PROPCAFE™ Guide : Top 10 Considerations When Buying Property In Malaysia 2017

Most of the time we don’t know what we want in our life. Life can be quite confusing when it come to decision making especially when buying a property. When you ask your partner a question whichis as simple as : what would you feel like having for meal? , where do you want to go? or what would you like to do? – Most of the time if not you won’t get any direct answer to that questions. I believe day to day situation like this is familiar to you.

When come to buying a house for own stay, I believe many consideration factors will come to your mind and thing can get even more complicated if you would want to discuss with your partner especially when they have no idea on what they want in buying property regardless for own stay or investment. The most challenging answer I had encountered was “I want everything” , am I the only one who is facing this kind of dilemma? On average PROPCAFE receive at least 10 – 20 emails per month ranging from ” Do you think it is a good buy ? ” to ” When will you do a review for Project XXX?  and would like to hear your review prior making the decision ” . From the corresponding with my readers, I realise that there is one thing in common ; most of them already have made their decision but just need some “push” or “validation” to execute it.

For those who are attached or married, trust me …. one of the consideration in decision making is to make your partner happy but my advice is not at the dispense of your own happiness. Pleasing your partner is as important as your own health and happiness and I hope for those who are reading this perhaps could take a deeper consideration and making a compromise to face the reality together with your partner with mutual respect when making a decision in purchasing a property for own use. There is a saying “Happy Partner Happy Life”.

If you don’t know where to start or what are the main consideration when buying a property in Malaysia is fine and with this article I hope it would give you some insights on what typically Malaysians want when buying a property.

What are the latest trend of Malaysian’s top considerations when buying property in Malaysia? To make it sweet and simple, I will just elaborate on the top 3 consideration when buying property in Malaysia. According to a property survey done recently by PropertyGuru [ I wished they could have give an indications of  the correspondents’ gender who took part in this survey 🙂 ] ; the top 10 considerations are :

1. LOCATION

• Location, Location, Location – Property Investment 101 and this hardly will goes wrong. But not many people can understand the fact that Location come with cost. Today even not favorable location also commanding an unfavorable price tag. People simply still don’t get it that if you want good thing , it comes with a “struggle”, pain or a cost. If you want happiness, it comes with a cost. If you want a nicely tone 6 packs abs , you have to endure the pain and the sweat.  If you merely want something and not willing to take pain, you can just continue “to want” for the rest of your life. This goes same to property, if you want a good location property, you have to endure the higher “pain or struggle or cost” otherwise you will be forever “just want” and by the time you start to accept that happiness does come with a cost, somehow you already ended up buying property some where you could not even imagine in your life. If you still don’t get it, I suggest go to have a read on The Most Important Question of Your Life – By Mark Manson

“Everybody wants what feels good. Everyone wants to live a carefree, happy and easy life, to fall in love and have amazing sex and relationships, to look perfect and make money and be popular and well-respected and admired and a total baller to the point that people part like the Red Sea when you walk into the room.

Everyone would like that — it’s easy to like that.

If I ask you, “What do you want out of life?” and you say something like, “I want to be happy and have a great family and a job I like,” it’s so ubiquitous that it doesn’t even mean anything.

A more interesting question, a question that perhaps you’ve never considered before, is what pain do you want in your life? What are you willing to struggle for? Because that seems to be a greater determinant of how our lives turn out”. – Mark Manson

2. Safety & Security

• I am not surprised that Safety & Security has moved up to the Top 3 spots in consideration when buying a property. Safety & Security has been Malaysian’s Primary Concern. How’s not ???When we have some super brilliant MP here said ‘Ok for rape victims to marry their rapists’ . If this kind of thing keeps on happening, soon SAFETY & SECURITY will be the NO 1 Top Consideration when Buying A Property In Malaysia.

