Heaven, Hell and HDB Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Tuesday, July 23, 2013

There were so much happenings in the month of June, 2013 here in and around Reiki Sanctuary.  For all the events that took place, I was sure they happened for good reasons.  They filled valuable lessons that needed to be learned - the positive ones for our growth and appreciation while the negative ones were for our reflection and acceptance.  Everything that happened, after all, were about providence of good changes.

First, there were various HDB activities.  All these activities came with noise and dust.  After the lift upgrading which was carried out in 2011 - Read: The Re-Making of Reiki Sanctuary and Read: What a Wonderful, Wonderful ..., HDB did more things to repair and restore, hence beautifying, the blocks of flat.  HDB repaired the rubbish chute and had it cleaned up and gave a new waterproof wall.

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The Tenet of Soul Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Invest in your spiritual growth.  True spirituality is inclusive, embracing others. It is true wealth.


It is said that our body language tells all kinds of stories.  It signals fragments of our moods, our emotions and, in some instances, our silent unspoken thought.  It is a communication without words yet all the body actions, gestures and expressions carry subliminal messages.  It tells a story from our subconscious mind which would normally be associated with particular habits, behaviours and attitude. 

This non-verbal communication sends out significant expressions that become the story, our life story.  It is a sensory modality used to modify meaning and convey emotions.  It is a non-verbal frequency code, a para language, producing from the universal language of the mind, consciously or unconsciously.

From the way we sit, the way we stand, the way our body reacts to how and when our hands move - these sequences that combine from the various ways following the pattern of our thoughts and emotions, documents the non-verbal words to become our life story.  Stories are told from body posture, facial expressions to our pitch, volume and intonation of speech.

Amazingly, body language produces waves of colors too.  These colors change depending on the tone and emotion that are emitted with each body actions, gestures and expressions.  Gentle tone and emotion emit subtle earth tone colors of yellow, green, blue, brown, gray and white.  Whereas a strong tone and emotion whirl with fiery colors of red, dark oranges, dark gray and dark brown.

Inasmuch the body language is a subtle and unspoken language of human communication, the state of a house tells another kind of stories.  A story of the soul, a representation of our earthly lives.  Of our mindset on the way we think, the way we perceive things and the values that we live by.  Of how people come together to bring hope, courage, inspiration and love around the community.

Everything around our home environment mirrors our inner self.  It reflects how free spirited, or clouded, the mind and soul are.  It speaks volume about the consciousness of the mind of the dweller.

From how we decorate it and the color of the walls we choose, how we place certain items at certain places to how much we take care of its neatness and cleanliness.  The painting that we choose to hang in certain area in the house, the ornaments that we place on our bedside table and the color we choose for the bedroom, these signify the language of our soul.

"Language of the House Soul"

(The story here, sitting in a Dining Room which is also the Health and Unity Grid [of Tibetan Geomancy] in Reiki Sanctuary, is about enjoying harmony in complexity.  It is about achieving a desire to bond, to communicate, to embrace with gentleness with all the sensitivity of issues of life.  It is about to be able to focus in meaningful issues surround life and to enhance on the healthy state of Being.)

Many messages, many life stories, are told just from the ways the decoration in the house are placed.  A house carries integrity of those who live within it.  It reflects the personality and attitude, basically grouped as our core value.  It is said that you can tell a lot about a person by how he decorates the house.

It creates the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energies that carve out the landscapes of our lives.  It places the soul of soul, the mindset to be filled with motivational life values and the fruition, for love of life, for love of self, for love of others and for love of all the living and non-living things.

I always like to observe the state, the condition and all the surroundings in a house.  How seriously the dweller respects it.  How seriously the dweller treats it.  How the dweller takes pride to call it a home, or it is just a place to sleep.  On the pride of how things are organized.  On the behaviors of the dweller to interact with a particular area.

