so move to Tropica for ownstay and rent out the HDB 5 rm would probably yield better return, right?Originally Posted by McKinnon
so move to Tropica for ownstay and rent out the HDB 5 rm would probably yield better return, right?Originally Posted by McKinnon
Last edited by finder; 13-08-09 at 11:42.
Based on McKinnon's computation, yes, it seems much better if you stay at Tropica for life style, and rent out HDB for $$$Originally Posted by finder
(2.5k rental x12)/450k = 6.67% (higher rental with higher cost)
(2.2k rental x12)/420K = 6.3% (avg rental with avg cost)
I'm using the open market price, what if you are the first hand owner directly bought from HDB? wow! the rental yield will be over 10%!!
(2.2k rental x12)/200K = 13.2% (avg rental for first hand owner)
yes, hdb yields are always higher.
but your opportunity cost of staying in Tropica will increase once uwc commences.
so it may be better to rent ur hdb and stay in a condo w low opportunity cost.
Originally Posted by finder
http://forums.condosingapore.com/sho...07&postcount=1Originally Posted by McKinnon
August 13, 2009 Thursday
No more 'future MRT stations' in condo ads
TWO developers which included unconfirmed locations of future MRT stations in their condo advertisements have stopped using the information as a selling point.
then you see this map:
Instead of this project rather buy DBR at simei......
up to you man, every project has its own charm.
Originally Posted by tanumy
because you can't afford The Tropica, is it?Originally Posted by tanumy
You have to top up extra $$$ as most of the owners are asking high cash above valuation, and 20% down payment (no defer payment sorry hoh), and $$$ for renovation....
yes, if no cash, no talk in Tropic, you better go buy DBR rather... TOP 2013 or 15? long enough for you to save for your another 15% down payment
Just got key last week, before 7th lunar month.
Brought Feng Shui Master to conduct site auditing. Master said Feng Shui very good! Really like Tropica, so green, so windy, so quiet.
Now busy reviewing the 3D Drawings from Interior Designer. Very excited to wait for the renovation kick off on Sept.
A lot of things need to buy...... spending $$$ is a joyful thing
Originally Posted by East Lover
Who is your Feng Shui Master? How much do they charge? The Tropica is quite an old project. How is the interior like??
buy double bay with low price at the moment.
just ignore this tanumy, he's probably just bored person, who's out to irritate everyone abt DBR. he's been doing that in Dist 16 threads, the more agitated you are he be happy. u probably have to lower ur intelligence to understand what goes on in his mind.
congrats bro!
i am sure you will like the tropica.
Originally Posted by East Lover
DB is a good development but the noise from the MRT track is unbearable. Got no peace & quiet.Originally Posted by tanumy
I am sure not all units are affected by the noise at DBR.Originally Posted by BB
If you guys like peace and quiet so much, how come nobody mentions about Tanah Merah Crest? I used to live there and my stack was South East facing, very cool and breezy with no afternoon sun, view facing low rise FH landed and unlike many new developments, you buy today, next day a neighbouring tower will block you, TMC good stack will never be built up or blocked and also near TM MRT, Expo, 4th University, Bedok HDB facilities, at your door step is blk 85 market and hawker's centre, near Tampines, and Simei. The condo is also nice sized at 288 units with full facilities, really a private and tranquil sanctuary if you ask me.
Price reasonable. he produced one set of detailed report after gathered all the required info such as Ba Zhi, floor plan etc.Originally Posted by Daniel Foo
With the Feng Shui advice, I can proceed to my renovation plan. Certain things such as bed direction, cook area need to pay attention.
I can PM you if you keen about Feng Shui.
I have to say that the Tropica interior is pretty old, don't like it at all, so I intend to change everything. But comparing with the sky high price for new project, and so little actual living space after you deduct the giant baywindow + huge balcony, I feel the Tropica is realy worthy for $$$.
I want to redo everything except the marble floor, so that everything can be customize to my requirement, and I can control the quality and taste. Guess what? my total cost (full house reno + purchase price + whatever fee), is still far away from 1 million
Nowaday can you buy a 1500+ sqft 4 bedder within 1 million???
Agreed. After 5 years, those sky high "new" project will be as same as these "old" projects.Originally Posted by xebay11
My unit also South East facing, super cool and breezy, no afternoon sun at all, and it's facing Bedok Reservior directly I'm driving, hardly take MRT, and Singapore so small!
Thanks!Originally Posted by McKinnon
Before busy in house hunting, now busy in seeing ID... weekend super busy!
By the way, did anyone there ever try the direct contractor??
the quotations given from big and small reno companies all super expensive, simply job like hacking and removing the existing furnitures already few thousand dollars! I'm not even talking about hacking the kichen and toilet floor....
So I called one contractor for quotation of removing furniture, and he told me that he can do all the reno jobs I requested, because eventually those ID will outsouce such job to them. They are the actual persons to do the actual work, and the direct price is only HALF!
That means if my reno budget is 100K, now I can cut down to $50K Very very 动心 now!
Anyone tried before? Can share your experience here? Thanks!
from my limited experience, a good ID is worth his weight in gold.
contractors will just copy what you point out you like, but you need a person of excellent taste to gel everything together in 3D, and coordinate the soft furnishings like curtains, rugs, sofas, paintings, ornaments, wallpaper, etc for a totally integrated look.
in addition, they need to consider space planning, furniture placement, fengshui constraints, etc, so i will never stinge too much on a good ID.
