Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Video: TK Residence Location


Hello again!

Check out our new and latest video...the guide to show the direction/ location to our site (TK Residence)
created by our one and only, Luffy Leo!
Enjoy!



So basically, this video starts from SMK Teluk Kumbar and ends at our project site.


Please give us constructive feedback on the video and do contact us if you need further clarification/ explanation:
Michael: 016-4217121
Ryan: 016-4278766
Luffy: 012-5560077
Daniel: 016-4217121

Video: Casa Perdana Location

Hey Friends!

Check out our new and latest video...
This video is made - as a guide to show the direction/ location to our site (Casa Perdana)
created by our one and only, Luffy Leo!
Enjoy!




So basically, this video starts from Pacific Megamall as our main landmark and ends at our project site.
In this video you will see some scenes taken at our phase 1, which is completed with O.C. and occupied (Tho 2 of the units are under renovation at the moment).

Please give us constructive feedback on the video and do contact us if you need further clarification/ explanation:
Michael: 016-4217121
Ryan: 016-4278766
Luffy: 012-5560077
Daniel: 016-4217121

Roadshow: Dewan Sri Pinang

From left: Cheah, Mike (Myself) and Rocky

Hi Dear Friends!!

Heres an update on our latest property expo at Dewan Sri Pinang!
The expo was set up due to KMPP's (Koorprasi Melayu Pulau Pinang) Annual General Meeting.

That day, we had both the model house of
  1. Casa Perdana (Seberang Perai Tengah) and
  2. TK Residence (Teluk Kumbar)
on display!


Mike attending to a client

Wow, there were so many people there, there was no time to actually take a 5 minute break from a total of a 5 hour function.

Ryan's explaining the location to the site

Daniel's attending to 3 clients at a time

Clients registering to be in the priority booking list

We really had a great time there!
Oh by the way, if you were wondering where Luffy was, he was the one taking all the pictures despite attending to all our dear clients. (Thanks Luffy for the pictures!)
Thanks to those who had come due to the notice put out on apartment-penang.com

We would keep updating you on our progress on both projects, so stay tune!
Thanks for all your support and confidence on us :)

Friday, June 25, 2010

MM2H - Incentives



Car Purchase and Import

Car Purchase
Each participant is allowed to bring in his/her own personal car OR to purchase a locally assembled car without the need to pay import duty, excise duty and sales tax

Car Import
Application to IMPORT a motorcar from the participant’s country of citizenship/last domicile must be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance within a period of six months from the endorsement date of Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) social visit pass. The condition for such importation is that the MM2H participant should be the owner of the motorcar prior to obtaining the MM2H visa, as evidenced in the motorcar registration document.

Locally-Assembled Car
An Application to purchase a new motorcar made or assembled in Malaysia must be must be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance within a period of one year from the endorsement date of Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) social visit pass.
Note
1. Completed application forms with relevant documents, which are submitted to Ministry of Finance, will be processed within 10 working days.
2. Do not make an outright purchase of the motorcar before obtaining approval for tax/duty exemption from the Ministry of Finance. However, a booking for a motorcar may be made prior to obtaining approval from the Treasury.
3. Importation or purchase of motorcar must be for personal use only and not for commercial use.
4. 'Personal Car' is referred to a car, which was purchased by participant before joining the MM2H programme.
5. Participants are only allowed to sell their imported/locally purchased car after 2 years' stay on the programme.

Documents
1. Bringing in Personal Car With Duty / Tax Exemption
2. Bringing in Second Car
3. Selling Car that has been given Tax Exemptions
4. Conversion of Foreign Driving License to Malaysian Driving License
5. Application Form for Tax Exemption (Personal Car)


Domestic Helper
Each applicant is allowed to apply for one maid subject to the prevailing guidelines of the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

Documents

1. Bringing Foreign Maid

Education
Applicants are allowed to bring their children who under 21 years old and not married as their dependants under this programme.
Children who intend to continue their schooling in Malaysia are required to apply for a Student Pass and should be insured throughout their stay under this programme.

Documents
1. Registering Children in Private Colleges and Universities

Tax
Participants are bound by the policies, systems and regulations of taxes of this country and they do not have exemption qualifications as granted to Diplomatic Missions in Malaysia.
However, tax exemption is given to pension remitted into Malaysia. Participants are required to obtain the endorsement from the Authorities in their country of origin as to the total amount of yearly pension received. A copy of this letter has to be submitted in their application.

