Tag Archives: Singapore Condo

‘Residences’ expert@work in naming a condo

Posted on 28 Feb 2010 | Comments Off on ‘Residences’ expert@work in naming a condo

What’s the name of your condo?

If you bought a unit in the 1980s, you probably live in a project with words like ‘palm’, ‘garden’ or ‘park’ in the name.

In more recent times, it became fashionable to incorporate auspicious numbers, like Scotts 28 and 8@Woodleigh.

Now, many developers have plumped for Residences.

Examples include Residences Botanique in Serangoon, Kovan Residences in Upper Serangoon, The Shore Residences in Katong, Vista Residences in Balestier, Holland Residences in the Holland Road area and Tembeling Residence in the East Coast area.

A spokesman for the Street and Building Names Board said that of the 25 to 30 condominium names it approved in 2008 and last year, names with terms like ‘residences’, ’suites’ and ‘@’ were most popular.

New property player Ferrell Asset Management opted for Ferrell Residences for its first condo in Bukit Timah, saying thatthe word ‘residences’ evokes ‘a very personal and intimate feeling towards the development’.

Ho Bee’s general manager of marketing and business development, Mr Chong Hock Chang, shares a similar view. ‘The word conjures a very homely image,’ he said. The firm’s projects include Orange Grove Residences and Dakota Residences.

For developer TG Group, there is a more mundane reason for naming its 102-unit development in the East Coast, St Patrick’s Residences.

It conforms to the residential zoning of the area, and differentiates itself from industrial or commercial zones, said its head of corporate affairs, Mr Lowell Loh.

Frasers Centrepoint Homes, which is launching Residences Botanique this weekend, also drew attention to the word Botanique.

It reflects the wide array of plants and landscaping of the resort-style condo, said a spokesman.

Far East Organization said it tries to express what makes a development unique via the condo’s name.

Its The Shore Residences is so named because its ‘large waterscape with mini beaches and coconut trees’ aims to recapture the old Katong ambience with a long shoreline.

But do names really matter with buyers? Apparently not, it seems. Mrs Debora Neo, 44, who lives in Rivervale Crest condo in Sengkang, said price and location matter more.

Proximity to schools is also crucial, said the mother of two teenage children.

As for the use of ‘residences’, she said it reminded her not of a home or condominium, but of serviced apartments for foreigners here for a short stay.

Source : Sunday Times – 28 Feb 2010

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Condo has share of nuisance and ugly behaviour too

Posted on 20 Sep 2009 | Comments Off on Condo has share of nuisance and ugly behaviour too

You do not have to live in a Housing Board estate to have annoying neighbours. I live in a private condominium, and some of the residents drive me crazy.

Fortunately, my immediate neighbours are quiet and tidy.

However, the man who used to live above me had a habit of getting home drunk at 3am and making all sorts of noise.

When I spoke to him about it, he denied it was him and tried to blame it on the young family living two floors up. He also used to drag his furniture around the living room on a regular basis.

Some people in my condo hang their clothes and sheets over their balconies to dry, despite rules prohibiting such a practice.

The management says it frequently reminds people not to do so, but the selfish act continues.

I think the laundry makes the building look ugly, and I really don’t care to look at other people’s cheap, dingy sheets and unmentionables flapping in the wind.

It really spoils the lovely view from my 26th-storey apartment.

Also, children ride their skateboards into the glass doors and break them. This happens even though the management has posted signs and sent out fliers telling parents to control their children, and saying that skateboards, bicycles and rough games are not allowed on the walkways.

Once, an elderly woman was injured when someone threw a ball that hit her.

Despite constant reminders, these acts continue.

The pool was closed three times last year when someone defecated in it, and I once found a dirty diaper on the lawn out back by the driveway. I suspect someone tossed it out of his window. Disgusting.

The lifts usually have litter of some sort, and often smell like body odour or urine.

Dogs’ droppings litter the walkways and grass around the condo.

It wasn’t always this way. It has definitely become worse over the last couple of years.

I feel for the HDB dwellers who have to deal with similar annoyances, but at least they are not paying thousands of dollars in rent for the ‘privilege’ of living this way.

Sandra Johnson (Ms)

Source : Straits Times – 20 Sep 2009

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