blog | Cove

discover our insider lifestyle features covering Singapore’s co-living scene, well-being, things to do, places to visit, trendy eateries and beyond.

A condensed insight on how Shawn the intern managed his mandatory quarantine ordeal. Good news for those of you flying in to Singapore, SHN has been reduced back to 14 days!

If you give me 21 days I will share with you what I did over my SHN

For those of you who are curious about the Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) experience at a dedicated facility, fret not! Earlier last month, I had taken it upon myself to live through the full 21-days (at its P2HA peak), and document my journeys in keeping sane/warding off boredom!


Earlier this year at the start of March, I received an email offer for an internship as a video creative at Cove Singapore -- to which I gladly accepted! After getting the billion and one documents ready (including my flight tickets, an approval letter from the Malaysian government to exit Malaysia, an approval letter from the Singaporean government to enter Singapore, a negative test result for a Covid-19 swab test, a health declaration form for Changi Airport, and the official internship offer email), I was set to embark on my 14(+7) day journey to Singapore.


I left on a late-night flight from East Malaysia, and landed at Changi Airport at about 11pm; but despite my checking in at about 6ish in the evening, the normally 3-hour long process (from entering one airport to leaving the other) took about 7 hours in total with (much appreciated) additional health and safety protocols as well as (less appreciated) flight delays. 


Thankfully, the flight was moderately empty as was the airport and moving through immigration and all was relatively smooth. Up till when I left Changi airport, where I would be spending the next 14(+7) days was a mystery -- I actually only found out on the drive out from Changi by eavesdropping on the driver’s phone call with the administration team. After the whole immigration checkpoint, post-flight swab test, and SHN facility designation ordeals at Changi, I had finally checked in to the Conrad Centennial at 1am in the morning. 



When I came to in the morning to actually take in my surroundings, the room turned out to be more spacious than what I would normally be used to. This was especially so with the mini ‘living room’ space between the bed and the television -- it seemed like one could easily fit two whole yoga mats with room to spare! I say that like someone who religiously does that when instead, I just moved the in-room couch to the front of my bed for a better television experience.


Other than that, it was really great to have a whole king-size bed to myself with the poofiest pillows and a super luxurious duvet (for those ice-cold mornings that follow waking up in a hotel room)! 


Sharing the generous length of the bedroom, was the bathroom which included a full-sized bathtub, a separate rain shower, a toilet, and a very long countertop that had two sinks for some reason (not complaining though!)


Thankfully the room came with a small table, a padded chair, and really fast wifi that I coupled together into a makeshift workspace to manage my work-from-home endeavours. Having almost full-sized windows on the adjacent wall with a captivating view of the bay area made it distracting at times but in the best way possible.


In terms of amenities, the bathroom came with a healthy stockpile of the usual toiletries, but also a small sponge and a mini-bottle of dishwashing liquid to match because the Conrad Centennial opted in to greener initiatives by providing a set of metal cutlery pieces in place of separate disposable ones for every meal (major bravo!). 


Aside from the weekly towel/linen refresh, the hotel would send up extra toiletries and all at no extra charge -- however that stopped there as anything beyond that such as laundry cost were not included.


I also drink a bit more water per day than that of my peers so I made use of the in-room electric kettle and a water pitcher (that I had to make a special request for) to forego receiving countless measly bottles of water -- and subsequently chip in towards sustainable environmental practices too. 


Because housekeeping services were off the table, I took extra care to keep things nice and clean overall -- including making sure not to spill any liquids/sauces over the carpet, carefully consolidating/minimising dry trash, doing regular wipedowns across the bathroom surfaces, and religiously making my bed every morning. At the very least, keeping to routines like that did help keep my sanity in check at times, if not just my personal hygiene in general!


I don’t think this is the same for all of the SHN facilities across Singapore but the Conrad Centennial had subscribed to this online food menu system with about 3 options per meal. Namely 1 normal-vegetarian option, 1 with meat-based protein, and 1 also-vegetarian-but-with-specifically-vege-based-meat-alternative-proteins option (i.e. tofu-meat) to help coordinate SHN meals. 