Documents

1. Informing Inland Revenue Board (IRB) on Income Earned in Malaysia


Business and Investment

Registering Your Business
You are required to register your business with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) under the Companies Act 1965. You are only eligible to register limited company in Malaysia.
Company Structure
The Companies Act 1965 governs all companies in Malaysia. The Act stipulates that a person must register a company with the SSM in order to engage in any business activity.

It provides for three types of companies:
• A company limited by shares where the personal liability of its members is limited to the par value of their shares and the number of shares taken or agreed to be taken by them
• A company limited by guarantee where the members guarantee to meet liability up to an amount nominated in the Memorandum and Articles of Association in the event of the company being wound up
• An unlimited company, where there is no limit to the members' liability.
Company Limited by Share
The most common company structure in Malaysia is a company limited by shares. Such limited companies may be either private (Sendirian Berhad or Sdn. Bhd.) or public (Berhad or Bhd.) companies.
A company having a share capital may be incorporated as a private company if its Memorandum and Articles of Association:
• Restricts the right to transfer its shares
• Limits the number of its members to 50, excluding employees in the employment of the company or its subsidiary and some former employees of the company or its subsidiary.
• Prohibits any invitation to the public to subscribe for its shares and debentures
• Prohibits any invitation to the public to deposit money with the company.
A public company can be formed or, alternatively, a private company can be converted into a public company subject to Section 26 of the Companies Act 1965. Such a company can offer shares to the public provided:

i. It has registered a prospectus with the Securities Commission
ii. It has lodged a copy of the prospectus with the SSM on or before the date of its issue.
A public company can apply to have its shares quoted on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) subject to compliance with the requirements laid down by the exchange. Any subsequent issue of securities (e.g. issue by way of rights or bonus, or issue arising from an acquisition, etc.) requires the approval of the Securities Commission.

Capital Requirement
Minimum capital investment in terms of a company’s shareholders funds, which include paid up capital and reserves is at least RM 250,000 , subject to existing Government policies, regulations and guidelines which are in force for the relevant sectors.

Registration of Local Company:-
Anyone who wishes to register a local company is to submit the required registration documents and fees payable to the Commission.
A company shall have:
• At least two directors (the director and promoter can be the same person); and
• A company secretary who is a member of a professional body prescribed by the Minister or is licensed by the Commission.
Both the director and company secretary must have their principal or only place of residence within Malaysia.
Registration Procedure:-

Before proposing a name for incorporation of a company, a name search has to be done to determine whether the name can be used to register the company. The steps are:

• Complete Form 13A

• Pay a RM30 fee for each name applied. The name reserved for three months from the date of approval.

• Within the three months, submit the documents below:


a) Memorandum and Articles of Association:

i) Original copy stamped at any stamp office with a RM 100.00 stamp in the Memorandum and another RM100 stamp in the Articles.

ii) The first directors and secretaries are named in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

iii) At least two or more promoters shall sign the Memorandum and Articles of Association in front of a witness.

A Company having a share capital may be registered as a private
company if the Memorandum and Articles:

i) restricts the right to transfer its shares;
ii) limits the number of its members to not more than fifty;
iii) prohibits any invitation to the public to subscribe any shares or debentures of the company; and
iv) prohibits any invitation to the public to deposit money with the company or fixed periods.

b) Form 48A - Statutory Declaration by a director or promoter before appointment. The director or promoter declares under oath that he/she is not a bankrupt and he/she has not been convicted of an offence and sentenced by the Court. This declaration should be signed in front of anyone of the following persons of authority

• Commissioner of Oaths;
• President of the Sessions Court;
• Magistrate; or
• Those empowered under the Statutory Declaration Act 1960.


c) Form 6 - Declaration of Compliance. This declaration states that all the requirements of the Companies Act 1965 have been complied with. The company secretary who handles the registration and is named in the Memorandum and Articles of Association must sign it.

d) Original copy of Form 13A.

e) A copy of the letter approving the name.

f) A copy of the identity card of each director and company secretary.

g) Registration fees for Share Capital:


Authorised Share Capital (RM) Fees (RM)
Up to 100,000 1,000
100,001 – 500,000 3,000
500,001 – 1 million 5,000
1,000,001 – 5 million 8,000
5,000,001 – 10 million 10,000
10,000,001 – 25 million 20,000
25,000,001 – 50 million 40,000
50,000,001 – 100 million 50,000
100,000,001 and above 70,000


The following certificate will be issued when all documents for registration are in order:
Form 8 - Certificate of Incorporation for a public company.
Form 9 - Certificate of Incorporation for a private company
Notes

A company is required to have two directors and a secretary.

