Real Estate Malaysia Market Situation

Articles from the Star newspaper 26 january 2009

Experts have said that the Malaysian property market is resilient enough to withstand the onslaught of a softening global economy.They opine that sales would be ongoing but in small volumes as most purchasers adopt a wait and see attitude while developers downsize their new property launches.

Association of Valuers & Property Consultants in Private Malaysia (PEPS) president James Wong Kwong Onn says that property prices would fall 5% to 10% as slower economy cools demand.

“Prices for properties across the board will fall but on a gradual basis,” he says.adding that Malaysia is in a better position compared to Singapore, Hongkong and Thailand which are more exposed to the US subprime crisis.

He says the government’s RM7bil stimulus package including the reduction of Employee’s Provident Fund contriburitons from 11% to 8% coupled with lower interest rate and inflkation would provide the bright spark to the property market.

Real Estate and Housing Developers Association(Rehda) Penang branch chairman Datuk Jerry Chan Fook Sing thinks the property outlook in Penang is still bullish.

“Property prices in the state have always done well and with the level of economy we are going to be seeing,land prices both on the island and mainland should continue appreaciating buy at least 5% to 10% over the next five to seven years.”

Penang also has the highest sales growth in the countryh(five year compounded annual grothw rate (CAGR) of 11% vs the average of 8%).House prices on the island have risen to almost match the Klang Valley’s,growing at a five-year CAGR of 4.3% vs the national average of 2.9%.

The completion of the Penang bridge would also act as a catalyst for major growth.Economic activity in the vicinity would automatically intensify.

Chan foresees more people moving to the mainland especially to the southern part of Seberang Prai of which Batu Kawan is the first point of the second link between the island and mainland.

“When the first bridge was built,it was a nucleus for growth.Industrial areas mushroomed up overnight in the northern part of Seberang Prai.And areas like Butterworth,Juru and Bukit Minyak started growing and land prices appreciated.”he says

Land prices in the southern part of the mainland now range between RM8 and RM20 psf.He predicts that prices could easily appreaciate by 50% with the kind of major development projects happening over the next few years.

Penang’s property market has always drawn buyers from far and wide as the state has all the allure of a good place to live- the beaches,the hill and the people.The lack of land bank will continue to push demand for landed properties to go up while good condominium projects in selected locations will still do well despite the economic downturn.

Land shortage has shifted the focus of housing development to the south-West district comprising Relau,Teluk Kumbar,Batu Maung and Balik Pulau-the new growth corridor for Penang.

The housing trend at the moment places emphasis on life style concepts favouring luxurious developments with a resort feel while most new projects are gated and guarded.

Developers today are required to provide more such as quality finishing,extended warrantyh and better security.These featured are what purchasesrs look for when deliberating on their dream homes.

Invest in Malaysia

Malaysia is not only a country famous for its natural resouces and agricultures.Its now a knowledge based,export base,High technology country.Tall buildings such as The Twin Towers and KL Towers, KLIA Airport, Sepace F1 Cicruit are part of the succesful Built projects in Malaysia.

A Dynamic Business Environment

Malaysia, strategically located in the heart of South East Asia, offers a cost-competitive location for investors intending to set up offshore operations for the manufacture of advanced technological products for regional and international markets.

Supported by a market-oriented economy and pro-business Government policies, Malaysia offers investors a dynamic and vibrant business environment with the ideal prerequisites for growth and profits. Malaysia's key strengths include well-developed infrastructure and productive workforce. A politically stable country with a well-developed legal system, Malaysia also provides attractive incentives for investors.

Advancing with Technology

Technological advancement has become an integral part of Malaysia's growth as an industrialised nation. With the help of technology, Malaysia is steadfast in providing for the modern day requirements of investor companies based in the country. Malaysia is one of the most technologically developed countries amongst industrialising nations in the ASEAN region. The nation's persistent drive to engage modern technologies proves to be a great advantage to manufacturers in Malaysia.

