HOUSE HUNTING IN 2001

Expatriate couple with baby. Wants a new  4-bedroom house or condo. Over 3000 sq. ft.  Big beds, sofa sets, dresser and grand piano. Budget at around $5,000.  Viewing  June 2, 2001

2p.m
Meet at Paragon Shopping Mall. 

2.30pm
Thomson View two-storey townhouse 3+1  3800 sq. ft $4,500
Newly renovated with big open concept kitchen as 4th bedroom next to kitchen has been removed.  Big garden. Huge separate living and dining area of marble, separated by a light well.  Huge master bedroom with balcony but the townhouse facade looks dated as to be expected of a 26-year old development. Garage for 4 cars.  26 years old. Has a mini-mart. Upgraded pool.  Short of one bedroom.

Thomson View townhouse 4+1 3800 sq. ft $3,500. 4th bedroom near kitchen. Unrenovated but in liveable condition.

3pm
Chatsworth Court 4+1 3400 sq. ft $10,500. 14th floor.  Unrenovated.  Terrazo-like tiles in living and dining area. Parquet in bedrooms. 2 long baths. Mosaic tiles in maid's room and utility area. Off Grange Road.  Good size.

3.30pm
Futura 4+1 2800 sq. ft $8,200. 3rd floor. Private lift lobby. $100,000 renovation. Light brown marble tiles. Modern kitchen with windows. New bathrooms.  Green tree views. Tranquil. The circular dining area is too small for the big dining table.   5-min walk to Orchard Road, Takashimaya and Somerset subway.  Condo has a modern gym with 4 pieces of equipment. Large pool and playground.

3.45pm
Parisian 4+1 4250 sq. ft $9,500. 2nd floor. Massive external renovation to be completed in August 2001. Huge living area and a split level area near window.
3-min walk to Orchard subway. Big bedrooms.  Good size.

4.30pm
Amber Park penthouse 5+1 3500 sq. ft $5,800. maisonette. Large living and dining area in marble downstairs. Good sea views.  The wife disliked the overall decor and dated look of the condo after having stayed in a brand new semi-detached for the last 5 years.  See:
East Coast condos from $4,000 -  $5,000

The wife likes the beautifully renovated Futura but it was too small. Earlier, the couple loved a Balestier Road penthouse, brand new, 4+1 4900 sq. ft $6,500 but the bedrooms were smaller than usual.  Large living area but smaller dining area if you have a table of 12 seaters. Big balconies though and a new pool and gym.  Expats interested in this unit, email judy@asiahomes.com or tel: +65 9668 6468 now


The requirement of a big dining area and master bedroom coupled with a relatively low   rental budget of $5,000 has restricted choices of 4000 sq. ft housing to older apartments or houses which the wife disliked. 

Viewing KEW GREEN TOWNHOUSES
All are 4-bedroom units from 2900 sq. ft - 4000 sq. ft
Budget $3,000 - $4,000. Exploratory viewing. 

Sunday June 3, 2001
Hot sweaty afternoon.

3pm
Meet at Casafina security area. New Zealander who wants a low rise house-type environment where he could just have barbecue and salad.  Casafina is a low rise apartment-type environment. A maisonette of 2000 sq. ft  was rented for $3,400.  

"The security guards know you very well," I said.  "Did you bring them steaks for dinner?"
A good reason was because he was recently locked out of the beautiful basement Casafina gym for 30 minutes in the early morning as the gym locked from inside and outside.     The Kew Green gym is very small and opens directly into an elevator.  

3.15 pm
30 - 40 Kew Green  4+1 2950 sq. ft $5,000. Facing houses.   Bigger garden for barbecue.

3.30pm
170 - 190 Kew Green. Facing quiet road and houses.  

3.45pm
230 - 240 Kew Green. Corner unit.  3600 sq. ft $5,000.  Facing another townhouse. Big master bedroom and living area.

4pm
160 - 170 Kew Green 4+1 2950 sq. ft $4,000. Facing East Coast Road and tall green trees in living and all bedrooms.  Smaller unit.  Very serene back to nature feeling on entering this townhouse.

4.15pm
35-40 Kew Green corner house. 3900 sq. ft  $4,500. 2nd biggest unit in Kew Green. Huge living and dining areas and master bedroom.   Living room sees another unit. Pool and clubhouse views from the roof top terrace. Really liked this unit but the owner had several built in cabinets in the living room and bedrooms.  Would the owner tear down such costly fixtures?  

90 - 100 Kew Green 3100 sq. ft $4,800  (not possible to see on Sunday).  Corner unit. Facing houses.  Bigger front garden.

Kew Green has a very small gym, has no tennis court and no cable points as the majority of owners had voted against cabling as at June 2001.  This may be one reason why Kew Green townhouses do not command high rentals.

Viewing INTERMEDIATE HOUSES near the Singapore American School. Budget $6,000. Two dogs. Will need a house, either near American School or near subway.

Monday June 4, 2001.

2pm
Meet at Frasers Place.

1. New Sembawang detached at $7,000. Good sized garden. Semi-detached available. 

2. Barker Road large semi-detached at $8,000. 10-min walk to Newton subway.
3. Gentle Villas semi-detached 5+1 2300/3000 sq. ft at $6,000.  Near Novena subway. 

3pm
Beechwood 5+1 3570/2300 sq. ft land $7,500

3.10pm
Cedarwood 4+1 3336/1970 sq. ft land $7,500

3.20pm
Century Woods 4+1 3200/2300 sq. ft land $6,000. Corner terrace

3.40pm
Woodgrove Avenue 5+1 3335/2195  sq. ft $8,000

4pm
Century Woods Woodgrove Walk 5+1 3200/1615 sq.ft $6,000 

4.20pm
Century Woods Woodgrove View 5+1 3100/1700 sq.ft $5,200

5pm
Century Woods Meet agent at No. 1 Woodgrove Walk 5+1 3200/2000 - 2500 sq. ft. 2 units corner terrace from $6,500.   (Century Woods).    

5.20pm
Cedarwoods. $5,500.

Pinewoods. One unit available.   

The brand new Century Woods, completed in 2001, has only 2 corner terraces with large sunbathing terraces.  These are at Woodgrove Walk, in the new Century Woods development have sunbathing terrace. 6+1  4250 sq. ft built in, 2800 sq. ft land. Rent asked is $9,000. An $8,000 offer has been rejected in May 2001. 

Most likely, the Century Woods houses will have attracted this new client.  Newness and light coloured marble flooring appeal to Caucasian expatriates.

PHOTO ADVERTS
FOR RENT TO EXPATS 
+65 9668 6468  judy@asiahomes.com

EXPATS:
TO GET THE BEST DEAL,

Mobile Tel: +65 9668 6468, 9668 6469 (James)
Tel: +65 6254 3326, 6254 2728
Fax: +65 6256 0501
Email: judy@asiahomes.com to get a list or to view.

 

Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lor 8, #01-1477,
Singapore 319074, Republic of Singapore