I occasionally strayed from my usual preference for meat-based protein options out of sheer curiosity, but overall the meals were really very quite decent with little to complain about! Imagine the kind of meals you’d put together at a cai fan store you frequent regularly out of sheer laziness to cook a meal after work and you’d get pretty close to what I had for 21 days. 


From the food catering styled labels on the food packets it seems like all of this must have been the work of Shiok Kitchen’s catering services so shoutout to them for the yummy experience! 😊



Some recurring meal elements included pasta/spaghetti, steamed rice, chickpeas in a tomato-ey sauce, cheese croquettes/begedils, steamed vegetables, and a lot of coriander (which I didn’t mind, but that might just separate me from most). More often than not, these meals would also include lovely little tidbits and snacks like mini packs of twisties and oreos, cut fruit, and even delicious Malay kuihs on Eid! 


Overtime, I had my own little stockpile of snacks and bites that I accrued over meals and through deliveries from friends near and dear. 😊


Funny enough, just a couple of days into my initially 14-day SHN, Singapore went into a Phase Two Heightened Alert state which extended my SHN by about another week at an additional S$1000. Thankfully I had rationed my snack pile pretty well, and also brought over a small container of laundry detergent to hand-wash some laundry for the unanticipated extension. 


Aside from snacking and working-from-home, I resorted to playing a bit of HIdeo Kojima’s Death Stranding (which I had earlier saved for SHN consumption), as well as binging (but in short bursts) the Netflix’s Narcos series to kill time -- both of which I’d recommend to any fellow gamer or tv-phile stuck in quarantine! 


It is rare to have this much time on your hands to really indulge in time-consuming titles that would normally set off your inner guilt alarms left right and centre so overall I definitely enjoyed being able to unwind as such.


Altogether I feel like I had a sustained amount of social interactions from the daily check-ins by staff at the Ministry of Manpower/Health, occasional calls from friends and family, and frequent Zoom meetings with the colleagues which negated the ‘isolation’ to a degree. 


If I had to give any additional advice to prospective SHN-ers, I would suggest to have a variety of things to do/keep occupied over the quarantine period -- I personally took to movies and video games but you do you pal, be it working out (bring a yoga mat), reading (pack a small variety of genres perhaps), or even sewing-knitting (but bring enough thread/have your local friends send you some) whatever floats your boat!


At the end of it, I’d say that it was nice to have a good amount of alone time with my thoughts and self, but also I packed up really quickly on the last day and rushed home as quickly as the cab driver could go so maybe more of a one-and-done experience for me on hindsight. 


Thankfully, SHN has now been reduced back to 14 days! To keep updated with the latest border restrictions, visit the MOM website to find out more.

This Father's Day, let's celebrate the hero who have shaped our lives. 🦸‍♂️  

These dads have very insightful advice for other dads!

Brave, charming, confident, cool and funny.


According to tosaylib.com, those are the top 5 words to describe a great dad. In honour of Father’s Day, let’s find out if the dads at Cove have all those 5 qualities!


Covid-19 surely has made Nicholas miss his elder daughter, China, a lot more. That’s because she’s currently away in Melbourne, Australia pursuing her studies.


“We haven’t seen her since December 2019, and not sure when we are going to be able to see her again,” shared our Head of Finance.


“It has been a very difficult time not actually being able to give her a hug and I am sure it has been very difficult for her.”


While they have been communicating regularly over FaceTime and WhatsApp, Nicholas admitted that it’s just not the same as meeting her face-to-face.


As for his teenage twins, Nikita and Trinity, the main challenge raising them is to get the girls out of their room and off their computers!

Nicholas with his 3 girls at Great Ocean Road, Victoria in July 2018


Before Covid, Nicholas would frequently travel for work and would be too exhausted when he got back home. Despite all that, he made sure he devoted his time doing things with his family such as skiing and riding bikes when they were living in New Jersey.


Nicholas’ advice to dads out there is to spend as much time as kids grow up very fast and find something in common with your kids. As Nicholas is a very outdoor person, he loves skiing and riding bikes with his daughters. His wife, Corina on the other hand is an avid amateur photographer and painter. So, the kids would spend time with Corina drawing!


After being married for almost 7 years, Nihita Almuntazar Saragih, or Tata, came into Fachmi’s life.

