zirhk3355

Updated list (combined with participation from Facebook): What: CNY Lou Hei 2009 Where: Blk 89 Tanglin Halt Road #34-356 When: TBA (suspect it likely to be 6 Feb 09...) (Pl refer to earlier post: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?s=...st&p=368438 ) Who: 1. zirhk3355 & wife 2. jule & husband 3. oda & wife 4. cartoon_wayne & wife 5. Edwin & wife 6. Wendy & husband 7. Andy & Wife 8. Angeline Poon-Tan & husband 9. GTeton & husband 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. . . . . (more more!)

Wow, thanks for suggestions! I didn't know we took meihao last year, I think its quite value for money compared to Neo Garden. Any further info on Mum's kitchen?? Good news; we had exceeded the minimum number of 15 pax, so the party is confirmed onz! Updated list (combined with participation from Facebook): What: CNY Lou Hei 2009 Where: Blk 89 Tanglin Halt Road #34-356 When: TBA (suspect it likely to be 6 Feb 09...) (Pl refer to earlier post: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?s=...st&p=368438 ) Who: 1. zirhk3355 & wife 2. jule & husband 3. oda & wife 4. cartoon_wayne & wife 5. Edwin & wife 6. Wendy & husband 7. Andy & Wife 8. Angeline Poon-Tan & husband 9. 10. 11. . . . . (more more!)

---cut & paste from here--- What: CNY Lou Hei 2009 Where: Blk 89 Tanglin Halt Road #34-356 When: TBA (Pl refer to earlier post: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?s=...st&p=368438 ) Who: 1. zirhk3355 & wife 2. jule & husband 3. oda & wife 4. cartoon_wayne & wife 5. Edwin & wife 6. Wendy & husband 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. . . . . (more more!) ---cut & paste till here---

CNY LOU HEI 2009 Last year CNY lou hei got a good turnout at Wayne's place (too bad I got D&D! Grr...), so hope this year will be the same or even better! I am volunteering my place for this, which is at Blk 89 #34-356. Standard item is of course the Lou Hei, which I will get from the nearby zichar stalls. Other food items we can have two choices; either potluck (if its on weekends and turnout is small) or we can order the popular Neo Garden mini packages, either $14.99 or $17.99/pax. http://www.neogarden.com.sg/menu.cfm?MenuT...Y&Mode=Menu I have the following available dates: 1) 31st Jan'09 (Sat) - afternoon (tea) or evening; 2) 1st Feb'09 (Sun) - afternoon (tea) or evening; 3) 6th Feb'09 (Fri) - evening. Best if you can indicate two (or all??) dates that you are free, so that I can cater to everyone's schedule. If all dates also cannot, then pls list down your available date then if there are more people preferring that date we can change. Everyone is welcomed, whether moved in already or not, no need to be shy if first-timers because this is the chance for you to meet neighbours! Hope to see all of you...

Whether comm got GST depends on whether the agency is GST registered. But some people can negotiate with the agent to absorb the GST...

Calling all COPs!! There will be a training session at Queenstown NPC (the one next to Queensway Shopping Centre, combined with fire station one) on 16 Jan 09 at 7pm. This is to update you all on a new program called CAP (Citizen-Assisted Programme). Hopefully those who came for the briefing at Blk 46-1 RC centre will go for this one too, plus those who are still keen to help out in COP can also come. If you need to ask anything or just to call someone, my mobile is 81883355.

Festive season coming!! Pl dun give 'angbao' to criminals like this hor...be forewarned! -------- Jan 14, 2009 Shopper's handbag stolen A 58-year-old woman who put her handbag in her supermarket trolley found it missing as she was about to make payment for her groceries. The incident happened at Sheng Siong supermarket at Tanglin Halt Road between 9.30pm and 10.15pm on Monday In-store CCTVs showed that a tan complexioned man had reached into the trolley and took away the bag which contained $300 in cash, a wallet worth $30 and an EZ-link card with a $3 credit inside. Witnesses may call the police at 1800-255-0000. --- Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access

Just to be candid: You don't pay agent's commission for buying a flat. You only pay agent's commission when you engage an agent's services.

Pay only when you satisfied that the agent had done his/her job. Period. Nothing before that, and also to be fair, touch your heart and pay when you know the job is done.

Then can I clarify this: Did the salesperson identified himself as an employee of the electrical store?

Unless you had done at least one resale transaction with agents before, chances are you will not know exactly what to do and how to deal with the seller/agent. Its not just about paperwork; I quite sure you have contacted some seller's agents and experienced how difficult it is to deal with them if you do not pay comm. My advice is to get your own agent, negotiate for a lower fee and justify that by doing some work yourself, eg searching for your dream home, checking on the prices, etc. Now market is so bad, I am quite sure some agents will take you on, earn abit of pocket money also good mah. But lastly, pls do not let the seller's agent represent you, because s/he will never act in your full interest. Since you are going to pay anyway, might as well get someone to act in your full interest, isn't it?

To be fair, cannot compare someone's sales prices to another person's normal prices right? Robinsons/Taka also very expensive during normal times, and Aussino also very cheap during sales... I was at the Aussino sales recently at PSA Building: 600 threadcount fitted sheet at $35, quilt cover at $50, certain normal bedsheets at $9, bath towels at $2, etc. So happy I buy until $300+ (not just for me lah, for friends and family) and got 3 membership cards...hehe!

