.::. Our home feature on Renotalk .::.

Our home is featured on one of the articles on Renotalk.

http://www.renotalk.com/articles/431/Scandinavian-Scent

It isn't much, simply a compilation of the pictures that I have already shared online like 2 years ago, and they got me to answer a few questions which they did not publish in full. I suppose that part about asking people to reconsider H.E.R.F flooring and highlighting its potential issues wouldn't do their advertisement fees good. Neither will my humble contractor with his little firm look good on their site.

I still recommend my contractor without reservations, mainly because I feel that he's an honest and responsible business man who gets things done. He visits his projects daily around the island and has a dedicated group of mostly Malaysian workers unlike many who have switched to bangalas and ah tiongs. He's definitely not the cheapest, but have been very responsive and prompt throughout the whole renovation and accommodated all our delays with our carpentry. Most importantly, if there are issues, you can talk to him and get things solved.  I suppose it's the trust and rapport we had when working with him. I've wrote about my experience with him extensively - just click on 'renovation' on the right.

We still keep in contact with him and are on good terms. People who know him would know that he's quite funny, prompt and down-to-earth. He has atrocious english, and even his mandarin isn't that good when it comes to writing. Sometimes, when I tell him that some people complain that he's not responsive and did not reply emails, he would ask me to help tell those people to call him instead of sending him emails (in English). He has very very bad English, so don't expect replies when he can barely understand the contents. I think it's a problem to work with him if you can't speak mandarin or malay.

Here's his contact and Facebook page where you can see his other projects. His other project was featured in My Paper but did not mention him too - papers seem to like publicizing big ID names but make no mention of contractors who does the job.

Kevin
9022 - 2321

https://www.facebook.com/pages/H2O-Interior-Renovation/536321743070166

.::. Our Dream Home .::.

So it's been a year since we've moved in and I've finally found the time to do up a before-after and completed pictures of our dream home. It's been a long journey for us, and unlike most couples, being able to buy a HDB flat and building our love nest from scratch and finally getting hitched after dating since teenagers has been a very challenging task in so many ways. Those who has been following my renovation journey would have had a glimpse of the pain we had. Perhaps that makes it more sweet for us and makes us cherish each other more. And someday, maybe we will look back and laugh at all the horrible stuff that made us stronger.

It has been difficult to make before-after pictures because I realized that I did not take many pictures of the empty house. I mean, everything was white-washed and looked so similar!

Here's the living room.

And here's the kitchen where I spend a lot of time in.

The huge common toilet.

The MBR.

Here's the tiny MBR toilet.

Filling our living room up with things. I love our furniture that cost us an arm and a leg - all solid oak wood.

The cozy living room.

This is newly added and done up almost a year after renovation, after we've recovered financially. I sit here to enjoy the sunset often with music on. I guess it gives more sitting space for guests and makes the bay window more useful than it was.

The Eames lounge chair was also newly added - it was the husband's birthday present. Something that he has been eyeing since before we started renovation. We were too broke to get everything then and he chose to get me my papa chair first.

The huge mirror is also new. The small ikea one warped after like half a year. We got Mr K to customize one for us and it really expands the space visually. It's also supposedly good fengshui.

Here's the dining area where our guests spend most of their time at.

All my favorite things.

View from the entrance. I'm not sure if it's obvious, but the concept was to have 2 similar borders - the entrance one and my bay window one.

I love my open-concept kitchen. The husband can do his stuff on the dining table while I cook and we can still chat and see each other. And no, it's not an issue even though I cook often. I do not deep fry at home and only use very little olive oil for stir-fry though. Smells are also not a problem as the wind comes from either end of the kitchen and gets blown out quickly.

The sideboard is our messy corner where we drop our wallets and coins and letters.

This is our bedroom where we spend most of our time in. The bed was the most expensive piece of furniture at home and I love it! It's a Sealy hotel-series which I fell in love with at Four Seasons Hotel. We wanted to bedroom to be dark (dim-out curtains and grey walls) for sleeping and spacious. We also added a small cupboard on the bay window to block out an awkward small panel of
window. I think it'll be great storage when kids come along, and we actually hardly open the curtains as we like to sleep in the dark.