It is interesting to hear the reasons the dweller cares little to tidy up things.  Or why cleanliness and neatness are important.  The reasons the house can just be left to accumulate clutter.  Or why creating Law of Vacuum is the order of the day.  Why a stained cup can be left laying unwashed and the dirty linens can be everywhere around the house.  Why the beds are not done.  Why the floors are not mopped.  Why a stain can still be a stain few days later.

How do these attitudes become so casual?  How, above and beyond survival utility, we grasp our ability to make things important - the worthy of appreciation, time, energy, effort and sacrifice.

The soul of the house carries within itself specific energy that vibrates with the souls of the inhabitants, the dwellers.  This energy - the Yin Yang, heightens its Universal Power only when both the internal (the home) and external (the building) are in harmony.

While the interior decoration speaks volume about the people living within the house, the structure of the building (or the house) aligns itself with the Universe.  In Tibetan Geomancy, a house consists of nine grids which reveal how each area is connected to specific aspects of Life.  In each grid, there is a specific energy frequency that works in partnership with the Law of Attractions and Vibrations.  Together, the decorations and these grids form the geometry.

I have spent many years to understand the algorithm mechanics of these grids.  At how energies can just spring.  At how harmony can be invited.  How a space can be sacred.  How foundation can be anchored.  How abundance can be Just Is.  How the bad energies are generated.  

Started with great scepticism, I have started to see great validation and accomplishments.  To apply the concept of Tibetan Geomancy, think of the house as the Heaven on Earth and the inhabitants as the human cobweb.  Each must work with each other to form partnership to create values.

While we cannot change the structure of Nature - the sun will rise in the East and it sets in the West, the values that we put in inside the house will make the difference.   It is the balance to keep the Yin-Yang in harmony.  It is giving a heightened sense of well being and vitality.  Expansion of core value gives a greater sense of well being, authenticity and connection to the Universe.

The Universe is a portal of great abundance with no boundaries and limitless.  Hence, we need to provide direction for this abundance to enter into the house, into our lives.  We have to create the door-way, we have to create the values.  Values do not exist in nature.  We will never see a signage in the sky (say) a heart's contentment, a successful career, or pile of money.  All of these Universal Abundance is imposed by innate human to create it.

Stories of Some HDB 

(The Tibetan Geomancy Interpretations):

3-Room HBD Flat

There is lack in relationship that can cause in difficulty in finding a love mate or problems in existing relationship.  What the dwellers get will not be what they need or want.

3-Room HDB Flat

Abundance, in the form of wealth and prosperity, is in order.  There is always sufficient (more than enough) cash flow.  Abundance does not stagnate and comes with just a little hard work.

4-Room HDB Flat

Often, there is a limit in the ability to learn, make wise decisions and to improve.  There would always be ideas but, somehow, they are just a scattered desire.

4-Room HDB Flat

There is unity and family harmony here.  More than often, the dwellers are health conscious and there is always a meaningful central focus in life.

5-Room HDB Flat

There are blocks to the flow to support life.  Often, the dwellers feel like they are 'living alone'.  It also inhibits plans to travel or move home.

5-Room HDB Flat

There is hardship with prosperity and fortunate blessings.  Cash flow is often clogged to cause overall financial situation to stagnate and make it hard work to create abundance in life.

Executive Apartment HDB Flat

There is excitement with fame and reputation.  There is big supply with enthusiasm, passion and inspiration.

Executive Maisonnette HDB Flat

Often, the dwellers tend to experience blocks in creativity, struggle in bringing projects to fruition and difficulties in relationships with younger people and children or people working for the dwellers

(PS:  Please note that these qualitative analyses, from the different HDB flats, are not supported from the energy point.  It is just a rough guide.)

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The Re-Making of Reiki Sanctuary Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Thursday, September 08, 2011

Ruts are as hard to get out of as they are easy to fall into.


Two things that make me happy today. 

One, as I walked out of the house earlier today, I was greeted with so much light.  Haha, it was not about an angelic light nor was it any thunder of light greeted upon me.  It was about the brightness of space, of new walls and paints, as I opened the door.  Just outside of Reiki Sanctuary, things had changed - but for now that story can wait.

