Pinoy in Singapore

Mr. Tsiken’s career negiotiations have just been finalized.  Soon, we will be joining other Filipinos trying to make a life in Singapore.  The prospects look good.  First off, look for a place to stay.  So far here’s what I’ve found out:

Most Singaporeans live in public housing called HDB (Housing Development Board) flats.  These are what would be the equivalent of Bliss housing in the Philippines (except it’s better maintained, of course).  There are 3/4/5-room or executive room flats.  The living room is counted as 1 room so a 4 room flat would have 3 bedrooms.  HDBs are typically nearby schools, clinics, hawker (food) centres, recreational areas, groceries, and MRT stations.  Naturally, these areas have more activity.

There are also a lot condominiums in Singapore for those who prefer a more peaceful and private environment.  The basic difference between living in an HDB flat and a condo is that the latter have security and amenities like swimming pools or tennis courts.

Singapore also have landed apartments for rents but these are much more expensive since land is a very limited resource for them.

Most single Pinoys rent rooms, or if they have other friends, rent an entire flat and just share the rent among themselves.  Whether to rent an HDB or a condo flat would depend on your budget.  Lately rental in Singapore is in an uptrend because their economy is doing good and there are a lot of foreign talent looking for places to stay.  (As of May 07 a 3-bedroom flat will go for S$1300)

The usual way of looking for places to stay is by hooking up with property agents.  These agents serve as middlemen for the landlord and the tenant as most tenants would not deal directly with non-citizens or non-PRs (Permanent Residents).  Typically, the agent will give you a couple of choices that you can check out before you decide which one you prefer.  (In our case, there was only 1 place available because there was so much demand that available places get snatched up right away.)  They also provide a useful service of preparing the documents (letter of intent, rental contract, etc) you need to formalize your rental agreement with the tenant.  Agent’s fees usually equals 1/2 month rent for every year of contract.  1 year is the minimum length terms for a rental agreement.

Things to consider before deciding where to stay:

• Budget
• Location – how easy/difficult would the commute to work be
• Amenities in the area

Remember:  You will probably be living there for a whole year.  Little things that bother you may drive you crazy if you have to endure them every single day.

Here are a few links you can check out that could help you find a place of your own:

• classifieds in the property section -Adpost.com, Roomsdb.net
• going rates for condos – http://www.singaporeexpats.com
• You can also find rooms for rent here:Pinoysg Classifieds

Note:  The accuracy and timeliness of the information is not guaranteed, and serves only as a guide.