Fachmi with his daughter, Tata and his wife, Puspita Aulia Siagian.


Tata will be turning 1 in a few days (her birthday falls on 20th June), which also means that our Business Development Underwriting Manager in Indonesia has been a dad for a year!


“Once you become a dad, you need to lead this little family and be a good leader. So our kids can follow our path and maybe become their role models too.”


Fachmi also mentioned that dads have to be more mature and logical in their behaviour as the little ones are always observing the adults. So they know that their parents are showing good examples to them which they can emulate.


To ensure that his daughter gets to spend quality time with him, Fachmi usually plays with his daughter after work before her bedtime and dedicates his weekend solely to his family.


Looking back at his childhood, he recalled how his dad was rather strict with him with his studies but didn't really support him in whatever he was passionate about. He understood that it was for his own good to prepare himself for the working world. This is why he’d want his daughter to have the best education and also an unforgettable childhood memory as well by supporting his daughter in her hobbies.


“I hope she can be whatever she wants to be!”


Fachmi’s advice to all dads? Please be a cool dad! 😎


Radithia believes that every father has to be a good role model for their kids and also a good husband to their wife. It is important to manage time efficiently, between work and family, and always plan for quality family time.


It is crucial for dads to have a vision and mission for themselves and their family.


“The purpose of this is to make yourself always motivated and trying your best,” shared our Accounts and Admin Executive at Indonesia.

Radithia with his wife, Vini Qawiyyu and daughter, Edelweiss.


His wish for his 5 month old daughter, Edelweiss, is for her to be a good woman, and always love her family and share kindness with everyone.


Working from home sure has its perks. Such as wearing your pajamas to Zoom calls, and working right from your bed.


But for Rizky, one of the challenges (or maybe perks, depending on how you see it) is that his 2-year-old son, Sastra, would often enter his home office during meetings! 😂


That aside, Rizky made sure that from 6 till 10pm on weekdays, he makes time to play with Sastra.


“I hope he'll grow up healthy and with strong characteristics, someone who won’t give up easily!”


Comparing fatherhood when he was a kid versus now, Rizky mentioned how kids nowadays are so much smarter because of the internet. That being said, he made sure that he’s at least 2 steps ahead of his kid so that he is able to educate his son more in life.


Rizky is also expecting a daughter sometime in September, congrats! 👶


His advice to couples thinking to have kids, “do it, do not hesitate.”


And to dads, he urged all to continue making lame dad jokes as dads thrive on it!


As for our Senior Interior Designer, Gabriel, spending time with his daughter, Eliana, in the morning before work and in the evening after work has been a religious routine.


“I rise early to have breakfast with my family and have some time with my daughter before sending her to school at 9.30am. I pick my girl up from school at about 5.30-6pm, come home, bathe her and have dinner, then we wind down and put her to sleep by 8.30pm.”


Juggling career and family responsibilities seem to be a challenge for him but like what he said, it’s a lifelong challenge to be a good dad!’


“Anyone can be a father. Being a dad, however, is a lifelong challenge and journey of self-discovery.”


Gabriel also shared how dads should not be afraid to ask for help along the way in their fatherhood journey.


While dads nowadays are expected to be a lot more malleable in terms of knowing when to prioritise family above everything else, Gabriel also believes that dads are still expected to hold the more traditional responsibilities. Such as the ability to shoulder the responsibility of supporting a family, to have a career and high earning power. 


“I still have to be able to think on my feet, anticipate the future, and navigate life with grit.”


His wish for Eliana? He hopes that Eliana is able to chart her own success in life and make smarter decisions than he already has.


Comparing the generation before him and the current generation of dads, Chimit observed that dads today are less strict with their kids.


“Maybe it’s because people of my generation make families later than our parents. Being parents in your 20s is very different from being parents in your 30s,” shares our Head of Engineering.


His daughter, Lassalina, is three this year, and he wishes that she can grow up to be an independent and open-minded person, with her own opinion, so she can become whoever she wants to be.

Chimit teaching Lassalina to ride a bike.


Chimit admits that to devote evenings and weekends solely for his daughter is not always possible, and he is very thankful for his wife who’s always got his back.


“Being a mom is the hardest work, so be as helpful as possible.”


