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This is my floor plan: The living room is not square, so will have a hard time thinking of the furniture arrangement......

Terima Kasih!

Hi, Do you find the lighting shop in JB cheaper than SG? Where is this VIP shop?

My Designs: Living Room At first I tot living room will be the most difficult part to start with, but after all i completed this one the first My feature wall design: After mock up: The dining table area: I'm not a professional so the perspective are all out, i hope you all don't mind..... Btw can anyone tell me what are the material for the black colour with flora patterns feature wall? Is that wall paper?

Hi hi, Long time never update, coz i was busy with settling the CPF thing and also my gal was hospitalised the previous week...... CPF Top UP (turn out to be a refund) After a week of corresponding with the CPF staff and checking here and there, a kind soul (a very good staff from the private housing department of CPF board) actually suggested a better way to us, instead of topping up our CPF to meet the minimum sum, she told us actually we can repay all the CPF we used for our HDB + the accrued interest, by this method, we'll not be subjected to the rules of holding multi properties. Thank to her advice, we finally settle a problem and can use all our CPF in the ordinary account for the downpayment of our private property, phew! (btw we didn't use a lot of our cpf for the first HDB we purchased, as it was a 3 room HDB and a 3 room last time is very cheap) Last Tuesday, met the lawyer and sign the mortgage form, and application form to use our cpf for the purchase of our house. Maybe I asked too many questions, the lawyer asked me whether we're first time buying the house....... (why are all the lawyers so short of time ) So now, need to start visualise the design and concept for our new house (to save the money for ID, we'll be doing the design by ourselves, and we got a good contractor, so hopefully everything will be done smoothly) P.s. haven't got reply from cpf to utilise our cpf towards the purchase, i'm crossing my finger and hopping no more hiccups! Update: Completion date: 13 Sep 2010 Renovation start date: 16 Sep 2010

Pls PM me the contact too. Btw I just bought a 1152 sf old condo which have 2 indoor units in the living hall, can anyone advise whether is it necessary to install 2 indoor units in the living hall if i were to replace all the air-con? I'm thinking whether should i just install air-con in the bedroom since we seldom use the air-con in living hall.

For second property, you'll need to maintain the minimum sum, currently $61,500, can made up by OA, SA and CPF investment. For your case, say you purchase your private first, after HDB flat loan settle then switch to monthly installment of the private by cpf, you'll need to get a lawyer to apply to CPF on this, which need a valuation report of your private at the time of application (lawyer fee about $500, valuation fee not sure). And this is provided you meed the minimum sum requirement. Alternatively, you can repay all the money you've used from CPF to your HDB flat including the accrued interest, then you'll no need to be restricted by the multiple housing rule for your second property purchased.

Hi all, Just purchased a more than 10 years condo, currently the air-con is still working, but as understand the life for air-con is about 6 years, so initially thinking of changing the aircon when doing reno, but when i checked with the vendor, he told me for condo the piping was conceal and they only change the aircon without changing the piping, so i'm wondering if that's the case i must as well use it till spoilt then only change it? I'm not an air-con frequent user too, pls advise whether shd i just move in without changing the aircon?

破屋又逢连夜雨，漏船还遇打头风 Another miscalculation! Just received a letter from insurance company that our life premium will be due end of this month, that'll be another $10k gone...... I'll hang in there!

Wah Patsy, You really firm leh, i wish i could be like you I've been xin tong about my $ many days after the offer, somemore ppl keep telling me i'm too rush, haiz..... But now i'm over it and must be happy mah, since we gave in liao must accept it la, haha!

Hi all, Thanks for the wishes! I'll rest well at the same time happy searching for the reno Pixiepixel, My first one is about 20 mth gap with my 2nd one, my first one is born early 2008, so looking at year is 1 year gap but actually about 2 years gap I'll update all about the progress and hopefully i can get a nice reno (simple one only la) and cheap!

In the progress: The following show the timeline: 12 June 10 - offer to purchase (the date we kena played by seller) 18 June 10 - met lawyer & banker, signed the OTP and loan offer (took up a big debt to our life and found out that we need to top up CPF ) 21 June 10 - OTP considered exercised as this is the date the lawyer submit the document to the seller's lawyer (just pray everything will be fine and no more 'surprises' ) 30 Sep 10 - the completion date Things to be done: 1) top up cpf account balance before completion 2) think of renovation idea and get quote for it Hopefully can move in before my second one coming (pregnant now, EDD 1 Nov 10), haha!