That about sums up the main areas of our dream home. It's not big really and I already have ideas for another renovation. I love how homes are a blank canvas which you could work your creativity upon and create a space and feel that best suits your taste and lifestyle. At the end of the day, it's the people who live together and whom you love that really matters and makes the home a homely place.

With that, we live in our dream home, happily ever after.

Dreams do come true! All of mine did.

Good luck people! =)

Dining table/sideboard - Commune at Millennia Walk
Papa Bear Chair/Eames Lounge Chair/TV console/Coffee table - Lorgan's the retro store
Sofa/bench/MBR drawers - Star Living
Bed: Sealy (frame from Sealy IMM)
Bedside tables/track lights/pendant lights/dining chairs: Taobao

.::. Sunsets .::.

I love sunsets, perhaps because I'm not a morning person. Ever since we did up the bay window, I spent quite some time sitting on it to enjoy the sunsets or simply laze on it with music on after a long day. It's usually breezy, and sometimes the dog stays on my lap and look out together.

Home. It's really a place I feel safe and love.

.::. Million-dollar View .::.

Everytime I go over to the neighbor's place, I get out of the lift and stare at the view in awe.



This view is going to fetch quite abit of money in a few years time.  Units with this facing and at least 30 stories high would enjoy this view. It's really windy and makes you feel like you're floating above it all. I love the sunset and varying twilight. And this was taken with an iPhone!

Someday, home would be a penthouse with a great view and a lap-pool downstairs. Just imagine waking up to such a view and enjoying the breeze everyday.

One can just dream, right?

.::. Sale of Balance Flats - May’2013 .::.

HDB has launched yet another ‘Sale of balance flat’ this year. It seems really frequent in the recent years, with the last one in September 2012.

Prices are generally higher than BTO since the waiting time is so much shorter - we got our keys in March 2012 for the SOBF in September 2011.

Yet again, there are still some units from Casa Clementi.  Home-hunters are coming to the estate to view the units again, some even ask to view the interior. Most of them weren't available during the September 2011 exercise, none of them were offered during September 2012. Prices, while higher than September 2011, did not seem to increase since September 2012.

I was looking at the prices and realized that in the September 2012 SOBF exercise, they simply added 66k to all prices! Lower levels would have lost out.

This was the comparison between September 2011 and 2012.

And this is the comparison between September 2011 and May 2013. Prices are up by about 13% since we bought our place. The biggest unit at the 40th level has broken the 600k mark (more than 600k even when you buy direct from HDB!!!. But then, the view is spectacular and very windy really, and I'm somewhat envious every time I drop by the neighbor's place. This unit was never offered during the past 3 SOBF exercise.

Despite some complaints about the neighborhood, I love how we've a 24-hour supermarket just downstairs, 2 clinics and a bakery, good bus connections to everywhere, the hawker and market nearby and swimming pool 5-minutes away.

Good luck people! Choosing your love nest has got to be one of the most exciting thing one can do. The other would be renovating your dream home.

.::. I love my neighbors! .::.

It has been almost a year since we got our keys and about half a year since we have moved in.  We’ve settled in really well actually, and the best thing which happened to us has got to be our neighbors.

We actually got to know them through Facebook.  Our original Facebook page was created by an ID soliciting for business.  He actually found my blog and added me to the group.  Through it, we got to know other neighbors and the closer ones formed another group as the ID started removing posts which shared other contacts or good deals.  Somehow along the way, a close group formed and it’s really amazing to have a close knitted group of friends staying in the estate.

We started with gathering for dinners to get to know each other.  Till date, we’ve a wadsapp group and have dinner and outings together often.  JY cooks the best lotus root soup, we bake together, cook together, eat together, shop together.  We had help moving our purchases from Ikea, installing our curtain rods and mirrors, laminating our main door.  We share all sorts of good deals, help each other buy stuff, and just went to the zoo together.  We started playing badminton weekly at the sports hall just behind the estate and go jogging/swimming together these days – even the husband who has flatly refused any form of exercise for the past 8 years joins us!

It’s truly amazing and something I really cherish.  This is especially so as you find it harder to make new friends as you grow older.  It’s difficult to meet people who genuinely wants to be friends instead of wanting to sell you something or drag you to church.

As the Chinese saying goes, "Better good neighbors near, than relatives far".

