Shauna, 35, and her fiance, Hendry, come from very large families. Between them, they have two sets of parents, seven siblings with their partners and many nieces and nephews. Laughing, she says, “We are a family of 22, and it always feels like we are having a party!”
A Checklist for the Perfect Home
Staying with family has many advantages—the home is always lively, and everyone gets to spend lots of quality time together, whether it’s over meals or other hobbies. But the soon-to-wed Shauna and Hendry wanted a place to call their own; one that would truly fit their personalities and lifestyle, and one that they could design according to their vision and preferred aesthetic.
As they were used to being so close to family, they had one non-negotiable criterion: the apartment must be located between both family homes. Other considerations included practical, square-shaped rooms and plenty of storage space. As Shauna did not have a car at that point, accessibility was another priority and they wanted something close to an MRT station.
They also realised that a study room was becoming essential as remote working had become the norm during the pandemic. Finally, they “didn’t want to lose each other in rooms”, so preferred an open kitchen concept.
Shortlisting Homes That Fit The Bill
For Shauna, PropertyGuru was an important tool for finding the right home. Using the many search filters, she could tailor her search according to her personal checklist and narrow down her choices efficiently. Shauna is a brand manager at a luxury furniture retail store. Because she is in the interior design and furnishing industry, she found that having access to the property floor plans on the listings was particularly helpful.
“The floor plans really helped me to map out and envision what the space would look like.
Shauna is also a licensed real estate agent. In this aspect, PropertyGuru has helped her beyond her own personal home search. Shauna shares that she is also able to get connected with more property seekers who she can assist.
“With everything being online nowadays, sellers can reach out to agents through platforms such as PropertyGuru,” she shares.
The Renovation Journey
When Shauna and Hendry first viewed the 2-bedroom apartment, what drew her to it was the large amount of natural light streaming into the unit with its floor to (almost) ceiling panels of glass. It was bright and well-lit without facing the harsh afternoon sunlight.
The 15-year-old apartment was in its original condition and looked ready for a new coat of paint and more. Shauna says she was brimming with ideas and was excited about all the changes they could make to the house to put their stamp on it.
She candidly admits that all that was possible because Hendry was open-minded and would go along with all her suggestions. They kept the bare shell of the house, but worked on revamping everything else to what they had envisioned. “We knocked down the walls to have an open kitchen. We added a wine fridge underneath the kitchen counter,” she adds.
A New Place for Bonding
Aside from being the couple’s personal haven, Shauna and Hendry’s new home has also become a new place of bonding for their large family.
“We meet our families at least once a week. Our typical weekend (before COVID-19) involved us hosting themed house parties. We prefer staying in as it is more comfortable. Plus, a few siblings are very good cooks! It is the perfect way to bond, so what’s not to enjoy?” Shauna smiles.
Their apartment purchase has inspired their friends too, “We sort of got the ball rolling,” Shauna says excitedly.
We wish Shauna and Hendry the very best for their upcoming wedding and hope they enjoy many big family parties in their new home.
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