," I told Mrs Nevsky. 

"Frank will not offer more than $16,500. I know him,".  True enough. Frank offered a take it or leave it offer of $16,500.  The Landlady rejected the offer as she had an offer of $17,000 but without any good faith deposit.  The house would not be open for viewing as the tenant would be packing up and Mrs Nevsky was the last prospective tenant to see the place.

Monday, January 8, 2001

The co-broking agent was really good at his work. He persuaded the Landlady to accept the offer of $16,500 with an earlier tenancy commencement date on February 5, just 4 days after the tenant had vacated the place.  The Landlady was fed up with the present offeror dragging his feet and she had to attend to opening the house every time there was a call.  The incubment Tenant would be packing and all viewing would be postponed.   This was why she would consider a first-come-first serve offer. 

The Landlady called me twice to say that she was agreeable as she was doing the co-broking agent a favour.  It must have been an excellent landlord-realtor relationship.

Mr Nevsky was happy.  "It is best that the wife gets what she wants, so that you can concentrate on your work," I said.  He agreed fully.  Mrs Nevsky must have been giving him a tough time.  "Give me a good faith deposit first thing in the morning," I emphasized. 

Mrs Nevsky had earlier phoned me to arrange for more bungalow hunting on Wednesday.   "Are you speaking to me?" she asked when she called. 

"Of course, I am," I said. "Are you speaking to your husband?"

"I want to divorce him," she replied.  "I will call for more room services and charge it to him," she said.

Tuesday, January 9, 2001  11 a.m.

It was 10 a.m before Mr Nevsky phoned me.  I agreed to his proposal for his company to issue a Letter of Intent. 

I knew there was a higher offer and that the Landlady would accept a "first come first served" letter of intent

"The lawyers would have to review the Letter of Intent and you would get the good faith deposit together with the signed letter at 3.30 p.m," Mr Nevsky kept me informed.  He had wanted to give me another draft copy of the Letter of Intent to be forwarded to the Landlady for approval, but I told him to get on with the real thing and get it signed by the Company as it was a Company lease.

Time was of the essence.  The co-broking agent was informed of all the latest developments and he had informed the Landlady.

Tuesday, January 9, 2001  1 p.m.

"Hold on to your good faith deposit cheque," the co-broking agent phoned. The Landlord (husband) had accepted a Letter of Intent at about 1 p.m and had just informed the Landlady who was not informed promptly as she was playing golf.

"Wait till 5 p.m" the agent said.  The Landlady did not want to accept Mr Nevsky's Letter of Intent or cheque as that would give him false hopes.

I dared not inform Mrs Nevsky of the latest development as it would break her heart.   Her husband told her the bad news.  She called me. "Does that mean the house is gone?"  I explained the procedures after acceptance of the letter of intent.  I could feel her sadness and tears as she quickly put down the phone to prevent me from hearing her crying.

5 p.m passed by. The status quo remained. 

The procedures would be as follows.  The Landlord would offer his or be given the Tenant's tenancy agreement.  Both the Landlord and the Tenant must agree to the terms and conditions.   This would take time and 7 days would be the minimum time, I told Mr and Mrs Nevsky.   Nothing could be done even if Mr Nevsky matched the offer.  If the prospective Tenant disagreed with the terms and conditions, then, the good faith deposit would be returned and Mr Nevsky would be considered.

Wednesday, January 10, 2001 

I faxed Mr Nevsky's letter of intent to the co-broking agent who forwarded it to the Landlord.  There was no point in meeting the Landlady as proposed by me.  The Landlord had given seven days for the tenancy agreement to be signed or the good faith deposit would be forfeited.  The prospective tenant had accepted his tenancy agreement.  The rent offered was $1,000 higher.

This case was lost as the good faith deposit and the Letter of Intent could not be procured promptly.   By promptly, I mean within one hour as time was really of the essence especially when a competing offer was obvious..

 
Reference 1.
House hunting listings has several reports which will reveal to first time expatriates relocating to Singapore a real situation on the Singapore market rentals. Do email judy@asiahomes.com if you have more queries. Or tel: +65 9668 6468.

Tips for new asiahomes.com Realtors & Expatriate husbands.