I miss staying in HDB.  I feel that neighbors tend to be closer in HDB than in private estates, and the people are generally more down-to-earth without airs.    It’s not important what car you drive nor what job you hold.  I remember how my grandmothers knew all the neighbors and how they chat often.  I ran around the corridor as a kid and everyone knew me.  I don’t quite understand the obsession with private housing.  Houses are expensive to maintain and repair, private apartments with facilities are nice but often small and cost quite abit monthly.  If possible, I’d like to die in my HDB flat and have my turquoise-themed jazz funeral downstairs, with friends singing karaoke!

And because of the close proximity, we meet very often and it makes us know each other a lot quicker.  There’s so many of us from different walks of life and different ages, and we talk about everything under the sun – from renovation, sales, food, childbirth, in-laws, baking, exercise, jobs – everything really!

This was last September when we first joined them for dinner.

And this was last October when we were mobilized within a day to help with a proposal in the estate.

They bought me my one and only cake for my birthday this year.  My actual birthday was actually during the honeymoon and they surprised me with a cake on the eve of our wedding.  I was packing and getting ready at home, totally tired, when they suddenly turned up with a cake.  *super touched*

Just few weeks back, they suddenly presented me with birthday-cum-housewarming gifts. 

We just went to the zoo together too, using their free corporate passes.

It’s just the little things everyday that makes me so thankful to have known these people.  Some days, we get desserts or food delivered to our doorstep, and there’s always something to look forward to everyday.

We are very truly blessed.  May all positive forces prevail and surround us, shoo all bad people away.  =)

.::. Renovation .::.

Have been recommending my contractor to quite a few other people, and following his other projects on renotalk.

It makes me sad about my carpentry all over again.  Mr K's carpentry is almost flawless, with all the drawers perfectly aligned and the exposed plywood has beautiful grains.

Thinking of my carpentry work makes me fume all over again.  We could have had a very smooth and perfect renovation that ended months before.  Yet we end up with so many issues and frustrations with incompetent people who simply refuse to admit any fault but point fingers at us for being fussy instead.

The husband is right.  He has no sense of integrity nor courage to admit his mistakes.  All he knows is to hide and push the blame to everyone else except himself.  God should do something about him.  I pray for all the victims who has lost money in his previous and current businesses. Seriously.

And here's another beautiful home by Mr K:

http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=50063&st=0

And I really love the plywood that Mr K uses, just look at the 90 degree joint:

http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=44623&st=840

My plywood is seriously sh*t, with holes and gaps of different colors and tones. =(

Our home looks beautiful, yes.  But I know it's not perfect, I know when I look at the edges and see the ugly plywood.  

Can't believe that we are paying 15k for such shit work.  _|_

.::. Carpentry nightmare continues .::.

Day 102 - Friday 

Backsplash was still not up although kitchen was ready more than a month ago. The relative must have sat on it as usual, everything is stuck at his end. I finally got a call from a Binson guy (just found out that he’s the project coordinator from the relative’s company) on Friday, asking if they could come and install backsplash later that evening. The husband got him to contact me directly since he was travelling. I told him that I’ll be available from 6pm onwards, and he requested for a later timing – between 9-10pm. Although it was a tad late, I agreed, since I really did not want to drag this any longer. Binson asked for my permission to give the backsplash guy (Ah liang) my phone number, and I obviously agreed, so that he could contact me if anything crops up.

So there I was, waiting alone at our home on a Friday night till almost 11pm and there was still no sign of my backsplash guy, no calls from Binson nor Ah Liang. I tried to call Binson up, but his phone was off. The husband landed at 10pm and asked me to go home when I told him what happened. We have not moved in and it was getting really late.

Ah liang finally called me at around 11pm, telling me that he’s at Balestier. It was way too late by the time he arrives, and I asked him to arrange for Saturday installation. He wasn’t able to give me a timing and told me that he will call me again to ‘let me know tomorrow’. It’s as if my life and schedule revolved around these people. I told him that I’ll be available from 3pm onwards, and he could come anytime after that, but give me a call first.


Day 103 - Saturday 

Ah liang gave me a call at 10am, telling me that he can come now, arriving at about 11am. I already had something on and again told him after 3pm. We waited all till 630pm till he finally called and told us that he can’t make it today. He didn’t have any evening slots the week ahead too, and promised to come at 10-11am on Monday. I made him double-confirm that and had to get my parents to come over to wait for him since both of us were obviously working.

