Why is it so hard to find a room in Singapore!!!???

last SG · 2006-10-18T21:45:18+00:00

Haha thx for making the decision for me!

Gypsygirl SG

Question

The expat will start working in Singapore from Jan next yr and started looking for a place weeks ago, but still hasn't confirmed anything so far. Weeks of wasted efforts and time!

Disappointed...upset...worried...

Why is it so hard to find a place in Singapore?

After several rounds of searching, only found three websites offering ads of rental property and non of them are free!!! Paying $9.99 for a week's access? What a rip-off! And a lot of ads are more than 3 months old! Finally found one website partly offering free service but only received two responses after contacting at least 15 people. Even worse, the two respondents apparently didn't read the requirements carefully so the answer is zero in the end...

The expats knows that Singapore's property development is fully controlled by the government, but can't you leave a room for me???!!!

hloc SG

Room in S’pore is always $$$$. Small country, limited land, blah blah…....

Gypsygirl SG

It's not about $$$ but adequacy of free info provided over the internet...
My budget is not low at all.

ditzy SG

Sometimes its not difficult, sometimes its choosy, thats why difficult. Laughing

Cool-gal SG

find the rite property agent n u will get the rite room.

Gypsygirl SG

I'm a very easygoing person and it took me only 2 weeks to move out last time and the time before. My only preferences are: fully furnished room with air-con, close to public transport, open-minded housemates ( though I can't judge people solely by emailing them) and below $700 p.m. Is it picky? The only two responses I had so far are about unfurnished rooms. I could hardly find any resouces over the internet except easyroommate.com but it only offers full service to premium members so I couldn't get the contact details.

viciouskitty74 SG

I have a room available for rent.

HDB 3 rm flat, ultra small and cosy. Not furnished as I had to throw out lots of furniture that previous tenants has destroyed. So you are welcome to furnish it with your own choice of furnitures.

Not that open minded. Meaning: No boyfriends or friends allowed except for the tenant. Otherwise, fridge, washing machines are available and I am hardly at home.

If you want it to be opened only for you. Rental will be $800 a month and you get the whole flat to yourself. Not including electricity & conservancy charges.

You female? Smoke?

PM me for details.

hloc SG

There you go...... problem solve Mr. Green

Gypsygirl SG

Rolling Eyes

I hope it could be that easy...Still searching now...
Well, this is life.

the_fallen SG

if you want to find a room, there's a easy way, just go to hdb flats, there are many flyers all over, some are buying/selling of properties whereas some others are renting or other services.

you can try your luck there. or use the internet to find a middle man - they charge higher la. or you find the flyer yourself, newspapers also have such offers.

loti39 SG

Actually one of the reasons why it seems hard to find a room in sg is because we don't have a culture of moving out Smile

Most of us stay with our parents until we get married.. and for those people getting married.. they work out the numbers and its always cheaper to buy a place than rent one! Little demand.. so the residential rental market not very developed.. and asians like their privacy.. also alot of them got free rooms also dun want to rent to strangers..

Having said that its not a dead market. I am renting my place too. Some tips is to look for ads placed on supermarket (eg cold storage) classified boards.. there is always at least 1 notice on rooms for rent!!

the place I am staying at now is quite nice.. all minimal furnishings available and landlord not staying here so no restriction on visitors etc.. but too bad all 3 rooms are occupied Smile

pwnz0r SG

You should just call any property agent. They can and will put you in touch with properties that fit your need or find people that can.

So many property agents around, surely you can find one.

loti39 SG

Housing agents will definitely be helpful... but fact is alot of people who have rooms to rent do not go to housing agents! Cause usually the commission is paid by the landlord.. and most of the time they are not in a big hurry to lease out their room plus there are so many "free" advertising methods out there.

And some housing agents are also not interested to do rentals, especially if only a room as the commission is very little and they may have to bring the client around to alot of places before a suitable one is found. so not worth it.

Try the ad boards in the shopping centres in town or expat areas such as Holland V.. with your price range you will definitely be able to find something...

loti39 SG

Got a contact for an agent with rooms to rentfrom a friend. Try emailing Albert at [email protected]

Good luck with your room search Smile

Gypsygirl SG

Yeh I agree that certainly works better, but the problem is: I'm still in Australia and won't be there until Jan 07, i.e. I need to confirm everything online!A bug headache...

scabstermooch SG

Hmmm - It shouldn't be difficult to find a room in Singapore. I searched for a room once and there didn't seem to be a lack of rooms for rent.

Of course, if you want ensuite bathroom, then you are probably in for a hard time.

laurence82 SG

not difficult leh

u go bus stops can see a lot of people pasting up ads

most of these are max one mth old nia

Gypsygirl SG

It makes sense...Bad for me though.

scabstermooch SG

http://classifieds.singnet.com.sg/details.cfm?id=123

http://imall.ntu.edu.sg/Category.asp?CategoryName=Rental+housing

That was from 30 secs of googling

Rolling Eyes

http://www.google.com.sg/search?hl=en&q=Rooms+for+rent&btnG=Google+Search&meta=cr%3DcountrySG

scabstermooch SG

Have you tried asking in the expat forums?

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/forum/index.php

OMG - why am I being so nice?

http://classifieds.singaporeexpats.com/showcat.php/cat/122