House hunting 
conservation shophomes $3,000
& serviced apartments $4,000 - $6,000 

HOUSE HUNTING report  Tue Dec 31  2002. Expat No. 1. European couple (Finnish). Conservation shophomes $3,000. Has car. Wants to experience local cultures.      10am Meet at 42 Kandahar St 10.15am Townerville colonial townhouses 3 and 4-bedroom units $3,000 11.15am Geylang Lor 29 award winning conservation bungalow 3-bedroom $4,000 11.45am Back to Kandahar Street Meet again at 3 pm 3pm 143 Neil Road conservation shophome studio 1700 sq ft $3,000. Living downstairs. Bedroom upstairs.    Brand new heritage  shophomes  for single Caucasians $2,000, 5-min walk to Paya Lebar subway and supermarkets are fully leased as at Dec 31, 2002. Niven Road - all shophomes fully leased. Cluny Road shophomes are fully leased too. There seems to be a great demand for such shophomes at the $2,000 - $4,000 budget.  CONCLUSION.  A Townerville 4-bedroom was favoured initially and over one hour was spent at this neighbourhood. However,  the HDB apartments overlooking the place and the master bathroom (no long bath tubs, plain ceramic tiles in bathrooms) were main obstacles to closing.  The couple just fell in love with the award winning 3-bedroom 2300 sq ft heritage bungalow in Geylang. Its ancient ceramic tiles and the wooden flooring, the modern bathrooms of this 5-year-old Geylang heritage bungalow. It has a 24-hour security guard with auto-closing gate, a most impressive facade. Security was a favourable factor for the fiancee. Proximity to the mosque (prayers for 10 min at 4 am) and Chinese temple makes the house more interesting and attractive. Widely travelled, the expatriate man does not feel the need to be living in a Caucasian enclave. "Living next to a mosque may be safer" he laughed as I had forewarned him about the existence of the mosque. I guessed he would be used to mosques as his office is in Kandahar Street, a lovely historic Arabic neighbourhood which includes Mosque Street and Baghdad Street!  This house is available only at end of March 2003. If the couple decides, the deal would be closed today.

HOUSE HUNTING report  Tue Dec 31  2002.  Expat No. 2. Nice 2-bedroom serviced apartments, 2 units. 2 years lease. New Zealander and Vietnamese. To rent serviced or non-serviced apartment?   12noon Meet at Republic Plaza 12.15pm Riverside View Serviced Apartments. 72 units. 2-bedroom 900 sq ft $4,300 1012 sq ft $4,500 river views. Free Legend Golf Club membership. Utilities up to $200 included in rental. SCV cable charges $66.00.  1pm Liang Court Serviced Apartments, 193 units have newly renovated, fully carpeted rooms with white carpets. An open kitchen concept with washer cum dryer inside. 2 bedroom at 882 sq ft $4,800. 1000 sq ft $5,200 - $5,500. There was a continuous machinery sound in one unit, said to be due to renovations above. The swimming pool is in open grounds. Gym at level 25. Pool and breakfast lounge at level 8. Small balcony off living area and master bedroom. Near Clarke Quay subway.    Somerset Compass. 72 units. 1060 sq ft, $5,500. Tenants can use the tennis court of Somerset Grand Cairnhill. Apartment has own washing machine cum dryer. Facing road but has double-glazed windows which reduced traffic noise considerably.  The Ascott Serviced apartments will also be renovated with double-glazed windows later and were not shown. Somerset Grand Cairnhill, 1270 sq ft $5,300. #16-05. High ceiling. Has a big study area connecting bedrooms to dining area, just outside the kitchen.  Communal laundrette. Large balcony and a storeroom. Some units may have kitchen cabinets worn out at the base. 2-min walk to Somerset subway.   Pool (9th floor), Sauna, playground, tennis court, squash courts, jacuzzi, small gym, BBQ, basketball court, laundrette, breakfast lounge (new) has pool table, facing swimming pool which has open spaces. 1.30pm Darby Park Serviced Apartments. 75 units. 800 sq ft $5,000. One bathroom only. The other floor plan with two bathrooms will not have a dining table for six people. It will have a small table for two people.   CONCLUSION.  The younger expat likes the 1000 sq ft Somerset Compass for its modern kitchen and bathroom as his wife is also particular about such matters. The older expat (boss) likes the Somerset Grand Cairnhill for its 'older look' of the kitchen and bathrooms, high ceilings and furniture, its big balcony and lack of traffic noise, its swimming pool being above road level (9th floor).   Will see non-serviced apartments this Saturday. To include The Bencoolen Residence for viewing. Details are at: Subdivisions (condo details)

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