• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Go to Expat Living Hong Kong
Get our Newsletter

Lifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living HomepageLifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living

Moving to Singapore and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Singapore.

Menu
  • Living in Singapore
      • Living here
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Schools
      • Property
      • Work And Business
      • Finance
      • For Guys
      • Environment
        • Ultimate Performance SingaporeBest gyms & fitness studios for getting fit
        • Dairy FlatsWhat’s like living in Dairy Farm Heights?
        • Invictus International School singaporeA Change in Curriculum at Invictus
        • Anne Trads Juel SauerbergProfile: Anne Trads Juel Sauerberg
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things to do
      • EL Events
      • Calendar
      • Competitions
      • Noticeboard
        • image of Forest adventure grand course for things to do with kids in SingaporeFun Things To Do In Singapore
        • Billie Eilish Happier Than EverWhat’s on this week and beyond
        • looking for clues treasure hunt time heistWin big in the Civic District treasure hunt
        • Shamelss podcastWhat we are listening to: Great podcasts, Music and more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Enrichment
      • Kids Things To Do
      • Mums & Babies
      • Schools
      • Tots & Toddlers
      • Tweens & Teens
        • image of Forest adventure grand course for things to do with kids in SingaporeFun Things To Do In Singapore
        • Little Artists Arty Party kid's birthday party ideasBest children’s party venues in Singapore
        • Invictus International School singaporeA Change in Curriculum at Invictus
        • kids dentistTips from orthodontists & kids’ dentists in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Decor
      • Readers’ Homes
      • Furniture
        • Table wareFabulous dinnerware, tableware and crockery!
        • B55Fab furniture, home decor & art galleries in one spot!
        • kids beds and children's roomsKids’ furniture that’s quality, fun and cool
        • Danish Design's designer furniture piecesDreamy designer furniture pieces!
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Asia
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Rest Of World
      • News
      • Travel Offers
        • CrusieA Singapore cruise with skydiving, a wave machine & fab food!
        • vietnam 1Everything you need to know about Vietnam!
        • Cruise in SingaporeVisit 3 destinations in 5 days on this exciting cruise
        • Brisbane KangarooWhy and where to buy property in Brisbane
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Asian Cuisine
      • Western Cuisine
      • Bars & Clubs
      • Groceries & Speciality Services
      • Recipes & Classes
        • Le-Bar-SofitelWhere to go for the best high tea in Singapore
        • The StoreLatest bars in Singapore: New drinking spots!
        • weber singapore duxtonBecome a guru at the Grill Academy Weber Singapore
        • Keyaki best restaurants in singaporeBest Restaurants in Singapore – Where to eat for foodies!
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
      • Beauty Offers
        • urban CompanyNail salons in Singapore we’ve tried & tested!
        • hyper PigmentationTypes of pigmentation, removal & treatment
        • eye treatmentsOur guide to popular eye treatments
        • SkincareBest products for a fuss-free skincare routine
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Dental
      • Fitness
      • Medical
      • Wellness
        • Ultimate Performance SingaporeBest gyms & fitness studios for getting fit
        • kids dentistTips from orthodontists & kids’ dentists in Singapore
        • pilates 40sFitness after forty at FitNut Loft!
        • AcupunctureComplementary & Alternative Medicine in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • PRINT MAGAZINE
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • BOOKS
    • Close

Looking for a house to rent in Singapore?

16th June 2022 by Rebecca Bisset 4 Min Read

https://expatliving.sg/apartment-and-house-to-rent-in-singapore-homesearch/

We asked the Expat Team at real estate company Knight Frank to give us some insider tips for a home search and to reflect on some of the property trends arising from the COVID-19 situation. What’s the current situation if you want to lease an apartment, and how difficult is it to find a house to rent now?

Where are most of your homesearch clients from?

They’re mainly expats from the UK, Europe, USA and Australia. Either they are newbies arriving in Singapore or they’ve lived here for some time and need to move home.

How is COVID-19 affecting the rental market in Singapore?

