near downtown.

Research report supported by AsiaHomes Internet
For Rent: $3.3K to $4.4K.  Tel: +65 9668 6468 or drsing@asiahomes.com to get the best deal.

Original Owners had a serviced apartment rental concept.   Since then, units have had been sold to individuals.

2 Sarkies Road, 5-minute walk to Newton subway & 15-min walk to The American Club and Orchard Road.

Completed: 1999

32 units

2 bedrooms  760 - 960 sq ft.   68 - 87 sq m
Penthouse    1830 - 2020 sq ft.  176, 194 sq m

Interior: Living/dining - dark brown wood strips bordered by black granite tiles. Bedrooms - wood strips. Built-in wardrobes with small drawers for putting neckties, jewelry. 

Appliances: cooker hob and hood of stainless steel and electricity-operated to distinguish it from competitors, an oven, refrigerator, washing machine cum dryer inside small kitchen.

Kitchen has black granite flooring, giving it a touch of class instead of the usual cheap ceramic tiles. The black granite tiles extends to the small living/dining room as a border for the wooden flooring. Most new condos have the marble flooring but some Caucasian expats just love the wooden kind.

Light coloured window curtains with one "plastic" dual lining sun block type in the bedroom. First-time home buyers to note: Do not use such curtains because they are expensive and many Caucasian wives dislike the "plastic" feeling of such curtains. Use day and night curtains of pastel colours of good quality.

No bath-tubs in the 2 bathrooms. Shower cubicle and white WC and basins.

First-time home buyers to note
Always use white and resist the blue, maroon, brown WCs and basins for each bathroom if you want to rent to Caucasians. Also, it is extremely difficult to find the same coloured toilet seat covers after a few years as the model is out of production. You end up having non-matching toilet seat covers with WC bowls.

Install good quality glass shower cubicles if you can afford it as these are found in quality condos nowadays and prospective Tenants are aware of this. If not, best not to use the cheap glass type but leave it open and install shower rod.

Ensure that the top end of the vertical shower-railing holding the shower head is high enough for tall Caucasians; this mistake is seen in some condos such as The Tanglin Regency. Once the holes are drilled, it is difficult to reverse the mistake, especially if the bathroom wall is made of marble tiles.

Keep some spare tiles for your bathroom walls if you are using ceramic tiles in case of replacement of tiles. Use plain colours, no flowery designs.

First-time home buyers' tips:
Try not to use white laminated cover on doors of the wardrobes as in The Hermitage as some contractors use poor quality glue and the corners peel off. White colour sometimes become discoloured to light yellow or brown.

Use natural wood with grains for doors of wardrobes to give it a high quality feeling for prospective tenants, as in The Aspen Heights Condo but these are really expensive.

Cable TV available but the Tenant has to subscribe himself. 2 TVs or TV plus video for bedroom. Leather-type living sets and dining set with 4 chairs.

Exterior: Facade of building with light yellow sandstone as seen in Cambridge University Buildings in England and white balconies (really too small for any table or chair) is pleasant and attractive especially for Caucasians who are not used to strong maroon red colours like the Rising Suites Apartment next door.

Facilities: Covered car park (free car parking), pool (1.3m deep, not for non-swimmers) with jacuzzi jets, gym, putting green, 24-hour security at entrance. A business centre and daily house-keeping services (extra $300 per month fee, 2 times per week) are said to be available in the marketing brochure. Surprisingly no audio or audio-visual intercom system.

Occupancy Rate: 5/32 as at February 11, 1999. Attractive looks & 5-min walk to Newton subway. Expect full occupancy within 6 months. For rental, contact drsing@asiahomes.com for a good deal.

Competitors: None within a 10-minute walk, providing house-keeping services. The new Rising Suites Apartment (mainly 2-bedroom) with pool next door has no such services is almost fully occupied.

The main threat may be the better located, newer serviced apartments in Orchard Road such as the 5-month old Regency Compass Executive Residences which offer short and long-term leases at $6,500 (one bedroom duplex, fully occupied as at Feb 1 99), 2-bedroom $7K-$7.6K, 3-bedroom $10.4K, 4-bedroom $12.4K. Its penthouse of 4400sf is reported to be lease for 4 years to a German Company and had been advertised as S$23.5K. Contact drsing@asiahomes.com if you prefer the Regency Compass Executive Residences. Fraser Place with its Mediterranean river theme concept, Fraser Suites with its business concept and Riverside Serviced Apartments by the Singapore River are new too. Contact drsing@asiahomes.com for booking or details.

Newcomer expat: Please contact Rental Realtors of Asia USA or drsing@asiahomes.com help you negotiate for better terms.

Investors: Some units for sale.

Advantages:

1. Location very near Newton subway, one stop to the Orchard Road subway and shopping malls, supermarkets & cafes.
2. Brand new in Feb 1999.
3. Wooden flooring for living and dining room is refreshing as most competitors have either marble flooring or carpets. Expats looking for all wood flooring will like this development.
4. No problem getting cabs.
5. Rooms appear sound-proofed although location is near the main Bukit Timah Road/Sarkies Road junction.

Disadvantages: 

1. No long baths. Small bedrooms.
2. No audio or audio-visual intercom.