Move to USA - an update

last SG · 2009-05-18T23:39:59+00:00

According to the Better Business BureauInternational Autosource as listed scored A -Assuming it's the same one... because the address is a bit different.100...

jojobeach SG

hey folks, thanks for the driving test tips.

arapahoe...yeah, you mentioned the same thing to me and i still remember...will do just that.

jojobeach....a car is prob one of the first things that my hubby is going to get so as to get us around....after i've passed my driving test, i might want to get one small and cheap used car too.

check with you folks....if say we were to stay in an apartment with no garage...where can we leave the car when we are not in MA? we can't possibly leave the car in some street side parking and have it buried under the snow during winter time?

How long will you be away.. when you have to abandon your car on the street ?

If you are just 3-4 days.. leave outside no problem.. just make sure you put in fuel stabilizer and charge your car battery to full and keep it in your home if you can... if you scare car won't start.. just get the roadside assistance include in your AAA car insurance. They will come to your rescue.

Don't forget your car lock de-icer.. and put a cardboard under the wipers on the windscreen.

If you leaving more than 1 week to another state.. you can either park the car in your company's covered carpark.. or just park in airport long term parking dunno how much they charge there.

Not a good idea to leave it on the street.. for more than one week.. because city will need to plow the street..

lostintransition SG

How long will you be away.. when you have to abandon your car on the street ?

we might be away for up to a month each time. looks like we shld seriously consider getting a rental house with a garage?

jojobeach SG

we might be away for up to a month each time. looks like we shld seriously consider getting a rental house with a garage?

I don't know how much you know about the different types of housing in USA. Last time you mentioned your husband lived in Washington before.

You want to rent an apartment or condo or townhome/attached home or single family residence ? I am assuming you be in suburb area.

Apartment/condo got carports (sheltered carpark lot , not enclosed) or attached/detatched garage (enclosed) . Most apartments/condo usually only one car garage.

Seldom can find two car apartment/condo.. condo maybe.. but apartment usually not.

So if you have 2 cars.. one car sit outside or in carports.

Townhome/Attached home.. can find 1 or 2 car garage.. but rental ofcors more expensive than apartment.

Single family residence.. usually 2 car garage no problem.

Even if you have garage.. you still need to put a block heater in the engine compartment while you are away.

It all depends on how much you willing to spend on your rentals.

Airport long term parking is about 400 if you park one month there ah..I used this to do estimate lor.

parkrideflyUSA.com

Since you and your hubby only.. it really depends on your budgeting lah.

I hope I'm not confusing you :P

Apartments.. all your neighbours are renters. Condo.. your neighbours are mostly homeowners. So got difference OK ? Good.

lostintransition SG

hi jojo,

thanks for the suggestions. actually..airport parking is a good option since we need the car to get to/fro from the airport. i checked out the link that you've provided me...you are right that it would cost around 400 for a month. however, i notice that the airport parking are uncovered and not heated. will that be a problem during the winter period?

you mentioned something about a block heater to be placed in the engine compartment...how does it work? how much does it cost? does it run on electricity(need to connect to power socket?). sorrie if my questions sound dumb 'cos this is entirely new to us. my hubby had a car when he was in seattle but it was never that cold to require a heater.

as for housing/garage issues...our budget is approx 1.2K/month (hopefully including utilities)...so not sure how far that's gonna get us. i have been told that housing in MA and in particular where we'll be based (cape cod) is very expensive. we're hoping to find a place with at least 2-3 bedrms, 1-1.5bathrm and ideally a 1-2car enclosed garage. not sure if i'm being realistic with my budget?

i read from somewhere that some landlords will offer 1mth free rental with a 1-yr lease contract. if true, that'll work really well for us since we are likely to be away for at least 1month every year. is this a common feature or just some gimmick?

our plan is to find temporary accommodations (maybe even in a hotel/BB) for the first couple of weeks while we look around for a place to stay for a few months (till end Dec 09). then we'll probably be back in singapore in jan/feb 2010 (possibly up to 2mths). we'll only sign a 1-yr lease after we return to MA in feb2010.

by the way...anyone here ever use International Auto Source
http://www.intlauto.com/ before? is it reliable and good value for money?

we realised we don't have much stuffs to bring over to the US....so probably no need to use those international movers. am wondering if those freight/postal services provided by fedex, dhl or even speedpost will be more affordable? works out to be approx $10 per 1kg. figure i'll only have less than 100kg worth of stuffs to send over for now..

jojobeach SG

hi jojo,

by the way...anyone here ever use International Auto Source
http://www.intlauto.com/ before? is it reliable and good value for money?