Directors

Every limited company must have at least two directors who must be ordinary residents of Malaysia. A director of a company may also act as the company's secretary except in some situations.

Secretary

Every limited company must have at least a secretary. The board of directors may appoint one of its directors as the company secretary. He or she must be a member of a professional body prescribed by the Minister or licensed by the CCM. Application for a company license should be made to the CCM using Form 48B/ 48C. Every license granted or renewed is valid for three years.

Participants may hold executive positions with ownership to the company.

Latest Roadshow!

Dear all,

Just an update to our latest roadshow/expo...
Our latest roadshow would be at Dewan Sri Pinang for the AGM of KMPP
(Kooperasi Melayu Pulau Pinang).
Please do drop by the venue if you would like to see both the model house of
Please contact us if you need more details
Mike - 016-4207727
Ryan - 016-4278766
Daniel - 016-4217121
Luffy - 012-5560077

Thanks and see you there..!! :)

Casa Perdana: Latest Site Pictures


Dear all,

We are please to present to you new pictures taken at our site
The construction of the showhouse is now 60% and would be ready to be viewed
on the month of September!
Plastering and cement work currently underway

Skilled Workers doing their best

Spacious Living Area


So far, these are the few pictures that we were able to take at the moment
(the pictures were a bit dark as it was a rainy day)

We would keep updating you on our progress!!

Thanks for your support!

Road Show: Hong Leong Bank (opp Sunway Carnival)

Hello again!

Here are some pictures from our latest Road show at Hong Leong Bank (Opp Sunway Carnival)
We were out distributing fliers (thank God the weather was in between "sunny" and "dark")


Ryan and myself (Mike) Standing by our "power tool" - Our streamer !!


Ryan and Myself again, Daniel was somewhere attending to a client.
(Thanks Leo for taking the pic!)

Anyway we had a good time getting to know more people and
had some of the local dishes in the area for lunch "yummy"

We are thankful for the help and assistance of HL Bankers (Esp Ms. Fanny)

Thanks!!!



TK Residence: Location

Dear all,

Here are some map location to the TK Residence project.
Please feel free to comment.

Thanks!


From the BIG map, we can see the route from the airport, leading to the project site


A smaller and detailed map indicating the names of the road
Getting there

The actual location, taken from google map

Till more updates..Thanks! :)

