HDB BTO Delayed? Here’s Where To Stay In The Meantime
Since COVID-19 has put on hold many HDB Built-To-Order (BTO) plans, and living with parents or in-laws is not the best alternative, is short-term apartment rental the solution?
Purchasing a HDB BTO flat in Singapore is a milestone many look forward to in adulthood — almost a rite of passage. However, with COVID-19 still raging at our doorstep, the process of obtaining your first-ever HDB BTO flat has become more difficult.
The Straits Times reported that due to the lack of manpower and supply chain disruptions attributed to COVID-19, 43,000 households have been affected, resulting in the delay of key collection. This delay doesn’t only affect the ones that were in the process of being built but also the ones that were sold in the last couple of years. Depending on the project, new homeowners can now expect to wait up to six years (the standard used to be three to four years) before they get their keys.
Due to this delay, many have looked into other housing alternatives to tide them through. This is evident as online searches for short-term apartment rental, fully-furnished flats and even renting condominium units have been on the rise. So, the question now is, what rental options do you really have? To cut through the noise and save you valuable time, we've narrowed them down to three options.
1. Serviced apartments
One of the reasons most choose serviced apartments is the flexibility they offer in terms of the length of stay.
Serviced apartments usually have a minimum stay of six nights and many are located near the central business district or central regions of Singapore. They offer a suite of services such as a functioning kitchen, housekeeping (daily, alternate days or weekly) and washing facilities.
On top of that, they come fully-furnished (bed, bed frame, tables, chairs, dining tables, lights, etc.), giving you more time to focus on the things that matter instead of spending time and extra money on necessities. In Singapore, you can find serviced apartments offered by Citadines, Frasers Hospitality, Oakwood, and our very own Hmlet Cantonment.
2. Coliving
Many might confuse shared housing or flatshare with coliving. Coliving differs because it offers a community, fully-furnished homes and dedicated Member Experience team to ensure that all your needs are met.
At Hmlet, we offer community through curated events that range from networking events to yacht trips and even casual drinks at the nearby bar. When we say fully-furnished homes, we really mean it. You won’t have to worry about purchasing furniture because each home has everything you’ll need, this includes proper bedding to fully-equipped kitchens and a welcoming living room.
If you are ever in need of a helping hand, we have a Member Experience team who are ready to help you with your needs throughout your stay. Other things you can look forward to would be the Hmlet Member app, where you can access exclusive lifestyle deals and also manage your bills with zero fuss.
So whether you’re choosing to stay close at One-North (minutes away from Buona Vista MRT Station) or within the CBD (near Lau Pa Sat and Raffles MRT Station) itself, explore your next home with Hmlet here.
3. Traditional shared housing
Traditional shared housing or to flatshare is another viable option. The minimum rental period for these properties is slightly longer than that of serviced apartments. Public housing, also known as HDB flats, have a minimum stay of 6 months while private properties such as condominiums and landed properties only require a minimum stay of 3 months.
The rent varies depending on the type of accommodation, level of furnishing, location, transport connections within the vicinity, distance from entertainment hubs and maturity of the estate. Ranked from the least to most expensive are shared HDB flats, condominiums, and landed property and followed by renting of entire HDB flats, condominiums, and landed property.
The usual suspects for this option would be 99.co, Property Guru and Oh My Home. Although it's worth mentioning, going down this route also means dealing directly with agents or landlords who may be strict with their rules and requirements.
Even though your stay at these short-term rental solutions may be short-lived, you still get to make the best out of it. Whether you're open to meeting new flatmates during your stay, or much prefer a private apartment with the option to join community events whenever you feel like it, Hmlet has something that's going to work for you. Did we mention that your pets are also welcomed at Hmlet? Read more about our pet-friendly stays here.
