Deciding where in Singapore to live needs careful consideration, especially when you’ll most likely be locked into your house or apartment for two years. Here, we’ve put together a checklist of what to consider when house-hunting, plus the low-down on the neighbourhoods to consider on the island’s South and Southwest.
5 points to consider from the start
1. Where is the place of work for the main breadwinner in the family, and what will the commute be like? If you’re lucky enough to have a car, it’s more likely that it will be used by the parent responsible for overseeing the children’s schooling and extra-curricular activities – so don’t forget to look at public transport connections to the office, too. If you’re both working, it’s even more important to think about your commutes.
2. Once you’ve picked a range of locations with a commute that you’re satisfied with, have a think about what you’d like to surround yourself with. Is it important for you to be near a coffee shop or grocery store, for example, or a restaurant or pub? Do you want to look at greenery or the sea?
3. If you have children, look at the schools in those particular areas. Although there are school buses, if you’re too far away – at the first pick-up point for the bus, for example – you could have a very early start to your day. Some bus pick-ups start at 6.30am.
4. Do you want to be able to walk from your door and onto grass, or is a balcony enough?
5. What facilities do you want? Would you prefer a pool, gym and tennis court in the complex where you live, or would you be happy joining a club for access to these?
Alexandra / Portsdown / Pasir Panjang
• These areas contain many of the island’s older colonial homes.
• They’re convenient for UWCSEA, Tanglin Trust School and the NUS campus.
• For great walks, try Kent Ridge Park and the Southern Ridges.
• Small ocean-side enclaves like Labrador Park are also pleasant to explore.
• It’s a straightforward commute to the CBD via the AYE, and there are lots of buses.
Faber Park
• Faber Park has a spacious, suburban feel and a large, friendly expat community.
• The surroundings are leafy – and hilly by Singapore standards.
• The area’s benefits include easy access to the AYE/CTE motorways.
• VivoCity and HarbourFront malls are great for shopping and dining.
• Mount Faber offers great views and is where you take the cable car to Sentosa.
Sentosa
• Sentosa Island has some of the most exclusive (and expensive) homes in Singapore.
• Some of these homes face directly onto the sea.
• Residents of Sentosa Cove have access to golf courses and a marina (ONE°15 Marina).
• At the gateway to Sentosa is VivoCity, one of Singapore’s largest shopping malls.
• HarbourFront MRT and buses are here for easy access anywhere you need to go.
Still unsure about which neighbourhood ?
If you’re planning to live in Singapore or if you’re new to our sunny island, then make sure to read the digital edition of our latest CITY GUIDE.