Hiccups: After second viewing of a unit there, we decided to give our offer, the agent told us a number which seller will be willing to close the deal, we happily write our deposit cheque. But...... the seller changed his mind and insist on a higher number, as we like the place so much, we gave in on the price, and damaged a big hole on our pocket..... Before we made the offer, I tot i've done all the necessary homework including checking on bank loan and use of cpf, too bad i asked a wrong person...... A banker from SC told me i can use all the amount in my cpf, which later i found out i need to keep a minimum sum in my cpf as this is our second property. Then H*** banker told me the lawyer can apply for us to utilise our cpf for monthly installment first, subsequently when we meet the min sum the installment will deduct directly from our account.... which again is wrong! After signing the options to purchase at a law firm, the lawyer told me we cannot apply now, we can only apply when we've the min sum in our account, for which we need to pay the legal fee for the application ourselves which will not be born by the bank, alternatively we can top up our cpf account so can apply it together, as the application require valuation report which will be troublesome, we decided to top up our cpf, another damage to our pocket I tot i've planned well whereby i've set aside certain amount for my reno, looks like now i've to cut down on it

Grandmother story: Back in 2004, we bot a resale 3 room HDB flat. Me, my husband, and his sister stay in the flat. When my parents in law came visit us from Msia, the house is always packed and full and my FIL got to sleep in the living hall, but still, we were happy with this small flat. In 2009, I gave birth to my baby gal, that's the time I realise a 3 room flat is really not enough for us. During confinement, there're too many ppl in the house and it was really a hard time for me and my baby. So we tot of buying a bigger flat, but, that's also the time where prices of SG houses are sky rocketing........ We spend the first few months in early 2009 searching for a 5 room HDB flat, the economic was bad at that time but HDB prices did not go down but keep shooting up instead...... moreover, the HDB flat on sale are either very old or low floor but still asking for very high COV. End of 2009, we tot of buying Condo instead since the HDB is so expensive, but then the private houses are also increasing in its selling price (we should have go straight to looking for condo early 2009 where the private houses are at lower price). Went to many places and yet couldn't find a place within our budget, our weekend is packed with house viewing which were tiring..... we nearly gave up! Until last month, my colleague introduce the condo which she's staying now to me, i've seen this condo before but i've never put it in my shortlist as it was not within the walking distance to MRT, but after a second tot and viewing for a few units, me and my husband like the place very much. So we finally decided to settle down here

Well, I would like to write down my experience of "hunting" my house, hopefully it'll be helpful to those who are looking for their dream home especially the hiccups that we've gone thru

Hi all, I've just exercise my option to purchase a condo and was told by lawyer i don't have enough cpf in my cpf account in order for me to use it for my monthly installment. I've previously checked with a SC banker and this moron told me i can utilise all the amount in my cpf account, after that i learned that i need to maintain a minimum sum in my cpf account which currently is $58,500 (for second property) and i've just enough for that, and checked with another H*** banker and this banker told me even the July new min sum kick in i can still get the lawyer to activate the installment by cpf account and once i've enough amount in my cpf account it'll be deducted automatically. But, after signing my option at the law firm, the lawyer told me this is not the case. Although i've enough min sum in my cpf account now, by the time she apply to cpf board it'll be in july already and the min sum increase every year in july. So in conclusion, i'll not be meeting the min sum requirement and i cannot apply to utilise my cpf for monthly installment now, if i were to apply later when i've the amount, i'll need to get a lawyer to submit the valuation report of my property for which i'll incur another lawyer fee (this time not born by bank). So now my option left with to top up the cpf (so i can apply to utilise my cpf for monthly installment) or apply to use my cpf later (which i need to pay for lawyer fee). I hope those who intend to buy a second property can consider it and if any of you who experienced the same situation pls advise what do you do?

u may check it out here: http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/...emic-excellence

