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So we have checklists for buying a new car, and why not one for a new home? I've consolidated what I have previously written here, so everyone can benefit and also contribute and some of the info comes from other bros. Before we even go into the list, there are some basic things to do: - make sure everyone in the family agrees to this purchase, and whether it's for investment or as a home - check your financials well and get a large enough budget to buy and for renovations or other costs - do your homework! Check the online property forums, buy and sell places and see what your money can buy and which regions suit your needs best So, now onto the buying process Is it going to be landed, a flat or a condo? Some of the general principles which apply to all three types: Is the home paid for or is the seller still in debt and not bankrupt How many owners are there, and any divorce in process. Who is the legal owner or executer of the property if the owner is deceased? Is it tenanted and when does the lease run out Can you break the lease How old is the place. As a general rule, most places under 10 years can do without major renovations and you can use the piping, aircons and wiring. Most places above 20 years old will need more extension renovations - freehold, 999 years or Leasehold (how many years left) - location - is it within 1km to a primary school and how many places are there - sun direction - North South is the ideal - developer matters too - some are cheap and use poor quality materials - neighbours - good ones to whom you can entrust your keys, psycho ones, and nosy ones - visit the location at different times - if you go over a weekend it's usually quiet and the traffic is light, so see at at peak hours and see if there's any choke points and if the streets around it become very noisy or is there a school or some place that attracts a lot of noise - amenities eg market, food places, 24 grocery, petrol station, postbox - near work - near a clinic or GP - MRT, bus or good roads etc to work, school etc - wind : how well ventilated it the place - how high is the place - the interior of the place, can you salvage the parquet floor for example - TV reception - is there a fibre / home line (will cost $288 to run a new fibre line for example) - where is the mains and the PUB meter located - do you have the plans for the electricals Items specific to an apartment: - the shape of the unit, any odd unusable corners, how square is it - how many units are there? Is it going to be too crowded over the weekends to swim? - what are the amenities? Sometimes too many water features, landscaping or pools will mean higher costs to maintain - pools: regular shape? Good for swimming laps or merely for wading? Any lifeguards? - maintenance fees - sinking funds - more units will mean more people to share costs. Small developments will need larger contributions to fix items like lifts, repainting costs etc - number of lifts, is it private - ratio of parking lots to units and the number of visitor lots - number of entry and exits, side gates - how much power is there? As a rule, you need a minimum of 45A and up - any provision shops? - who runs the place? which security company do they employ? - get a copy of the house rules - eg no moving in hours and are there a lot of AirBnB listings? Items specific to houses: - plot ratio and GFA - zoning and potential developments of the area - who was the designer or builder and are they still around - cul de sac - land size, is it square or narrow, can you expand the built up area? (remember to account for set back if you do more than A&A) - soil analysis - is it reclaimed land - fengshui : water, wind and mountains etc - at a junction - noise level in the neighbourhood - any new developments - renovations or reconstruction can continue for years around the place - is there going to be enbloc or a new road running through the area - if the homes near you are going to be replaced by flats, the roads can be much busier - parking - flooding / ponding - any religious building around you or a popular eatery that attracts a lot of visitors eg illegal parking during peak periods and noise levels - any piped in gas... so you don't need to use gas tanks - any retaining wall, and is it near a 24 hour gas station - noise and fumes - is the place close to electrical plant or substation - how much power is there? Single Phase or Triple Phase (most modern terrace houses will have a triple phase 63A main DB, which can support the needs of most homes, even those with a swimming pool) Don’t forget to check for termites and mossies. How windy and well ventilated the place is. How wide is your lane and even the type of roof and tiles used. Bring a builder along to give you an idea of renovation costs.. But before you even look around, do the financials first. Make sure you have a loan approved in principle and also enough cash for the renovations with a 20 percent buffer. Then bring the check book for every viewing. A basic renovation for a landed place can go from 2-300k, and for a A&A you might be looking at twice that. Adding a new roof 50k, and a new floor around 150k. A tear down? It can be 600k and up and these costs don't include furniture or fittings. Time is the other factor you have to budget in. Add 20% to any schedule, especially if you are doing it around Chinese New Year or Christmas. Be detailed in your planning, for example: If you are doing a rebuild, make sure you work with your builder and neighbours. A small road - like the Countryside one, yes that 'wide' road, may not be able to take a full truck or a cement mixer coming in. And with such a long road, you need to coordinate with the entire road of owners, so they clear the road such that the truck can come in. Trust me, it's not a given nor an easy task. If a car gets scratched... be prepared for an ugly scene. So also check that your contractor is registered and has insurance. One of your neighbours might own a limited Maclaren that your builder just happens to nick whilst transporting your tiles into your plot... Are there any other persons building in the same area, maybe you two can work together and save cost on building materials or if the other person started first, they can share some of their experiences Is there space for your builders to park? Is there good road outs of your estate or are you reliant on a single exit which can get very clogged up during peak hours? Here's a BCA owner's checklist guide Finally, I would like to start that I'm not an agent. I'm just trying to share since others have helped me before and I'm giving a little back so everyone can benefit. But YOU and you alone need to get that info you need. No one will spoon feed you and there's no charity. You find those good deals, with the aid of a good agent. Look at as many areas as you can, and take your time. But timing is everything and sometimes, that dream home just pops up and you have to be ready. You snooze and you lose... Good luck! BCA Homeowners Guide.pdf

