Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

Hi All - I'm currently exploring an exciting opportunity in Singapore and would welcome some insight on housing and neighbourhoods for a family of four.

Having trawled a few expat forums I've noticed that most properties are available for rent but as my opportunity could be long term I may be interested in buying. Is this possible and if so, where are the best locations?

Our boys are 12 & 10 and are sporty so any information on football and basketball clubs would also be welcome.

Many thanks in advance for any consideration that can be offered.

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

IIRC not all properties are available to non citizens or non PRs.

Don't remember what is what you'll have to google for that.

But to give you an idea of price, last May we sold a 2 bedroom apartment in a condo, nothing special, well a bit above average for standard of finishes and 1368 square feet area.

We sold it for GBP 800,000.

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

Thanks Ex Reg, this is very informative. Was your condo in an exclusive part of Singapore?

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

No.
It was in Tanjong Rhu.

In our opinion a nice area with good access to everywhere.

Dunno exactly but there are probably over 2000 apartments in that area.

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

Be very careful buying property in Singapore especially at these levels. If you do make sure you are in it for the very long term. The property market is extremely overvalued and notoriously volatile. Check out the Investment section of Expat Singapore, there are some good discussions on the subject

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

That's good to know. Thank you.

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

In terms of Football and Basketball. Singapore American School has great weekend sports programs open to all. They are held at the school in the Woodlands which is northern Singapore..

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

That's great to know. Many thanks.

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

Hi- can anyone clarify this topic for me: I am also interested in buying in Singapore. Are there any legal restrictions on buying a property there since I already own one in the UK (and an outstanding mortgage)? Will I face any obstacles with the banks? ie loaning less LTV because of that?

Also, does anyone know if Singapore banks would even have a way of checking if I had any outstanding mortgages with non-MAS regulated institutions?

thanks!

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

If you have to ask that type of question on a forum you really don't know enough to invest what would be a lot of cash no matter your financial position.
Over the week end Singapore tightened it's banking and mortgage stuff.

You should investigate more at source and just use a forum for very basic stuff.

IMO.

And if you are considering pulling the wool over MAS you really shouldn't be involved with anything in Singapore.

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

The question was pretty basic, hence using the forum, as the guidelines haven't yet been clear to me anywhere else.

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

The penthouse apartment we are renting is only 2 years old - and the design and build quality is very poor. We get cracks in the walls and ceilings and rainwater seeps through. We've often had to have guys coming in to patch up the cracks and leaks.

I once found some tiny mushrooms growing on a skirting board in our bedroom...:ohmy:

If I were the owner of the property I'd be very unhappy, I'm just relieved that we are tenants and don't have to worry about the maintainance! The problem is that there are badly paid workers brought in from Bangladesh, mainland China etc. and they are working very long hours (they're lucky if they get a Sunday off, they don't get a day off at a nearby construction site and they start at daybreak - 7am and work until 7pm and beyond.) There is too much of a rush to build and I think it leads to a reduction in quality. Our rental apartment must have cost a few million Singapore dollars and I doubt that it was worth it tbh.

It does seem to be the case that anything built 15-20 years ago is slated to be razed to the ground, the whole city is a construction site!

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

Where you live in Singapore most often depends on where your children attend school. Some even have residency requiements in the same area and an easy commute for the kids themselves can be quite important.
The nearer Orchard Road the more expenvice property is. Overall Singapore property is a giant bubble (IMHO) but locals will tell you there is little risk of a fall becuse the Gvt won't allow it.
Stamp tax changes have made it necessary for owners/speculators to own property for several years b4 selling so it may well be that MORE property will find its way onto the market.

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

Thanks for the insight Ian. It's very helpful

Re: Singapore Properties & Neighborhoods
 

Just to add a bit.
Having sold a property a year ago. see above, no sales were made in our block for the 11 months after our sale.
But last month 4 sales were made all approx 10% up on our sale price and ours was in the best knick of the similar properties that we had seen in the block.

All that on top of the fact that during the last year the Singapore Gov had introduced measures to cool any price rises.