mb25

So it looks like we'll be making the move in July/August, which we're both really excited about

I'll be working in the Downtown area, and the other half by MacPherson Road. She'll be receiving an allowance from work of $2,300 SG towards accommodation. We're looking to budget £3k SG for a one or two bedroom condo, with bills on top.

Is there any areas that anyone could recommend, that would be nice enough to live and convenient for the both of us travel wise? We won't be driving so an area with good bus/metro routes would be great.

Thanks in advance

ex reg

What does £3k SG mean?

mb25

Ooops, $3k Singapore

ex reg

S$3K ain't much but it's possible.
One area you might look is the Marine Parade/Parkway Parade/Katong area.

Quite a lot of new builds and they don't appear to be asking the earth for studio/one/two bedroom stuff.

I like the area myself we used to own a property in Tanjong Rhu which we rented out. Anything there will be well above your budget though.

Downtown would be easier access than MacPherson Rd from Marine Parade and your O/H might have to take a bus it being circumferential rather than radial from Marine Parade but buses are usually on time and not expensive though they are probably crowded and the aircon will be at max.

bakedbean

I used to live in Katong many moons ago

Ex-Reg what's the situation re MRT around that area these days? Was talk of an East Coast line....did it ever happen / being planned?

ex reg

Singapore MRT map
We used to have a 5 min walk across the river to Stadium.

But I see MacPherson has a station and Dakota iirc is opposite Old Airport Food court.

If you want to see the future then:
Future Singapore MRT map 2011, 2015, 2020, 2025 - OCWorkbench Lifestyle and Tech Forums, Computex Taipei 2014 Coverage, Share Investor Junction

The East Coast Line shows stations at Marine Parade and Tanjong Katong and I think construction is underway but dunno about completion.

By 2020 the Singapore MRT will be bigger than the London Underground.

Yorkieabroad

Ha..we were Katong for the last few years too. Started out in Telok Blangah over on the west, then moved into the CBD, then when i left work and the company stopped paying, we moved over to Katong. All the places we lived were nice, the CBD one was spectacular, but I wished we'd moved to Katong earlier. I loved it there...it was a lot more "local" and I felt like I'd found a "home" rather than being an expat transient. Of course, then we moved on.......

We were back last year for the first time in over a decade. The area has changed quite a bit, and there is a new MRT line, but not that close to where we were, just near Parkway Parade. Would still love to move back there, but I think I'd still want a car if I was in Katong again.

bakedbean

Thanks Ex-Reg and.....good grief I've saved that image and will start a new topic, save muddying up OP's thread.

mb25

Thanks for the advice all, Katong looks good budget wise and also from a transport perspective.

In terms of upfront costs, is it similar to renting in the UK? i.e. six weeks rent as a deposit and a months rent upfront? At least that's what we had to pay for our flat in London..

Thanks again

ex reg

Used to be 2 months as deposit and one month rent all upfront.

And iirc one month commission for the agent.

When we sold our apartment here, 3 years ago? to the Regional Director of a major bank who was transferring from London he was gobsmacked that the prices of apartments here were so much higher than London