Day 105 - Monday

I was at a meeting, till my dad told me that ah liang was still not here when it’s already past 11am. I asked my dad to call ah liang directly since I wasn’t able to, and the husband did not reply to my message. Ah liang told my dad after lunch at around 2pm. The husband later got the message and called Binson. Binson told my husband that I wanted to liaise with ah liang directly and he was not in the loop. Basically, he does not know what happened and the flippant attitude was like it’s none of his business.

I was so angry!  This Binson simply arranged this and did not follow up, not knowing that the backsplash was not done. Now, he’s putting words into my mouth saying that I wanted to liaise directly (I said no such thing), shrinking all responsibility. He told the husband that ah liang will come at 1pm.

So, ah liang says 2pm, Binson says 1pm. I called this Binson up, wanting to confirm the timing and confront him on the point that I wanted to liaise with ah liang directly. And when I told him that his guy did not come on Friday night, asking him if he told my husband that I wanted to liaise directly with ah liang, he hung up on me. I was so pissed and tried to call him again. After several attempts, he finally answered and told me that if I wanted to talk to him, talk to him properly. I continued, telling him that I did not say I wanted to liaise with ah liang directly, he hung up again! And refused to pick up my call anymore.

I was so **** angry.   

This Binson was so rude and simply shrunk all responsibility by saying I wanted to liaise with ah liang directly. What sort of customer-facing person would have such attitude and have the nerve to hang up on disgruntled customers when his guy did not turn up as scheduled on 3 different days. Then, refused to even confirm timing nor apologize and simply shrink all responsibility, like it’s not his problem. No apology, no explanation, simply hang up and tell you that he will only talk to you if you ‘talk to him properly’. I was seriously fuming mad. He’s a project coordinator, and did not even do his job and have the nerve to have such attitude.

It’s already bad enough to stand us up 2 days in a row, and another to not turn up when I had to ask my parents to help and waste their time like that. I called Ah liang up again, and luckily he had the basic manners to apologize and explain himself. Even the sub-contractor had better manners than the project coordinator from a huge ID firm. Having said that, our backsplash is not white as we requested, and the silicon was not done properly, there’re visible gaps/holes, probably a job done hurriedly.

Something is very wrong with this relative’s company. Apart from poor workmanship, extensive delays, everyone is complaining about the bad service and staff refusing to pick up calls nor account for anything after the contract is signed. The communication between customers’ specifications and sub-contractors or carpenters is non-existent resulting in wrong works everywhere. It’s honestly appalling and the most frustrating thing is their attitude – not apologetic and still arrogant and rude which makes everything unbearably frustrating. Bad reviews from disgruntled customers are spurting in the cyberspace and forums, and our experience was exactly similar despite being relatives.

I suppose that given the relative’s attitude and poor management, his employees are embolden to act the same way towards customers too. After going through this nightmare for the past 3 months, I really do not wish that anyone has to go through this. I see no merit in engaging their services, and no one part of our experience was even bearable nor acceptable. We had no choice but to appease the MIL, but everyone else have and can make the choice.

Nobody deserves such bad service and quality. Nobody!  

Day 106 - Tuesday

MIL sent us an email, saying that we 'resort to tactics' as we got the sinks to be installed not knowing that our solid top was not granite..she also claimed that our tiler should have done the granite as granite is cut by the same cutter..this is despite the fact that she made us choose them because 'she wants the best for us'..yet when it's apparent that workmanship was so poor with such bad attitudes and delays, we were blamed for being fussy and unreasonable among many other things.  I can't comprehend why, and this was my response:

(1) Right from the start, we wanted granite. We have included it in the contract, just so that things are clear and there will not be disputes as such later on. We have also communicated this through email, sms, face-to-face discussions and reconfirmed this with the carpenter, knowing that they were extremely prone to errors. We have done everything within our means to remind and reconfirm our requirements.

(2) I'm not sure where you get the information that tilers cut granite. Have you seen the cutter that tilers use? Have you seen how thick granite is? People choose granite because it's hard and scratch resistant. It is not possible to cut it using the tilers cutters. Which brings us back to the point that we only wanted one contractor to complete all works to avoid such issues. Anyone would agree that granite is part of carpentry and should be done by the carpenter side.