Originally Posted by East Lover
One tip on costing and hacking, ask yourself, how long it takes to hack a wall? (few hours at most, with large sledge hammer) estimate as one day, next ask yourself how many workers needed? most likely one Bangladeshi @ $5 an hour, so 8 hours x $5 = $40 add haulage and disposal, is about another $50 so total to hack one wall is about $100, ask your contractor how much it will cost you, then you will know if you are being knocked. All other things like capentry etc, break down to unit rates, ie. per foot run etc.Originally Posted by East Lover
Originally Posted by East Lover
may i know how much did you pay for the unit and the valuation ? (just round up figure will do.)
your unit is facing reservoir and no noon sun ? is it within 1 km to St hildas?
can you share the contractor contact? thanks.
Here's what i did:
- dress really poorly, talk like ahbeng
- go to one of the best IDs reputed for quality
- bring floorplan and exact dimensions, but dun tell him where you stay. if he ask, say you are poor, quote first, then let him know where later coz paiseh to say
- drill down commitments to exact brand, type, partnumber of the tile/veneer/blinds/materials used.
- Once quote is out, put in a clause to not exceed final charges by more than 20%
I still prefer using an ID coz anything goes wrong, just one single person and one company to whack
Originally Posted by East Lover
Dear all, thanks for the valuable advices.Originally Posted by xebay11
How about I pay ID for design and 3D drawing, and ask contractor to implement it? Is it too much?Originally Posted by McKinnon
That Contractor did offer kind of PM also, but I guess I need to work very closely with them.
Hi expert, sorry lah, I should ask your guys first. Now I have already 3 of the 4 SG reno "heaven king", but forgot to dress down, guess that's why all quote me high high one...Originally Posted by gfoo
- drill down commitments to exact brand, type, partnumber of the tile/veneer/blinds/materials used.
So far I haven't reached to that detail level, and I guess ID won't give me if I don't ask. That's a very useful tip!
So far the resale unit all above valuation as banks are still very reseved...Originally Posted by Douk
For young couple, got time to wait, can go for new project, use the 2-3 years to save up. Renovation also very mininum.
Me don't want wait to 2012,13, and I never like baywindow, so I go for resale unit. But need extra a lot of cash - for $$ above valuation, for immediate downpayment, and a lot for renovation...
you won't save much as IDs can squeeze contractors more due to their volume of business, and you will get alot of headaches.
so just find an ID that doesn't chop you, and sit back relax while waiting for your reno to materialize.
have you checked out the contact you asked me about?
Originally Posted by East Lover
alamak i'm not expert lah. just common sense - most of these IDs do flats, condos and landed. Same service, most of the time same materials supplier, but vastly different prices. i stumbled across this trick really. my first quote was some cockanaden in balestier - quoted me 6800 for a particular brand of tempered glass sliding door - told him the condo name. Then i went to serangoon, forgot to bring my floorplan etc, so thought fock it, tell him i stay in some old walkup apt. He quoted $3.5k for the exact same brand, thickness and mounting tracks. Then i thought - dey, hear my place sure tio kar. then on, i told everyone i stay in some super old walkup, too paisay to say where. The only loophole is when its time to do the toilets as that one needs site inspection. was brought to some shady place in joo chiat to choose. i wanted hansgrohe, girl quoted $2k for a shower system. i took out my phone, on the spot conference call in hansgrohe showroom at mohd sultan for their promo price. showroom quoted $980, girl had no choice but to match. but i did relent and bought some 'italian' steel fittings which i regret to today. focked up quality. luckily few hundred nia.Originally Posted by East Lover
Yah, saw him on that weekend after you PM me the contact info. He looks very experience, and seems have a lot of creative ideas... however, the response a bit slow, he took 2 weeks to give me quotation, and that price was not competitive at all.... maybe i mentioned Tropica, mentioned your name, so according to gfoo's theory, that's expected resultOriginally Posted by McKinnon
Already got one contractor quoted me verbally that he can do it within 50K, everything includsive... but i really have NO confidence for him after think through overnight.
I guess I would rather pay more for those expericed and hard-workting ID to this job. So bad, already told them Tropica and show them the 1500+ sqft floorplan.
After learnt so many tips from your guys, i will try my luck to negotiate the price again
ya, i heard stanley's pretty busy.
how can yours be $50k when mine was less than 20k?
probably you're doing alot of carpentry. try to minimise on carpentry if you can help it coz it's the major $$$ sucker. and it's not value for money unless you sleep on the solid kitchen counter top. haha.
Originally Posted by East Lover
3 major things:Originally Posted by McKinnon
1. hack off storeroom, and shift it to kichen, as i need space for altar table, and need to arrange according to fengshui
2. hack off kichen wall, to make it as glass door and panel, in order to bring light, relocate entry etc
3. redo entire kichen - the current one does not maintain well, need to redo.
not mention the small things like wardrobe, TV console, shoe rack...
That's why I got quotation all from 70K to 90K+! the 50K is contractor quoted me, not Stanley. His not so competetive lah. If he giave me $50K quotation, i will no hesitate to hire him.