Two, as I signed into my blog, I found that a friend had (yes! at last!) updated his blog (Life Is Still Good).  It was all smiles as I read his entry.  Smile, cos I had often encouraged everyone and anyone to strive for a clean, uncluttered and tidy house.  Smile, cos I had (probably) made this friend to think about the Law of Vacuum.

Smile, because I am so happy that this friend and, also, my sister are taking charge to change the course of their lives.  They engage themselves to be proactive.  That, in order to change for better energies within us, our environment needs to be accorded with change too.  It needs to synchronize with each other to balance the harmony.

These two individuals, my dear friend and my dearest sister, were spring cleaning their house!  This, I truly believe, will change about everything around them.

We do not have to wait for a right occasion to change an environment around us.  Especially when it has to do with house cleaning.  Personally, we should always be proud of our home; it is an heaven on earth.  It houses our psychical, mental, emotional and spiritual body.  It is, therefore, only right that we take good care of it to provide our body with all the infinite universal wealth upon us.

When we take charge to work in partnership with all the things around us, giving life to each and every living and non living things, we stride ourselves into a higher plane.  We start to acknowledge the abundance of life.  We integrate with an infinite universal soul, where all our wants and wishes in life will no longer have limits nor boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude.

This is my message to him -- Congratulations, my dear friend!  It is nice to hear that you have taken the actions where you 'decided to put (yourself) in the driver's seat .. and take control (of it)'!  Just as it is comfortable for us to look good and it is important to feel clean everyday, the soul of the house needs the same emotions too.  I strongly believe that your energy, and all of your vibrations (inside and outside), will start to change hereon.

This is my message to my sister -- Congratulations and Best Wishes.  As it is, just with starting a small area cleaning up your kitchen, you have already felt so much different.  I am glad to hear that abundance has also come when you started cleaning up the Wealth Area in your house too.  There will be many more good things awaiting.  But, importantly, there will be thousand folds of joy and peace that will envelope you and your family.

---

One of the reasons that I decided on the recent two weeks' spring cleaning, it had to do with the almost completion of the Lift Upgrading Program.  Reiki Sanctuary had kinda suffered from heavy noises and flying dusts for the last four months.  There were heavy structural hacking of walls and construction of new parapet walkways.  She had been caged-in with most of her windows closed all throughout the day, six days a week from eight in the morning till six in the evening.

Still, there were fragments of dust sipped through.  There were dusts on the kitchen tops.  There were dusts on the floor tiles, from the living to kitchen and toilet.  There were dusts on the balcony chengal woods.  There were dusts on all the plants.

Now (with the latest letter from the contractor) that all the necessary structural hacking will come to an end soon, my conscience compelled for a head start to bring Reiki Sanctuary back to her glory.  These four months have been long.

I have been avoiding having much friends over soon as the Upgrading started.  I just do not feel good to invite them.  But, in all the inconveniences, I truly appreciate the hard works of all the workers.  It was, indeed, hard and tiring laborious tasks.  It was all for the convenience of the residents.


Chronological Photo Story:

Early June 2011.
Workers started to erect scaffolds from the ground floor up.

Mid August 2011.
Hacked of walls for lift (far left of picture)
Constructed concrete parapet walkway and railings (center of picture)

Mid July to Early September 2011.
An everyday sight just outside Reiki Sanctuary.  A locked gate towards the newly built concrete parapet walkway towards the new lift.

Today.
Removed of scaffolds with newly painted walls.
Indeed, it is now so bright and .. OMG, beautiful!  Yes, I feel 'so new' living here.

Today.
Workers removing scaffolds on lower ground.

Today.
The newly built concrete parapet walkway towards the new (incomplete) lift.