(3) As from point (1), everything was communicated right from the start. It's not reasonable to accuse us of ' resort to using tactics since we have made it very clear right from the start. If it was not possible, they should not have signed the contract and informed us during our discussions or communications. We did 'look out for one another' by relaying our requirements again and again throughout, by sending reminder emails and sms even though it should be something very straightforward.

(4) The only reason why we went ahead to fix taps and basins was because we did not know that it was solid top and not granite. We only suspected that ours was not granite when we visited our neighbor's house and realized that their black galaxy granite was so shiny with beautiful grains. It was then that we started getting neighbors and other contractors over to confirm that it was not granite before confronting Yuri and Uncle Simon.

(5) I do not know Binson personally, and neither would any of the other customers he liaises with. Anyone can appear to be jovial in front of their boss to protect his rice bowl. However, how does he handle his customers behind your backs is something which you do not get to experience first hand. Whatever it is, it is extremely rude to hang up on your customer and tell them rudely that 'If you want to talk to me, talk to me properly' and hang up yet again. I agree that things like this can happen, but customers are bound to be disgruntled when they wait for 3 different days and still nobody shows up. Backsplash was ready to be up a month ago. I had to get my parents to go down and wait to accommodate their time since I do not wish to drag
things any further. The least he could do was to apologize to a disgruntled customer instead of hanging up twice with such attitude and refusing to answer further calls nor confirm timing. Even the installer Ah Liang had the basic manners to apologize. It seems like such customer service is condoned and accepted. There is bound to be pressure especially when all their jobs are delayed and there are so many disgruntled customers. Does he do the same to other disgruntled customers when there are delays and issues? Is such a person suitable to be a project coordinator when things were not coordinated and he hangs up on customers instead of apologizing?

I agree and understand that everyone makes mistakes. However, the most important thing is to admit the mistake, accept the consequences, apologize and learn from them. We are not unreasonable people, yet it's really frustrating that we receive such treatment and getting the blame for the mistakes they have made. They initially admitted to the mistake and agreed to change it for us, but now you're saying that my contractor was supposed to do it?

I was asked if I thought that his company was shit and useless when we went down that day. My answer is simple - ask your customers and measure your own performance. How many customers are happy? How many jobs are completed on time? How many customers requirements were met? How many customers call to complain? If anyone refuse to see and admit the truth, nobody can make them.

It's pointless (and very disappointing) for us to continue insisting and trying prove what we wanted and end up having the tables turned and getting blamed for 'using tactics'. I will take it as a lesson learnt and move on, and I hope that we will not have to go to such situations again. 

Day 113

After several email correspondence between us and MIL/relative, they are still pushing the blame on the solid top (instead of granite). And it seems like MIL thinks I'm at fault for 'scolding' the Binson guy who coordinated our backsplash but did not show up on 3 different occasions.  It seems like this Binson guy has resigned.

Today, the backsplash guy Ah Liang called me and said that someone from relative company got him to arrange a time with me on this Saturday because my backsplash color was wrong and he will dismantle it to change. I arranged it at 3pm this Saturday.

Then, it seems like MIL will be coming down and she's saying that backsplash cannot be white unless crystal glass is used which costs more. According to her, backsplash guy will be coming to talk and she will iron things out with him - not change it as I've been told.

I've checked around and it seems possible if they use transparent glass and spray it white. They have all sorts of excuse for every mistake they make. If white was not possible, why didn't they tell us beforehand?! If it's not possible, we should have been informed and decide if we wanted to top up to have a white backsplash correct? 

Day 114

Called the backsplash guy just to confirm my understanding of what's going to happen on Saturday.  It was the guy doing measurement who answered instead of installer.  Installer simply said wrong color, coming to dismantle while this measurement guy said that they delivered according to that the relative ordered and it is greenish glass sprayed white. He will bring samples over and said that the pure white one which we requested for is more expensive. Honestly, I do not care since that was what we requested for and should be delivered as nothing was raised to us before.