As kids emulate what their parents do, Chimit advised all dads to teach themselves what habits they wish to instill in their children as they reproduce what they see rather than what they hear.


Now that you’ve read the stories of the dads at Cove, let’s hear it from Luca, our co-founder and COO, who is a father to be in a few days’ time!


Luca is expecting a baby boy on the 22nd of June, so by the time you read this article, it’s only a couple of days away! 


When asked if he could share the baby’s name, his response was, “it’ll be an Italian name but we are still keeping it a surprise! Unless you can guess!” 


Luca feels both excited and nervous at the same time becoming a first-time dad, and he really can’t wait to meet his baby boy. To prepare himself, he attended antenatal classes with his wife, Sabina, and talked to lots of friends with young kids, and read up on parenthood.


He does get confused sometimes as he’s bombarded with lots of information and opinion altogether!


As massive foodies, his wife has been bribing him all the time to sneak her some cold cuts, cheeses and sushi. 🍣


I’m pretty sure all dads out there have experienced their wives’ interesting craving episodes. 🤤


We hope Sabina will have a smooth delivery soon and their baby boy will grow up healthy!


We wish all dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day and please, for the sanity of your kids, do carry on with your dad jokes! Your children may find it ‘lame’ or ‘annoying’ but deep down inside, kids really laugh at dad’s jokes. 😆 


And if your dad lives in a different country, drop him a call and spend some time hanging out with them virtually today. 


For more dad stories, read up on our Junior Software Engineer, Jamie, story about his little baby Toby here.


I believe all dads are indeed really brave, charming, confident, cool and funny!

It's Mother's Day, let's celebrate the wonderful and important ladies who raised us.

Meet the mothers of Cove!

This Mother’s Day, I’d like to introduce to you the hard working mothers in our humble office who have been working tirelessly for their kids at home, while also providing you the best homes Cove can offer.


Let’s celebrate these wonderful ladies - Del, Evangeline, Renee and Sophie! Amongst them, they have a combined experience of 24 years being a mom! 


Can you guess who amongst them is the most experienced mother?


It’s Del! Del is a proud mom to 3 adorable boys (which she refers to as this emoji - 🐒, LOL) namely Dayyan (11), Ayden (10) and Eilshan (4).


After a day at work, our Accounts & Admin in-charge here juggles between handling school-related stuff and assisting in their homework and revision for her sons. It seems like a mother’s work day never ends. 🥱


Despite a very hectic schedule, Del looks forward to seeing and spending time with her sons every single day. When she’s in the office and misses her kids, she’d think of all the quality time they’ve spent together and just look forward to the weekend!


Isn’t that all of us when we dread work sometimes? 😜


When asked what’s her advice for other mothers out there, Del shared that mothers have to remind themselves that they work for the betterment of their family and children. Both family/children’s needs and work are equally important so you need to know how to find the perfect balance in between. 


As for Del’s teammate, Renee, she constantly reminds herself that her son is safe whenever she misses her son while she’s at work.


“I will stop for a few seconds and remind myself that he is safe and being cared for and I will see him soon,” shared our Accounts and Administration Manager.


She also mentioned that support and understanding from her spouse is crucial to balance motherhood and career. It makes dual responsibility much easier for both of them.

Renee with her husband and son looking cute wearing Cove t-shirts!


Both her husband and herself ensure that they spend their Sundays together with Reinaldo, who is 5 years old this year.


Her advice to other moms? There is no other gift in the world that is more special than motherhood itself! Aww…😍


Since all of us are still working from home most of the time, this means there are more pockets of time for Evangeline to be with her kids, Elijah (5) and Ezekiel (3).


“Work from home arrangement has proven to be pretty good as I'm able to see and spend a bit more time with them on days I do not have to commute to work/external meetings.”


We’re so thankful that technology allows us to work remotely despite the pandemic! 💻 Coincidentally, it also allows us to have more quality time with our friends and family.

Elijah is so adorable in this photo, making a cute peace sign with his tiny little hand!


But, Evangeline also highlighted the dangers of technology that her kids are exposed to.


According to our Head of Investments, kids nowadays are more susceptible to undesirable language, behaviour and traits just by watching or listening to things over the internet. Parents have to be extra wary regarding this and have to monitor their kids closely.


