How to Find the Perfect Home When Relocating to Singapore

Moving to a new country like Singapore can be exciting as well as overwhelming. Singapore a bustling city known for its high-quality living and modern amenities, finding the perfect home here is a crucial part of the transition. Any person who is single, working or even moving around with the family, the acquisition of a proper home is vital. The good news is that if you work with trusted movers in Singapore, the process will not be as complicated as you think. Here are some of the things to consider when looking for a house; basic information about the housing market, special factors in renting, and know your rights and responsibilities so that you will find your dream house.

1. Familiarize Yourself with Singapore’s Housing Options

The first stage towards identifying a proper home in Singapore is to learn about the various forms of accommodations. Singapore’s property market can be best described by the varied housing options that are available in the country suitable for the varied standards and classes in the society.

• HDB Flats: These are the flat units for sells and rentals which is under the management of Housing & Development Board (HDB). HDB flat has low price because it is under the government subsidy; however, they provide many facilities and amenities a single person, couples or families may require. Unfortunately, not all HDB flats are for the foreigners’ use as certain HDB flats are sold exclusively to Singaporeans and permanent residents.
• Private Condominiums: Condos are extensively used by expatriates since they contain amenities like swimming pools, gyms, and security as well as additional services including a doorman sometimes. Size, cost and area of the condominiums are different that are present within the city area, in outskirts and close to the international schools.
• Landed Properties: If you want a larger space and privacy, the other categories of housing such as the terrace houses, semidetached homes and bungalows are suitable for you. They are normally bigger and have outdoor places that are personal thus making them to be preferred by families.

Real estate will only be useful to you when you know which kind of housing fits your requirements and pocket. This should help to make the process less daunting and enable you to only look at the options that would be feasible.

2. Choose the Right Neighborhood

Singapore is divided into several districts and every one of them has the remarkable features. As you decide on the neighborhood, you should consider where your workplace is located as well as the schools, means of transport and basic facilities like shops, restaurants, gyms, and supermarkets.

• Central Business District (CBD): For those who prefer to live where they can easily access most of the city’s financial and business activities living in the central business district is advised. This place is full developed with high rise buildings for housing and is surrounded with restaurants, shopping mall and other places of entertainment. But here it is normally more costly than other areas of the country when it comes to the accommodation.
• Orchard and Tanglin: This is the upper end market; basically, it has luxurious shopping facilities, eateries and greeneries. If you fancy the luxurious life with almost everything within a reach of your hand then, this district is for you but at a higher cost.
• East Coast: The East Coast is less stress, being close to the beach and other leisure activities for instance swimming. It is also a preferred residence for many expatriates mainly because of the family-oriented atmosphere and international schools.
• Holland Village and Bukit Timah: Well-known for its vibrant expatriate population, these neighbourhoods are well-connected to both international schools, and multiple dining, café, and recreational amenities. Such companies are well-liked among families that look for suburban lifestyles without being rather distant from the downtown area.

Thus, the process of searching for a new apartment depends on various factors such as the characteristics of the particular part of the town and self-identification of the client with his/her needs and values.

3. Set Realistic Budget

Looking at the cost of living in Singapore the country is considered as one of those countries in the world with high living standards and this is not exempted in the houses’ prices. When starting your home search it is necessary to set realistic budget. Remember your income, saving, and any housing allowance that your employer may afford to you. In Singapore the cost of rent may differ quite significantly depending on the type of the housing and the exact location of the house.

• HDB flats are largely popular and cheaper as compared to those looking for cheaper housing in Singapore area.
• Private condominial can also be mid sector or high depending with the area of the building and the services offered.
• While there are several classes of housing available in the urban areas the most common form of housing is the landed properties and it is relatively expensive with high rent charges than the other forms of houses.

4. Get Help from Relocation Companies in Singapore

Housing in Singapore is not easy to figure out especially for first time dwellers in Singapore. This is where relocation companies in Singapore can be a great help because they can help a company with all these necessary arrangements. These companies deal with providing housing to the expatriates by considering some factors such as your tastes, the amount of money you are willing to spend, and the kind of lifestyle you want to lead.

Relocation companies offer services such as:

• Property Search Assistance: They can offer you a selection of the properties that are currently available which meet your requirements.
• Neighborhood Tours: Certain relocations include such services as providing tours mainly around the areas which you are likely to relocate to.
• Lease Negotiation: They can suggest the best lease terms to take in order to have the best deal as a client.
• Settling-In Services: Most of the relocations services providers extend other services toward being accommodated, that is arranging for utilities, Internet among other essentials.

By seeking the services of some of the best international relocation companies in Singapore, you can reduce your time exposure and the many disasters that are characteristic of the expats housing ordeal.

5. Have Deeper Knowledge on Renting and Lease Terms and Conditions

 If you have decided on the building that fits your needs best, it’s time to proceed to the stage of renting the property. Renting a home in Singapore typically involves the following steps:

• Letter of Intent (LOI): After choosing a property, you will have to offer an LOI to show the willingness to lease the property. The stipulations and provisions of the rentals include; The rent; term of lease; and peculiar stipulations (The upgrading, painting, furnishing among others).
• Security Deposit: Many of the landlords in Singapore demand a security deposit which is usually equivalent to one- or two-months’ rent. This deposit can be recovered at the end of the lease term reasonably and where there has been no violation of the lease terms with such items as locks, appliances, etc.
• Tenancy Agreement (TA): The next point of contact occurs after an exchange of the LOI, which is the tenancy agreement. Make sure that you study this document carefully as it is the document that shows all the terms of the rental. Be very particular about terms that relate with maintenance duties, penalties involving breaking the lease as well as provisions for lease renewal.
• Stamp Duty: Stamp duty on the lease is another expense that tenants have to meet and this is a tax that is paid to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). The amount is typically 0.4% of the total rent.

With the right guidance from the relocation services Singapore the rental process can be as smooth as possible.

6. Consider Your Long-Term Needs

More often your primary goals may just be to get a good house, but it is paramount that you recognize your real estate strategy when looking for a house to live in Singapore. Do you want to live in this house for 5 or 10 years at least, or you are planning to rent it for the next few months? Are there any future adjustments in family status, plan to have a child, change the job and move again? All these may affect the kind of housing and lease agreements that are most suitable to you.

If you are planning for a longer stay then the choice of houses having an option to renew the lease or to upgrade it. In contrast, in case your stay in this city is short-term, then the short-term lease or a serviced apartment will be more appropriate.

7. Prepare for Life in Singapore

After securing the home, it is now time to plan how life will be in Singapore more so after the next one year. This entails organizing services that include utilities, the internet among other services that may be required. If you are relocating with children, you will also have to research on education especially international schools or local schools.

Singapore is a city with good public transportation system hence even if you are to relocate to a new home, construction maybe outside the central business district you will not have any problem with transportation. Public transport is well developed, and taxis and any ride-hailing services are on high demand.

Conclusion

When moving to Singapore let’s make sure that the search for the perfect home doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Meticulous approach and the understanding of the housing market in Singapore together with the assistance of the relocation companies in Singapore like HelpXpat will allow you to find and obtain the house which will become the beginning of a happy new life in this vibrant country. Starting right from finding the right locality up to the negotiation of lease agreement, each phase is very important for a seamless initial move.

Whether you are planning to attach services with the Singapore international movers or gain advantage from the relocation service Singapore, you will discover that it is a lot easier when you are not alone. Happy house hunting!