The shocking thing is, the backsplash guy said that he will not be doing anything till the relative's company pays him.  He's a new supplier, and it's only his 3rd month working with them. He only got paid the first month and partially the second month. Afterwhich the relative went MIA. He had no choice but to visit his showroom and realize that many other customers and suppliers are also waiting for the relative who refused to picked up calls.  The whole world is looking for the relative and no supplier is willing to take up his jobs now. He will only come to let them know that he has delivered accordingly. I told him it's pointless showing me samples, since I will simply choose the white one like what I requested originally. It's pointless to come if he's not going to change it.

He also said that many other customers' homes were worse than mine, he kept getting scolded. Some asked him why is he here, they have called the police. Some showed him the bad workmanship saying that bangalas did everything and they weren't satisfied with any single piece of carpentry. Some of them started way before me, which is already more than 3 months. Basically, all jobs under them are screwed and he has went into hiding and simply not contactable. The binson guy is biting all the bullets while his boss refuses to answer calls. Perhaps that's why he was so rude and hung up on me, and the MIL/relative is so protective of him..

I can't be sure if everything he said was true, but there are indeed many complaints online and everyone is suffering from the same extended delays, poor workmanship, wrong specifications.

I still can't believe that MIL is still on his side and blaming us without admitting to any fault when things have come to this stage. It's obviously his problem when everyone is suffering the same problems while he point fingers at everyone else but himself.  The amazing thing is, it seems like he has changed a company name and moving his showroom.  Suing him is probably useless since there's only an empty shell left, but Singapore is so small, where can you hide?

Karma will find its way.  

If you have relatives like that, who needs enemies?

.::. Casa Clementi September 2012 SOBF .::.

HDB has yet again launched the Sales of Balance Flats just a few days before.  The neighbors have been actively discussing about the remaining units being sold in our estate, rejoicing how we have made paper profits for our flats which have yet again appreciated.  It is exactly a year since we chose our flats in September 2011 (and we have not moved in!), and prices have increased by an average of 13.62%.  Some attributed the increase to our proximity to schools and the NUS which is just a few bus-stops away.  Room rental in the estate is on average $800/room and could easily fetch $4000 for whole units in a few years’ time.

So, how do you calculate HDB prices and how high is the inflation for public housing in a year?



I'm one of those excited ones who made a whole excel spreadsheet about the rental yields, resale prices and SOBF prices for all units offered in Casa Clementi in Sept 2011.  I did a comparison of the 2011 prices vs 2012 prices only for the exact same unit (4-room flats).  Out of the 15 units offered this round, 14 were offered in 2011. Average price was $459psf in 2011 but has went up to a whopping $515psf in 2012.  Although sample size is different, it gives a good picture of the direction of price increase within a year.  Assuming that a flat costing $500k last September, the same flat would cost about $568k now.  That’s a 68k difference in a year, which equates easily to a year’s income for a couple.  Factor in the interests paid over 30 years, and the difference can be really substantial.  5-room flats are going for more than $600k in our estate, direct from HDB.  I heard Tiong Bahru 5-roomers have hit almost $700k direct from HDB too.

In terms of flat availability, there’s no difference since our flats were ready for key collection 6 months after balloting.  This would probably be similar with the current round as flat selection and keys collection are usually 2 different appointments.

Comparing these prices to Clementi Ridges launched a few months ago, it's slightly pricier as Clementi Ridges was selling at an average of $504psf.  However, these flats are available now while Clementi Ridges will only be ready many years later - when we are almost eligible to sell our flats.

At this rate, seriously, $1 million flats are totally possible with first-hand prices this high.  And would the prices drop someday?  I think not, not when PAP is in power anyway.  Imagine the backlash if prices dipped and everyone is losing money yet buried in debt.  Then again, most people would have to buy another HDB if they were to sell theirs.  So unless they are willing to downgrade or move to a less central location, this paper profits would not be realized.  I will sell my flat if it hits above $850k!

I love our estate, perhaps because we have got to know quite a few neighbors and have become a close-knitted community in the past few months. Whatever you need, there’s always help nearby. Some days, we have dinner together while others, we do grocery shopping together.  I actually like staying in HDB, and I miss the feel of knowing your neighbors well.  It brings back lots of childhood memories when grandma used to know the left-right-up-down neighbors.  My neighbors have helped me to get stuff from Ikea repeatedly since they were also going down, and helped to get customized acrylic panels for my toilets among other things.  Knowing these nice people have made me look forward to moving in and it’s really great to have friends nearby, in your very own estate.