Thankfully, Evangeline has the help of her mom who can oversee her kids when she’s busy at work.


Mothers themselves also can’t escape from the dangers of technology. On social media, there are tonnes of motherhood tips and advice on social media but not all of that will apply to every mother. 


“Know that every mom is doing their best for their kids and what works for some doesn't necessarily apply for all. So, trust that you are doing your best for the kids, and don't be so harsh on yourself. It's challenging, but take time out to care for yourself so that you can care better for others!”


Very wise advice from a mother with 6 years of motherhood experience. Evangeline is also expecting her third child this coming August, so congratulations are on the way!


As for our co-founder, Sophie, spending time with her little one actually helps her to take a real mental break from work. In return, she finds herself being more productive and focused at work.


“It's also absolutely critical that you have the right support networks around and of course if you co-parent that you have a partner who shares the load in a way that is fair and works for you both,” she added.


Like other mothers, Sophie too suffers from ‘mom’s guilt’ when she feels like she should be spending time with her 18-month old son, Ollie, instead of working.


“I think it's important as mums that we maintain perspective - I don't think there is anyone who finds it easy so you have to try not to be too hard on yourself and just put your energy into making sure the time you do spend with your family is quality time.”


Sophie would also like to wish ‘well done!’ to all the supermamas out there who have been working so hard in nurturing the next generation of our world. It is indeed one of the hardest but also the most rewarding responsibility a mom can have!


I hope that the stories of these amazing mothers inspire you to appreciate eve. Remember, if you have yet to spend time with your mom or ask them how they are, spend some quality time with them this Mother’s Day.


If they’re overseas, you can always video call them via Zoom or give them a call via WhatsApp. 📞


For those of you who have mom living in Singapore and may have forgotten to get a little something this Sunday, we’ve got you covered!


Here’s a list of shops where you can get your mom a Mother’s Day cake. 🤗


Instead of just getting a cake, why not gift her a bouquet of flowers too? It’s included in the bundle!


Indulge in this Pistachio Fraiser exclusive cake that’s only available during Mother’s Day period.


Can’t decide which flavour your mom would love? Why not get this 4 flavoured pre-cut ice cream cake.


If your mom has a very traditional taste, this pandan infused cake made with pandan coconut curd and fluffy fragrant coconut cream cheese is perfect for her.


Flowers or cake? Which one to get? Well, why not get her both of those? Gift her a cake which is hidden underneath the bouquet of roses. There’s even a little tiara to go with it. Interesting isn’t it?


If your mom isn’t a cake lover, you can always get her a beautiful dress from Love Bonito or a handbag, shoes or accessories from Zalora!

Alchy shares what he likes about his job as an intern with Cove

He is in charge of the ‘fully furnished’ aspect of Cove, find out how he does it!

This week on our Cove Superstars series, I’ll be featuring our Project Coordinator Intern, Alchy!


The Project Coordinator team is the reason why Cove homes come fully furnished with all the things you need in a home. Basically, Alchy’s task is to assist in the management and execution of Cove’s Operations Projects, which comprises property transformation processes and interdepartmental technology integration, to ensure operational efficiency!


So all of your high-speed wifi, kitchenware, sofa set, smart TV and more are all thanks to Alchy and his team. They make sure the studio apartment, shophouse, walk-up apartment or the condominium you’ll be staying in is move-in ready!


Alchy started as a part-time intern last year in October and converted to a full-time intern since December. When asked what’s his unforgettable memory at Cove, he shared that having team dinners with his team and managers is one of the highlights!


That’s right! At Cove, we prioritise fellow Cove Superstars’ welfare. One of the ways is by chilling and hanging out with our teammates, ensuring everyone is taken care of!


Alchy also finds the work culture at Cove pretty amazing as he has been given the liberty to complete certain tasks all by himself and share his own ideas.


He is free to explore different ways to find a solution to complete the assignment that was handed to him. He felt that the confidence entrusted by his manager was important and crucial in boosting his work performance.


The 4-storey landed house at Paya Lebar Walk is Alchy’s favourite property. Even though he said that there’s a lot of things to set up in that home due to the large size, he finds it really comfortable and very spacious. Definitely great for couples or individuals who love to host dinner parties. 