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Property Listing

Good day to all.
Looking for a property to invest or for personal stay?
Today we just had a few new listing that reached our hands.
If you are looking for I -Regency or any other units at interest
(Condo / Landed),
then you are in luck!
The informations are as stated below.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name of Project: I - Regency
Road: -
Location: Bukit Gambir
Asking Price: RM500,000.00 (Nego)
Size: 1,550 sq.ft.
No. Bedrooms: 5
No. Bathrooms: 3
No. Car Parks: 2
Renovated: Yes
Furnished: -
Maintenance Fee: RM180
Strata Title: Yes
Agent: Luffy
Contact: 012 - 5560077
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type of Project:2 Storey Terrace
Road: Jalan Kebun Nyior
Location: Georgetown
Asking Price: Rm720,000. 00 Nego
Size: 1,579 sq.ft.
Build up: Approximately 1800 sq.ft.
No. Bedrooms: 3
No. Bathrooms: 2
No. Car Parks: -
Renovated: Partially
Furnished: No
Strata Title: Yes
Agent: Ryan
Contact: 016 - 4278766
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type of Project: 2 Storey Terrace
Road: Lorong Birch
Location: Pulau Tikus
Asking Price: RM1,650,000.00 (Nego)
Size: 2,942 sq.ft.
No. Bedrooms: 3+1
No. Bathrooms: 2
No. Car Parks: -
Renovated: Yes
Furnished: Yes
Strata Title: Yes
Agent: Ryan
Contact: 016 - 4278766
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name of Project: Miami Green
Road: Jalan Batu Feringgi
Location: Batu Feringgi
Asking Price: RM420,000. 00 and above
Size: 1,070 sq.ft. - 1,100 sq.ft.
No. Bedrooms: 3
No. Bathrooms: 2
No. Car Parks: 1 ++
Renovated: Yes
Furnished: Yes
Maintenance Fee: RM150+/-
Strata Title: Yes
Agent: Daniel
Contact: 016 - 4217121
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name of Project: May Fair
Road:
Location: Georgetown
Asking Price: RM2, 700,000.00 Nego
Size: 5, 200 sq.ft.
No. Bedrooms: 5
No. Bathrooms: 7
No. Car Parks: 3
Renovated: Yes
Furnished: Yes
Maintenance Fee: -
Strata Title: Yes
Agent: Daniel
Contact: 016 - 4217121
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name of Project: SkyHome
Road:
Location: Tanjung Bunga
Asking Price: RM2,800,000.00 Nego
Size: 6,300sq.ft.
No. Bedrooms: 5
No. Bathrooms: 7
No. Car Parks: -
Renovated: No
Furnished: No
Maintenance Fee: RM733,33.00 / 5CP
Strata Title: Yes
Agent: Daniel
Contact: 016 - 4217121
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name of Project: Taman Sri Pinang
Road: Jalan Sungai Pinang
Location: Georgetown
Asking Price: Rm120, 000. 00 Nego
Size: 650sq.ft.
No. Bedrooms: 3
No. Bathrooms: 1
No. Car Parks: 1
Renovated: Yes
Furnished: Yes
Maintenance Fee: RM70
Strata Title: Yes
Agent: Luffy
Contact: 012 - 5560077
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please call if interested.
Cheers!
Thank You

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Unit available in Sungai Pinang

Greetings to all. Thank you for visiting our blog once again. Today we got a unit available for grabs. If you interested to purchase a unit that wanting to fit a family of 3 - 4, then i guess this can be your future ideal unit. The information are as stated below:-

Name of Project: Taman Sri Pinang
Road: Jalan Sungai Pinang
Location: Georgetown
Asking Price: Rm120, 000. 00 Nego
Size: 650sq.ft.
No. Bedrooms: 3
No. Bathrooms: 1
No. Car Parks: 1
Renovated: Yes
Furnished: Yes
Maintenance Fee: RM70
Strata Title: Yes

Pictures will be uploaded soon. So keep on site on our blog and more properties will be posted on this site with pictures.

If you are interested for viewing please contact Luffy at 012 - 5560077

And for other properties available please call:
Michael: 016 - 4207727
Ryan: 016 - 4278766
Daniel: 016 - 4217121

Thank You.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Model Houses are ready for you to have a sneak peak before the Show house(s)

Good day to all. I know some of you have been waiting to see our model houses for both Casa Perdana and especially TK Residence. Now why don't you be the first or one of the first few to see it first hand in view together with our Marketing Sales Team to assist you on the spot by filling in the informations that you have been seeking for. So what are you waiting for? Call us now and head over to our office located in George Town. All are most welcome to head over and join us. Our numbers are as stated below.

Michael: 016 - 4217121
Ryan: 016 - 4278766
Luffy: 012 - 5560077
Daniel: 016 - 4217121

Thank You.

New green rating tools to boost value of old buildings


KUALA LUMPUR: The Green Building Index (GBI) Non-Residential Existing Building (NREB) rating system for older buildings will enhance their value and attract investors, said Malaysia Green Building Confederation president Von Kok Leong.

“Today, more people are looking for buildings that are more energy efficient and sustainable. Such buildings fetch better rentals and are more likely to attract investors,” he told StarBiz on the sidelines of the GBI NREB launch by Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin yesterday.

Von said it was also more cost effective to upgrade an old building than to demolish it and build a new one for want of a more environmental-friendly structure.

“You’re giving new life to old buildings. Other than investors, even developers are looking for buildings that they can upgrade instead of building from the ground up. It’s cheaper.”

In his welcome address, the chairman of GBI Accreditation panel and Malaysian Institute of Architects president Boon Che Wee said the GBI NREB would give existing buildings a new lease of life and appeal.