Airport parking.

You're so in luck.. The Boston Airport garage expansion project completed 2007.

Massport news

and they provide complimentary services .

I also called up Park,Shuttle and Fly. Asked about winter parking for one month in their open air parking lot. They assured me, I don't have to worry about the snow and stuffs.. they take good care of the car, and provides jump start services.

So, ye don't have ta worry eh ?

Block engine heater.

more about installing a block heater.

Lodgings

Cape code listings.

$1200 seems like a reasonable price.. according to this listing on Gatekeeper Property management ( Yearly rentals) .. not too sure about the parking and location tho.

Capecod Property Managements also do leasing for owners/yearly rentals.

You can try contacting a few of em and find out what they have.

Any hooo... you need to decide where also lah... Cape cod.. south of boston.. yada yada.. i also confused..hehehehehe...

1 month free rental is common when apartment vacancy goes up. But always read the fine prints ah.. and ask questions. And the promotion shouldn't be the reason why you will rent from them lah....

Extended Stay America/Homestead for your initial lodging needs.

Arapahoe SG

Apartment rental. I believe in suburb of MA you can find Gated Apartment. So there are parking area allocated for each apt within the gate.

About the Ice cream Van Or Truck. The rationale as I can only possibiliy see it:

Ice Cream Van/Truck have to post sign on the back door. either STOP or Children Crossing.

As such if it is a STOP, You have to treat it as a mobile STOP sign. And if there are kids buying ice cream than you also have to treat it as Children crossing. ......Stop!

jojobeach SG

Apartment rental. I believe in suburb of MA you can find Gated Apartment. So there are parking area allocated for each apt within the gate.

About the Ice cream Van Or Truck. The rationale as I can only possibiliy see it:

Ice Cream Van/Truck have to post sign on the back door. either STOP or Children Crossing.

As such if it is a STOP, You have to treat it as a mobile STOP sign. And if there are kids buying ice cream than you also have to treat it as Children crossing. ......Stop!

Eh Ara, I don't remember Ice Cream trucks got Stop sign leh.

But hor.. most of the time ah.. they will stop in a car park or somewhere with not much traffic lah.

But if you stop behind them, you will be stuck there for a long time hor ?

But hor.. the best is ask the tester what he thinks lah.

And I agree with ya on the gated community properties.. I personally like em betta too.

Arapahoe SG

Eh Ara, I don't remember Ice Cream trucks got Stop sign leh.

But hor.. most of the time ah.. they will stop in a car park or somewhere with not much traffic lah.

But if you stop behind them, you will be stuck there for a long time hor ?

But hor.. the best is ask the tester what he thinks lah.

And I agree with ya on the gated community properties.. I personally like em betta too.

in CA they do saw 2 of them this weekend. i think it is a requirement by law. either children crossing or stop at the back of the door.

lostintransition SG

hey jojobeach,

thanks so much for calling up parkshuttlefly!! really appreciate it.

will forward the block heater stuffs to my husband for him to read up more about it =P

sorrie i wasn't clear about where we are gonna stay earlier 'cos we haven't exactly decided....but most prob, it'd have to be somewhere near cape cod.

jojobeach SG

hey jojobeach,

thanks so much for calling up parkshuttlefly!! really appreciate it.

will forward the block heater stuffs to my husband for him to read up more about it =P

sorrie i wasn't clear about where we are gonna stay earlier 'cos we haven't exactly decided....but most prob, it'd have to be somewhere near cape cod.

Your hubby working not too far from Cape Cod. yes ?

