Some Basic Truths in the Condo Lifestyle in Singapore

In this article,  Treasure at Tampines share some basic Truths in the Condo Lifestyle in Singapore.

Visiting Singapore is one thing; calling this city-state your new home for at least the next several years is another matter entirely. You have to understand that if you are visiting any spot in the world, it is very easy to come up with a romantic view of that place.

For example, if you are going to be touring the Inca ruins of Peru, you would have an amazing time. However, please understand that just because you stayed at a five-star hotel and you got chauffeured around in an air-conditioned luxury vehicle from point A to point B, doesn’t mean that it is the same experience for the typical middle-class Peruvian. Far from it.

Sadly, a lot of people do not make this distinction. They think that their experience as a tourist in any part of the world is going to be indistinguishable from their experience as a full-time resident.

It is no surprise then that people who have this mindset who moved to Singapore, end up disappointed. You have to factor in the day-to-day grind of reality and, as impressive as Singapore is with all its nightlife, all its amenities, and first-world living standards, you cannot view condo living from the perspective of a short-term rental. It is just not going to happen. You are trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. What is wrong with this picture? I hope you can see the disconnect.

This is why you need to pay close attention to the following truths that I am going to share with you about the condo lifestyle in Singapore. This way, you can investigate further whether this is the kind of lifestyle that you are looking for.

Maybe you are moving to town because you are a graduate student and you are pursuing marketing or finance studies geared towards the greater Southeast Asian economic sphere, or you are a business person putting up a startup in this part of the world. Whatever the case may be, please keep in mind the following truths about the condo lifestyle, so you can make a fully informed decision as to what your next move will be.

You Can Never Get Too Much Security

The first thing that you have to understand is that as safe as Singapore may be (and we are talking about a safety rating that is at par with Japan), you can never be too safe. At the end of the day, you only have one life, you only have so many possessions, and you are so far away from home.

I know that this is kind of a sensitive topic to a lot of people, but I am going to say it anyway. A lot of visitors look at their processions as a proxy or as a stand-in for their security and self-confidence. If they feel that their property or their safety is somehow put at risk, their self-confidence is threatened.

Given the psychological implications of safety, choose more security like closed circuit TV, high-tech doorbells, and other home security features, so you can gain maximum peace of mind. You can never get enough security.

As I said earlier, Singapore has the lowest crime rate in all the world so the need for security features in your condo may be nil. However, they have the best technology in terms of safety and security features, so you might as well take advantage of this simply because it is made available to you, and because it never hurts to be really cautious.

Each Condo Tower is a Community in and of Itself

Please understand that Singapore has a very interesting culture. It has a lot of foreigners. Additionally, it has a lot of long-term foreign workers, and it also has a mix of multiethnic Singaporeans who form the bulk of its population. This is a very dynamic, vibrant, and multicultural mix.

With that said, each condominium tower has its community. So, it is a good idea if you have a specific community culture in mind to do some advanced research as to the district that you are thinking of moving into as well as the particular condominium tower you have in mind.

The worst thing that you can do is to assume that since you are paying so much money and that you are living in one of the supposedly better areas of Singapore that all your community expectations will be met. If only things were that easy.

Unfortunately, nobody could guarantee that the laidback, awesome, Bohemian lifestyle community that you have enjoyed in places like Greenwich City; Santa Cruz, CA; or certain parts of San Francisco will be replicated in this tropical Southeast Asian cosmopolitan environment.

You have to look at many different condo units basically as many communities with their shared values, priorities, and personality mix.

Maintenance Fees can Take a Bite

Another unpleasant fact that you need to wrap your head around is maintenance fees and ongoing costs. You may be thinking to yourself that you bought a condo, so all your expenses have pretty much been taken care of, and you can handle ongoing costs.

The problem with this is that until and unless you have a clear idea of what those range of ongoing costs will be, it might become an issue later on. The key to never being let down is to set the proper expectations. If you have the right expectations, you will never be disappointed.

The same applies to the ongoing costs of your condo unit in Singapore. Focus not only on the things that are visible and expected but also on contingencies. Do the math in terms of the likelihood of you having to pay out of pocket for some unforeseen costs.

Put all these together, and you get a big picture view of what it is like to live in Singapore as a whole as well as on a district-by-district basis.

Hope this post shared by Treasure at Tampines, will get you prepared if you want to know some basic truths in the Condo Lifestyle in Singapore.