Today.
This is a new feature to the block (New rails on staircase landing).  Previously, it was a slab of wall.  With the Upgrading, it has been replaced with railing.  It definitely brings in the light.  Unfortunately, the picture does not justify it.

Today.
Just standing outside Reiki Sanctuary, it gives me with a new feeling.  I feel uplifted, energized and somewhat thrilled.



And I just have to wait for the end to come!, and hopefully pretty soon.  I was telling a friend today, as she dropped by, that it would be nice just to walk on the walkway to and fro the lift.

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The Extra Mile Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Monday, July 14, 2008

I really must take my hat off to Chiauw.  She wasted no time and was at HDB Branch Office at 9 am this morning.  Instead of dealing with the Technical Officer, she requested to meet with the Head of Department instead. In a way, it was a good idea to sort things out with the Head and to have a much clearer process for our renovation - to all the Can and Can't. As it is, there seems to have lots of rules and regulations to HDB home renovation. 

I guess, her meeting was about getting an approval immediately, to all the works required for Reiki Sanctuary, so that our renovation will not face with more hiccups. 

Our primary concerns:

01.  Levelling up MBR and MBR Toilet floor, or with minimum drop,

02.  Installing minimum height false ceiling all throughout the house and not affected by HDB floor-ceiling limit,

03.  Boxing up all the huge sanitary plumbing pipes inside the two toilets.

I was surprised that she managed to get the Head to come down to the site for personal inspection.  At 11.45 am, together with the Head, she went through the design engineer problem and got him to approve our ideas.  We learned that the previous contractors and owner didn't hack the floor tiles but instead just did an overlay.  Doing so, it raised the floor height higher.

We managed to get the approval for false ceiling all throughout the house except the toilets.  Also, an approval to level the floor of our MBR and MBR toilet was given.  Well done and thumbs up, Chiauw!

I don't think we can get such a service should we have engaged an Interior Designer.  With Chiauw, we explored every possibilities and not compromising our dreams for Reiki Sanctuary.  We just want a clean and seamless look all throughout the house.

Chiauw met us after her meeting (with the Head) and we were back to the Drawing Board - for the rest of the afternoon and ended at about 6.30 pm.  This time, it was getting too technical - she was educating us about inlay and outlay, flaming floor tiles for the shower areas and few other things that we were not so interested.  When Chiauw left, we had bad headache and refused to think about the renovation for awhile.

Chiauw is workaholic.  At 10 p.m., she dropped by again to ask us few more questions.

For the next few days, these are works that will be carried out:

01.  Levelling and screeding of the floors
02.  Waterproofing test for kitchen and MBR and Guest toilets
03.  Laying of sanitary plumbing pipes

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.. to The Drawing Board 9 Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Monday, June 23, 2008

Here is the final layout for the socket outlets in Reiki Sanctuary - there are 52 points all throughout the house! Hmm, not sure if that is just too many but definitely it is something that, we think, is properly taught off. Every electrical appliances and gadgets in Reiki Sanctuary will have their own 'house'. 

We are trying to do away with extension cords and electrical power extenders in the future.  Basically, we want a neat and tidy wiring system and that each home appliances and other electrical gadgets in Reiki Sanctuary have its own dedicated socket.

Personally, we find it effective (and perhaps, cool) that no two electrical gadgets will share the same one socket (just like when we were in Hertford). Perhaps, it will be more cost effective too and lessen the worries of power surges.

Electrical Points

As HDB does not allow conceal wiring, it is important to lay the wires carefully.  Chiauw promises to work very closely with the electrician and to 'hide' as much of the electrical wiring.  We will be using white Legrand Mallia series:

For Lighting Switches:

Legrand Mallia 2 rocker switch

For Cable and Telephone:

Legrand SCV-Telephone Socket

For Socket Outlet:

It will be nicer and neater if only we can conceal the wires and to use this socket:

Legrand Socket for Conceal Wiring

*Sigh*, unfortunately, we have to settle with this type of double socket:

Legrand Mallia Double Sockets

Chiauw is going to hide lots of such sockets either inside a cabinet/console and to use a waterproof switch socket and isolator.

