Best of Singapore

Happy to share with you all guys, Adobha got listed on the “ Best of Singapore portal”. View the details of the listing here.

Best of Singapore is a comparison portal to find the best service providers or products or brands.

“For every product or service out there, there are literally thousands of options available and only a handful of those are actually worth your money. Price, brand, availability, features, warranties—there are so many things to consider whenever you buy something that it’s becoming much of a chore for the average consumer.” And that’s where we come in. - Erica, the founder of Best in Singapore.

Source: Best of Singapore website.

My sincere thanks to all my customers who helped us to reach this place!

What is your profile?

While searching for a room or house for rent,  you would have confronted this question “What is your profile?” from your Real Estate agent or landlord (LL).  

This is a regular question asked to understand about you before renting. You would have fondly replied to such a question with answers like.

 Name : xxx

Move-in date : xxxx

Rent for how many people: xxxx

Lease term: 1 year

You will still be probed with more questions such as.

1. What is your nationality?

2. Are you, Local or a foreigner?

3. If foreigner then what type of pass do you hold? Etc

So whenever an agent or LL asks, “What is your profile?” please be ready with these replies.

Once you answered all the questions and hoping to start a discussion with your Lessor, one of the following three scenarios may happen..

1. if you are lucky you will receive a reply (that means your profile suits the agent or the Landlord) to discuss rental and other property viewing arrangements.  (or)

2. Suppose if your profile doesn’t suit the expectations of the agent or LL , you get this reply sorry profile won’t suit.  

3. Many times, you won’t even get a reply!  Yes, there are people who won’t bother to reply, if your profile won’t suit their expectations.

Now let’s consider scenario 2 and scenario 3, as our brains are tuned to seek completion you keep pressing for answers with questions like…

What is the issue with my profile?

Can you please reply?

Many kind real estate agents will reply, "Sorry landlord is only looking for tenants,

“who are non - XXXXXXX ( fill in your nationality)” or

“tenants who are holding “XXXX (fill in your pass type)

Some agents still won’t reply to any number of follow-up messages.

It’s my judgment, they are not comfortable communicating explicitly the reasons, or there could be several other reasons, which I will leave it to your judgment & conclusion.

If you are like any other tenant, you will move on to the next available property advertisement and start answering the same questions again, but some tenants get upset or even frustrated.

At adobha, we handle such enquireis differently. While searching for tenants, we also ask “what is your profile?”, yet the only difference between us and others is we definitely answer all your questions and we ensure none of the questions goes unanswered.  Foreigners from India / Bangladesh / Srilanka / Vietnam’s/ Philippines holding different long-term work pass ask us “will my profile suit you”?

 Yes, why not? For us, it’s always,

 Yaadum voorey, yaavarum kayleer!

“யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்”

Words of a great Tamil poet, Kaniyan Poongunranar  (6 BCE to 1 CE ) and it means,

“the world is my homeland and all people are my kin”. 

 At Adobha we live and operate by this value.

We always have a place for you in our hearts and our homes, you are welcome to stay with us as long as you wish! We don’t discriminate against anyone based on nationality or language or the type of pass one holds. While hosting you at our place, we only try to understand, if you will be willing to respect other housemates’ privacy, cultural & religious beliefs. Of course, we also screen for your ability to pay rent on time.

Adobha is a truly inclusive co-living operator, contact us for all your accommodation needs.

Fancy or functional? You need a room not a fridge!

A Windowless - Well dressed-up room!

These days I see many ads for coliving spaces online and in fact, many rooms are dressed up extremely beautiful and are a feast for the eyes. Definitely, these rooms look too pleasing compared to the rooms that we list on our site. Haha.

My real estate agent partner’s regularly advised me to spend extra dollars to dress up the place to appeal to renters so we could rent it at higher prices. Valid advice though but this idea never sank inside me because I’m not convinced with the idea of dressing up a room for various reasons.