Well-developed Infrastructure

Infrastructure in Malaysia is designed to serve the business community; it is one of the best in Asia. Telecommunications network served by digital and fibre optic technology, five international airports (all with air-cargo facilities), well-maintained highways and seven international seaports make Malaysia an ideal springboard to the Asia-Pacific market.

Industries in Malaysia are predominantly located in over 200 industrial estates and Free Zones developed throughout the country. These zones are categorised as export processing zones, which cater to the requirements of export-oriented industries. There are also specialised parks that have been developed to cater to the needs of specific industries.

Human Resources

One of Malaysia's greatest assets is her human resources. The workforce here is young, educated and productive, proving to be one of the best in the region. The Government's emphasis on human resource development ensures the continuous supply of manpower to meet the needs of the expanding manufacturing and services sectors.

Towards the Economy of Tomorrow

As a result of perceptive foresight, strategic planning and abundant resources, Malaysia offers investors a wide spectrum of investment opportunities. The technologically-inclined economy of Malaysia is proven through the country's involvement in advanced electronics manufacturing, R&D, biotechnology, photonics, logistics, design, innovation and a highly automated manufacturing sector, to name a few. The Government's objective is also to make Malaysia a hub for other value chain activities, such as R&D, design and development (D&D), procurement, logistics, distribution and marketing, business support services and shared services.

A Hub for Foreign Companies

The conducive business environment in Malaysia has made the country one of the world's top investment destinations.Cyberjaya,putrajaya Cities for Information Technology,Kuala Lumpur,Central of banking,business & entertainments .Malaysia has attracted more than 5,000 foreign companies from more than 40 countries to establish their operations in the country.Includding the Middle east countries and China.Many of them have also expanded and diversified their operations in the country, reflecting their confidence in Malaysia as a site for their business ventures.

The Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) is the first point of contact for investors who intend to set up projects in the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. With its headquarters in Malaysia's capital city of Kuala Lumpur, MIDA has established a global network of 19 overseas offices covering North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific to assist investors interested in establishing manufacturing projects and services

Tips for travellers&visitors to malaysia

Currency

The unit of currency is the Malaysian Ringgit indicated as RM, which is equivalent to 100 cents. Coins are issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 sen and RM1. Currency notes are in RM1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100. Foreign currency and traveler's checks can be converted to Malaysian Ringgit at banks or authorized money changers throughout the country.

Airport Tax

An airport tax of RM5 and RM40 is charged upon departure for all domestic and international flight passengers respectively.

Telephone

Local calls can be made from public phones, whether coin or card operated. International calls can be made from phone booths with card phone facilities or at any Telecom offices. Most hotels are equipped with IDD services with a minimal service charge. - Useful Phone Directory.You can get prepaid cards with cheapest rate from rm2-10 provided by local mobile phone services. Maxis, Digi or Celcom.

Tourist Police

Visitors who encounter unforeseen problems and difficulties can seek the Malaysian Tourist Police Unit with blue uniforms(Police Diraja Malaysia) for help.There are many booths for help.They often patrol tourist spots and will render assistance too, as well as safeguard tourists' security.

Business Hours

The country runs on a normal 8 hours a day system.Saturday is half day and Sunday is a rest day.In Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah states, Friday is a day of rest with Thursday as half days. Department Stores and supermarkets are open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Night life areas such as pubs,bistros,discos and clubs opened until 2 am in the morning.

Tipping

Tipping is not a way of life in Malaysia, but is fast becoming one.

What to Wear

Malaysia has warm climate.Light, cool, and casual clothing like tshirt is recommended all year round. For more formal occasions, men should wear jackets, shirts slacks matching with ties or long-sleeved batik shirts whereas women should wear dresses.

Water

It is generally safe to drink water straight from the tap, but it is safer to drink boiled filtered water,drinking bottles,mineral water or any bottled beverages sold in shops like 7-11.

Medical Services

Medical services are available in most towns at government hospitals and private clinics.Private clinics close at nine oclock.Different from some foreign countries,non-prescription drugs are available at pharmacies, supermarkets, hotels, and shopping centers.

