It’s your first time going for house viewings in Singapore, and you don’t know what to expect. Fret not, join us as we bring you on a journey to look for your next home. Watch out for pro tips on what to look out for!
9AM - The Pickup
Our agents will pick you up from your hotel or service apartment to bring to a selection of quality apartments curated by us based on your criteria and budget. We will provide you with summary map and viewing sheet of the places we will be headed to so that you have all the information at hand.
9:30AM - The House Viewings
In the car, our agents will share with you about the neighbourhoods surrounding your potential homes in Singapore. Each neighbourhood has a unique personality and stereotype, decide whether you want to be an “East Side Best Side” or “West Side Best Side” dweller.
Now that you’ve arrived at your first viewings, here are some things to take note:
1. Remove Your Shoes
In Asia, it is customary to remove your shoes before entering the apartment. So, wear an easy pair of shoes to take off and put back.
2. Difference in Square Feet
If you are from the US or Europe, the houses and apartments will look smaller than the square feet advertised. You have a good eye! This is not an optical illusion, Singapore counts all the space in the square feet advertised (balcony, yard area, bomb shelter etc.) This means that certain units will feel a lot smaller.
3. Bomb Shelter
Despite being one of the safest countries in the world (where you can reserve a seat with your credit card and car keys in public hawker centres), Singapore building code have made bomb shelters mandatory since 1997. The rules have changed among the years and bomb shelters can either be inside the unit or the building common areas. When located in the unit, it is generally used as a storage facility or helper’s room. Extra space for all!
4. Mould Prevention
While the humidity is great for your skin, it’s bad for your walls. Our agents would also pay special attention to any signs of an unhealthy unit. A mouldy or damp apartment is not something that would be easily fixed in Singapore.
5. Construction Sounds
The sound of construction is basically part of the sights and sounds of Singapore. 7 days a week, we’re always fixing and building something new. An old building is 25 years old in Singapore’s context (we are only 58 years old!) whereas an old building is probably 200 years old in Europe. For this reason, we will always look out for future building plans to ensure that you’re not signing a lease opposite a building that will be taken down in a couple of months.
6. Public Transport
Singapore is an island city with a very well-connected public transportation system. So, it’s always good to look for houses that are near an MRT station and bus stops that can take you anywhere. The garden city is also connected by park connectors if you’re a nature lover.
Your agent will generally take you to 6-7 viewings back-to-back, so you get a good understanding of the options and the variety on offer.
2PM - Review What You Have Seen!
Review the viewing sheet, the photos and videos you’ve taken of each unit that you can reflect on everything you have seen during the day.
5PM - The Review
Once you have identified one or two units that are of interest, we would organise a call and workout with you what can be offered for each unit. For example, what price we can negotiate at and what relevant requests you may have. Such as the addition of fans.
Fun Fact: 50% of our clients find their home within the 1st day of search. We will take as many viewings as required. Some clients like to look at an array of regions before deciding.
We hope you enjoyed your day with us! Please reach out to contactus@vesperhomes.com, if you’d like to join us on a house viewing session too.
Watch "A Day in the Vesper Life - Virtual Viewings" with Simon Says here: