Living in JB

[avelc]

Am really enjoying the camaderie on this thread, and increasingly hope to buy another property and explore staying there.

Hope to get some advice:

1. Any bros been to any recent launches at Horizon Hills-- any info to share? I'm still readings posts from 2 mths back on this thread, and someone mentioned abt clusters' launch being delayed by a few months. (Will be visiting HH next weekend to get more info)

2. Does anyone know if there are restrictions on bringing a SG-registered maid to Iskandar, whether on part-time or full-time basis?

Terima kasih..

 

[2bFree]

Just signed up for it yesterday and awaiting installation next week. They have to pull the fiber optic cable from the junction point outside (a green looking metal junction sitting on top a concrete slab).

Unifi should be faster than Streamyx as Unifi runs on a dedicated fiber optic cable network as opposed to Streamyx which rides on typical common telephone copper wiring.

r u using unifi now? I havent heard of any "fast" internet connection in HH.. mostly complaints.. Will unifi be fast?

 

[spidey]

HH launched their cluster homes like 1-2 mths back, I wanted to get one but the price was just too steep for my budget - I enquirer that time was at 920k... But not sure now! Their terrace at the hills was going for 760-770k..not sure if they still have any left...best to go to the show office and ask the sales ppl..

 

[spidey]

Careful... Leased hold vs Free hold..

U r rite, but if for investment purpose, to me as long u get a decent roi, then it's pretty good to let go...say if the price hit 400k from yr purchase price of 290k, that's a pretty good return already to consider! Personally that's how I feel.
If buy for long term and to stay definitely I'll agree freehold is the way to go.

 

[spidey]

bro, state levy normally 10 - 11K, not 15K

Bros, I didn't pay any fees except the legal fees on the bank loan... I think in my case the developer absorbed all the other cost..

Totals fees I've paid so far are the difference btw the loan and purchase price and the lawyers fees which they hv invoiced but I hv yet to pay...

 

[spidey]

for that 4.2% , normally it last for how many months with that fixed interest?

How often it gets readjusted?

It's for the whole term bro, if blr changes, the bank will adjust the tenure of yr loan....goes up, you pay longer, goes down you pay shorter tenure...
And the int charged if full repaid...put it this way, you almost can get another 1/2 a house!! I think!!

 

[avelc]

HH launched their cluster homes like 1-2 mths back, I wanted to get one but the price was just too steep for my budget - I enquirer that time was at 920k... But not sure now! Their terrace at the hills was going for 760-770k..not sure if they still have any left...best to go to the show office and ask the sales ppl..

Thanks spidey, will check it out.

 

[ray2104]

Quote Originally Posted by fairies View Post
List of forummers who have purchased or intend to purchase property in Johor. Hope those guests who are following this thread actively will also create their own account and join 'The List'. (Copy the whole list including this heading. Click 'Reply to Thread'. Paste it in your reply and add your nick and nationality to the list.)
# IMPORTANT - For new members, please try to make your first 10 post anywhere else before adding your nick to this list.

