Affordable Homes for Expatriates
Article No. . 807266

Subject: Asia USA Research: Affordable, large American-families : Lentor Villas

Internal Layout plans: Terrace and semi-detached houses.

For Rent: Terraces Intermediate $3,000; Semi-detached $4,200 - $6,200; Corner terraces $3,300 - $4,200. Contact Asia USA agents to get best deal and advise on lease. No fees payable by the Tenant.

Email No.1
Subject: Ref: 803202
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 07:49:11 +0200
From: kkk@kk.auditing.com
To: drsing@asiahomes.com

We are moving to Singapore in a month's time, and I am interested in this development:

Ref: 803202. Yio Chu Kang/Thomson Road 3-storey semi-detach & terraces cluster housing with communal pool and security proposed. 140 units 5-6 bedrooms. $3,000 for terrace & $5,000 for semi-detached, p/f . Yio Chu Kang/Lentor Road area, 10-minute drive to American School. Brand new. 2 family areas, 5 baths. lst level has guest room. Quiet location away from main road. 5-minute feeder bus to Yio Chu Kang subway. Pool, gym and 24-hour security to be implemented soon. Suits American-schooling families with lower rental budgets. Several units available.

Latest update: see www.asiahomes.com "Affordable Homes for Expats: Article No. 807266"

Do you have a floor layout of the units shown above?

2 floor layout plans: see Fig. 1 & 2 in the article. Webmaster will take few days to scan in plans. One plan faxed to you on July 25, 1998.

• What is the distance to ISS lower School on Paterson Road (Orchard Road subway)?

1. Shuttle bus from house to Yio Chu Kang subway - 5 minutes
2. Yio Chu Kang subway to Orchard subway - 20 minutes
3. Walk to Paterson School - 10 minutes.

Total travelling time to Orchard Road: at least 35 minutes.

• Drive via Central Expressway by car or taxi - 15 minutes.
• School bus expected to be around 30-45 minutes depending on number of stops. Some maids bring the children to the nearest subway/bus pick-up point to wait for the school bus if the bus does not ply inside the Lentor Villa estate. You need to find out the school bus pick up points.
• Distance to Paterson Road: much depends on whether you travel by the Central Expressway or via Thomson Road with many traffic light stops. Will need to measure the distance in km if wish. Please let me know or I can ask the Paterson School what is the bus travelling time?

Thanks

Kkk 

Email No.2
Subject: Singapore Rental for family
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 15:38:50 -0400
From: xxx@cccb.com
To: "'drsing@asiahomes.com'" <drsing@asiahomes.com>

Hello David:

My family & I (3 school-aged children) may be relocating to Singapore very shortly. Though I've seen many advertisements I found yours the most interesting because of the keywords: "big families" & "affordable". Your advertisement for ID # 88077. Item: 8 min walk Newton subway, American Club, Eliz Ht 4+1. Price: S$ 6,000, renovated, maisonette. Description: US expat with big families, looking for spacious 2-level apartment walking distance to Orchard Rd/American Club/Newton subway, call agent Asia USA 9668 6468. Details of condo, visit www.asiahomes.com ELIZABETH HEIGHT REPORT. Owners renting, call/fax/email. Phone: 9668 6468, 254 3326 Fax: 256 0501. URL: Asia USA Realty: affordable homes for expats

I do not have all the specifics of my expat package yet, but I will within the next few days. I can't imagine it influencing my decision though, for what we want to pay in rent. Frankly, I would just like a nice home in a nice area for teenagers that's within walking distance of mass transit.

The brand new 3-storey houses are closer to a nice American home concept but older condo with 4 bedrooms rent from S$6,000 in down town areas. Living in North, West or South Singapore houses may save S$3,000 - $4,000/month and this amount of money can be used to rent a car (S$2,200/month for medium sized ones). This car will be driven by the non-working spouse while the working spouse takes the subway to down town to work. Expats with large families and a housing allowance (not restricted only to house rentals) may find this house+car package more practical than living in down town area in small condos.

