My Journey To Having A Sweet Home

[musicbox 0]

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

[samgalz 2]

welcome~!

[musicbox 0]

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

[musicbox 0]

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

[musicbox 0]

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!

[yuene 0]

Hi musicbox,

Welcome to renotalk! Wow, sounds like a big headache to me. Hope everything gets resolved soon, and you can start your reno smoothly!

[pixiepixel 0]

musicbox

congrats on your pregnancy! so the gap between #1 and #2 is only like 9-10mths apart? *applause* its tough minding 2 young children at this time but when they grow up, it would be easier (compared to big age gap siblings) for you!

[samgalz 2]

wow, tiring process indeed. esp with a big bump. congrats and do rest well. try n leave reno stuff to ur guy so that u can enjoy both ur second time motherhood n new house.

[Maitena_Baby 0]

Hi musicbox,

Welcome to RT and congratz on ur second pregnancy.

Its a quite a list you've there, hopefully everything will go on smoothly for you and family. Don't forget to rest too ok

[musicbox 0]

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!

[patsy_sg 1]

Hi musicbox, your story is slightly similar to mine. I went to view my current condo about 3 times, to make sure I really like it, on the third visit, I confirmed with my agent. He then called the other agent to confirm. After a few hours my agent called and said the owner want 100k more than the agreed price (because a similar sized apt just sold for that price). I told my agent no, he advertised on that price, he showed me the apt 3 times on that price, and he cannot increase the price over night. If he does and insists on the higher selling price, then I will get my lawyer to sue him and his firm for misrepresentation. In the end he managed to convince the owner to let go at the earlier agreed price. Also helped I had a very good agent who really looked after my interest.

These homeowners and agents sometimes feel they can take us for a ride!!

[musicbox 0]

Hi musicbox, your story is slightly similar to mine. I went to view my current condo about 3 times, to make sure I really like it, on the third visit, I confirmed with my agent. He then called the other agent to confirm. After a few hours my agent called and said the owner want 100k more than the agreed price (because a similar sized apt just sold for that price). I told my agent no, he advertised on that price, he showed me the apt 3 times on that price, and he cannot increase the price over night. If he does and insists on the higher selling price, then I will get my lawyer to sue him and his firm for misrepresentation. In the end he managed to convince the owner to let go at the earlier agreed price. Also helped I had a very good agent who really looked after my interest.

These homeowners and agents sometimes feel they can take us for a ride!!

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!

[patsy_sg 1]

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!

It's my hard earned money mah.. why should I give it away so lightly!! But yeah, it's in the past and just good luck on your reno!! Enjoy every moment of it... lots of great advice here and experts too!!!

Have fun and blessing on your new home!!

[musicbox 0]

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!

[musicbox 0]

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

Edited July 29, 2010 by musicbox