An alert, stats and FAQs

The Round 1 stats
2-BD flats
3 captains bid for 2-BD flats. Offer far outweighed demand, so everyone won their first choice.

3-BD flats
21 captains bid for 3-BD flats. Demand far outweighed popular offers, so only 6 won their top choice. 9 won a secondary choice and the remaining 6 won… nothing.

The alert!!!
The rental market in Singapore moves at a rather quick pace. This means that some of our published offers might be withdrawn, while we are kept busy allocating them. This actually happened in 3 cases of Round 1. Luckily this involved only 1 top choice, but everyone please be prepared for such a grim scenario.

And the FAQs
Round 2
It will start as soon as we collect any new offers (also from the popular choice of Heritage View), recalculate credits for people entering this Round, and prepare our spreadsheets. Just stay tuned!

1-BD flats
If you guys are waiting for a 1-BD flat, it so happens that we have only one offer. This we will publish in Round 2. We are trying to get some more, but it might happen that you will have to go on your own…

New units
As expected, Heritage View was a popular choice for bidders, but we didn’t have enough offers on hand. Now we are actively trying to scout up some more HV condos to make you folks happy and secure the HV Sunday mass, i.e. mass barbecue parties at the pits.
At the same time you might want to consider the options of The Rochester, which is just same distance from INSEAD and 5-7 mins walk to HV, and the renovated Dover apartments which also make a fine choice.

Credits
Regarding the recalculation of credits, we came across a few scenarios that we did not expect. For example, how many credits a team should get back if they were disqualified in Round 1 or if they decided to turn down a unit they won. We are discussing this internally and will make a decision prior to Round 2.

Master bedrooms in 2-BD and 3-BD flats
Most or all condos have 1 master BD (ensuite), and 1 or more usually single, smaller rooms. These smaller rooms are never ensuite, the 2nd bathroom is available from a common area like a corridor. Of course this might vary depending on the floorplan design.

Study here at your own risk

Amenity-, Box-, Utility-, Call-them-as-you-want- Rooms
Officially called maid’s room, signaled on our sheets as +1, they have an area of 1.2 x 2.0m and no windows (at least what Csaba saw while on the ground; see picture to right). You are better off using them as utility rooms, storing suitcases and other stuff there, rather than study- or bed- rooms.

Study-rooms
Some condos do have a separate study room, which is suitable for actual work. This is never signaled with the +1, but with the +S. You should confirm this with the agent, but size might permit to convert this into a smaller bedroom.

Early and general flat availability
Agents confirmed that flats are finding tenants usually within a month after an advertisement is published, and landlords most of the time cannot get back-to-back tenancy agreements. So do not be put off from the fact that a flat is immediately available.
Nonetheless, it might also happen that some landlord will not accept an offer due the timing issue, especially given that there are other potential tenants approaching them as a natural course of business. Probably that’s one of the reasons that MBA Connect advises us to take action 5 weeks before the courses start, i.e. late July.
Overall, we think that many of us will be able to strike a deal now, and not have to search within the last minute offers, decreasing a potential for bargaining, as agents have been disclosed the desired starting dates for each unit we look for.

Drawings and photos
Landlords do not have architectural drawings, and though we (Csaba) tried to push for it, agents are reluctant to make a quick sketch on paper and scan it. We will have to live with pictures, which are not readily available at the time of bidding, but should be collected and made available afterwards by agents to successful bidders.

Utilities
No utilities whatsoever are included in the rent. Rent only covers the money that goes to the pocket of the landlord.

RCI
We are carrying on and we are glad you are with us!

Best wishes by the SRCI SC ABCDE