ViPod Residence – A sculptural beauty of interlocking stylish pods at Malaysia’s most coveted address. Feel the excitement; Feel the City Pulse … …
ViPod Residence is located at Jalan Kia Peng which comes with 39 storeys and total of 418 units within 1.09 acres land.
Doorsteps to KL Conventional Center which is linked directly to KLCC. Less than a minute walk, a bridge will brings you to the finest mall in KLCC area – Pavillion KL. One of my favourite malls as it is non-halal mall, plenty of choices of entertainment, dinning & drinking. A place that expatriates love to hang around. Personally, I feel that KLCC is more for tourists than residents in KL. Having said that, since KLCC is also within minutes walk, so it does not matter which mall I like, the choices are all there for ViPod residents! Those who like Bukit Bintang, Jalan Alor or Changkat Bukit Bintang, all these hotspots are not too far away. If one lazy to walk, you can take monorail from Raja Chulan to the next stop of Bukit Bintang. Unlike many KLCC residential properties, this ViPod Residence is the CENTRAL OF CENTRAL, definitely one of the best so far in KL (ok, I would rate Pavillion Residence as the Best at the moment, strictly from location perspective). The RM100 millions project of KL covered walkway and skybridge will certainly benefit KLCC area’s residents.
As I mentioned in Manhattan thread, my requirement for KLCC residential property must be VISIBLE enough from main road, fronting must be VIBRANT enough, surrounding must be HIGH-END enough, facade must be “CANGGIH” enough, and pricing must be REASONABLE enough. Yes, ViPod Residence has all these elements! There are many developments nearby, but I couldn’t match all these criteria with them so it is either not my cup of tea or beyond my reach.
Look at the floor plan, it breaks into three clusters. Each cluster only has either 3 or 4 units to share three lifts. Since each floor is controlled by access card, the privacy is all there for just 3 or 4 units! Each cluster is either shared by 2 small and 1 medium size units or 2 small and 2 medium size units. The USP for those in the cluster of only 3 units, it has the potential to make for family suites where parent can stay medium size apartment and let the kids to stay at 1+1 bedroom type units. The lift and foyer then becomes their own private foyer and lifts (three!).
The medium size apartments are NorthEast facing whilst small size units are SouthWest facing. Only medium size units having the chance to have KLCC park view (KLCC tower should be blocked). To have this KLCC park view, one need to go up minimum 21st or 22nd floor to clear the apartment besides Vipod. Small units all facing the current open carpark area which owned by UOA. So there is surely a risk of coming up new building to block the current small unit’s Bukit Bintang/Pavillion view.
The 1+1 bedroom type (635sf) has the squarish layout that I always prefer. Both Living and Master Bedroom has the view with the 10 feet high windows throughout! You can notice the kitchen is well located without disturbing the space of the unit. In most of the development especially for small built-up unit, the kitchen always stuck beside the entrance door i.e. after you step into the unit, you always see kitchen at lhs or rhs which reduces the space of the apartment immediately. Space allocation is important for small unit and this 1+1 type has maximise it. Well thought by the architect.
Thanks to the squarish layout and the positioning of kitchen, this small unit able to squeeze in another small room which can be used for single bed or study room. If one wants to be picky, then you can point to the “no-window” bathroom. I have to say, it is acceptable for this sort of small unit, I would certainly choose bigger window view of living and bedroom than having toilet stucks between the living and room just for the sake of getting window in bathroom. The issue of this layout – the guest may not be able to enter the toilet without entering study room or master bedroom. One can solve this issue by not installing door in study/kid room i.e. make it common area or make the room smaller by having the door after the bathroom door. Based on the layout, it doesn’t seems like developer will build wall to separate living and master bedroom. Well, I think it, in fact, provides flexibility for owners to decide how they want to design their unit. I have seen many studios using very creative ways to expand the visual space which is crucial for small apartment. There is a proper 2 bedroom type (793sf – see below) which has the advantage of having view for both bedrooms. Master bedroom also enjoys front and side view.