It’s my sincere belief a place offered on long tenure need not look too fancy but it must be really functional because tenants seek a fancy place for a short stay and seek a functional place long stay.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not stating all dressed-up places are not functional. I’m only referring to those rooms that are not functional but dressed up well to hide the flaws. For example, when I search for rooms on a few other coliving operator sites and other classified room rental portals I see many rooms that are extremely well dressed and well lit; but when I read the description like “this is a no window room but an air-conditioned room”, that is a red flag to be concerned about.

I don’t know, how you feel about staying in a no window room, but for me, this is extremely uncomfortable. I can’t live in a “no window room”, even for a day. At least a ventilator is a must!

Seriously what is the point of dressing up a room when it’s not even functional? To increase rental yield some operators convert their living room places into a room and in this process, they don’t care if the room has a window or not. The belief people will rent anything if the price is right and such nonfunctional rooms can be rented to desperate renters by just dressing the room up. They just focus on their profit margins and not the wellness of their tenants.

Don’t refer to a place, which is “air-conditioned and windowless”, as a room; simply call it a fridge space!

Will you consider living in a no window room? Share your thoughts below.

At adobha, we don’t offer any such fridge space! We only offer a functional room to facilitate good air and natural light to flow continuously. If you need a real functional space and don’t care about fancy furnishings, talk to us.

Forced Bachelorhood

I spent all most 10 years working for a large bank in its IT department through a 3rd party IT company. Once in every 2 years when it is time for my Ep renewal, I keep praying for the successful renewal. I was successful in such prayers past few years but this time, my client said they don’t have long-term visibility and hence my company told me that they are not sure of Ep renewal this time. Thanks to covid!

My first child in primary 3 and going to an international school and I did try seeking admission in a local school last few years but it never happened. Now my second child will go to primary 1 in another 4 months and I’m sure she won’t go to the local school either. That means I need to pay another 2500$ per month for my second child's education. I’m already spending 2500$ for my first child. 5000$ a month for children's education, that is too high. But do I have a choice of sending my children to a local school? Nope!

My 3 room Hdb currently rented at 2800$is due for renewal in another 3 months and I’m not sure if I need to renew it as my tenancy renewal depends on my Ep renewal! Should I renewal my tenancy, hoping my EP will be renewed? What if my Ep is not renewed and will be stuck in this tenancy and lose my deposit payment to my Land Lord?

These open issues kept me terrified for over a month and finally after so many follow up with my HR I got an update that my Ep is renewed for another 24 months but the project got visibility only for the next 3 months. That means, my company can ask me to go back to my country after 3 months or even before 3 months!

Holy crap!

What am I supposed to do now?

• Should I renew my Hdb tenancy or not?

• Should I send my second child to school now or not?

• Should I continue with this company or just move out and find another employer who could offer a stable job?

• Should I send my family back to my country and stay alone in Singapore and review my plan again?

• After staying many years in Singapore will my wife and kids be able to adjust to living conditions back home?

• If I decide to stay alone then where I’m going to live?

• Do I need the whole apartment or just rent a room?

• If I rent a room then how will be environment be? Should I put up with an unreasonable Landlord or will the place to convenient?

• I have accumulated so much stuff over the years, how to shift them to a new place?

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“Ever been in this situation before?? If you are an IT professionals staying in Singapore with your family, you would have faced a similar situation in the past”.

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We don’t have solutions to all your challenges, however, if you decide to send your family back and decide to stay alone in Singapore then don’t worry we have a place to offer or a room to rent on your terms!

Welcome to bachelorhood again, oops forced bachelorhood!

At our place, you live with other forced bachelors (lol), and yet you have your privacy and peace of mind and we are sure you will have a better experience staying and renting from us than living with a live-in landlord!

Being a forced bachelor is not that difficult so don’t worry too much; you will be fine when you make certain adjustments and at Adobha we make this journey easy for you.

Search for suitable rooms at adobha and we will take care of your accommodation concerns.