“The new rating is timely for existing property owners to re-condition and ‘future-proof’ to meet 21st century environmental performance standards and remain competitive in the long term.

“This, together with the lower operational and maintenance costs that come with the new environmental credential, will undoubtedly lead to progressive appreciation in rental and asset value,” he said.

According to Boon, existing buildings and its communities contribute over 40% of green house gases to the environment.

“Retro-greening will be the new stimulus of our green economy and a new economic multiplier of our construction and property industry,” he said.

Under the GBI NREB, existing non-residential buildings are rated based on six criteria – energy efficiency; indoor environment quality; sustainable site planning and management; material and resources; water efficiency and innovation.

The highest emphasis is on energy efficiency and indoor environment quality (accounting for a maximum of 38 and 21 points respectively out of 100) to address energy use and well-being and productivity of the users of the building.

Points are given for water efficiency and innovation to encourage such improvements and modifications.

Facility management is introduced for sustainable site planning and management, and material and resources to reflect the need for environmental protection in the use of chemicals, pesticides and procurement policy.

By The Star

Classifying green buildings


In 2007, Ken Holdings Bhd executive director Sam Tan unveiled the company’s then-latest project Ken Bangsar, a residential development in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. He said that building would be a trendsetter but he did not say in what way.

Fast forward 2010. On April 26, Tan was among several recipients of Malaysia’s Green Building Index (GBI) award (design assessment stage).

It will have to submit an application for a second stage (completion and verification) later on. After that, there will be three-yearly audits to maintain its GBI rating.

GBI’s four rankings are based on the point system - Certified is the lowest (50 to 65 points), Silver, Gold and Platinium (> 86 points). Ken Bangsar was classified a Gold (76 to 85 points). The building also has Singapore’s Gold Mark.

There were other GBI recipients: Kajang Resources Corp Sdn Bhd (for KRC Sales Gallery, Kajang, Selangor), Bandar Utama City Corp Sdn Bhd (office block 1 First Avenue, Petaling Jaya), Central Holdings Bhd (Menara Worldwide KL) and Sunway SPK Homes Sdn Bhd (3 Harmoni residential, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur). Past president of Persatuan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM) and GBI accreditation panel member Dr Tan Loke Mun also received an award for his home.

The GBI is Malaysia’s rating tool for buildings to promote green living and working.

Green living is more than the location of your home or office. It is the type of buildings you inhabit. Essentially, green living is pretty much based on that famous quote: “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Hence, a kilowatt saved is a kilowatt earned. Put another way, the cheapest – and greenest – energy is the energy you never have to use.

All the green building standards around the world have different emphasis. Singapore’s Green Mark is on energy efficiency because it has a small land mass and is dense. GBI’s emphasis for residential segement is on sustainable site planning and management because developers keep building new townships that is not supported by public transport system while the commercial segment is energy efficiency. GBI was launched in May last year, four years after Singapore’s Green Mark.

Says one of the proponents of GBI, Loke Mun: “The GBI is a sort of check-list. It is a rating tool to give developers and owners an opportunity to adhere to a set of guidelines in their design and construction that can provide energy and water savings, a healthier indoor environment, better connectivity to public transport and the adoption of recycling.

“Simply put, it is like a recipe that lists out all the ingredients needed to make a good dish,” he says.

There are six criteria:

·energy efficiency;

·indoor environment quality;

·sustainable site planning and management;

·material and resources;

·water efficiency; and

·innovation.

The thrust of GBI is to have buildings, designed, constructed and fitted out in such a way that will help to reduce wastage of every form.

Having our own green standard is inevitable.

Says Loke Mun: “There are simply too many leakages, be it water, energy or resources. Our salary is so small we cannot afford to lose the little we have. GBI will help us to prepare for the increase in cost when managing and operating a building.”

For a commercial building, the bulk of its operating and maintenance cost comes from energy usage, or air conditioning. Water wastage is another issue; having an abundance of rain does not mean it is all right to waste water. Ikea, the Swedish furniture brand, was among the first to have a rain harvesting system.

The professional bodies that initiated the GBI are PAM and the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM), which came together in August 2008 to form a sustainability committee to undertake the task of setting up the Green Building Index Sdn Bhd. While GBI is issued by a company, Singapore’s Green Mark is issued by the government.

