#FoundOn99co: Intuitive app interface leading to an efficient search

David Wong finds himself travelling and living in many different cities as part of his work; with very specific requirements and a tight schedule, he needed a quick and easy way to find an apartment to rent for a year. Through using the 99.co app for about a week, he arranged for 20 back-to-back apartment viewings with 14 different agents, decided on the home that suited his needs perfectly, and got the keys all within 24 hours. Read more on how he accomplished this feat:

Q: When and how did you start your search journey?

A: In March 2016, I found myself needing to rent an apartment in Singapore for a year for my job. Since my work requires me to travel a lot, I wasn’t in Singapore when I started my search, and so I had to rely on a good property listing app. I first tried PropertyGuru’s app, but their interface was not appealing to me. It was tough to use and I just didn’t like it. I gave up within a few minutes. I chanced upon 99.co’s app through a Facebook post and decided to try it out. 99.co’s clean and user-friendly interface made me stick to it.

I used 99.co for about a week to search and shortlist units for viewing while not even in Singapore. I move cities all the time, so I’m quite experienced in looking for apartments and I know exactly what I want. Besides the price, a listing’s pictures and details are very important to me when searching. If there are no pictures, I will not bother contacting the agent.

Since I look at the photos on the listings, I’ll know each apartment’s location and what they look like; I really just go for the viewings to get a “feel” of the apartment, after first seeing if they fit my criteria. So I think that helped – having a clear idea of what I wanted.

Q: Could you elaborate on the criteria you had for your apartment, and how 99.co’s search functions helped or hindered you?

I had a pretty specific list of requirements for my apartment – budget of $3,000, walking distance from my workplace at Amoy Street, and a few other miscellaneous requirements such as the amenities available as I wanted a swimming pool.

As this was a year ago, I cannot remember a lot about 99.co’s features. But 99.co’s great app interface left a lasting impression on me, and I just remembered a seamless search using the app, even with these requirements in mind. I even managed to get an apartment for $2,300 per month, saving myself $700! Within the week of using just 99.co, I scheduled for 20 viewings with potential apartments.

Q: How was your 24 hours in Singapore?

A: I landed in Singapore at 12pm and started my viewing for 8 hours. I gave the agents very specific brief of my expectations so they knew exactly what I wanted. At about 8pm, I finished all the viewings and finalised my decision 2 hours later. I contacted the agent, signed the contract, and got the keys for the apartment by 10pm. I got back to my hotel to rest for the night and by next morning, I moved in. Right on time at 12pm, I flew out of Singapore for another business meeting.

Q: Any concluding remarks?

A: I think 99.co’s app really helped me to get the deal done so efficiently. The intuitive app interface made it really easy for me to search for the perfect apartment, as well as to communicate and schedule the various viewings with agents. I would definitely recommend 99.co to anyone searching for a home in Singapore.