3. Size

• Size directly affects the absolute pricing of the house and lead to affordability. In this survey it was not mentioned clearly that whether is sizing down or sizing up. I presume Malaysians prefer the “Right” size in balance of price and comfort. Perhaps now our generation buyer – Gen Y and Z perceives the BEST size as the RIGHT Size and Not the BIG Size property. Size is not only main consideration when buying property but also important consideration to Developers in Malaysia understanding what the trend of market demands. If you build something that irrelevant with what the market would like to absorb then this is really a big problem. The trend of property size is heading to “Right Size” where the next wave of purchasers value personal life experience, lifestyle and freedom more than the size of the property itself. Those are the keys deciding factors for the next wave of purchasers in the context of Property Size regardless for marriage or own stay. The paradigm shift towards ” I ain’t going to be the working slave for the next 30 years for the bank due to the house mortgage debt . I only live once in my life” – this TIME Value perception is rather imminent . You will ask me, what is the “RIGHT” size then? I will leave this to readers, only yourself knows the best what you want and if you don’t, then don’t rush to buy.

4. Infrastructure and Amenities

5. Reputation of Developer

6. Future Developments in the area

7. Tenure of Property ( Leasehold or Freehold)

8. PSF (Per Square Foot) Price

9. Accesibility to Public Transport

10. Facilities Within Properties

This resembles a marked difference compared to 2016 when Location, PSF and future developments in the area were deemed top considerations when making a property purchase decision.  As compared to 2016, location remains the top factor in key decision making when buying a property in Malaysia , however we can see that Safety or Security and Size have become the primary factors.

Other important factors were availability of infrastructure and amenities, developer’s reputation and future developments in the area – ranked 4^th, 5^th and 6^th respectively. Surprisingly, rental yield, only reached 13^th on the list – a potential indicator of more owner-occupiers in the market than investors. According to PropertyGuru’s Sheldon Fernandez, the changing factors are a reflection of the current mind-set and expectations of property buyers.

“The results provide insight into the minds of potential property buyers in 2017. As people look to new areas outside of the city centre that meets their budget, location remains a priority but with safety and security growing in importance. Living further away, people generally want the benefit of space. Hence, the emergence of these three factors at the top. But importantly, the minds of Malaysians is to secure a property; to get a roof over their heads whereas before they would probably also be thinking of potential rental yields and capital appreciation. There is certainly a mind-set shift in 2017,” said Fernandez.

He also added that the survey results are consistent with the increased number of searches over the past six months for properties on the outskirts of Selangor and the city centre.

Emerging Property Hotspots in Suburban Selangor

According to the Consumer Sentiment Survey, the outskirts of Selangor is gaining traction with 29% of potential homeowners (25% in 2016) now regarding the location as their preferred choice. This indicates the emergence of new property hotspots in suburban areas of Selangor – between 20-40km from the city centre such as Rawang, Sungai Buloh, Semenyih, Ulu Kelang, Ampang and others. Not surprisingly, high-rise strata homes consisting of both apartments and condominiums are the top choice followed by landed terrace homes. Demand for bungalows and semi-Ds however continue to dip.

Average Property Budget in 2017

With regards to budget, close to 40% of respondents intending to buy within the next six months indicated they would spend between RM300,001-RM500,000 in 2017 to buy a property. Higher priced properties of RM700,001 to more than RM900,000 are likely to see fewer buyers with only 18% of respondents looking at these niche segments.

“It indicates the sweet spot of what the majority of Malaysians are willing to fork out for a home. This is consistent with market trends, where properties priced RM300,000-RM500,000 have done well. Properties priced between RM500,000-RM700,000 will also see some movement. But 2017 is unlikely to see a recovery in the higher-end market. Properties closer to the RM1 million mark will generally be hard to sell though there will always be exceptions,” said Fernandez.