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Light In The Sky Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Monday, June 09, 2008

At 4 p.m. today, we are [supposedly] the official owner of Block xxx, Jurong East Street xx, #05-xxx.  It ends the house hunt, it closes the resale transaction .. and a new day has come.

HDB Resale Completion

The meeting with the HDB officer was a jiffy - in about 15 minutes, it was all over.  We walked out of the officer's office with a bunch of keys but left HDB Hub empty handed. 

We had to return the keys to the sellers and requested that they have to hand them back to us on 28th June.  We also mentioned that we want to start renovation from 23th June onwards. 

Ah, a rather crissed crossed crashed of dates - fact is, we do not wish to wait any longer.  I felt somewhat awkward - a lack of ease and unhandy, having to delay the possession of the flat.  It's like you-have-it-yet-you-don't and leaving you with more anxiety.

On a lighter note, the sweetest thing the sellers did was to hand me the bunch of keys clipped in a key chain with a big letter 'K'.  They have bought the key chain as a gift.  The wife smiled as she passed it to me, 'this is meant for you'.  I wasn't aware of it till her husband showed me the word 'kind' inscribed and fits snugly at one corner.  It touches me and it makes me harder to rush them on their renovation and to get them to move out earliest possible.

After they departed, we had a little argument with the house agent.  He insisted that we should pay him the commission today.  Geez, it really spoilt my mood.  First, we have not received any official invoice from his company.  Second, we told him that we will only pay half of the commission and will pay the remainder when we get the keys.  He got quite unreasonable citing that his 'duty' has now completed.  He was, obviously, angry.

We decided to give in as we didn't want to spoil such a nice day.

Somehow, it makes me a little restless ...

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And the Countdown Begins .. Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Thursday, June 05, 2008

In an unusual way, our completion date transpired via a telephone call rather through an official HDB letter. 

I have been religiously checking on 'My HDB Page' - an online HDB e-Services, for the last few days and there is no indication that the resale complete date has been scheduled.  The last check at 5 p.m. still showed the same old status where the resale application has been approved.

HDB Sale Approval

What's a synchronicity! 
Yesterday, I was checking with another friend who applied for resale flat and he had been scheduled for the second appointment mid next week.  His 1st appointment with HDB was two weeks after ours.  He received an official letter from HDB about three days ago.  That is, supposedly, the standard practice - buyers/sellers will be notified at least a week in advance.

At about 5.45 p.m., I received a call from Mr Wong - the seller's agent, informing me that HDB has scheduled the resale completion on Monday, 9 June. 

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!  A check at our mailbox showed no letter.  Ah, and within an hour from my last online check, the status has changed.

HDB Sale Completion

I am filled with joy - happy that the wait is finally going to be over and we shall be closer to our Reiki Sanctuary.  On Monday, at 4 p.m., we will be officially signing the last of the resale documents, making the full payment and shall be handed the house keys.

Ah, and as the excitement settled, it brings sadness too.  Suddenly, everything about Hertford becomes large - the air, the space, the wall, the ceiling, the smell, the noise, the light - each of her energy reaching out for attention.  The missing-you feeling intensified and I just have to cry for her, again.

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And the Countdown Begins .. Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Thursday, June 05, 2008

In an unusual way, our completion date transpired via a telephone call rather through an official HDB letter.  I have been religiously checking on 'My HDB Page' - an online HDB e-Services, for the last few days and there is no indication that the resale complete date has been scheduled.  The last check at 5 p.m. still showed the same old status where the resale application has been approved.

HDB Sale Approval

What's a synchronicity!  Yesterday, I was checking with another friend who applied for resale flat and he had been scheduled for the second appointment mid next week.  His 1st appointment with HDB was two weeks after ours.  He received an official letter from HDB about three days ago.  That is, supposedly, the standard practice - buyers/sellers will be notified at least a week in advance.
At about 5.45 p.m., I received a call from Mr Wong - the seller's agent, informing me that HDB has scheduled the resale completion on Monday, 9 June.  Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!  A check at our mailbox showed no letter.  Ah, and within an hour from my last online check, the status has changed.