1. Wuqi256 (Singaporean) - The Gateway, The Golf, Nusa Duta -
Wuqi256 sisters (Singaporean), sister bf (SPR, East Malaysian [Kuching, Sarawak]). Wuqi256's relatives(Singaporean), friends (Singaporean, Malaysian (Malacca, KL, Kedah, Pahang, Kelantan [Tenant]), German, Australian, Korean)and colleagues (Singaporean, Malaysians, soon to be Italian and UK)
-Total 29 (updated) bought so far in Nusajaya
2. Investor (Singaporean) - Nusajaya
3. Analytical Professor (Singaporean) - Kempas
4. Sanur - Leisure farm/polo view
5. Sanur's mum - Leisure Farm/bayou water village
6. Sanur's SIL - Leisure Farm/polo view
7. Jasonjst - Sutera Utama
8. Tansi - Leisure Farm
9. relaxmannn (Singaporean) - Nusajaya
10. nusajayaphile (Singaporean) - The Hills Precinct, Horizon Hills
11. Mahesh - Leisure Farm/pinggiran bayou
12. East539 (Singaporean) - Nusajaya
13. East539's Sis & Bro in law (Singaporean) - EL/LF
14. JazJoz - Horizon Hills
15. Lynn - east Ledang
16. TheGolf - HH
17. Grago. - Horizon Hills
18. Arsenal (British, North London, home of the gunner) - Horizon Hills
19. Vincentck & Wife - NI
20. mathstub- Horizon Hills
21. ShawnLow (Malaysian, JB Skudai) - Bestari Heights - Astoria
22. Skippy - Horizon Hill The Golf
23. LastResort Family (Singaporean) - Horizon Hills, The Gateway, The Hills & Fairway Suites
24. Kaeel - Nusa Idaman , Hill side Semi D
25. Lord Aragorn - The Straits View Residences, Permas Jaya
26. cathylmg (Singaporean) - Kempas
27. captw - Bukit Indah, Amelia 1
28. mallow - Nusajaya
29. IskandarRocks (Indian, Sg PR) - East Ledang, Imperia@Puteri Harbour
30. euphony - LF & mt. austin
31. narmi - NI
32. maxpark - Fairway Suites, Indahwalk3
33. Avalon74- Setia Eco Garden
34. Yonglip - Bestari Heights
35. AbuGumGum - Sungai Chat, Johor Bahru
36. 2bFree - HH
37. Aisanbo (Singaporean) - Sky Gardens Residences @ Setia Tropika
38. 29ers - LF
39. Weetabix - HH
40. SeriAustinian - Seri Austin, HH South Golf
41. iamapseudoneem - Nusa Idaman
42. Puteri Harbour (Singaporean) - Imperia@Puteri Harbour
43. Odyssey - HH-Golf
44. darrkie.y - taman molek
45. Leisure - KIV leisure farm pinggiran bayou, east ledang or 1 medini
46. avelc - Nusajaya
47. linked (Singaporean) - East Ledang
48. investjb (Malaysian, Sarawak) - Impiana, Ujana, Casa Almyra, Golden sands, horizon residence
49. limmcd (Malaysian, Johor, Sg PR) - HH, BI, Ujana, Fortune Point, Nusa villa, Horizon Residence
50. spidey (Malaysian, KL, Sg PR) - Bandar Dato Onn
51. Icyraine (Malaysia, Born in Penang, Grow up in KL, Work in JB) - HH (going to seal the deal on coming monday!), Sri Samudera, Golden Sands
52. Blue_S (Malaysian, Sarawak, SPR) - Ujana, Horizon Residence
53. fairies (Singaporean) - Ledang Heights
54. Fairwaysuites (Malaysian, Penang, SPR) - HH Golf and Fairway Suites
55. Ray2104 (Singaporean) -D'Esplanade Residence @ KSL City

 

[tansi]

Become. a member and use the search function of this thread

wow.. over 650 pages.. i am now at my first 40. the more i read, the more i am interested :-)
not sure if i am now too late.. but am definitely vested!

if there is any fast-track info/link, it'll definitely be appreciated too ;-)

 

[tansi]

Saw the MACS booth operating at JUsco Bkt Indah yesterday, seems like it has extended another month till Dec 15.

Just 30 RM is fine. As HH pointed out, no cash gift required. Its now very fast and convenient to apply.Very surprised to hear that they are extending, asked one and they told me due to many requests received as they are going to bring aged parents etc to do. Because of MACS, many of my friends and relatives now find it very convenient as it cuts down on all the waiting time, etc.

 

[checkers]

Can I ask more question? Bank interest rate normally how much?

Lets say I buy 560k RM property and downpay 20% of it.

How much interest PA they charge?

Walk into a bank in JB and ask for the loan officer...your queries on loans, interest rates, tenure will be answered ..

 

[limmcd]

U r rite, but if for investment purpose, to me as long u get a decent roi, then it's pretty good to let go...say if the price hit 400k from yr purchase price of 290k, that's a pretty good return already to consider! Personally that's how I feel.
If buy for long term and to stay definitely I'll agree freehold is the way to go.

ROI for freehold is definitely better than leased. However, for short term investment, leased hold can be considered. But it is still risky. Price appreciation will happen at the initial stage, that's all.
A good example will be the condos at Danga Bay. It started off as leased and the occupancy rate was less than 50%.
Once converted to freehold, fully sold out with an increment close to 70%.
Johor still have a lot of freehold lands..

 

[teck21]

1. Any bros been to any recent launches at Horizon Hills-- any info to share? I'm still readings posts from 2 mths back on this thread, and someone mentioned abt clusters' launch being delayed by a few months. (Will be visiting HH next weekend to get more info)

Was at their sales office previous Sunday, current launch is The Hills, as someone pointed out, the terraces start 700+k, and the clusters 920K up I think, but very few clusters in this launch if I remember correctly.

 

[wuqi256]

Quick qn , the parking coupons which I bought from JB , can i use in Bk Indah ?
I remembered the shop told me can use till Johor Jaya.

Thanks

Yes, there are A and B zones, you should be able to use them easily. Not a lot of places in Bukit Indah uses it though. I have never have cause to use it yet except one time when i was in Muar and had to buy and use the other one.

 

[wuqi256]

Can I ask more question? Bank interest rate normally how much?

Lets say I buy 560k RM property and downpay 20% of it.

How much interest PA they charge?