McDonald’s

Here's a confession: I breathe a sigh of relief whenever I catch sight of the familiar, brightly-lit Golden Arches in a foreign country. Cliché as it might sound, McDonald's offers me a taste of home. I know what to expect when I walk into a McDonald's wherever I am.

And deep down, you know that you're not all that adventurous with your food choices sometimes. I get it: it's just more comforting to eat something familiar than trying something foreign and scary. After all, a meal consisting of a Big Mac, chicken nuggets, and large fries will taste pretty much the same in almost every MacDonald's globally.

Come home to McDonald's

So – if you've been missing home an awful lot recently, why not visit a McDonald's? Also, you could invite your roommates and create new memories together!

Here's a list of exciting and interesting things you could do:

Throw a McDonald's party

Invite your roommates and bond over the silliness of wearing party hats and digging into Happy Meals! It doesn't even have to be anyone's birthday; you can liaise with the party professionals at MacDonald's for a fun-filled day of excitement. Click on this link for more information.

Bond over 'live' screenings of football matches

There's just something about football that brings people together. A bunch of random people can sit somewhere and watch a game and no matter their differences, they would have connected emotionally by the end of the game.

Have a housemate or a couple of housemates you've been trying to break the ice with? Well, why not catch the 'live' screenings of the Barclays Premier League (BPL) matches at McDonald's? Click on this link for more information.

All geared up just thinking about all the activities you could do? Here's more good news: you can jazz up the experience by exploring Singapore's 'coolest' McDonald's outlets:

McDonald's Marine Cove :

McDonald's Marine Cove is meant to be 'a testbed' for the chain to incubate new offerings before they are implemented in other outlets in Singapore. So, if you're looking for familiarity with a touch of adventure, be sure to check out this branch!

Address:
Marine Cove, 1000 East Coast Parkway
East Coast Park #01-05
Singapore 449876

McDonald's Jurong Central Park

McDonald's Jurong Central Park is the first to feature an eco-friendly green roof. With its surrounding swaying palm trees and breezy patio dining area, you can expect to enjoy your meal and create many new memories with your roommates in this branch.

Address:
291 Boon Lay Way
Singapore 649849

McDonald's Gardens By The Day

Here's an idea: you could conclude an amazing first date at Gardens By The Bay by bringing her to enjoy the familiar tastes of your McDonald's favorites. Also, digging into a Big Mac while taking in the scenic view of the Golden Supertrees? I don't know about you, that sounds like the perfect lead-up to a kiss!

Address:
18 Marina Gardens Drive #02-04
Garden By The Bay, Visitor Centre
Singapore 018954

But – I'm lazy

With all that said and done, if you'd like to relive precious memories alone, you'd best acquaint yourself with McDonald's McDelivery. I can't imagine anything more satisfying than unwinding with an upsized meal in bed.

Can you? Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Cost of commute!

To find the actual travel cost visit https://mrt.sg/fare. Key in from place and to place and you will get to know the cost of travel? But the question is, is that your actual cost of commute?

Most ignore the time they spend for travel and never assign any weightage to it! Let's consider this scenario about 2 rooms that are available, assuming both rooms have same facilities and furnishing, just the locations are different!

Room 1 : Near Upper Changi MRT - Rent - 900$ - Commute - 46 mins - cost 24$ approximately per month.

Room 2 : Near Novena MRT - Rent 1100$ - Commute - 15 mins - cost 36$ approximately per month.

Room 1: Total cost/month - 900 + 24 = 924$ & travel for 46 min one way

Room 2: Total cost/month - 1100 + 36 = 1136$ & travel for 15 mins one way

Given this scenario, from my personally experience, I have seen most tenants, who choose our co-living space opt for Room 1, because they get to save 212$ every single month! However, if the choice is Room 2, then one can save 31 mins one way, approximately 1 HR/ day! (22 working days so 22 hours)

With an extra 1 hour a day... what can you do more?