HDB Sale Completion

I am filled with joy - happy that the wait is finally going to be over and we shall be closer to our Reiki Sanctuary.  On Monday, at 4 p.m., we will be officially signing the last of the resale documents, making the full payment and shall be handed the house keys.

Ah, and as the excitement settled, it brings sadness too.  Suddenly, everything about Hertford becomes large - the air, the space, the wall, the ceiling, the smell, the noise, the light - each of her energy reaching out for attention.  The missing-you feeling intensified and I just have to cry for her, again.

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Getting the Housing Agent to work .. Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Everyday is about learning.  When we bought the flat, we didn't know that we need to give the housing agent one percent commission.  We took for granted, from our first experience with Hertford, that only the seller would pay the two percent commission and nothing from the buyer.
We felt rather short-changed when the agent told us that this is industry practise for HDB transactions.  Hmm, giving the agent commission and what he does is only to submit the paper work to HDB?
Mr Wong, the agent, has a wierd way of doing his business.  When we first met him to view the house, we were introduced to his 'another buyer', a lady who came with him, to view.   However, while we were busy looking around the house and asking questions with the seller, she did not seem to be interested.  Later that evening, we met the lady again when Mr Wong brought us to meet the seller to finalise the Offer To Purchase.  It was pretty obvious that the lady could either be his girl friend or his wife.  Haha, how could a potential 'another buyer' spent the whole day with him, even accompanying him when we were signing the option papers?
I guess that is how some agents conduct their business.  However, that approach does not appeal to us.  Perhaps, he does sense our thought and tries to make amends.  When we get him to retrieve the house plan for us, he did it.  When we get him to report about the yellowish patch - probably water sippage, with HDB branch office, he did it.
Overall, he is a nice guy but over enthusiastic.  He is rather resourceful.  With every simple questions that we ask him, he would go at length to provide us with information.
All said, all the best to you, Mr Wong!  Guess, we are all not so perfect, afterall.

---

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Unexpected Abundance Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Thursday, May 01, 2008

Law of Attractions and Vibrations - yes, that is what all our life evolve around with.  What you think about is what you become.  And, what we truly seek, is what we will get.

Making that calculated choice to be in Jurong East - we relied only on our priorities but unknown with the unexpected twist of luck, brings along with a piece of good news as announced by the National Development Ministry. 

We didn't expect that Jurong East would "undergo a transformation that could propel the estate to the forefront of the suburban property market" as reported in Sunday Times April 13.  It makes our choice a good investment for our future.

Not that we are planning to sell and make a profit - and the time allowed by HDB to sell is after five years,  but it will definitely give us a better opportunity and comfortable economic outlook for our old age. 

Property experts feel that Jurong East public flats have strong potential upside and an increase of five to 10 percent in the next two years.  Surely, when the whole Master Plan for the estate is completed, prices would increase significantly too.

When the transformation is completed, it becomes the largest commercial hub outside the Central Business Distriction and rivals Marina Bay in size.  It will outsize Tampines, now Singapore's biggest suburban commercial hub, with its size of 360ha. 

The transformation involves the building of new waterways, 1,000 private homes and 2,800 hotel rooms as well as the addition of 500,000 sq m of office space and 250,000 of retail space.

This is the least unexpected abundance that greets us so early with our plan to move.  And, there is so much to look forward.

Ministry of National Development Plan of Jurong Lake District: - from Sunday Times, 13 April

Jurong Lake District

Some of my friends called me when they heard about this news:

"Hey, did you know about this before you bought your place?"

No.  We just want to be thankful that the government is doing such thing.  Indeed, we feel very fortunate.  When we purchased the unit, the property market has also softened a little.

