1003ingapore Real Estate, Upscale Nassim Wood condos, Rental Houses, Subway, Apartments, Condos, Singapore Classifieds, Internet Property Advertisements published by: Asiahomes
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Nassim Woods ground floor 4+1 2700 sq ft $12,000. Tel +65 9668 6468, judy@asiahomes.com  



TOPICS

1. Nassim Woods & 
Competitors of this upscale condo.

2. Singapore housing terms

Meaning of:

Partially furnished, 3+1, utilities payable by the Landlord?

3.  Nassim Woods compared to Parc Stevens.
 
4. What are the total cost for the expat before moving into the Nassim Woods condo?

$9,000 -
$12,000 condos for rent. Downtown & South Singapore.

Investors to note: These condos are not for sale.


Refer to Subdivision Rentals

Curtains to the living, dining, family and all bedrooms.

Air-conditioning to living, dining, family & all bedrooms.

Cooker hood & hob. (electric hob).

Electric oven.

Microwave oven.

Dishwasher.

Washing machine and tumble dryer (front loading).

Big Refrigerator with ice-maker.

Wardrobes to all bedrooms.

Hair dryer and shaver points to all bathrooms except the powder room.

Telephone points and cable TV points to all rooms.

Light fittings.

Interiors:

Living and separate dining areas are stepped or split level. The flooring is light yellow marble and bedrooms have wooden flooring. 

A family area is sited between the master bathroom and one bedroom in the 4-bedroom units. 

All bathrooms and the powder room have marble flooring too. Kitchen, yard, utility room and water closet have quality imported ceramic tiles.

Microwave oven, built-in oven, dishwasher, twin-door refrigerator with ice-dispenser, washing machine and tumble dryer of the European brand as the space is too small for American-sized washer and dryer.  

Note:
The hob uses electricity, not gas, unlike most condos.  There is a "wet" kitchen in the utility area for you to fry food and a "dry" kitchen which is inside and air conditioned.  The maid's room may be just sufficient to accommodate a bed and there is a maid's bathroom.  

Facilities:

Audio-video intercom, proximity card access system to pedestrian entrance gates, vehicular entries and exits to basement.  24-hour guard security services.  On-site management by the Landlord during office hours.  


Quiet place with koi fishes to meet visitors. 

A private lift to your unit, covered basement car park. 

A tranquil scene as the pool is used by less than 40 tenants. A wading pool and jacuzzi (top left). A gym facing pool. Steam rooms, multi-function room or children's room, one tennis court.  

Presently, the multi-function room appears to be used as a children's play area but can be used for private functions.  

A Balinese-style garden pavilion, outdoor jacuzzi, 24-hours security, short-cut gate to Napier Road for residents.

Roof terrace (in penthouses) have a roof top jacuzzi and barbecue corner, trellis and planting areas.

1. Location near to Orchard Road and 2-min walk to the Tanglin Mall where the Market Place is a most popular Caucasian gourmet food supermarket. At any one time, there are several Caucasian shoppers.
   
2. A luxurious condo with quality finishes. 
   
   Compared to a newer low density upscale condo, Parc Stevens, Nassim Woods is better located,  within walking distance to the Orchard Road, opposite a supermarket and has balcony and tennis court.  
   
   It takes around 15 minutes to walk to the Orchard subway but there are many buses and taxis to go to Raffles Place or Suntec City.  
   
   Parc Stevens, off Stevens Road and Bukit Timah Road area, is available for rent.  5+1 3200sq. ft $16,000.  4+1 2400 sq. ft $12,000.  Email judy@asiahomes.com or tel: +65 9668 6468. 
   
   Both are around a 3-bus stop ride to the American Club although Nassim Woods is a pleasant 20-minute walk along the shopping malls to the American Club while you will have to take around 30 minutes to walk along Stevens Road to the American Club.
   
   As at January 31, 2001, the St Martin Residence with its Balinese ambience and lush greenery, a 10-min walk to the Tanglin Mall, has been the excitement of most Caucasian couples. However, Nassim Woods still has not lost her allure and her exclusivity, being one block of around 35 units with full condo facilities and almost next to Tanglin Mall.
   
3. A quiet visitor's lobby with landscaping and water features.
   
4. Full condo facilities.  Parc Stevens does not have  a tennis court or balcony in its apartments, but it has a bigger 1,300 sq. ft basement gym and a small playground for children. 
   
5. Prestige. A high class residential area where there are embassies and multi-millionaires.  Parc Stevens is in an equally prestigious residential enclave but not in the prime location as Nassim Woods.
   