1. Sleep a little extra (either wake late or sleep early)

2. Eat a decent breakfast or cook your own dinner!

3. Exercise or

4. Meditate or

5. Spend more time talking to your family!

How much value do you want to assign to this 1 hour in terms of dollars? I leave it to you to come up with a value, so you can find the actual cost of commuting!

Is 212$ saving equals 22 hours per month?

For me it is a big NO! I will choose a place closer to my work, and pay a little extra than paying less rent and commuting for long duration.

What are your thoughts?

Fine City. How to Stay on the Right Side of the Law?

So, you’re an expat in Singapore, walking down the street having just chowed down on your favorite choco bar. Looking around, you don’t see a garbage bin in sight. You might think it’s OK to discard your wrapper then and there - just this once. It’s just one small wrapper, after all. However, don’t be surprised if you get slapped with a steep $300 fine by a police officer.

Despite its modernity, Singapore is still officially and legally a conservative country. On certain issues, its laws may even be viewed as authoritarian by outsiders. That being said, as a guest of another country, the least you can do is respect and obey their laws. The last thing you want to do is land in legal trouble, especially in a country that’s not your own. To keep safe, and make the best of your time in Singapore, it’s in your own interest to make yourself aware of these laws.
Singapore: Weed and the law
Marijuana, Weed, Cannabis, Ganja, Hashish, Grass. Whatever you want to call it, the “green wave” seems to be gathering momentum all over the globe. Even big-name celebrities like Mike Tyson are getting in on the action, opening a 400-acre weed ranch in California. So, you might be thinking that as a modern country with its fair share of expats, Singapore must be lenient on the green stuff too. Maybe, you’re thinking of getting your own hands on some, or following in Mike Tyson’s footsteps.

Not so fast. There’s no room for uncertainty when it comes to Singapore’s stance on weed. In fact, Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act is one of the strictest in the world.

Usually, especially in Western countries, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution. However, when it comes to drug enforcement in Singapore, it’s more like “guilty until proven innocent”.

Punishment for any related crimes can be as high as $20,000 fines, 10 years in prison, or the death penalty. To remove any gray area, even Singaporeans caught using drugs outside of Singapore can face a fine or jail time. You can find the complete Misuse of Drugs Act here as well as the prescribed limits for punishment. To give you an idea, possession of 500 grams or more of Cannabis could land you the death penalty. If you’re coming to Singapore, also be aware that officials have the right to administer random drug tests.

Where does Singapore stand on other issues?

LGBTQ rights
Officially, homosexuality is illegal in Singapore and same-sex relations or marriage is not allowed. Overseas gay marriages are also not recognised. However, ‘officially’ seems to be the operative word here. Lionel Yeo, who serves on Singapore’s tourism board, has said LGBTQ visitors are welcome in Singapore. While illegal, the laws generally aren’t enforced and many believe it’s only a matter of time before they are repealed. Gay establishments also operate freely within Singapore, and it’s not hard to find one with a simple Google search.

Prostitution
After what you’ve read so far, you might be surprised to know that prostitution (in certain forms) is legal in Singapore. That puts Singapore in the company of a number of European and a couple of Asian countries on this issue. In a practical move, Singapore decided to regulate the industry, instead of criminalizing and driving it underground. As a result, there are government-related brothels where workers are required to have regular medical checkups and carry health cards.Despite this, there are still some unlicensed and illegal establishments offering these services, such as karaoke bars and massage parlours. Public (or online) solicitation is also illegal as well as male-to-male prostitution.
Other laws in Singapore to be aware of
Aside from the hot-button issues above, there are some smaller offences that could land you in a bit of hot water as well:

• Selling chewing gums.

• Annoying someone with a musical instrument or singing obscene songs in a public space

• Smoking of duty unpaid cigarette

• Blocking someone way

• Spitting in public (do we even need a law for this one?)

• Using someone else’s Wi-Fi without their consent

• Not flushing the toilet

• Being nude in your home if people can see in from outside

• Feeding pigeons

• Littering (hey, there’s a reason Singapore’s streets are so squeaky clean)

• Jaywalking (be safe, guys)

When in Singapore, do as the Singaporeans do. Whenever you are visiting or living in another country, you are subject to that country’s laws, whether you like it or not. As a welcomed guest, you should return the favor by respecting the locals, their laws and their government.