It reminds me of the time we bought Hertford too.

"Wow, both of you are very lucky!"
"It is a good move!"

Thank you.  We are grateful for all these.  We have made some plans for our old age and one of it is to have an early retirement.  I envision that the property in Jurong East will pick up, just like Toa Payoh and Bishan, and it will make us confident to have a comfortable old age.
*******************************************************************

We are very grateful! Thank You!

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The New Nest Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Saturday, March 15, 2008

We probably had viewed less than 10 units since the day we started hunting for a house three weeks ago. We viewed mostly in Jurong East area when we found one that we like best. 

We made three appointments that Saturday with three different housing agents.  They were all a five rooms' flats either door to door or a point block unit.  Strangely, we didn't actually view a 4 room flat throughout the house hunt. 

It was probably the price difference between them, which was not much, and to go for a 5 room would be a better economical choice.

Luck was with us.  We actually liked the very first unit we viewed that morning but didn't want to commit.  After viewing the other two units, we decided to make an offer.  We were told by the agent that there was already an offer made by another party.  We stood firm with our Cash Over Value offer and told him to consider us.

I believed the works of the Universe.  It was the work of Law of Vibrations and Attraction.  We signed the Offer To Purchase that very evening with the seller and omitted the 14 days grace period.

The house plan:
- Size Area:  121sq m
- Type: 5 Improved
- Age of Block:  23 years
- Floor:  5th
- Door: East
- Balcony:  North

Original Layout

And this is how it looks like in 3D.

Original Layout in 3D

The setback:

As much as we wanted a fast transaction, which is normally will take three months to complete the buy-sale of the house, we were told that we needed to give the seller a month extension after the sale completion with HDB. 

The sellers, an elderly couple with no children in their late 60s, decided to downgrade.  To us, they made a wise decision.  At least, they will have the cash to last them through.  Wishing you all the best, Mr & Mrs Monteiro.

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The Search Written by : Reiki Sanctuary Date : Saturday, March 15, 2008

After much thoughts, and lotsa discussions, we decided that our new house should fall within these few criterias:

01.  Budget

We set the price to be less than S$350K, maximum including of COV.  This will give us less financial burden for our future.  It will limit our search, but at least, we will have a clearer picture as to which part of Singapore we shall be concentrating.

02.  Flat Size/Lease

To be realistic with our set budget - and not move away from our goal, we can only look for an old HDB blocks.  Newer blocks will not be cheap.  We want, rather it is me who want it, a 4 rooms or 5 rooms flat.  The unit has to be door to door and not along any corridor.

I guess after staying in Hertford for so long, it will not be easy for us to stay in a unit along a corridor with many immediate neighbours next to us.  There is nothing wrong with neighbours.  However, we are used to a quiet environment.

At the same time, I prefer to have bigger space.

A 3 rooms' flat suits our needs actually.  But I want to think ahead and to live to honour the abundance in our moment now.  It can be an alternative route for our future ahead too.

We like the newer HDB designs with tall glass windows almost all throughout the house.  There is also the extra service yard where your washing machine can be away from the kitchen area.  Plus, there is the airconditioning compressor area.  Well, as much as they are nice, it is way beyond our budget.

03.  Flat Layout

As I conduct simple Tibetan Geomancy, the layout of the flat must be, preferably, square or rectangle and every bagua is within the house.  This will be a challenge to hunt for the ideal one.

04.  Location

The choice for location becomes clearer with such a budget. 

We can choose Sengkang or Punggol and enjoy the new flats but it is, definitely, not convenient when it comes to work proximity.  Prices in other estates, along NEL, are also not cheap based on the size flat that we are looking for.

Estates east of Singapore, like Tampines and Bedok, are out of the question.  The next possibility is looking west - this is also nearer to work but without the MRT.

Ideally, we prefer to be in central area - afterall, we are used to it for the last 20 years.

05.  The Hunt

We decide to start with Jurong East and Bukit Batok.

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