Housing

Accommodation is a big-ticket item in land-scarce Singapore, as you are well aware.

Over the years however, a proliferation of accommodation types means that Singaporeans now have wider options when it comes to their choice of a comfortable home.

Renting a Property

If buying a property is too big a commitment for the moment, renting is a viable option. You may engage a housing agent to source for a property or browse the daily classifieds for a list of private apartments, condominiums and houses for rent. However, engaging a housing agent better ensures that your interests are protected, especially with regards to the lease.

For a list of accredited housing agents, visit the Singapore Accredited Estate Agencies website.

The cost of renting a place depends on:

• Location. As before, the popular residential areas in Singapore are postal districts 09, 10 and 11, in areas such as Orchard, Bukit Timah and Thomson. Areas close to MRT stations and the new waterfront near the Singapore River are quickly gaining in popularity – and rental rates.
• Size and condition of the place.
• Amenities. Condominiums with full facilities may command a higher price. Rent also depends on whether the place is furnished, partially furnished or unfurnished.

These are the steps in renting a place:

• Sign a lease with the owner, the terms of which are agreed between the two parties. Most landlords and housing agents ask to see your Employment Pass before agreeing to the lease.
• Sign an inventory listing of all the items provided by the owner, including their condition.
• Usually, a deposit or “security bond” equivalent to one month’s rent is required for leases that are over at least a year.
• Rental usually excludes utility bills but includes maintenance fees.

Renting an HDB Flat

Housing Development Board (HDB) flats continue to offer the best value by far. They are abundantly located across the island and sited in convenient, self-contained estates with plenty of amenities such as supermarkets, food centres, clinics, schools, libraries and usually an MRT station.

The biggest advantage of HDB accommodation is that they typically offer very reasonable rental rates, from SGD 400 a month for a room upwards to about SGD 3,000 for a double-storey maisonette. The size of flats available range from one-room to five-room and larger executive units.

Approximate rental costs are:

To check out the estimated rental costs of HDB flats in the various estates, visit the HDB website.

View listings of HDB flats and other apartment types here.

Renting a Private Property

If you prefer private property, condominiums remain a popular choice. The vast range of facilities, from swimming pool and gym to round-the-clock security and scenic surroundings, provide for a comfortable lifestyle, especially for families. Many are now designed to theme, be it resort or exotic, making its residents feel they are in a home away from home every day.

Although high-rise is the more common form of living, you will find that there is still a good variety of landed property in Singapore. This includes bungalows, semi-detached houses, terrace houses, cluster houses and townhouses.

Approximate rental costs are:

You can search for properties on this portal.

Private residential apartments, condominiums and houses are intended for long-term stays. Current regulations do not allow these residential units to be rented on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Usually, the lease commitment has to be for a minimum period of six months.

To ensure a good living environment for residents, each occupant has to occupy at least 10sqm of the entire residential unit floor area, with the total occupancy not exceeding eight occupants per unit. This includes the owners if they are also staying at the premises.

For your own protection, be wary of renting any property that has been illegally repartitioned. Typically, a residential unit in Singapore should include basic functional amenities such as a kitchen, bathrooms, bedroom, and living and dining areas. Tell-tale signs that the property may have been illegally repartitioned include the presence of many small cubicle-like rooms (with or without their own separate utility meters) or the lack of basic functional amenities so that the premises no longer resembles a typical residential dwelling.

Buying a Property

Most Singaporeans prefer to buy their real estate than rent. As with rental, buying a property through an accredited housing agent is preferable.

Some 80% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats but do take note that there are restrictions to buying a new flat from HDB, such as income ceilings and prior ownership of other properties.

For the purchase of resale HDB flats however, HDB has gradually relaxed the rules. Under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme, single citizens aged 35 years and above can buy a resale HDB flat without limits on flat size or location. If you are married or related to a non-Singaporean, you may wish to jointly purchase a HDB flat with your spouse or a family member under the Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme or Non-Citizen Family Scheme.