One of the challenges of living abroad is finding a nice affordable place for rent, even worst is the case of having to move from one place to another. I have a lot of stuff and it takes tremendous time and effort to sort, wrap, pack, and move everything in and out. So I'm now sharing with with you my own personal experience and some suggestions to tackle the hassle of moving and finding a place for a long/short term stay.
Before you even start to pack your stuff, it's crucial to do your research and find prospective places for rent, go on a couple of viewings, and establish a date of move that matches to the date of availability of the place. If you need a place ASAP, you can approach an agent to help assist you in finding a place. But be warned, some agents cost a lot, and the listing they have may be plentiful, but those places may not have been viewed by the agents themselves beforehand (so the shape and state of the place may be an unpleasant surprise).
So you're other option is to go on the hunt yourself. Here are 3 websites I have used to search for a place:
TIPS on online search for rent:
PACKING takes a lot of time. So start slow but early:)
And for those extra unwanted stuff, you can either give it away or sell it to your fellow housemates/ current landlord, or you can donate in to the Salvation Army. They have a couple of donation bins around Singapore, you can check the link here. Make sure you donate things are still in good condition and usable though.
MOVE OUT!
So if you're like me and you have a lot of stuff, you might want to consider a couple of things. When moving out you have to consider the amount of stuff you need to load, take account what transportation you will use, and time of to unload and settle in your new place. In my case, I had to go back and forth to my old place three times to get my stuff. So it's best to get some friends to help you out, especially if your new place is on the fifth floor and there is no lift around (hello, exercise...).
Alternatively, you can go and hire movers, you can go online and find cheap movers in Singapore that'll assist in your move.
Moving to a new place is always a tedious process, but it is also an adventure. You get to settle in, arrange your space, and live in a new fresh environment. So have fun, and good luck :)
Before you even start to pack your stuff, it's crucial to do your research and find prospective places for rent, go on a couple of viewings, and establish a date of move that matches to the date of availability of the place. If you need a place ASAP, you can approach an agent to help assist you in finding a place. But be warned, some agents cost a lot, and the listing they have may be plentiful, but those places may not have been viewed by the agents themselves beforehand (so the shape and state of the place may be an unpleasant surprise).
So you're other option is to go on the hunt yourself. Here are 3 websites I have used to search for a place:
- GUMTREE.SG This website has a lot of listing all in different places and different price ranges. Some posted by agents (agents of the place owners), some by the owners themselves, usually all including pictures and details of the place (updated daily). I've used this site twice to find a place, and at most it has stay true to what is posted, what you see is what you get.
- RENTINSINGAPORE.COM This website has quite of number of listing, mostly by the owners, you can directly drop them a message inquiring on their place for rent.
- ROOMSDB.NET This one has a bunch of various listing (less pictures), but gives you a good amount of options.
TIPS on online search for rent:
- When it's sounds to go to be true, IT IS. So there is reasonable and then there is just plain unbelievable. Take for example an ad for a place in Orchard (center city and shopping area), spacious place (whole unit apartment), "french decor", all for only SGD 2000/ month, including all amenities of water, electricity, and Wifi. This should raise a red flag. For areas such as Orchard, especially if it promised to be a high end condo will usually be rented for at least around SGD3000 and above.
- When in doubt, Google Image search it. When I feel a bit suspicious of a post, usually when I see the picture posted to be a bit strange, too luxurious for the price offered, and very generic looking (resembling a stock photo image), I would save the image then Google Image search it (upload the image by clicking the camera icon on the search bar). The results can give you a clue as to if the place is legit or not. If the image appears several times and from different post online, the original image may be from whole different country, DO NOT BELIEVE THE LISTING, it is a fake.
- Consider your prospective owner, and take note to their preference of tenants (gender, race, and profession). Always read the info provided carefully, most owners are agents will be clear upfront if they are only looking for certain tenants (ex. Chinese male, working professional, etc). No point of contacting them if you don't fit what they want. Equally important is to CHECK OUT THE OWNER. Some owners have families, pets, or their single professional, they will usually include a quick bio (ex. Couple with 2 children, under 10 years old). Make sure you're okay with kids, noise, or not allergic to certain pets.
PACKING takes a lot of time. So start slow but early:)
And for those extra unwanted stuff, you can either give it away or sell it to your fellow housemates/ current landlord, or you can donate in to the Salvation Army. They have a couple of donation bins around Singapore, you can check the link here. Make sure you donate things are still in good condition and usable though.
MOVE OUT!
So if you're like me and you have a lot of stuff, you might want to consider a couple of things. When moving out you have to consider the amount of stuff you need to load, take account what transportation you will use, and time of to unload and settle in your new place. In my case, I had to go back and forth to my old place three times to get my stuff. So it's best to get some friends to help you out, especially if your new place is on the fifth floor and there is no lift around (hello, exercise...).
Alternatively, you can go and hire movers, you can go online and find cheap movers in Singapore that'll assist in your move.
Moving to a new place is always a tedious process, but it is also an adventure. You get to settle in, arrange your space, and live in a new fresh environment. So have fun, and good luck :)