3 Tips Guaranteed to Give You an Edge in House-Hunting

Posted by on Nov 28th, 2018 in Home | 0 comments

When you’re just starting out, house-hunting can be really daunting. And there’s a lot of reasons for this.
For instance, the property can be too expensive, or that there’s a problem with the unit that needs fixing, and if you’re looking to rent, no one is renting out because the landlord is questionable.

Other problems may include distance and extended travel time, or that you may not like the neighborhood. And lastly, someone else may have already rented out or bought the unit before you did.

However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Here are some tips that will improve your house-hunting experience in Singapore:

1. Know your budget
Your budget is the biggest factor in house-hunting. This should be enough for you to screen through a lot of listings with ease – no need for that dream house when a modest HDB flat is what your wallet can afford.

There are a few ways to find out your financial threshold, such as the Central Provident Fund (CPF) calculator, where you can key in crucial financial details to generate the maximum cost and the estimated loan you would need.

2. Do your homework
Once you have your budget figured out, it’s time to start looking at the units within your price range – you can find these in listings and recommendations from friends and family, though you will have to actually visit the units yourself.

If you can, you can even visit the neighborhood twice a day to get a feel for the area. Be sure to talk to the landlord and the neighbours in the area and ask questions like, “What’s the neighborhood like during the day/at night?”

And lastly, don’t fixate yourself in one particular housing area or district. While some areas do have their own personalities and may be nicer to live in, being open to other districts allows you more units to choose from.
The same goes for the housing type, space, and the number and size of bedrooms – you’ll be surprised how many bedrooms can fit in such a small condo space.

3. Hire a housing agent
You may have heard about people who have had a terrible experience, but this shouldn’t stop you. A great housing agent has the following qualities:

• Has an in-depth knowledge about the different property prices in Singapore
• Capable of negotiating rental prices on your behalf
• Researches apartments before taking you to them
• Takes care of a good chunk of the paperwork for you

Be sure to find a good agent and take advantage of all of these mentioned qualities, and you will have a smoother experience in your house-hunting.

Whether you’re an expat or a local, there are all sorts of surprises you will find in your house-hunting. If you keep an open mind, you’ll find all kinds of housing units that might just be right for you.