Local Touch

Food hawkers selling traditional and local delicacies make up the everyday scenes in big or small towns throughout the country. One can try "teh tarik", a smoothened, creamed tea, and all kinds of roti such "roti canai","roti bomb","roti pisang" etc.The roti is a fluffy pancake prepared by a local person of Indian Muslim ancestry. Spicy Malay food, such as "nasi lemak" and various kinds of Chinese noodles and food are also popular.Such as the hokkien fried mee "char kuey teow" , "hokkien mee" , Penang "prawn mee", Ipoh "gei si hor fun" ,curry me and more

As Malaysia is a multi-religious country,As Malay as majority,chinese,indians and other races as minorities.Various Muslim mosques, Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, and Christian churches can be found almost anywhere. Despite the many changes and developments in the cities and big towns, Malaysia has many "kampung" (villages), jungles(Taman Negara), beaches(Pulau Redang,Perhentian,Tioman,Pangkor,Langkawi etc), and rice fields. Many houses in the "kampung" are built on stilts. Batik cotton fashion is popular in Malaysia . It can be used for casual wear, as well as formal functions.

IMPORTANT
Drug traffickers are sentenced to death by Malaysian Law.No weapons such as gun is allowed too.

16 Tips on buying property in Malaysia

1. Before you decide to buy a house or property, please ensure that:
• The housing developer has a license and it is still valid.
• The housing developer has an advertisement and sales permit and it is still
valid.

2. Determine the house type that you plan to get:
For landed property such as bungalows, semi-detached houses and terrace
houses, the expected date of completion is 24 months from the date of signing of
the Sales and Purchase Agreement.

For subdivided building such as condominiums, flats, apartments and
townhouses, the expected date of completion is 36 months.
Buyers are advised to obtain from the housing developer the
complimentary brochures with all the pertinent information about the project such
the development's license number, and advertisement and sales permit.

3. Land status
Please ensure whether it is:-
• Freehold land - it is in perpetuity.
• Leasehold land – check the number of years left.
• Malay Reserve.
The status of the land can be checked at the Land Office or the State
Land Registrar.

4. Brochure Information
Brochures are given free by the developers. Please ensure the brochure has
the following information:
1. The Housing Development’s License number and the expiry date.
2. The advertisement and sales permit number and the expiry date.
3. Name and address of:
i. The licensed housing developer
ii. Authorized agents (if any)
iii. Those holding power of attorney (if any)
iv. The project management company (if any)

4. Land status
i. Freehold
ii. Leasehold – number of years left
iii. Encumbrances – whether the land has been mortgaged to the bank
for a loan

5. Location description
i. Building material specification
ii. Size of building
iii. Amenities and/or Services
6. Name of housing project (if any)
7. Expected date of completion
8. Price of each type of house
9. Number of units for each type
10. Reference number of the approved building plan and name of the local
authority.
The rights of buyers must be understood as contained in the Sales and
Purchase Agreement as per schedules G and H of the Housing Development
(Control and Licensing) Regulation 1989.

5. First Payment
The first payment of 10 per cent must be made upon signing of the Sales
and Purchase Agreement. Please ensure the date of signing of the SPA and the
date of first payment are the same.
Be aware that the housing developer is not allowed to collect any form of
payment without a Sales and Purchase Agreement being signed.

6. Architect Certification
Make sure any demand by the developer for installment payment is
supported by a certificate duly signed by an architect or a certified engineer.

7. Interest on Late Payment
If the buyer or end financier for the buyer fails to pay the developer the
progressive payment or installment within 21 working days from the date of the
written notice of payment from the developer, the buyer will be charged an
interest of 10 per cent per annum on the installment not paid.

8. Termination of the Sales and Purchase Agreement
Be aware that failure to make the progressive payment or interest charged
on late payment for a period of more than 28 days will give the developer the
right to terminate the Sales and Purchase Agreement. The developer must serve
the notice in writing by AR registered post of its intention to terminate the SPA.

