BY MELISSA CHI
KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Everyone keeps saying the time to buy is now but with so many options and different factors in play, how do you make sure that you get the most bang for your buck when shopping for a piece of property?Chris Tan, property lawyer with Chur Associates.
Chris Tan, property lawyer with Chur Associates.
Malay Mail Online spoke to Knight Frank Malaysia managing director Sarkunan Subramaniam, real estate lawyer Chris Tan and senior real estate negotiator at Property Hub, Roy Teo and found out the top 10 factors to look out for when hunting for the right piece of property.
10. Landscaping
A township with well-maintained landscape in Shah Alam.
A township with well-maintained landscape in Shah Alam.
We are not just talking about the landscaping of the landed property or the compound the condominium sits on. It goes without saying that your property must be at least pleasant to look at and well kept.Knight Frank Malaysia managing director Sarkunan Subramaniam.
Knight Frank Malaysia managing director Sarkunan Subramaniam.
Sarkunan said the area or neighbourhood where the property is located has to be taken into account as well.
He said if the landscaping of the area is done right, it is a sign the local council is proactive. They will probably be on the ball when it comes to other issues as well.
9. No unplanned vacant land around
He also warned that buyers should be wary of all vacant land in the vicinity of the property, and find out if future construction will affect either road access or the view from your property. If there are no plans for the vacant land yet, he said it is best to stay away.
“Investigate, don’t be caught by surprise after you have moved in,” he said.
8. Gated or guarded community
The guardhouse of a gated community is pictured at Desa Park City, Kepong.
The guardhouse of a gated community is pictured at Desa Park City, Kepong.
Both Teo and Tan said gated communities are in demand. Very.
“It ties back to the fact that people have a fortress mentality. These days, people want to keep the riff raff out… Desa Park City is a good example,” Teo said, referring to the much sought-after enclave in Kepong.
According to Iproperty.com, some of its units (Safa) which were previously priced at RM450,000 are now going for RM1.2 million.
He said previous generations used to aspire to owning bungalows, a house in the middle of a big piece of land.
Today though, he said, those properties are much lesser in demand while he sees a rise in either condominiums or gated communities, which mostly have smaller plots of land, but with bigger build-ups.