So now, the question is to buy or not to buy?  I would still say, buy if you can afford (and happen to be lucky enough to get a ballot number) although it's a lot pricier.  But as prices go up, locations become key and central locations with amenities will always command a premium.  Even if our housing nose-dives, prices in mature estates will definitely hold better.  It won't be easy for people to move from less central areas to central locations as prices rise exponentially in mature estates.

Perhaps I should go and check out the latest resale prices in Clementi and do an analysis about it soon.

Inflation is ridiculous, buy now than later!

.::. He's the cook! .::.

We've started staying over on Saturdays these 2 weeks, and have spent quite abit of time with the neighbors.  Time passes by so quickly, and we barely have enough time to do laundry and vacuum/mop the floor every weekend.

We spent Saturday night at the neighbor's place and I cooked 2 dishes.  They have been so nice to us, driving us around and borrowing things like drills and helping us get doorbells and what's not.  When our place wasn't ready and we were there to clean, we always had somewhere to drop by for dinner.  I'm so thankful to have nice neighbors and help just a few steps away.



Used my Le Cruset pot for the first time, cooking one of my favorite childhood dishes.



And tomato prawns, another of my personal favorite.



This was a group picture some time back, when we had steamboat.



And this is the husband, cooking for me the first time in the past 8 years.  It's also probably the first time he woke up before me (he usually snoozes and refused to get out of bed no matter how many times I nudge him).  To my horror, he was cooking when I got out to bed.  Very shocked indeed.



After almost 2 hours and using 4 pots, numerous spoons and bowls, I finally got to eat!  I didn't finish it, since it was really heavy as he boiled potatoes (his favorite) and chopped it up for the omelette.



Had to take a picture together to remember this special day.

I'm not so sure if I'd like him cooking in my kitchen, but I'm really very grateful for his effort.  But I think that getting him to cook a meal would probably take a full 8 hours with the preparation and cleaning. =p I guess he is really tired after preparing breakfast.

I have also started moving things over bit by bit.



This is the beautiful blackboard magnet door with my prized possessions and ugly handwriting.



And the feature wall in the middle of our living room houses a beautiful couple now.

I guess I can get used to waking up to home-cooked breakfast by the husband!

.::. Gratitude .::.

Today, we have finally chosen our sideboard, coffee table and lounge chair for the home.  All the pieces we have chosen are very classic and popular.  I love the sexy lines of the sideboard and coffee table, and I ended up choosing Scandinavian green for my Papa Chair. We've yet again burnt a hole in our pockets, and would need to be thrifty for the next 2 months. Solid wood furniture are really not cheap but I truly love every piece of furniture in our home.  They add so much warmth to the home.  *ouch*

I'm filled with so much love for our new home, and overflowing with gratitude for how everything has eventually turned out.

Thank you my dear.

Dear god, thank you for always blessing me and giving me a hand to fulfill all my dreams and visions.

Can't wait for them to be delivered, and it's time to get my gown altered and prepare the home for the photoshoot in barely 6 weeks.

.::. Day 93 .::.

Today, we celebrate another little milestone in our journey. We had our first meal at our home. We sat down and finished the last 2 episode of Amazing Race on the sofa. We cleaned our home the first time together - he vacuumed while I mopped.  The home is almost ready now, and it really feels like home.

View from entrance.

View from kitchen.

Dining table with bench.

Living area.

View from corridor.

View from sofa.

Corridor.

MBR mattress (we haven't bought a bed frame). Surprisingly, we still have quite abit of space in the room!

The fridge came later in the day, and the shoe cabinet is not getting enough attention since my door is always open. I love the entrance's crystal light.

The kitchen looks like this now.

There's so much to be thankful for, so much to look forward to and so much to celebrate.

I'm thankful for such a great and loving husband, such nice neighbors (they got me a 'opening soon' and 'open' sign plus a door stopper for my 'cafe' and even drove me to grocery shopping and carried them up for me), really supportive parents who helped me moved stuff and waited for my deliveries while I was at work, amazing friends who will visit and bring my kitchenaid over tomorrow!

Really looking forward to afternoon tea with the girls tomorrow.  =)