9. Infrastructural Maintenance Fee
Buyers must pay the cost of maintaining the infrastructure from the date of
vacant possession till the date the responsibility is taken over by the local
authority or management corporation (in the case of a subdivided building).
Infrastructure is defined as:
1. For land and building - Road, driveway, drains, sewerage, pipelines and
sewerage tank for the housing development.
2. For subdivided building - Road, driveway, drains, sewerage, pipelines and
sewerage tank for the building.

10. Maintenance and Management Fee
From the date of vacant possession the buyer shall be responsible for
paying for services such as:
1. For land and building
i. Refuse removal, upkeep of drains and grass-cutting on the road
reserves.
ii. The buyer is responsible for such payment until such responsibility
is taken over by the proper authority.
iii. The buyer must pay a six months’ deposit upon being handed
vacant possession for the services to be rendered. After six months,
if the services are still not taken over by the relevant authority, any
subsequent payment shall be payable on a monthly advance.
2. For subdivided building
i. Payment is for the cost of maintaining and managing the common
area and payment starts when vacant possession is handed over.
ii. The buyer shall pay one (1) month’s deposit and three (3) months’
advance in respect of the maintenance service charges and any
payment thereafter shall be payable on a monthly advance.
iii. Maintenance fee must be paid to the developer from the date of
vacant possession up until the formation of a management
corporation under the Strata Title Act 1985.
iv. Once the management corporation is formed under the Strata Title
Act 1985, maintenance services will be handled by the
management corporation and the buyer must pay the maintenance
fee to the management corporation and not to the developer.
Reminder: Maintenance fee must be paid as long as the buyer owns a
parcel in the said maintained building.

11. Sinking fund
For subdivided building only
The buyer shall upon the date he takes vacant possession of the said parcel
contribute to the sinking fund an amount equivalent to 10 per cent of the service
charges.
The buyer shall pay one (1) month’s deposit and three (3) months’
advance in respect of the service charges to the sinking fund and any payment
thereafter shall be payable on a monthly advance.

12. Payment of Quit Rent, Rate Assessment, etc
From the date of vacant possession or date of assignment, whichever is
earlier, the buyer is responsible for the quit rent, assessment, rate payment and
other charges relating to the property bought.

13. Vacant Possession
Vacant possession on the building complete with water and electricity
connection must be handed over within 24 calendar months from the date of
signing of the SPA for landed property and 36 calendar months for subdivided
building.

According to Regulation and Rights of House Buyers during the Handing
over of Vacant Possession, the buyer have to ensure the property is free from any
encumbrances before accepting notice of vacant possession.
If the developer leases the land or the property, the developer must settle
the balance payment before handing over vacant possession.
Conditions that must be followed by housing developers:
1. Certificate from the developer’s architect stating that:
i. The building is completed.
ii. Water and electricity are ready for connection.
2. The developer has applied for:
i. The issue of the Certificate of Fitness for Occupation (CFO)
through Form E**
ii. The local authority has issued a notice stating that Form E has been
checked and accepted by the relevant authority.
** Form E is an application from the developer’s architect to the relevant
authority for the issue of the CFO.
The buyer is entitled to enter into occupation of the property only upon
issue of the CFO by the relevant authority. Likewise, any renovation can only be
carried out upon issue of the CFO and approval of the plan by the relevant
authority.
While inspecting the building, any defect is recorded and handed over to
the developer to be rectified. Make sure you obtain a copy of the report.

14. Damages
The buyer is entitled to claim for late delivery from the developer.
If the developer fails to deliver vacant possession of the building as
stipulated by the SPA, it must pay damages calculated on a daily rest, 10 per cent
per annum of the purchase price.

15. Defect liability period
The defect liability period is 18 months after the date of vacant possession.

16. Creation of Management Corporation for Subdivided Building
A management corporation will be created once the strata title of each
individual parcel is issued to the owners.
Other functions of the management corporation include insuring and
maintaining the building.