In fact, there’s a vast rooftop deck where you can organise barbecue nights, have your own rooftop garden or even a sun tanning session! Check out our TikTok to have a sneak peek at the rooftop deck!


Currently, Alchy is pursuing his Master’s Degree of Science in Management at Singapore Management University (SMU) and will be completing his studies this December. He shared with me that he might consider venturing into a similar industry after his graduation.


With only less than 2 months with Cove, we hope he’ll use up the remaining time with us to learn as much as he could and have a great time with his team. We wish you all the best, Alchy!


His tips for future interns? Just prepare yourself to learn as much as you can and enjoy your time at Cove! Do check out our careers page if you’re keen to join us as Cove Superstars!


Wanna know more about other Cove Superstars? Read all about it here!

Meet our Software Engineer who has been us since we were only 6 people strong

Can you believe it, more than 2 years ago, Jamie used to be a Software Engineering Intern with Cove when there were only 6 people in the company, including our founders, Luca, Guillaume and Sophie!


Today, Cove has expanded to more than 50 people strong all over Singapore and Jakarta.


From a small co-working space, Jamie is overwhelmed at how Cove has grown thus far with our own cosy office in Chinatown! According to him, we’re already starting to outgrow the office!


When asked what his day-to-day task at Cove is like, Jamie said that there really isn’t a daily routine, every single day is a different day!


“There's really not a typical day and my tasks are varied and many! But in general, my duties as a Back-end Engineer involve making improvements to our APIs  (Application Programming Interface), so that Hongchiong, our Front End developer, has all the data he needs to create our awesome website!”


Besides that, Jamie is also constantly working on the Integrations with the Property Management system, ensuring our fellow Coveys, just like yourself, have a smooth and hassle-free experience booking their rooms.


In fact, Jamie shared with me that the launch of the Property Management system is one of the most challenging projects he’s handled so far.
 

He had to very quickly learn a lot of new skills and concepts, and immediately put them into practice whilst helping to develop and define processes and procedures, often times from the ground up!


If you feel like you’ve seen Jamie somewhere before, then you’re right! He’s also one of our talents for our lifestyle photoshoot other than Melissa and Aaron!


Jamie totally had loads of fun during the shoot tossing up the salad! Don’t tell anyone but it was also a great opportunity for Jamie to actually get away from the laptop for a change! 😉


Throughout the process, it helped him to appreciate the attention to detail required in producing creative content.


“I'd happily do it again - it's always funny seeing myself pop up on Instagram stories!”


Recently, Jamie welcomed the latest addition to his family - baby Toby!


When asked how is it like handling the new bundle of joy and work, Jamie told me that it’s worth every sleepless night! Aww. 🥺


“He is wonderful. Anyone who's had a baby or worked with very young ones will know they can be pretty challenging at times, but it's also incredibly rewarding.”


Working from home also helps as it allowed Jamie to give his wife some support during the day. He told me that he has to be strict with himself to ensure work time and family time are completely separated and defined.


Well, being a parent during this unprecedented time surely has its own new challenges and it’s great to know that Jamie is handling it just fine!


Click here to read more about Cove Superstars!

Things you should know before trying out co-living

If you’re a fellow Covey reading this, I’m sure you’ve met some of our lovely bookings team members that brought you around for viewings and helped you find your ideal home.


Not only is booking your room very seamless and convenient, you’ll also get to know about the neighbourhood and the homes better with the help of Cove’s very friendly bookings team who accompany you throughout the viewing session!


One of them is Aaron, who joined us back in October last year under the SG Traineeship Programme.


You might think Aaron’s job is just to bring potential Coveys to any of our available properties and show them around, but it’s more than just that!


“I attend to their queries, narrow down suitable rooms and bring them to view the place at our properties. Once they find the right home for them, I will guide them through the admin booking process to ensure a hassle-free and smooth move in experience with us.”


What should future Coveys look out for in a home?


From his experience, Aaron shared that when one is looking for a place to call home, the main features they look out for are the apartment’s layout, size of the rooms and amenities in the common living area.


The condition of the common living room is one of the important parts that influence the decision of potential Coveys! Thankfully, our common living areas in all our homes are decked with a smart TV, a comfortable sofa set and a coffee table, perfect for you to chillax after a hectic day at work.