A good realtor should be able to structure a car+house package with a responsive Landlord. Do contact Asia USA realtor Colleen Simmonds (colleen@asiahomes.com) or David Sing (drsing@asiahomes.com).

Click to see picture

Lentor Villas

Date of report: July 27, 1998

• Location: Lentor Loop, Yio Chu Kang/Thomson Road vicinity, North Singapore.

Age: Around 12 months old

• Total no. of units: 185

  Site area: 70,457 sqm
  Note to Investors: Few units said to be for sale. Not for rental investment as you will get very poor rental returns.
  All 3-storey houses
  62 units Semi-detached
  123 units corner & intermediate terraces.
  There are 6 layouts:

• Type A has 6 rooms (including maid's) and Type B has 5 rooms (including maid's).

1. Brand new cluster housing with new appliances provided.
2. Away from the maddening crowds and traffic noises and pollution. A countryside ambience in North of Singapore.
3. Affordable for large expatriate families requiring large storage spaces and not wanting to pay the astronomical rental prices of houses near the American School. Rentals here are almost 50% lower than those houses (S$3,000 saving/month) as at July 27, 1998.
4. Only 10-minute drive to the Singapore American School in Woodlands, against traffic flow.
5. Around 15-minute bus ride to the Singapore American School; bus fares should be cheaper than living in town.
6. Spouse or spouses working in downtown will find Lentor Villas midway between the American School and downtown, a compromise mid-distance for parents at work and children studying at the American School, so that both parties will not have to long travelling times to destinations.
7. 3 shuttle bus stops, at 15-minute frequency level (except Sunday) to Yio Chu Kang subway and then 20-minute travel to Raffles Place subway (11 stops).
8. Spouse working in downtown will find subway travel much more convenient. There is the 15-minute drive to downtown via Central Expressway. The ERP (Electronic Road Pricing) system will be implemented from August 3, 1998 and you will have to pay every time you pass through the expressway to downtown during certain hours, but traffic on the expressway has been cut down considerably during peak hours.
9. Big balconies - sufficient space for barbecue set and table with 4 chairs in some units. There is the private garden for barbecue pits.
10. Big patio to relax and entertain friends.
11. Developer reported to Asia USA on 7 August 1998 that the swimming pool of at least 45 feet long will be ready by November
    1998. A guard house will also be ready. This Development will suit US expats with big families and not wanting to rent the
    expensive $6,000 - $8,000 houses WITHOUT COMMUNAL POOL in Woodlands, next to the American School. School buses to Lentor Villas take around 15 minutes and this location is closer to city (10-minute drive) than Woodlands (25-minute drive) via expressway.

1. Not a Caucasian expatriate enclave as it is still new. There are around 50 families occupying the houses, many of whom are caucasians, as at July 27, 1998. The cluster housing looks quiet and tranquil. One American family client of Asia USA rejected this place for the reason that there are no American children around and choose Woodlands but then they have a S$8,000 rental budget.
2. Occupancy rate estimated to be 15% and therefore rentals are lower than market rate.
3. Not walking distance to the subway.
4. Supermarkets at Thomson Plaza, NTUC supermarket and provision shops at Ang Mo Kio around 5-minute drive. Taxis are not as easily available as in the downtown area but there is the satellite booking (GPS)system implemented in Singapore and there should be no problem booking a taxi from home.

First-timer expatriate tenant to note:
Best to get a good realtor to negotiate and advise terms of lease agreement rather than renting by yourself.

• For Rent: Terraces Intermediate $3,000; Semi-detached $4,200 - $6,200; Corner terraces $3,300 - $4,200. Contact Asia USA agents to get best deal and advise on lease. No fees payable by the Tenant. 27 available for rent.

Interior Layout Plans Type A

lentor

lentorb.jpg

lentorc.jpg

lentord.jpg

lentore.jpg

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