Malaysia driving & public transport

To drive on Malaysian roads, you are required to hold a Malaysian Competent Driving Licence, Probationary Driving Licence or an International Driving Licence. A foreign licence can be used if it is endorsed by the Road Transport Department, and some nationals are allowed to drive on their own country licences for their first three months in Malaysia. Information is available from the Malaysian Road Transport Department.

Nationals of the countries which have reciprocal agreements with Malaysia can apply for a Malaysian driving licence, on provision of:

1.Their existing driving licence and a photocopy of the licence
2. A translated script (if the licence is not in English) in English or Bahasa Malaysia, provided by the Embassy of the issuing country or the licensing authority
3. A colour photograph (25mm x 32mm)
4. Their passport/travel documents
5.Payment of RM60.00 for 2 years
6.A completed JPJL1 Form


Holders of valid foreign driving licenses from countries that do not have reciprocal agreements with the government of Malaysia but are member/contracting countries of the United Nations Conference On Road and Motor Transport, Geneva (1949 and 1968) can apply to the Director General, RTD to be exempted from tests to obtain a driving licence.

Vehicles use the left-hand side of the road and the use of safety belts by front passengers is mandatory. Cell phones either talking on phone or SMS are prohibited while driving. Laws against drinking and driving are strictly enforced with stiff penalties(Saman).Drivers who just get their license need to have a P sticker at the front window.

If you dont have a driving license.There are still public transport everywhere like city bus,LRT,KTM and taxis.

Malaysia buying & renting property

buying property

For foreigners,it is relatively cheap to buy a house or apartment in Malaysia, and some have even made good returns on their property investments over time. A wide range of properties is available, including large detached houses (bungalows), semi-detached and terraced houses, apartments and condominiums.

Properties for sale can be found through the real estate agents from real estate companies or Malaysia real estate website and advertise in the local and national press. It may also be possible to buy land on which to build your own property. However, it should be noted that some areas of land can only be bought and sold by Bumiputera (Malays and other indigenous groups).Those land is called Malay Reserve land.

Foreigners are eligible to buy 2 houses at a cost of not less than RM150,000 each. For this purpose, they are also entitled to apply for a loan from a local bank for 60% of the purchase price.

The standard procedure for purchasing a property is:

1) Sign letter of offer and pay 3% of purchase price as earnest deposit
2) sign sale and purchase agreement after 14 days; pay 7% of purchase price
3) Pay balance of purchase price within 3 months

Legal fees, stamp duty and agency fees (if used) are also payable.


renting property

It is relatively cheap to rent a house or apartment in Malaysia, except in central Kuala Lumpur where rental prices are higher.Places such as Puchong,Serdang,Sungai Buloh,Rawang are much more cheper.Of course the higher price it is, the more secured and quality it has. A wide range of properties is available, including large detached houses (known as bungalows), semi-detached and terraced houses, and apartments and condominiums. Condominiums are a popular choice among expatriates as they offer good security with cctv eqquiped and security guards to look after the condos.In addition with a wide range of facilities often including a swimming pool, gymnasium, playground ,car park, laundy and tennis courts.

Some of the most popular areas of Kuala Lumpur for expatriate residence include Kenny Hills, Damansara Heights, the city end of Jalan Ampang, Bukit Kiara, Ampang, Bangsar Baru and Taman Tun Dr. Ismail. Given the KL traffic congestion, it is important to choose a location carefully in relation to place of employment.Some area have international schools too if needed.

Furnished, semi-furnished and unfurnished properties are all widely available for rent, and can be found via the real estate agents which are numerous in urban areas and advertise in the local or national press. Some expatriate websites also advertise rental properties in their classifieds sections. One point worthy of note is that unfurnished properties are often completely empty, without even kitchen units or a cooker. Leases are usually drawn up for yearly renewal.