Other than that, Aaron mentioned that potential Coveys tend to envision themselves living or working in these spaces. 


That’s indeed a great way to know whether you’ll be comfortable in our homes or not. To future Coveys reading this, feel free to take a seat on our chairs at the dining area or sit on the empty bed that you might be renting (if it’s not currently occupied by someone else). 


“Most would also want to know more about their future flatmates. After all, they have to vibe with one another to be staying under the same roof!”


On top of that, location is another essential factor as these potential Coveys would prefer a home close to their workplace or school and within walking distance to a bus stop or MRT station, to cut down on time travelling back and forth.


As part of the bookings team, Aaron has seen and been in most, if not, all of Cove’s properties! In fact, on a busy week, Aaron conducts up to 50 viewings! 😯 


So I asked him what’s his favourite Cove home, so far.


“I personally love the ambience at our Havelock Road walk-up apartment. It is the most memorable home for me so far. There is a great balance between individual private space and our co-living concept there.”

A room at Havelock Road, with a private balcony overlooking Tiong Bahru estate.


If you wish to take a look at how beautiful this walk-up apartment at Tiong Bahru is, take a look at our home tour video on YouTube!


Aaron explained more about why he loves this apartment, mainly because of how intricate and beautiful the interior is.


“It comes fully furnished with modern interior in the common space while retaining a little touch of vintage and heritage by keeping the original shophouse windows. The apartment is designed in a way that fully optimises the space in the apartment, be it working or to unwind with friends. I can totally see myself living there comfortably, be it for the short term or long term.”


What should you know before you decide to try co-living?


As co-living is a rather new concept, Aaron has a few tips on whether one should consider co-living or not.


Firstly, you should come up with a comfortable budget for the new living space. Co-living may appear costlier but one has to understand that Cove includes furniture, kitchenware, wi-fi, housekeeping, maintenance support, manages all bills and even includes A/C servicing into the monthly invoice!


Secondly, you have to know what kind of area you wish to live in. Whether it’s a neighbourhood filled with cafes, bars and restaurants or a conducive environment closer to nature, or a place right in the middle of CBD. If you’re not entirely sure which is the best, check out our neighbourhood guides or ask Aaron!


This third point is important. Are you comfortable with sharing a bathroom or even the kitchen sink? If your answer is yes, then co-living is indeed for you. But if your answer is no, you can always opt for a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom or a studio apartment! 🛀

Studio room at 460A Geylang, equipped with a kitchen and private bathroom.


Lastly, find out about the people who are currently living in the home you’re viewing, do you think you can get along with them? At the end of the day, you’ll be seeing their faces on the daily, so you should be open and comfortable living with others. Who knows, you could end up gaining a new friend or two!


And once you know all these, just share them with Aaron or any of his bookings teammates. This way, they can narrow down the search for you and find the perfect ideal home just for you!


On his off days, Aaron loves building LEGO, just like our Covey, Hendra!


This fellow AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) here has been collecting LEGO ever since he was 7 when he started playing with LEGO City series and building LEGO with creative brick boxes.


Growing up, he started to collect other LEGO series such as the superheroes series from Marvel and DC!


“My latest collection will be LEGO Batwings 1989 from DC series and also LEGO colosseum from Creator series. I am going to start venturing into LEGO Technic series soon!”


On average, Aaron spends about $5000 a year on LEGO sets! 

That’s a massive and interesting collection! 


And if you find Aaron somewhat familiar, that’s because he’s one of our talents and is featured in some of our photos!


Now you know why we call the people behind Cove ‘Cove Superstars’ because we’re super multi-talented!  😉

showing blogposts with #Cove superstars

If you give me 21 days I will share with you what I did over my SHN

These dads have very insightful advice for other dads!

Meet the mothers of Cove!

He is in charge of the ‘fully furnished’ aspect of Cove, find out how he does it!

Meet our Software Engineer who has been us since we were only 6 people strong

Things you should know before trying out co-living

Love Cove homes? That’s because it’s specially handpicked!

Building a new website from scratch? Our Frontend Developer shares it all.

Not your typical intern

Secrets of an interior designer

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