6. Low density.  Parc Stevens is also low density and the highest floor is 4th.
   
7. Exclusiveness (targeting top executives as Tenants by the company Landlord).  Parc Stevens has several private individuals as landlords.
   
8. Balcony from the living room can accommodate a small BBQ set and has electrical and washing points.  No balcony in Parc Stevens.
   
9. Convenient access to public transport. No problem getting bus, taxis to Orchard Rd/Raffles Place/Shenton Way for both Nassim Woods and Parc Stevens.   Neither is within walking distance of 10 minutes to the subway.
   
10.   The powder room is present in both condos.  In Parc Stevens, it is interesting to see a powder room sited in the private lift lobby for the bigger 5+1, 3200 apartment whereas Nassim Woods' powder rooms are sited inside the apartment proper. 
    
11.   Penthouses (duplex and single level) are really big spacious units in Nassim Woods with roof top terraces and jacuzzi and barbecue pits.   The "penthouses" in Parc Stevens are the top level units (4th floor) which has a slightly higher (by 0.2 meters) ceiling.
    
12. Air conditioned kitchen in Parc Stevens, but none in Nassim Woods.  Nassim Woods has an air extractor duct in the ceiling of the kitchen which may be mistaken for air conditioning duct.   The other new upscale condo, near Orchard Road are Grange 70 & 80 and St Martin Residence. For details, see  Subdivision listings.
    
    

Disadvantages:

1. Road views from the living rooms although low floors may have green tree views for Nassim Woods.   Only one block is road facing in Parc Stevens only one block has unblocked city views.
   
2. You can't open the sliding doors of the living room as traffic noises will be heard. Once closed, there is minimal noise as sound proofing is excellent in Nassim Woods.  Parc Stevens is sited further away from the main Stevens Road and only one block may be near this road.  Parc Stevens does not have balconies which seem to be a hot demand by Caucasian expatriates. 

NASSIM WOODS PICTURES

1.  UTILITY BILLS are excluded in the rental.

2.   "3+1". WHAT DOES IT MEAN? 
It means 3 bedrooms plus 1 maid's room (can be a utility room if it is too small to be a maid's room).

Example: The Costa Rhu Condo has 2 types of 2-bedroom condos. The 980 sq. ft ones do not have the "+1" while the 1335 sq. ft has it. If you have a maid, there may be a problem if the condo does not have "+1" as maids usually live in the maid's or utility room (sufficient for one bed).   

3.  PARTIALLY FURNISHED.  In brief, partially furnished means the Tenant gets curtains, lighting, air conditioning, washer, fridge, microwave or conventional oven. Fully furnished includes beds, living and dining sets. 

There are variations in the inventory between partially and fully furnished and much depends on negotiations.

Example: $5,000 p/f refers to monthly rental of $5,000/month, partially furnished. The industry's meaning of "partially furnished". 

EXPLANATIONS.

1. Lighting to all rooms. Ceiling lights. Make sure that the utility room or utility area has lighting.

2. Curtains to all rooms.  Expats need to clarify that the Landlord provides 2 sets of curtains - day and night curtains. Sometimes, only one set is installed. 

For new Landlords, Asia USA recommends as follows:
Day and night curtain sets are usually recommended for Caucasians and Japanese.  Install the the translucent plain white set (without fanciful coloured flowers which actually cost more) and the pastel coloured set (light brown will be best).

Sometimes the Landlords adds a sun block backing to block out sunlight for condos facing west.  One complaint is that the pastel coloured curtains are too thin, such that sunlight comes into the room early morning when the expat is sleeping. These are usually cheaper thin curtains.

A most common mistake of Landlords is to install deep blue, green, orange, pink or grey coloured floral curtains which make the room look blue, green, orange and pink or grey.  Some Landlords install fanciful flowery curtains which are not pleasing to the eye of many Caucasians. 

"Pastel colour" refers to a lighter shade of colours. A light brown curtain to match the marble floor will be the best choice.

3. Air-conditioning to all rooms (except the maid's and the kitchen). Usually the Developer of new condos provides air conditioning to all rooms. However, newcomer expatriates and realtors must be observant. For example, the developers of the Melville Park Condo in Changi does not provide air-conditioning in the living and dining room. Those who install find it easier to attract Tenants. Sometimes the newcomer overlooks this missing item in Melville Park as the rooms do have air conditioners and then it is too late once the tenancy agreement is signed.