I saw that bros here have already answered your question, some useful links:

http://www.blr.my/

There is also Klibor:
http://www.standardchartered.com.my/cb/loan/klibor/default.html

 

[wuqi256]

Steady bro Arsenal, i am really glad for you with regards to the dual citizenship

 

[Investor]

Wow, the owner of Super325 was invited to Johor Premium Outlets's Exclusive Pre-Sales Day on 1st Dec.

 

[curiouscat]

Same here.... When I first bought imperia, all
My friends and relatives say I am crazy. But after the iskandar article and the recent announcement, 3 of them actually follow me for the main launch of imperia. I also bring them to see the show flat for EL melody as well as Ledang heights....
Cannot blame those that do not believe. Cos When things are too good, it is difficult to believe unless you see it for yourself...

Investing successfully involves picking out opportunities the market does not fully appreciate yet. Often the best returns are for those investments where very few investors see much potential or where investors are not convinced of the larger economic factors (being nervous about investing in some country...). The recent posts mentioning increasing anecdotes of people taking new interest in potential investments in Johor is potentially a good sign. It is a good sign if more people are sensible evaluating future prospects and deciding the long term viability of Iskandar is increasing. I do think the signs in the last year has been positive for practices to bring about Iskandar (as it can be) are being applied (backing up what people have said would happen).

Long term commitment to economic investment (especially when short term interest get in the way) is fraught with risk however. Few countries (Singapore is one of them) have shown the ability to stick to long term economic strategies when difficulties arise. Often short cuts are taken to aid the most powerful, governments fail to follow through with promises (to actually allow businesses to operate freely or to bring off mass transit systems well...).

Iskandar should still offer higher potential returns precisely because risks are still there for what will happen. This is good for investors. But investors need to also remember there are risks. One of the big problems in the last 10-15 years is large scale ignoring of investment risks across the globe.

Another thing investors in Iskandar should remember is the success of that investment is significantly dependent on government action following through on all the good talk. So far things are progressing very well. But investors should be very interested in making sure that continues. As an investor you can't only notice once the issues reduce the value of your investment directly. If you wait that long, it is too late.

Investors jumping in before things like large theme parks, Edu City, new hospitals, MRT... will gain once those all come into being. But if things fall apart and the MRT doesn't get completed, that may scare away large investors and decrease values across the board. At the current time it seems like the second wave of less aggressive investors are coming in. Those investors are often more skittish. So they may well try to run the other way if problems start to crop up.

I think the potential is great. I think other than picking the right specific investment (which estate, which unit...) the biggest factor in success is going to be how close Iskandar comes in practice to the words that have been spoken. It is much easier to say the smart thing than to do the smart thing day after day for decades. Many countries had the chance to do what Singapore did the last 40 years. Almost no countries did so as well as Singapore. How Malaysia does on this front will be the most important factor in how investors in real estate today do over the next few decades. I think the investment options are great.

But many mistakes have been made in the last few decades with investors overbuilding in expectation of great economic growth that didn't appear. The biggest risks I see today in Iskandar is that. The risk that too much is built without the supporting base of local jobs. I think that is not a huge risk - if Iskandar is managed properly the growth should be very strong (the combination of Johor and Singapore has extremely strong potential). But it is far from certain this will succeed as quickly and fully as we hope.

 

[Bluereeff]

Walk into a bank in JB and ask for the loan officer...your queries on loans, interest rates, tenure will be answered ..

Dont u think the loan processes are very slow in msia vs spore? Are they so inefficient or becoz they hv too many redtapes?

 

[curiouscat]

Talking about a possible serious crisis ahead. From what I know, many people downgrade to cheaper houses and cars and tighten their belts during a serious crisis. Do you guys think that properties in Iskandar, especially smaller units like terraces in Nusajaya, would see higher demand from Singaporeans when a severe and long crisis hits?

Of course Iskandar will also be hit economically and will receive much lesser foreign investments during a serious crisis, even committed ones will be delayed. But in terms of a more affordable property as compared to Singapore, maybe we'll see more demand from the belt-tighteners from Singapore?

I think that is a good point. But it only hold if relations between Singapore and Malaysia stay strong. That those relations stay strong is likely. But when serious economic crisis happen countries can panic and start taking actions in the light of the short term crisis that disrupt relations between the countries. Unfortunately the risk of the countries squabbling (and making your suggestion less likely) is highly correlated with economic turmoil.

I would wager if the Singapore and Malaysian economies are progressing well there is ver low chances of significant issues between the countries. This will allow ties to Iskandar to grow (which will be hugely beneficial to both countries). A decade or two into that process the economic ties will likely be too strong to have significant problems. But we are not there yet, in my opinion. Risk on that front remain, especially if an economic crisis hits. Now, even in an economic crisis the benefit to both countries of strengthen ties would be large (maybe even larger than in good times) but in bad times bad policies are often easier to take (often shifting the blame to "outsiders...").