Ya know.. MA is very big hor.. trust me ah... if ya want your marriage to work and LAST.. stay within 1 hour commute each way ah... best is within 30-40 mins.. including traffic jams. OK ? Good.

lostintransition SG

Apartment rental. I believe in suburb of MA you can find Gated Apartment. So there are parking area allocated for each apt within the gate.

are gated apartments like our singapore condos with gate/security around the blocks? do you have to pay maintenance fee on top of your monthly rental for such facilities?

what sort of things do you look out for when finding a place to rent apart from the usual? how to tell if the heating system in the apartment/house is good? coming from the tropics, we are totally clueless about heating systems. do they normally have floor heating?

lostintransition SG

Your hubby working not too far from Cape Cod. yes ?

Ya know.. MA is very big hor.. trust me ah... if ya want your marriage to work and LAST.. stay within 1 hour commute each way ah... best is within 30-40 mins.. including traffic jams. OK ? Good.

heh heh...you are online! ya..husband's work place is at cape cod. we are hoping to find accommodation not more than 30min driving distance away. we've been told about the summer jams as well as bad traffic conditions in winter...so currently, targeting at some places within 10-15min drive away.

jojobeach SG

Aye.. post dinner beer ...

Ya got Goggle earth ? It be your best friend when it comes to looking at location.

Most homes use forced air system..

Ya, gated communities means it is access controlled. But ofcors more pricey than non gated ones lor.

I ran some rental listings in Cape Cod rentals... so far .. like gated not a lot leh..

Arapahoe SG

are gated apartments like our singapore condos with gate/security around the blocks? do you have to pay maintenance fee on top of your monthly rental for such facilities?

wow...wrote a full page and lost....crap!

i guess MA apartment are old so they should be GAS. When u move into apartment most likely you have to apply for GAS. So the Gas company will send someone to light the pilot on the heater and Oven so not to worry they will teach you.

What do i look for when i check out apartments?

Facilities mgt if they are professional or sloppy...see if apartment are well maintained, any working crew on site working. Any 24 hours emergency on maintainance. It speak volume on security as well. Most apt does not have 24 hour security guards.

i do not recomend staying off Turnpike (in ur case) or next to freeway.

Sunlight direction this actually affect your apt temperature. It helps if it get too cold.

traffic......this is not easy but if you can stay against the traffic to work than your commuting time is reduce.

ADD up : when i move to my apartment i bought a new filter for the heater to avoid Carbon monoxide.

lostintransition SG

Aye.. post dinner beer ...

Ya got Goggle earth ? It be your best friend when it comes to looking at location.

Most homes use forced air system..

Ya, gated communities means it is access controlled. But ofcors more pricey than non gated ones lor.

I ran some rental listings in Cape Cod rentals... so far .. like gated not a lot leh..

thanks for checking! yah....we haven't seen much gated communities in our online search so far.....

by the way...jojobeach, are you staying in MA too?

lostintransition SG

wow...wrote a full page and lost....crap!

ADD up : when i move to my apartment i bought a new filter for the heater to avoid Carbon monoxide.

happened to me a few times too....wrote a full page and the next min it's all gone...i don't have the patience to rewrite most of the time =PP

gas heater and carbon monoxide sound dangerous.....i'd definitely miss good'o singapore's weather...i'm the sun and heat kinda gal =P i can picture myself to be damn miserable during the winter months....bbbbrrrhhhhhhh...hence will try to escape the harshest cold whenever possible!

jojobeach SG

thanks for checking! yah....we haven't seen much gated communities in our online search so far.....

by the way...jojobeach, are you staying in MA too?

Nope.. don stay in MA. Big land down south I stay.. and I move around lots.

Take your time looking for your home... no point rushing. We women tend to suffer from buyers AND renter's remorse.

Arapahoe SG

iTs true if you are looking for buy a place take your time to look for it. I see people make mistake when they come to buying house. Many issues to consider.

viciouskitty74 SG

BTW, have you drop by Popular Book shops to get english and taiwanese recipe books?

They got great ideas for making lunch boxes aka Bentos. Asian style.

lostintransition SG

we've been checking around for rentals and we found this nice ranch style home (3 bedroom) with oil heating. it's $1.2K/month and they will pay the electric bill but we would need to pay the oil bill. we've been told that the oil tank will be full when we move in and we would have to fill it when we leave. coming from the tropics, we are obviously clueless about all this. is this a common rental term? roughly how much will the oil bill come up to per year? how do we fill up the tanks? is oil heating a good option in MA or are there other types of heating that's more efficient and cheaper?

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