4. Refrigerator. Here, the expat must state that the fridge should be family-sized otherwise he may get a small one as some Landlords of brand new condos try to save on expenses and buy the smallest fridge. It is penny wise pound foolish but first-time Landlords may not be aware of this. 

5. Washing Machine. There are 2 main types. Top loading and front loading. Japanese prefer the Japanese top loading. Europeans are used to the front loading European brands (6 kg loading will do) but many American wives want the big American brands which can load over 10 kg of laundry.

6. Dryer. Usually not considered in partially furnished apartments. You will have to negotiate for one.

7. Washing Machine-cum-Dryer. In one or 2-bedroom condos, the space in the utility room is so small that a combined machine is the only option. Sometimes, in small units, it is possible to stack on top of each other separate washing machine and separate dryer but it costs the Landlord more.   Expats need to check properly as once the tenancy agreement is signed, there should be no request for a separate washer and dryer.

8. Dish washer. This is not the industry's practice to provide one. Some upscal econdos have dishwashers e.g. Balmoral Residences and Nassim Woods.  Caucasians, especially American expats may negotiate for a dish washer. There may not be space to install the dish washing machine in the smaller new condos and they are kept in the kitchen e.g. Duchess Crest, Riverside 48 or in the utility area as in Pebble Bay 3-bedroom condos. Or there are small desktop models available.  Do consider the plumbing aspect oo.

9. Conventional oven. This may be absent in many new condos. Expats have to be observant as some Developers do not provide one. The Tanglin Regency in Tanglin Road does not have one. Many Caucasian and Japanese wives do appreciate the oven for baking. However, many Tenants do not regularly clean the oil after cooking and at the expiry of lease, the oven is in a big oily mess.

10. Microwave Oven. This item is not usually provided unless asked for. Most Landlords will oblige. Get one of sufficient size to roast a turkey? Single expats and couples without children appreciate having one. Some condos usually have built-in microwave ovens, e.g. Pebble Bay.  Nowadays, there is the combined microwave cum conventional oven to be placed on the top of the dining counter as some developers do not ovens at all. 

11. Wardrobes to all rooms. This is often overlooked by the new Expats and then it is too late after the lease has been signed. In brand new condos like the Tanglin Regency, the Developer does not provide wardrobe in the 2nd bedroom and this can be easily overlooked in a 2-bedroom 710 sq. ft apartment.  In black and white bungalows, some rooms don't have wardrobes ('closets' equal to wardrobes to Americans). 

Many new 3-storey houses in the vicinity of the American School e.g. Oakwood Grove and Pinewood Grove, do not provide wardrobes to all bedrooms. Some Landlords provide real classy built-in wardrobes; some buy off the rack. Much depends on how alert the Tenant is and on negotiations.

12. Barbecue set. This item is definitely not provided. This costs over S$1,500 for a decent American-sized type although in the US, it costs Probably US$300 (S$500). Again, the expat can always ask for one and there may be one Landlord who may be willing to provide one.

For condos, check out the balcony size if you are bringing your own set. For example, the balconies of the Spring Grove Condo are so small that once you put your set in, you may have to barbecue from the living room!

For Nassim Woods, the balcony is big enough for the BBQ set and one or 2 persons. It has electrical supply to the BBQ set.

13. Television is not included but many Landlords may not mind providing one on request. A 29-inch TV costs around S$1,000.

14. Video-cassette recorders are not included but you may negotiate for one.

15. Hi-fi systems are out but you may negotiate for one.

16. Living and dining sets, beds and mattresses are definitely out, if we are talking about a partially furnished place. Sometimes, the Landlord may provide one bed.

17. Gas cooker hob and hood usually present in all housing. Electric hobs are rarely installed except in Nassim Woods and Riverside 48 condos.  It is more economical to use gas.  Piped gas may be present in the new condos or cylinder gas are available in some condos.

18. Utilities bills are not included in the rental generally. Neither are cable and television licenses or car parking fees (UE Square Condos for example does charge S$110/month for car parking but most condos do not levy any fee).

19.  Water heaters to the kitchen and/or bathrooms.  This is not included under "partially furnished" and Caucasian expats who are used to having hot water to wash the dishes must check out whether there is a hot water heater for the kitchen.

Much depends on negotiations and a good realtor. I hope this report provides the info you require. Please let me know the name of your hotel and if possible, 2 days in advance to inspect rental housing. My mobile tel: +65 9668 6468 which may be busy. Office: (65) 6254 2728, 6254 3326.

Kindest regards.

judy@asiahomes.com.