To Singaporeans, stricter laws than most are a fair exchange for a high quality of living, pristinely clean city, a low crime rate, and stability.

Singapore also has plenty of legal activities to keep you busy, and you shouldn’t put yourself at risk just for a bit of extra fun.

Lah, Leh, Lor – What?

As an expatriate in Singapore, you must have heard ubiquitous injections of the words' lah', 'leh,' and 'lor’ in nearly all conversations you overhear. Well, congratulations – you’ve been exposed to Singlish, Singaporeans’ colloquial twist on English!

What is Singlish?

But let’s take a step back – what is Singlish, exactly? Singlish is a patois (dialect) that takes its influences from Singapore’s four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil.

And you might be surprised to know this, but in 2017, 27 Singlish words were included in the Oxford English Dictionary! So, there's no reason for you not to learn some key Singlish phrases.

A brief guide to Singlish

Here are five of the most common Singlish terms you’ll hear, with Singlish conversation examples.

Lah, leh, lor

'Lah,' 'leh,' and 'lor' are all discourse particles placed at the end of a sentence. Each term serves a different purpose, and it all depends on tone, syntax, and context.

• Lah – Brings about a sense of exasperation.

  • “Just do it like that lah."

• Leh – Demonstrates a tinge of uncertainty.

  • “I didn’t know you had to do it like that leh."

• Lor – Signifies a sense of resignation.

  • “I didn’t have a choice, so I did it like that lor.”

Makan (mah-kahn)

Makan is the Malay word for ‘to eat.’ You can use this Singlish term to invite your colleagues or housemates out for a meal. For example, "Let's go makan at twelve today.”

Bojio (boh-chio)

Did someone forget to invite you to hang out? You've got to use this Singlish term on them then! It signifies disappointment and a little bit of anger that you weren't part of the activity. For example,

Housemate: “I had a wonderful McDonald’s meal yesterday.”

You: “Bojio!”

Kaypoh (kay-poh)

You can use this term when someone is nosy; it works as a verb and an adjective. For example, "Yes, I went to the bar alone. Why are you so kaypoh?” and “Don’t kaypoh lah.”

Siao (see-ow)

'Siao’ is the Hokkien term for 'crazy.’ It’s also used most frequently as an exclamation when something has gone wrong. For example, you might hear your colleague saying, “The boss wants us to work overnight? Siao!”

There are more words, but I want to keep this post short.

Tell us what other Singlish words you heard!

The Hungry Ghost Festival

Notice those red metal bins with burning paper scattered around residential  areas and housing estates? Don’t freak out on me – but you’re now shoulder-to-shoulder with countless roaming spirits. In this article, learn about the Hungry Ghost Festival also known as Zhong Yuan Jie in Chinese) in Singapore and the taboos associated with it, so you don’t accidentally bring a 'friend' back home with you!

What is the Hungry Ghost Festival?

According to Chinese beliefs, the gates of hell open every year on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar’s 7th month. The gates remain open for a month. And during this period, hungry ghosts, dead ancestors, and spirits trapped in between the living and spiritual realm wander the face of the earth amongst humans.

How is the Hungry Ghost Festival celebrated?

Buddhists and Taoists celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival through the performance of rituals, to pray and honor the dead.

Here’s a rough guide to some of the rituals practiced in Singapore:

• The lighting of joss sticks – The lit joss sticks signal to the spirits to let them know that the items (typically food) are meant for them.

• Burning of paper items – Chinese believe that the burning of joss paper (paper money) and paper effigies (such as houses, cars, and clothes) can provide the same worldly comforts to the dead.

• The offering of food items – The 7th month is the only time of the year where the spirits are allowed to fill their bellies, which is why real food is laid out for them.