Hi, You can try this lady called huiling. I've tried her for my first one she's good her blog: http://relaxingpostnatalmassage.blogspot.com/

I prefer KKH as i like the way it was managed and the procedure there. At KKH, for normal clinic, you take no for ultrasound scan at another room, scan done by specialist not your gynea, then take the report to clinic, go for routine test (urine, blood pressure, weight) by nurse (i don't see a need for this to be done by gynea), then wait for your number to see your gynea. After seeing gynea then make payment and go pharmacy to collect medicine (if you sign up for giro payment, can go pharmacy straight away, nurse will call you to make appointment). If you take private suite (consultancy fee slightly more expensive than normal clinic), then everything is done at your gynea private room (e.g. gynea do the ultrasound scan for you). I like the normal clinic procedure coz is faster, i don't see a need for gynea to scan or do those test for me. The waiting time is normally shorter comparing to private suite or other private hospital. I've been to TCM and seen a gynea there before, i totally don't like the atmosphere there, they function like a small clinic, so packed and the waiting time really killed me (appointment at 10am but only seen gynea at 1pm!) There's no number shown and don't know how long need to wait, ask the nurse they give you estimate but not accurate. In KKH, they auto sms me telling me how many patient in front me, while waiting to see doctor i can shop around in KKH or have my meal there. As in bad service, so far i didn't encounter any really bad ones at KKH, only met a few blur nurse but i normally clarify with them on the spot and no issue so far. My first kid delivered by KT Tan a senior consultant, but she's those talk less and fast type which i don't like so now my second one i switch to another consultant who is more patient and very nice. Back in TCM i also met a nurse who don't have customer service at all, while i was warded in the day care room she keep making call to friends complaining she can't leave coz i was still there, so bad service is everywhere even in private hospital. Anyway just my personal preference and experience to share, I'm sure there're others who like TCM

Can try motherhood forum whereby you can get many bb and maternity items used or new at cheaper price: http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/cgi-bin...oard/discus.cgi Ya, look out for those taka bb fair or kiddy palace annual sales which could be 20% cheaper.

Me and my husband disclose our incomes to each other since we were dating. Sometimes he earn more, then i catch up, later he catch up, and now i've more, haha! Who's earning more is not an issue to us coz we split our major expenses (housing loan, those repeating monthly expenses like utilities etc) equally, for small expenses we do not particular about who pay for it, e.g. meal or daily expenses, whoever can pay for it My husband do not care bout financial planning, so i help him made most decisions but getting his permission in advance. I once read some financial management between husband and wife and i find it useful and true so i follow the idea, which says the wife and husband shd keep their own income in their own accounts, but can open a join account for expenses to be shared equally. So we practice this way, my savings is my savings, his savings is his savings, we both have the right to use our own savings in our own ways but keep each other informed about it. And we contribute an amount into the joint account monthly for those major expenses like housing loan and child expenses. So far no problem on our financial management method and we're transparent to each other about our income

Hi all, Thanks for the advice. I've dicided to rent out my 3 room after buying the condo, anyway now bank don't have lock in period i can still sell it off and repay my condo loan partially within first year. Yes the yield is higher than renting out a private, considering i only bought the 3 room at $182k back in 2004 Once again, thanks all!

Hi all, I need advice on this issue, I hope those HDB upgrader like me can advise me. I'll be buying a condo, currently i stay in a 3 room flat, this flat can fetch $1800 - $2000 rental per mth and if i sell it is around $300,000. I need to borrow about $500,000 for my condo if i were to rent out the hdb and $200,000 if I were to sell off the HDB. I wonder what are the things i need to consider between this 2 options (e.g. property tax, tax on rental, interest on the new mortgage) and should i rent the 3 rooms out or sell it off? Thanks!

Hi all, Anyone rent out their HDB and moved to a private property? I'm still considering whether shd i sell of my HDB or rent it out. Currently my 3 room can fetch 1800 - 2000 per mth of rental, if sell it i can get around $300,000. I'm not sure should i sell it so i'll borrow lesser in buying my condo or should i rent it out to offset the monthly installment. Can anyone pls advise?

can anyone tell me what's the property tax you've been paying? I checked it is based on annual value, now the market price keep increasing so the property tax we pay every year also increasing right?