Ya, it is true that according to the stats, majority Malaysians willing to spend on property priced RM300,000-RM500,000 but as an investor we should not forget the supply and quantity of property priced RM300,000-RM500,000 available in the market. I would have to say this is not the indicator of what price range of property you should invest in especially if there have been external force distortion to the property market. Simply said, it just doesn’t work as it how it used to be. On the contrary, even though higher priced properties of RM700,001 to more than RM900,000 are likely to see fewer buyers with only 18% that does not means all these properties will be over hanged. If the supply of the product in this range is not many combined with few more other factors, this could be an opportunity here. I believe in every segments of property , there will be an opportunity balanced well by its risk.

We need to understand the difference between River Fishing and Sea Fishing

Overseas Property Demand Declines

On a separate note, the survey also showed a continued drop in appetite among Malaysians to acquire overseas properties despite Brexit and other global developments. Australia remains the top choice for overseas properties with high rise homes being the top choice, followed by landed houses. Among the top reasons cited for overseas property buying were for retirement (43%), better environment / surroundings (42%), capital appreciation (38%), rental yield (37%), suits migration plans (36%) and children’s education (36%).

The Consumer Sentiment Survey measures property sentiment and expectations amongst Malaysians with regards to the local property market. It polled 1013 respondents online. Similar surveys are carried out concurrently in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. The goal of the Survey is to help consumers gain an insight into the local property market to make better business and buying decisions. The survey was conducted in collaboration with Intuit Research Consultants, a well-respected international research agency.

The End.

[BM Version] Faktor Utama Pembelian Hartanah di Malaysia bagi 2017

Rakyat Malaysia dilihat semakin bijak dalam menyesuaikan diri dan menerima realiti keadaan pasaran hartanah semasa secara berperingkat. Sejajar dengan senario ini, portal hartanah paling berpengaruh di Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara, PropertyGuru kini mendedahkan beberapa perubahan faktor pelaburan hartanah utama yang disaksikan sejak enam bulan kebelakangan ini.

Bagi rakyat Malaysia, tiga faktor penting yang dipertimbangkan ketika membeli rumah adalah lokasi dan diikuti oleh keselamatan persekitaran dan saiz hartanah. Perubahan ini cukup ketara memandangkan faktor lokasi, harga hartanah dan pembangunan masa depan di kawasan hartanah lebih diutamakan oleh para pembeli pada tahun 2016.

Faktor-faktor lain yang tersenarai dalam kedudukan keempat, kelima dan keenam termasuk jenis kemudahan dan infrastruktur yang ditawarkan, reputasi syarikat pemaju dan pembangunan masa depan di kawasan tersebut. Lebih mengejutkan, faktor pulangan sewa hanya tersenarai dalam kedudukan ke-13. Ini sekali gus bererti pasaran hartanah tempatan bakal dikuasai oleh golongan pembeli khususnya pemilik kediaman dan bukannya pelabur hartanah.

Menurut Pengurus Negara PropertyGuru Malaysia, Sheldon Fernandez, faktor perubahan ini memberi gambaran jelas terhadap harapan dan mentaliti golongan pembeli hartanah hari ini.

“Hasil tinjauan ini mendedahkan harapan bakal pembeli hartanah pada tahun ini. Meskipun para pembeli kini lebih menggemari kawasan baharu yang jauh dari pusat bandar dan memenuhi bajet masing-masing, faktor lokasi masih diutamakan. Aspek keselamatan juga dilihat kian diutamakan. Lazimnya, pembeli juga mengutamakan aspek ruang jika lokasi yang jauh menjadi pilihan. Justeru, tiga faktor ini kini adalah aspek terpenting bagi para pembeli,” kongsi Fernandez.

“Bagi kebanyakan rakyat Malaysia, kejayaan memiliki rumah adalah lebih penting. Membeli rumah untuk kegunaan peribadi lebih diutamakan sebelum memikirkan soal kenaikan nilai hartanah atau pulangan sewa yang lumayan. Tahun 2017 pastinya menjadi saksi kepada perubahan mentaliti para konsumer,” tambah Fernandez.