Worried about problems after buying a used car? The SAFE Checklist lets you better understand the car's condition before buying a pre-owned car.Vehicles are complex things. And for those who aren't familiar with cars, the car you've set your eyes on might just have underlying problems. There is only so much you can tell when you're viewing a car you want to buy. The engine bay might appear spotless, and the test drive - aside from the slight vibrations - went as well as you expected. But only after buying the car do you realise there's problems. The once spotless engine now has a leaky gasket requiring frequent oil top-ups, and the vibrations have gotten worse, no thanks to worn transmission mounts that have finally given way.This isn't uncommon, and we're sure you've heard stories. In 2019 alone, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) received more than 450 complaints pertaining to defective pre-owned cars. So how do you better understand your purchase, and the issues that might not be seen at first glance? Well, with the Standard and Functional Evaluation (SAFE) Checklist by CASE. By having the car professionally checked, it ensures that any underlying problems will be made known to you. Here's a step-by-step guide to buying your next car in confidence! 1. Find your dream car! Of course, the first step to getting a car is finding one. There are many ways to find a used car, and one of the easiest ways is to head to sgCarMart's used car listings. It is always a good idea to make a comparison, as well as finding out what are the hidden costs involved in buying a car, such as administrative fees. You can check out some tips on buying a used car here. But more than anything, it is always wise to find out more about the car's condition, or if any issues were fixed beforehand prior to the car being put up for sale. Once you decide on a particular car and are interested in finding out more about the condition of the car, you can proceed on to the next step. 2. Get a SAFE Checklist The SAFE Checklist by CASE is made for the evaluation of pre-owned cars. You can downloaded it here. With the SAFE Checklist, it will help you better understand the condition of the car from the dealer as well as a Professional Evaluation Centre. The Checklist will include two parts - Part A and Part B. Part A will be a declaration of the car's condition, while Part B will better help you understand what are the items that were checked by the Professional Evaluation Centres. 3. Get the dealer to check your car In Part A of the SAFE Checklist, the dealer will have to declare the condition to the best of their knowledge. This will include details such as warranty status and functional checks on its mechanical components, for instance the condition of the bodywork. The dealer can also highlight any problems from its own checks and attach it to the SAFE Checklist. It is advised that you keep a copy of this checklist after the dealer has completed it. 4. Send the car to a Professional Evaluation Centre After the dealer completes Part A of the Checklist, they will send the car for evaluation at a Professional Evaluation Centre. You can find more details of some of the Professional Evaluation Centres in Singapore within the SAFE Checklist Such an evaluation differs from the usual vehicle inspection. It is more thorough, and it gives buyers an objective understanding of the current condition and faults of the vehicle as assessed by a qualified individual of the Professional Evaluation Centre. Further checks will then be carried out on not just the vehicle's road-worthiness, but also to evaluate if there are any defects or mechanical problems - from leaks to missing components and even fluid levels. Part B of the Checklist is meant to help customers understand the evaluation report. If you have further queries on the evaluation, you can also contact the centres directly. 5. Compare and buy in confidence The SAFE Checklist offers you a better understanding of the car's condition. With it, you can make an informed choice when buying your next used car. It is an initiative by CASE to give you more information about the car that you're deciding to purchase, offering you more confidence. This little document can save you a lot of time and money in the future. The SAFE Checklist can be downloaded, here. You can find out more about the SAFE Checklist by CASE from their website, here. For your information: Brief guide on Lemon Law The Lemon Law was introduced in 2012 to protect consumers against defects of goods purchased. This law also covers pre-owned vehicles. If defects or issues arise six months from purchase, you could seek redress under the Lemon Law. The consumer may first ask the dealer to repair or replace the motorcar within a reasonable time period and without significant inconvenience to the consumer.If the dealer is unable to do so, the consumer can request a price reduction or a full refund if: i) the business did not provide repair/replacement within a reasonable time or without significant inconvenience to the consumer, OR ii) repair/replacement by the business is not possible, or is disproportionate in cost However, do note that for consumer-to-consumer transactions, such as purchasing your car from a direct owner or through a consignment agent, will not be covered. If you are facing issues with the pre-owned car you've just purchased, you can approach CASE for advice at its hotline 6100 0315, or website, here.

