Settling in Sentosa

After a short stint in a busier corner of Singapore, KATARINA DAMREE and family decided on a slice of island life instead, with a move to Sentosa.

Tell us a little about yourself.

We’re a culturally blended family – I’m Korean-American from all over the US, but mainly California; my husband is French-Mauritian from Paris. We met while both living in NYC and now have two children, ages three and five. Since getting married in NYC in 2016, we’ve lived in London, Oslo and now Singapore, and have moved house a total of six times. We’ve been busy and have gotten used to setting up a home quickly!

Where did you first live when you came to Singapore, and why?

The first thing on our agenda upon arriving last year was finding a place to call home, choose schools for the kids, and find a helper (as a mom of young children, this was one of the reasons why I agreed to move to Singapore!). My husband’s job had already started upon arrival so there was no time to waste.

We stayed in a serviced apartment in River Valley during this time as it wasn’t too far from a friend’s house. However, coming from sleepy Oslo, we were a bit shell-shocked with the high-rise life and frenetic pace of bustling Singapore. I initially had trouble sleeping as there was so much urban energy everywhere; I knew I needed a calmer environment in the long run.

What properties did you look at?

In our second week, we drove around neighbourhoods like Serangoon and the Botanic Gardens, but Sentosa had always been a target for me even before moving. It just sounded so good: ocean, boats, jungle and close to the CBD.

Our Sentosa condo was the fourth place we saw, and we just fell in love as soon as we entered the space. With the views of nature and water, abundant natural light, modern design, and calm walkability of the neighbourhood, while still being accessible to everything Singapore has to offer, it just felt like we had found a gem. We finally moved in last October.