Tambahnya lagi, hasil tinjauan tersebut juga konsisten dengan peningkatan jumlah pencarian hartanah di kawasan Selangor dan pusat bandar menerusi portal PropertyGuru sejak enam bulan kebelakangan ini.

Kemunculan Kawasan Hartanah Popular di Subbandar Selangor

Berdasarkan Tinjauan Sentimen Konsumer PropertyGuru, kawasan luar bandar di Selangor kini kian mendapat perhatian. Berbanding 25 peratus responden pada tahun 2016, sebanyak 29 peratus responden yang juga bakal pembeli melihat lokasi tersebut sebagai pilihan kegemaran mereka. Ini sekali gus membuktikan kemunculan kawasan hartanah popular baharu di luar Selangor yang terletak sekitar 20 hingga 40km dari pusat bandar seperti Rawang, Sungai Buloh, Semenyih, Ulu Kelang, Ampang dan sebagainya.

Seperti yang dijangka, kediaman strata bertingkat seperti apartmen dan kondominium merupakan pilihan utama dan diikuti oleh kediaman atas tanah. Permintaan terhadap hartanah jenis banglo dan rumah berkembar dua juga kian merosot.

Purata Bajet untuk Pembelian Hartanah 2017

Dari segi bajet pula, kira-kira 40 peratus responden berhasrat untuk membeli rumah dalam tempoh enam bulan akan datang. Bajet yang diperuntukkan untuk membeli rumah pada tahun 2017 adalah antara RM300,001 sehingga RM500,000.Hanya sebanyak 18 peratus responden berhasrat membeli hartanah mewah terpilih yang berharga dalam lingkungan RM700,001 sehingga RM900,000. Kategori hartanah khas ini dijangka hanya mampu menarik perhatian sejumlah kecil pembeli rumah.

“Keadaan ini menunjukkan nilai perbelanjaan yang sanggup ditanggung oleh kebanyakan rakyat Malaysia untuk memiliki rumah. Sejajar dengan trend pasaran hartanah, hartanah yang berharga antara RM300,000 sehingga RM500,000 amat laris. Manakala hartanah yang berharga dalam lingkungan RM500,000 sehingga RM700,000 juga semakin mendapat perhatian. Namun, pasaran hartanah mewah dilihat tidak akan pulih pada tahun 2017. Hartanah yang berharga sekitar RM1 juta biasanya kurang mendapat sambutan tetapi mungkin ada pengecualian dalam soal ini,” kata Fernandez.

Permintaan Terhadap Hartanah Luar Negara Semakin Berkurangan

Sementara itu, tinjauan tersebut juga menunjukkan rakyat Malaysia kini kurang berminat untuk membeli hartanah di luar negara sebagai pelaburan biarpun dengan fenomena Brexit dan pembangunan dunia yang lain. Australia terus kekal sebagai destinasi utama pelaburan hartanah pilihan ramai. Kediaman bertingkat menjadi pilihan utama para responden diikuti dengan kediaman atas tanah. Antara sebab utama pelaburan hartanah di luar negara menjadi pilihan termasuk persaraan (43 peratus), persekitaran yang lebih baik (42 peratus), peningkatan nilai hartanah (38 peratus), nilai sewa yang lebih lumayan (37 peratus), pelan penghijrahan (36 peratus) dan pendidikan anak-anak (36 peratus).

Tinjauan Sentimen Konsumer bertujuan untuk menilai harapan dan sentimen rakyat Malaysia terhadap pasaran hartanah tempatan. Seramai 1,013 responden telah mengambil bahagian dalam tinjauan dalam talian ini. Tinjauan serupa juga dijalankan secara serentak di Singapura, Thailand dan Indonesia. Objektif tinjauan ini adalah untuk  membantu golongan pembeli memperoleh pandangan bernas tentang pasaran hartanah tempatan bagi membuat keputusan pelaburan dan pembelian hartanah yang lebih bijak. Tinjauan ini dijalankan dengan kerjasama agensi penyelidikan antarabangsa terkemuka, Intuit Research Consultants.