I engaged my ID first then FSM; so much heartache when the FSM say this one cannot that one cannot, but I like all the designs/layout... So I agree that we should engage the FSM first, then get advice and give it to the ID first thing when you see him...

$80 for quilt is already considered cheap...

Abit off-topic, but I hate to see people being arm-bent into paying agents' commission for such situations. The job of the agent (or the value of that commission) is not just to introduce the two people together. It is to iron out all factors, protect your respective clients, if possible create a win-win situation AND close the deal. If being an agent is just to introduce, then all agents should have been millionaires within their first year. However all the crooked agencies had been coming up with micro-worded commission agreements that arm-bent people into paying commission as long as the agent brings someone for you. Now that IEA has scrapped their commission guidelines and especially in this gloomy situation, NEVER NEVER sign any commission agreements that seem unfair. Reserve your rights to pay only due commission to the deserving agents.

Ok so what about 19th Jan'09 then?

I just pan-fried some mushrooms earlier (for ONE PAX portion) and my glass partition already blurred up! Think twice about this, mann...

On the paper, the agent seemed to have performed his full spectrum of service - find you a tenant, do the paperwork and concluded the deal. Like what ERA had said, the agent also came back to mediate the case for you. Agent's due diligence for rental cases does not include bankruptcy checks, only immigration checks. This is because the landlord would have supposedly protected by the security deposit so it does not matter if the tenant is a bankrupt or has outstanding debts. On hindsight, if the agent tells you that the tenant is ok and he has done his checks, the landlord should have requested for documented proof. Just like buying things, its caveat emptor; if you trust what the salesman tells you, its your own demise. Also, It is not the agent's duty to ensure that the cheques are cleared; how on earth can he know that?? Someone who has good credit standing can also have bounced cheques as long as he is out to cheat. In the rental industry, be it residential or commercial or industrial, no landlord would allow the tenant to move in until all the documents are signed and the cheques are cleared. Now, I am appalled that you had collected the 1 month's goodfaith deposit for a few days before move-in date, but you did not bank it in; why? The 1 month's goodfaith is yours to keep in the event that the deal fails thru due to the tenant's fault. And why did it take you 2 weeks' to realise that all the cheques are not cleared? Im sorry to say it seems to me that it was you who did not do due diligence to protect your own interests. An agent would not tell you to wait for the cheques to clear before letting the tenant move in, simply because he wants his commission. Lastly, if you had used the standard tenancy agreement, there is a standard clause for the landlord to re-enter and terminate the lease in the event of non-payments. You do not need to engage lawyers at all; as long as you had provided enough written notices to the tenant, just cut the tenant's lock, re-enter and lock it up with your own padlock (of course go with a witness to prevent loss allegation and ensure nobody inside the house before you lock-up!). If my memory did not fail me, the standard clause also provides you with the right to detain the tenant's belongings until he pays up his rental, otherwise you can auction them off to recover your debts.

Always no harm to get quotations first, since you already got floorplans. Even if the actual reno is a few wks/mths away, its always better to be informed and list out the IDs/contractors that you like. I know of people who even do a spreadsheet to compare 10-over quotations, months before they start reno! How to choose IDs/contractors? Well after visiting a few, you will realised a certain 'market price' for certain items. Then you will realise they use the same few materials/brands. So what does your selection that boils down to? Its the 'feel' of that ID, that sales designer who will be in-charge of your case, whether attentive enough and whether can 'click' with you or not. If s/he does not even know what you want, then be sure to encounter alot more problems when reno starts.

Sorry to say but the mother-son relationship between your MIL and your hubby does not seemed good leh; why go ask DIL about own son's salary??

I just saw this post. Note that exclusive to market does not also mean that the buyers have to use her services as well; as long as you did not sign any comm agreement with her, you can get another agent to come in and fight for your rights. You are going to pay 1% comm, might as well pay to someone who will act in your interest. Don't let the cheque bounced, it will look bad on your bank account. Call the bank to cancel the cheque; this is different from bounce. There's a few reasons why the agent seemed funny and dodgy: 1. She is trying to play with you, play the waiting game, make you kancheong and ask the golden question as to what price the seller wants. Then she can straightaway give you the closing price and seal the deal; 2. You are being used by the agent as a dangling carrot to the seller. Someone else might have offered higher, but the seller is not accepting it, thinking got higher offer. So the agent bring you in to show the seller that the next offer (ie you) is lower, so that the seller will 'LL' accept the first offer. In another way, you are the safety net; if the higher offeror withdraws, they still can sell to you. Take heed, and try to see how you can turn the situation around and still get your dream flat. My advice is to get another agent to represent you.

The objective of the agent is to close the sale and get comm. They do not care if the price is right or to protect anybody's interest. While the OTP cannot be exercised if one of the buyers is not willing to buy (ie your husband who never sign), the sellers can still forfeit the $1K deposit.

Ok, here's your new thread! Let me start first: For 'leisure' or 'kaypoh' reasons, I will not let my PILs know my salary. What for? To compare to their other children-in-laws?? But of course unless necessary, like buy house together or submit some documents, etc. (or in today's context, help me find a job!) then I will let them know.

Hey so where's everyone else?? Let's not let oda and me patrol romantically together leh! Haha... Happy holidays to all!

Well if you don't mind the layout then ok, I would encourage you. The food is good, no doubt.