Normally, I would have got my Company's letter of intent done within an hour, get Mr Nevsky's Company to sign it and forward a cheque from my pocket, all within one hour.  

Mr Nevsky was a careful man. He had not firmed up his housing allowance from his headquarters. He did not expect his wife to find such a beautiful house with a pool and sprawling ground in the elite district of Singapore. He was busy. However, Singapore has a huge shortfall of good quality bungalows and of the highest standard acceptable his wife who lived in the most upscale neighbourhood of California.   His rental budget was below any of those newer bungalows with inground pool his wife approved.

A letter of intent, once accepted, would prevent any better offersthe Landlord would get and gave us time to negotiate.  It would not be legally binding.  It did not need a lawyer to scrutinize a Letter of Intent as this had delayed the whole process. I mean, you don't expect a busy lawyer just to reply immediately.

This report was written to let husands know that they have to plan their house hunting budget approval ahead even though they can stay in a hotel for 2 or 3 months. The wife with small kids does not like long hotel stays and house hunting for bungalows with pool on a tight budget.

The subsequent house hunting with another two realtors and with me did not produce any good quality bungalow within Mrs Nevsky's rental budget.

One in Hillcrest Road asking $15,000 was well renovated but a big tall condo was seen outside the grounds.  One in Binjai Park asking $15,000 had sprawling grounds but the marble floor showed brown water seepage stains and the kitchen was yellowish and flowery.   One in Sunset asking $10,000 was contemporary in architecture and had a short driveway.  One in Bukit Theresa was heavily tiled.  One in Camborne Road, she disliked as it had no spacious garden.  One in Coronatiion Road West at $15,000 was in the neighbourhood of dumps. One in high class Pierce Road she visited herself was not her style and the rent asked was $25,000.  One in prestigious Chatsworth Road had flat roofs and was too contemporary.  One in Swettenham Road asking $13,000 had dated bathrooms although it was in a prestigious area.  One in prestigious Leedon Park had the side view fronting the main entrance.  It faced a vacant plot of land with a container.  The heritage black and white bungalows in Mount Pleasant asking $15,000 had small bedrooms.  

Was there any hope in finding the best and modern dream house in District 9, 10 and 11 on Mr Nevsky's budget of less than $14,000?  It would be tough as demand has increased considerably in 2001.

Bungalows outside the Districts 9, 10 and 11 generally rent at a lower rent. EXPATS RELOCATING TO SINGAPORE June 22, 2001 Two District 21 bungalows for rent. Email judy@asiahomes.com or tel: +65 9668 6468 for viewing. Bungalow 4+1 with above ground pool $10,000.  The 4th bedroom was the balcony.  Backyard with an above ground pool fully tiled.  Small garden in front.  Land around 8000 sq. ft , built in around 3,500 sq. ft. A 10-minute bus ride to the United World College and the Dutch School.  Bus shuttle in the morning and evening to the Clementi subway and an express bus to Orchard Road and Raffles Place from the estate.     Generally, the Tenant pays for the pool and garden maintenance. The pool maintenance twice weekly is S$160 per month. Garden maintenance is $160 per month, once weekly.  2 big bungalows in a cul-de-sac. Has a large inground pool and big garden.  $15,000.  Expats who want large garden at affordable rent.  Surfers interested in any of the bungalows with pool described in this report, please email judy@asiahomes.com or tel: +65 9668 6468 now! Be Kind to Pets 2 rabbits were given as a birthday present. However, they develop crusts on ear edges, noses, paws and eyelids as well as the under side of the body.  Click thumbnail to see bigger image.  The lower part of the feet were ulcerated with big wounds as the rabbits were housed in a wet area. The rabbits could not stop the itchiness.  Do consult the vet as there is an injection to kill all the mange mites under the skin of the nose tip, eyelids, ear edges, paws, groin area.  All the crusts would drop off and the itchiness would disappear. The image on left shows one the two rabbits 20 days after the injection.  All crusts including those near his testicles had dropped off as the mites had been eliminated.   His foot sores on the lower part of the hind legs had healed.  He came to see the vet because he was bitten near the left side of the nose by the white rabbit. Give the rabbbits dry flooring to avoid foot sores developing!