 

[Chinese Version] 2017年大马人购买房地产的首要考虑因素

随着越来越多大马人适应了房地产的市场现况，并逐渐回流房地产市场，马来西亚和东南亚领先房地产集团PropertyGuru指出，消费者在购买房产时的首要考虑因素在过去6个月出现了变化。 大马人的三大考量依序为地点、安全/保安，以及面积，这与2016年以地点、每平方尺价格（PSF），以及有关地区的未来发展为购买房产优先考虑因素的现象，出现了明显的差异。其他重要的考虑因素是基础建设和设施、发展商的声誉和该地区的未来发展，分别排在第4、第5和第6。令人惊讶的是，租金收益率只排行第13位，似乎暗示市场上有意买房子供本身居住的人士，比投资者来得多。 PropertyGuru马来西亚区经理谢尔顿（Sheldon Fernandez）指出，考虑因素的变化反映了房地产买家当前的心态和期望。

谢尔顿分享说，“这个现象让我们进一步了解2017年潜在房地产买家的想法。尽管人们开始在城市中心以外的新地区寻找符合他们预算的房地产，但地点仍然是优先考虑的因素，而安全以及保安也日益重要。人们住得远一些，一般上是为了换来更大的空间。因此，这就是为什么这几个因素跃升为三大考虑因素。”  他补充说，“然而，更重要的是，大马人的首要想法还是要确保能拥有房产，以便有栖身之所，相比起之前，他们考虑的可能是潜在租金收益率和资本增值。因此，消费者的心态的确在2017年出现了转变。” 他还说，这项调查结果符合PropertyGuru网站用户在过去六个月里，增加了对雪兰莪和市中心外围地区房地产搜索次数的现象。

雪兰莪郊区的新兴房地产热点

根据PropertyGuru消费者信心调查，雪兰莪郊区的吸引力日益增加，有多达29％的潜在购屋者（2016年为25％）视这些地区为首选。这显现了雪兰莪郊区新兴房地产热点的崛起，这些地区距离市中心20至40公里，如：万挠（Rawang）、双溪毛糯（Sungai Buloh）、士毛月（Semenyih）、淡江（Ulu Kelang）、安邦（Ampang）等等。

毫无意外，高楼住宅是潜在购屋者的首选，其次是有地排屋。独立式和半独立式洋房的需求则继续下降。

2017年的平均房地产预算

在预算方面，近 40％的受访者有意在未来六个月内，也就是在2017年花费30至50万令吉购买房产。介于70万至90万令吉或以上的高价房产的买气则偏低，只有18％的受访者表示有意物色属于这个价位的房地产。

谢尔顿表示，“这显示了大多数马来西亚人愿意为了拥有家园所付出的带价。这与市场趋势一致，因为价格介于30万至50万令吉的房地产表现良好。价格介于50至70万令吉间的房地产也有一定的买卖交易。但是，我们在2017年不太可能看到高端市场的复苏。价格近100万令吉的房地产通常难以出售，不过还是有一些例外。”

海外房地产需求下降

另一方面，调查还显示，尽管面对英国脱欧和其他全球性因素，马来西亚人对购买海外房地产的热衷程度依然持续降温。澳洲仍然是人们在海外置产的首选，其中又以高楼住宅最受欢迎，其次是有地房屋。海外置产的主要原因包括退休（43％）、更好的环境（42％）、资本增值（38％）、租金收益率（37％）、配合移民计划（36％）以及孩子教育（36％）。

PropertyGuru消费者信心调查评估马来西亚人对房地产市场的信心和期待。这项调查通过互联网访问了1013人。类似的调查也同时在新加坡、泰国和印尼进行。调查的目的是为了帮助消费者了解当地房地产市场，以做出更好的商业和购买决定。这项调查是PropertyGuru 与备受尊崇的国际研究机构Intuit Research Consultants合作进行的。

[Source : PropertyGuru’s Consumer Sentiment Survey]