Malaysia Utilities (Electricity,Gas,Water)

Electricity: 200-240 V AC 50 Hz
Plug type: 3 pronged British plug or continental plug
Light fitting: bayonet and screw type

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is the monopoly generator and supplier of electrical power in peninslar of Malaysia(east of Malaysia). As for the State of Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan(west of Malaysia) ,Sabah Electricity Sdn. Bhd. (SESB) generates and distributes the electricity, while Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (SESCO) generates and distributes electricity in the State of Sarawak(west of Malaysia).

Electricity bills are sent out monthly by post and can be paid at a post office or the electricity supplier's office.Nowadays, people can also make their bills through ATM machine.The bills will usually be in the landlord's name.

Piped gas is only available in Kuala Lumpur and some major towns of peninsular Malaysia and is supplied by Gas Malaysia Sdn Bhd.Other states or places are with bottled gas

Water utilities in Malaysia are managed and overseen by individual state water authorities.Either the water company or the mangement of your apartment will charge and bill you monthly.

Tap water is safe to drink in major towns or cities. However, most Malaysians in towns and villages make it a habit to boil their drinking water.Most aparments and household have water filters for cleaner water. Mineral or bottled water is available everywhere for purchase.

Tips on buying condo in Malaysia

1. Water tank & intermediate pump room

Price of land keep rising especailly in major cities and a few high class area of Malaysia like Georgetown and Kuala Lumpur, Damansara Heights ,Bangsar and Kenny Hills. many property developers with land bank in good location have embarked on building highrise luxurious condominium.They call them the "semi-detached" or "bangalow" in the sky.Not only that, some of the high end units even have own private lift lobby. The selling price of these luxurious condo range from RM400-00 per square feet in Penang to RM1000-00 per square feet or more in the Kuala Lumpur area depending on specification and location.As i have mentioned in other posts.Location location location.Location always determine the price and value.Some condos are going higher in storey because of limited number of units per floor.Many of them still remained 40 storey of height.

The water storage tank is equipped at the very top of the building.Authorities always require storage of one day water demand for the entire block.The roof top water tank supply the water to all units through a down pipe by mean of gravity flow.The water are taken to the roof top tank by means of a pump that pump water from a water tank situated at the ground floor pump room through a riser water pipe, pumping is automatically started when water level in the roof top water tank fall to a designated level.

When the building is too high, the authorities will require a two stage pumping whereby water from the ground floor is pumped from the ground floor water tank to a intermediate water tank and pump room at the middle height of the building before water is eventually pump to the roof top. Say if a building is 38 storey high, you may find a water tank and pump room at 19 floor or a bit higher or lower depending on the design of the consultants.

When purchasing a condo unit, purchasers are often presented with a sale chart which show the selling price of units at different level, sometime one or two units at mid level may be used as the intermediate water tank and pump room and very often the unit are indicated in the sale chart as the water tank room or some developer may choose to just leave it blank without assigning a name for that rooms.

If there are six units at the floor where the intermediate water tank and pump room is situated, usually two units will be used for the water tank and pump room with the remaining four units available for sale.

When buying condo units, it is wise to avoid buying units at the same floor where the intermediate pump room is situated as well as units at floor immediately above or below the intermediate pump room as you can expect some noise when the pump is running. As the pumping is a daily business, you do not want to end up with a unit where the occupant will be constantly disturbed by the noise of pump. Sub selling those units or renting out those units will be more difficult.

As there will always be a pump room at the ground level, it will also be wise to avoid unit immediately above the pump room.

As owning a condo unit is getting more costly, check carefully before commit on buying, talk to the sale representatives, do not believe everything they say, some will tell you that the pump runs only once in a while, some will say that there will be more privacy living above or below the water tank room as there no people living in the water tank room, some will say that it is a water tank room without telling you that there are actually pumps in the room.

Of course there are also good developers that provide proper rubber bearing to cushion the vibration of the pump or construct the proper insulation to prevent the noise from the pumps from affecting the neighbouring units. I say it is best to avoid those units especially the unit below and above the pump room which will be affected most by vibration and noise from the pump.