Clearly, a lot of expats left Singapore after lockdown ended. Some were retrenched, but many wanted to be with elderly parents back home or to have more opportunity to travel. As a result, we thought there would be a lot of property coming onto the market but, in reality, many overseas Singaporeans returned to the safety of Singapore and took back their properties; also, many people have been moving here from Hong Kong, and there are new expats coming in, too.

house to rent in singapore

All of this means there’s a shortage of good apartments and houses to rent, and rental prices are holding or even increasing. Managing clients’ expectations is key now because so many people think they’ll find a bargain and can make lowball offers. But it simply isn’t the case.

After lockdown, did you see any changes in homesearch requirements?

Yes, many clients wanted to move out of their small apartments in the CBD and instead have an apartment with an extra bedroom as their home office as well as balconies. A lot of families are continuing to move to houses with gardens or by the beach, because they went stir crazy during lockdown cooped up in an apartment. We have never known Sentosa to be so full!

apartment to rent singapore

What areas are popular right now?

Staples like Bukit Timah and East Coast are always sought-after due to their proximity to the Botanic Gardens and East Coast Park. Where expat families live is usually determined by the international schools their children attend. But, as mentioned earlier, we have seen Sentosa go from quiet to super popular because, with the travel restrictions in place, resort-style island living has enormous appeal.

town house home search singapore

What’s the most unusual property request you’ve catered for in the job?

A landlord wanted to rent out his house together with his cat! The cat was noisy and territorial, so it put off all the prospective tenants from renting the place.

And a funny situation you’ve encountered?

We were viewing a house in Singapore and my client opened a kitchen cupboard, and just like dominoes all the cupboards collapsed! It was like something out of a movie! The landlord was there and she simply said, “No issue.” The client asked whether she would put in a new kitchen and the landlord responded, “This one is fine.” We cut our viewing short!

What about the most difficult situation you encounter?

Sometimes nickel-and-diming over the return of security deposits is arduous. We have a 100 percent success rate in getting security deposits paid back in full but this is because we conduct a thorough check-in inventory and condition report with photos so there’s clear evidence of damage. We also ensure that clients do a professional clean, curtain clean and air-con clean before leaving so they don’t get deductions for this. We fight our clients’ corner.

Why do we need our own agent when looking for a house to rent in Singapore?

If you find a house or apartment directly through a landlord’s agent, you need to understand that that agent will always be protecting the landlord’s interests and taking their side in any disputes. It’s their duty to their client. Having your own agent means you have someone representing your interests, taking your side, sorting out issues. This is particularly important when it comes to ongoing repairs and maintenance and the return of your security deposit; having your own agent can make an enormous difference.

What do I pay for having my own agent?

Engaging an agent to represent you doesn’t cost you anything if your lease is for two years or more and your budget is a minimum monthly rental of S$3,000. Therefore, it makes total sense to have your own representative in your corner.

What changes would you like to see in the property industry in Singapore?

We would like mandatory electric and gas safety certificates issued before the start of every tenancy and renewal. Currently, no safety checks are conducted, which is an accident waiting to happen. We would like to see a security deposit scheme managed by a third party to ensure fair return – also, for landlords to pay a monthly management charge, as agents currently handle all the ongoing queries, repairs coordination and issues for free; this is time-consuming and it means we work for free a lot.

To book a homesearch with the Knight Frank Expat Team, call Ella 91551010 or email her on ella@expatpropertysingapore.com. They can help with both apartments and houses to rent in Singapore.

The Expat Team

Jessica Catherine Low R062922J | Maxim Loo R045323H  | Ella Sherman R015528H

homesearch singapore
Jessica Catherine Low
house for rent singapore expat team
Maxim Loo
house for rent singapore
Ella Sherman

Which neighbourhood would you like to live in, in Singapore? Have a look at this article on where to live in Singapore for starters.

Rebecca Bisset

Heading up Expat Living, Rebecca started off in photography and video. A bit of a nomad before Singapore, she likes to travel when she can but she finds looking at properties as exciting! One day she's going to build her own house...

Get the latest events, stories and special offers
sent to your inbox.

By signing up, you'll receive our weekly newsletters and offers, which you can unsubscribe to anytime.

Categories: Living here Living in Singapore Property Tags: house for rent knight frank relocruit

You May Also Like

What’s like living in Dairy Farm Heights?

Invictus International School singapore

A Change in Curriculum at Invictus

Profile: Anne Trads Juel Sauerberg

Primary Sidebar

  • Competitions
  • Noticeboard
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2022 Expat Living Singapore, All Rights Reserved.