Taboos and superstitions of the Hungry Ghost Festival

While roaming spirits typically don't cause any trouble to the living, you could run into some bad luck if you do the following:

• Kicking or picking up offerings -Make sure you apologize if you disturb any offerings! While it’s not illegal, think about it: how would you like it if someone kicked your meal?

• Sticking your chopsticks upright into a bowl of food – Upright chopsticks resemble lit joss sticks. You don't want to unknowingly invite a ghost to share your bowl of fried rice now, do you?

• Avoid hanging near water bodies - Spirits are fond of drowning people; this gives them a chance to be reincarnated in a new body.

And that's it: you can finally walk past a pile of burnt paper without wondering why it's still there, even though it's been there for ages. Just watch your step – don't bring a ghost home with you! Your housemates would not be pleased, especially if they're making their beer cocktail or chowing down on a late-night McDonald’s supper!

Single and new to Singapore! How to enjoy a bar alone?

So, you’re tired of staying in and watching Netflix and decide to hit the city for a change. Contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing wrong with going to a bar alone, and it can even lead to some fun and interesting opportunities. Seeing what people get up to after working hours and what the city looks like at night is also an exciting way to experience a new place, especially when are new to Singapore!

And, who knows? You might just strike it lucky with the ladies as well.

Tip #1: Look sharp

First impressions matter, period. If you want for a successful night of hunting, you need to look your best. If you happen to need some new digs, now is a great time to make the investment. Grunge has had its day, and when in doubt, it’s better to aim for a more formal look than casual.

Not only will some sharp new clothes impress the ladies, but it will give your ego a boost too. Just to be safe, lookup the bars dress code, particularly after certain hours. Oh, and smelling great helps too.

Tip #2: Confidence is key

One thing that’s almost just as noticeable as what you’re wearing is your self-confidence. This can be the hardest part about going out alone and has made all of us rather stay home on at least one occasion.

A few hacks you can try to prep your confidence are:

• Blasting your favorite tracks on the way there

• Keeping an upright posture

• Remind yourself of (one) of your achievements

• Make eye contact

• Don’t fidget or move too much

“Fake it until you make it” is a real thing, and if you practice it enough it will become natural with time.

Tip #3: Pace yourself

Sure, a couple of initial beers will help you loosen up. However, there’s nothing that will kill your chance of scoring a date than slurring your words or stumbling around. If you want to keep up appearances, swap out the alcohol for a soda every now and then, and none will be the wiser. And if you happen to strike out, it’s never advisable to try and get home drunk by yourself, especially in a new city.

Tip #4: Don’t go alone

There’s no shame in admitting that it can be intimidating going to a bar alone. If you’re new to Singapore, or your coliving space, why not make the most of the opportunity by asking some of your flatmates to join in. What better way to make new friends than with a couple of beers to lubricate the conversation? You’ll walk in with more confidence showing up as a squad and it’s a classic networking move for the digital nomad.

Tip #5: Have an exit strategy

One of the reasons why you’re living the single life in a coliving space is probably to experience true independence. However, there’s a fine line between being a free spirit and tempting fate. Make sure at least one person knows what your plans are and where you’ll be going. Singapore is a safe city with great public transportation. However, everyone has had a bit more than they’ve planned on beforehand or even lost their phone or keys which can make getting home interesting to say the least.

Now you are ready with the tips, its time to implement your new knowledge!

Bonus Tip: Check out these great bars for singles

• Employees Only Singapore: If you’re looking for a quiet place to enjoy a drink, contemplate life, and look good doing it then this is the perfect place with its classy, retro interior. 112 Amoy Street, Singapore 069932.

• Bespoke: This fusion of a Ginza bar and English gentleman’s club has a similar hushed feel as Employees Only, and you can enjoy artisanal drinks from celeb bartender Daiki Kanetaka. 2 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089816.

• LeVeL33: With craft beers, great cocktails, and a spectacular view, there’s more than enough to enjoy here on your own. 8 Marina Boulevard, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1.

Which is your favorite bar, share with us.