2. Lift

Highrise condo are equipped with lift with high where the up and down movement of the lift cars are guided by rails attached to the wall of the lift core. If a condo unit shares the wall with the lift core, the up down movement of the lift car will create noise and vibration and will more likely transmit to the condo unit.How much noise or vibration is transmitted depend on the structural design of the condo itself, if the structure is designed with sheer wall or reinforced concrete, then the noise transmitted may only be minimal compare to brick wall.

To avoid this problem,an ideal condo design should ideally have a buffer such as staircase area or any other utility area between the condo wall and the lift core wall so that the noise from the lift car movement can be well insulated from being transmitted to the condo unit.

However, how much noise there is also depend on the type or quality of the lift and the thickness of the wall of the lift core. In the most optimistic case where the good quality lifts are being used together with thick lift core wall, the noise transmitted will be very minimal.

3. Roof

The price of condo units at higher floor tend to be higher compared with the lower floor units as most higher floor units command better view. In most cases, the bigger units such as duplex or penthouse are also purposely designed to situate at the top most few floors. It is important to note the type of roof of the building when one is buying a unit at the top most floor, one should check if the roof is a tiled roof or concrete roof. Both types of roof if constructed properly would not pose any problem to the dweller of the top most floor.

However, there is one scenario where reinforced concrete roof can pose a problem. I had the opportunity to observe a case where the roof of a duplex unit is a reinforced concrete roof and the concrete roof also serve as the compound for the penthouse at the floor above. The subject building was designed with staggered height whereby the middle section is two floor higher to accommodate the penthouse at middle section with the duplex at the lower section at the side. With the reinforced concrete roof of duplex serving as the compound of the penthouse sound like wonderful idea but the problem surfaced when the owner of the penthouse decided to renovate his compound by putting on beautiful tiles. In the process of putting on the tiles, certain hacking would have to be carried out and unknowingly the waterproofing material to prevent seepage of water through the reinforced concrete roof is damaged. After completion of the tile laying, the penthouse owner has a beautiful compound but the duplex owner begin to suffer as the reinforced concrete roof started to have seepage during rain as the waterproofing is now not perfect and rain water starts to seep through the roof, the seepage may not be serious enough to cause a leaking roof but the roof will most of the time be wet because of the continuous seepage. Practically water is retained in the reinforced concrete roof until a prolonged dry season dry the roof. The seepage cause not only the roof to be wet but also the wall as water will find its way downward due to gravity flow. With the wet roof and wall, paint start to peel off and fungus developed.

However one may say that any defect to building can be rectified but the problem highlighted above is more complicated as the roof which serve as the compound of the penthouse cannot be accessed other than going through the door of the penthouse. The owner of the penthouse does not suffer any ill effect out of his renovation and therefore will not allow anyone to enter his house for any rectification works.

For the owner of the duplex below, the leaking problem could only be rectified at the floor above, the management couldn't do much as the compound is part of the penthouse and considered as private property. The owner of the duplex can resort to legal recourse to compel the owner of the penthouse to carry out the rectification works but that would be time consuming.

Therefore if one is buying a condo with reinforced concrete roof above, make very sure that the roof is part of the common properties where the management can gain access to the roof if there is any damage to the waterproofing system.

4. Carpark

Condominium for sale from developer especially those high end condominium is packaged with a minimum of two car parks as accessory parcel to the sale & purchase agreement.Somehow some condominum only eligible for one parking per unit.Thus you need to rent extra parking unit.The car parks are already allocated for each unit of condo unit.One should ask for the car park layout to ensure that you like the car parks location.The two or three car parks allocated are usually in the same location, usually side by side or the same floor.An attempt to change the car park location after signing of sale & purchase agreement is rather hard or should sometimes quite impossible as every single car park would have been allocated to a condo unit.As car parks are key component to condo living, be very sure you like the car park location before signing the agreement.