For the benefit of those who are about to collect their new cars, I'm posting up generic new car checklist. Some of the items may not apply to you if your car doesn't come with the feature. This is sure to make those SE's accompanying the new owners to have a real hard time New_Car_Checklist.doc New_Car_Checklist.pdf

We are very happy that we are working with Das WeltAuto, the official pre-owned car dealership from Volkswagen Group Singapore to come out with a fun and enriching MCF HangOut this coming February! Click Here and Sign Up for Free! Who should be going? Everyone! Bargain hunter, individuals who are looking for lightly used cars with heavily discounted prices, families who are looking to get a car, anyone interested in useful car tips - child seat tutorial and pre-owned checklist, everyone should join! What are we expecting? A Brand-New Showroom! Come and join us at Das WeltAuto newest showroom with a mini playground to entertain your children while you enrich yourself with some pre-owned car guide! - Child Seat Tutorial Teaching young parents how to properly install a child seat inside your upcoming car! Rearward-facing child seat Frontward-facing child seat Booster car seat Click Here and Sign Up for Free! - Pre-Owned Car Checklist guide by sgCarMart Editorial Team sgCarMart, the Singapore No.1 Car Portal will have their editorial team to have a Q&A session about pre-owned cars, Mr Julian Kho, Editor of sgCarMart will share with you all the pointers and things to note while you are purchasing a pre-owned vehicle. with that, you can command and conquer your next pre-owned car! - Lucky car bidding Das WeltAuto has pre-selected a management car that will be going up for our lucky car bidding. On the day itself, you guys stand a chance to bid this car at the price you want! The highest bidder will walk away with the car! Get ready your fastest arm and raise up in the air with all the speed you have! - Lucky Draw with $200 Grocery voucher to be won! Come down for this MCF HangOut with Das WeltAuto and you might get a chance to walk away with our lucky draw prizes! Click Here and Sign Up for Free! Date: 15 February 2019, Saturday Time: 11 am – 1.30 pm (Registration starts at 10.30 am.) Venue: Leng Kee Auto Point 24 Leng Kee Rd, Level 5, Singapore 159096 Event Highlights. 1030 - 1100 Registration Starts 1100 - 1115 Welcome speech from Mr Julian Kho, editor of sgCarMart 1115 - 1145 Child Seat Tutorial 1145 - 1215 Pre-owned car checklist by sgCarMart 1215 - 1245 Showroom walkabout & refreshments served 1245 - 1330 MCF Pre-owned bidding starts! 1330 - 1345 Lucky draw & Photo taking -end- Click Here and Sign Up for Free!

Hi.., usually when you rent car, when pick-up the car, what compulsory checklist must have?

Just want to share my experience on general car maintenance (conti and jap/Korean cars might differ): For Every 10,000km - change engine oil 20,000km - change brake fluid 30,000km - change tyres 60,000km - coolant replacement 80,000km - change ATF and timing belt system Please add to the list.

Hi guys, Please advise me what to look out for and check when renting a car?

just wondering if any of you guys done any rental hangover before for me always keen carrot looks ok but after returning deposit alot of problems any advice thanks

Hi, I couldn't find any extremely relevant links on old car buying list, so I'd like to invite all users to contribute to this link. If it's helpful enough, maybe it can become sticky and be of help to all future mycarforumers! Qn: From 1 - 5, list the 5 most important mechanical issues to lookout for when getting an old car... E.g. 1. Thoroughly worn out engines (and how to detect) 2. Cold start problems, 3. Aircon, 4. Suspension, 5. Major accidents affecting chassis of car If you also own an old car (i.e. more than 10 years of age, you're welcomed to name them)

I am collecting my new ride. Can any forumers share with me the checklist? Also what abt the link to the Vios club? Thanks

My friend is collecting his brand new car next week. Has any of you come across a comprehensive "New Car Collection " checklist? Cheers! & Thanks

HI there, I am new to this froum. Just purchased the new Mazda3 and require some sound advice.. 1) Is it really necessary to put tinting or uv protection like vkool or huper optik and which is recommended? 2)Enhanced sound proofing, what is done and is it necessary too?. 3)Lastly, i believe all new cars will come with anti-rust protection right?..except for the undercarriage? Is necessary for that?..