Let’s talk about the corner 2+1 types. For the size of 1,286 sf, I wouldn’t classify this type as big unit in KLCC. Well, it is no doubt that big size units in KLCC is not doing well or rather illiquid, this 1.3k sf size is really not many in KLCC area as you either get small studio or large size high=end apartment (1.6k sf or 2ksf above). This type comes with longish master bedroom which the bathroom and wardrobe located in the bottom end, however, the master bedroom has both front (KLCC) and side view. All bedrooms come with views and you can expect great long horizontal view from living and dining area! (see AI below). Negative point, again, bathroom without window :P. For non-corner 2+1 types (C – 1299sf & D – 1190sf), the master bedroom only comes with KLCC front view. The problem for the type D is it attached with three lifts, SA previously promised the noise is not an issue based on the lift quality and technical solution from the developer. Let’s wait till it is VP to confirm it. Having said that, 1190sf for 2+1 rooms may work well due to its affordability in term of pricing and no. of rooms available.
All units are promised to come with at least a carpark lot but it is not stated in the SPA, so let’s see the honesty of this Monoland Developer.
Facilities are based on subscription basis (not fixed yet, it has promised to be affordable) as it is not part of the maintenance fees. Monoland will manage the facilities which will not be part of the JMB/MC duties or coverage as the sky club provides commercial biz like Sky Bar services (together with Sky Gym, Spa, Pool, Deck and function room). Only one cluster’s lifts are accessible to roof top sky club (if I am not wrong, should be one of the side cluster). It may cause some inconveniences to certain clusters’ residents but in the other hand those having access lift to sky facilities may have less privacy due to the human traffic of using the lifts.
Ground facilities are including concierge, business lounge & bar, meeting rooms, serviced offices and convenience store.
The developer is generous enough to give branded quality materials and fittings like biometrics lock, whirlpool island bathtub etc (see below).
What’s more?
Kitchen cabinet with hob, hood, microwave oven, waste disposal, kitchen sink with hot cold water mixer are given by developer. The freebies do not stop here, developer also giving storage type water heater and aircond with inverter (VRV) system to living, dining, and bedrooms. Floor finishers includes Marble to living, dining, kitchen, bathrooms (except 1+1 type with timber strip wood to living and dining). It is certainly value for money. Yes, RM850psf up. (let’s continue to talk about the pricing below).
ViPod Residences was launched with a very reasonable prce in 2010. The small and medium sizes are launched at RM 850psf onwards. Each floor is around RM5k different. Given this pricing and especially its location and material given, many investors were very excited on this development back then. However, the developer set a strategy to clear all their units by a rule of “Buy Medium Size Only Can Buy Small Unit”. This pairing strategy works well for the sale but it had also deterred many investors who couldn’t afford to buy two units (which more than RM1.8mil for two units). It sparked an issue of selling entitlement at the back end where purchasers sold their entitlement of purchasing small unit to those investors who couldn’t afford to buy two units. There is no wrong or right on this entitlement selling though many blame developer to have this rule. Well, we are in capitalism environment and developer needs to protect their own interest to sell as much as their units in shortest period. Who to blame?
This development is about to VP, current subsales market already asking for around RM1,500psf for small units. I think the pricing will be adjusted according to rental yield for this development. I am not trying to compare it to super highend development like Pavillion Banyan Tree/ Four Season etc which are all selling above rm 2k psf . In Manhattan thread we were talking about net RM1500psf with min. lower quality freebies and less appealing location, so this development seems like still “whackable” at current asking price. I think if developer can deliver what it promised, the rental market of ViPod Residences can be very liquid. Many are expecting this development to outperform Marc Residence and command more than RM6.5psf in near future.
Progress
Note: Most of the photos/AIs are sourced from Developer’s website. www.vipod-klcc.com