5. Refuse area

All highrise condo block are designed with a refuse room at every floor to allow the residents to dispose off their rubbish without taking it to the ground floor. When one is buying a condo unit, what is normally given by the sale person to the potential buyer is a beautiful brochure that shows the location plan, site plan, floor plans, building perspective, specifications and all other information that the developer wants the buyer to know. Thing like the exact location of the refuse room is never clearly indicated in the brochure, the refuse room is normally located at the common area at each floor and because there are many other facilities like the riser duct, escape staircase, meter room etc within the common area, it is inevitably that the refuse room will be closer to certain units. Therefore always ask the sale person specifically where is the exact location of the refuse room before finalising on the purchase. You sure would not want to end up buying a unit where the refuse room is close to your unit.

However if the unit that you like is close to the refuse room, then make very sure that the refuse room is designed with double doors, two layers of door whereby if a door is not fully closed, chances that the other set of door will be closed, which mean that when a resident wanted to dispose off rubbish in the refuse room , he or she will have to go through one door after another. The two sets of door will minimise the smell of rubbish from escaping from the refuse room.

6. Air-con piping

Air conditioning is such an integral part of condo living today, a three rooms condo would need five aircon units, one for each room and one each for living and dining area. Most of the high end condo units are designed with a designated area for aircon compressor unit and these area are usually accessible through windows or balcony for ease of future maintenance. Some of the reputable developers have even included the aircon units in their sale package and for those who don't, they probably have included the aircon electrical points as well as the piping for the aircon units. However, there are some that only provide the aircon points without the piping.

Therefore when one is comparing between different projects, be sure to compare apple to apple and take into consideration the cost involved in the installation of those aircon piping as well as the drain pipe for the aircon units. While the air compressor units are required to be placed at certain designated area, the drain pipe would most ideally be required to be taken to bathroom and most of the time require certain hacking and patching which sometime can involve replacement of floor tiles and most probably will require repainting of certain area. Some developers will include aircon units and piping and sell the units at slightly higher price while some will sell at lower price and provide only the electrical points.

7. Land status

There are two kind of status,can either be commercial or residential.If you intend to buy a unit,knowing the land status of the development project is important.If the land status is commercial, the quit rent, assessment and the utilities bills will be charged at a higher commercial rate compare to residential status. For those who are buying for own staying, this maintenance cost will be higher for the unit. For those buying for rental yield, the utilities bill may most likely be paid by the tenant, the higher quit rent and assessment may translate to a lower rental yield.

Malaysia info

Motto: "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu"
"Unity Is Strength"

Anthem: Negaraku

Capital (largest city): Kuala Lumpur 3°08′N 101°42′E / 3.133, 101.7

Official languages: Malay

Demonym: Malaysian

Government: Federal constitutional elective monarchy and Parliamentary democracy

Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin

Prime Minister: Abdullah Ahmad Badawi


Independence

from the United Kingdom(Malaya only) : 31 August 1957

Federation(with Sabah,Sarawak and Singapore) : 16 September 1963

Area

Total: 329,847 km2 (66th) 127,355 sq mi

Water(%): 0.3

Population

sep2008 estimate : 27,730,000 (43rd)

2000 census : 24,821,286

Density : 84/km2 (114th) 218/sq mi

GDP(PPP) 2007 estimate

TOtal :$359.271 billion[2] (30th)

Per capita: $13,385[2] (59th)

GDP(nominal) 2007 estimate

Total:$186.718 billion[2] (39th)

Per capita:$6,956[2] (63rd)

Gini(2004) :40.3

HDI(2007) : ▲ 0.811 (high) (63rd)


Currency:Ringgit (RM) (MYR)

Time zone:MST (UTC+8)

Drives on the:left
Internet TLD:.my

Calling code:+60




The current terminology as per government policy is Bahasa Malaysia (literally Malaysian language) but legislation continues to refer to the official language as Bahasa Melayu (literally Malay language). English may continue to be used for some official purposes under the National Language Act 1967.
Putrajaya is the primary seat of the federal government.

Singapore became an independent country on 9 August 1965.
Calculated based on latest population estimate.
020 from Singapore.