In Malaysia, there are currently two tools – a GBI for residential buildings and one for non-residential. While the Government does not plan to make it mandatory for new buildings to be green-compliant in order for its certificate of fitness to be issued, unlike Singapore, having a tool like GBI will encourage the more responsible developers to go for sustainability.

(In Singapore, new buildings must have the Green Mark before its certificate of fitness can be issued).

While the above two are for new buildings, there is also a need for a rating tool to rate existing buildings. Over the week, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui unveiled a variation of the GBI, to rate existing buildings.

Tan says every year, depending on the country, new buildings are added to the stock of buildings a country has. In Malaysia, about 5% to 15% are added to its current stock. This means about 85% of the existing stock are old buildings.

Already, the more responsible developers are retro-fitting their old buildings and among the chief aims is to save energy.

By The Star (by Thean Lee Cheng)

Should house buyers be wary?


Property consultants say the recent price rise in properties in select locations reflect pent-up demand after the market slump in the first half of last year.

Should house buyers be wary of rising property prices? Anecdotal evidence seem to point to significant price increases in the Klang Valley and Penang although the National Property Information Centre report for 2009, which was released on April 23, noted that residential property prices remained stable for the year.

The all-house price index, which is a gauge of national prices, saw a gain of only 1.5%.

ECM Libra Capital Sdn Bhd research head Bernard Ching says in a report dated April 26 that the gain is “the lowest annual gain since 2001.”

Several property consultants say the recent price rise in properties in select locations reflect pent-up demand after the market slump in the first half of last year.

They also say that the Malaysian residential property market sentiments are, while not immune to global economic factors and price movements, largely driven by house buyers here.

It was recently reported that the uptrend in property prices was driven by easy financing schemes offered by banks in partnership with developers and that this had led to some speculation in the market.

However, the consultants feel that any increase in property prices will still be selective and overall prices will not rise drastically but gradually.


Paul Khong says prices for the luxury condominium sub-segment of the residential property market, are still between 10% and 20% below the market’s peak.

CB Richard Ellis Sdn Bhd executive director Paul Khong says there have been some price increase but only for landed residential properties and in selected locations.

“Over the past one year, residential landed property prices have gone up 15% to 20% in good locations in and around Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya,” he says.

Khong says prices for the luxury condominium sub-segment of the residential property market, are still between 10% and 20% below the market’s peak.

This sub-segment has been badly hit by the financial crisis as a considerable portion of sales are to foreigners. The number of foreign property buyers have dropped since early last year.

Khong feels that fewer launches and higher demand will affect the prices of landed residential properties.

Ching says property launches have been moderate after bottoming out in the first quarter of 2009. This trend was in line with on-the-ground observation of developers preferring to launch in smaller parcels.

“We expect moderate growth in property launches to continue in 2010. This is supported by declining building plan approval,” he says.

Ching says the last quarter of 2009 was a record quarter for both the residential and commercial segments of the property market despite the uninspiring set of numbers for the year as a whole.

He says in 2009, the residential segment recorded a marginal improvement in overall transaction value of 1.3% to RM41.8bil while the commercial segment contracted marginally by 1.4% to RM16.4bil.


Dr Teoh Poh Huat says the recent property price increases reflect the different economic fundamentals at play compared to a year ago.

Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) Sdn Bhd director Dr Teoh Poh Huat says the recent property price increases reflect the different economic fundamentals at play compared to a year ago.

He says the property market is driven by the sentiments of Malaysian buyers although these buyers may take into consideration factors at the macro or global levels. “But these factors are short-term whereas investing in property is long-term,” Teoh says.

He says the significant increase in transactions for the first quarter of this year is a reflection of these sentiments following an unexpected expansion of the economy in the final quarter of 2009.

“Confidence in the economy is quite strong. There is liquidity due to pump-priming measures as well as the high savings rate in the country. This is reflected in the transactions,” Teoh says.

By The Star (by Fintan Ng)

Ivory Properties all geared up to join big players


Ivory Properties Group Bhd, one of Penang's top property companies, plans to join other big players in the country by expanding into Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Indonesia.

Its group managing director Datuk Low Eng Hock said the company has been building itself from scratch for the past 11 years and is now setting its sights on projects outside its traditional stronghold.

"We have received numerous enquiries to carry out property projects in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Medan, Indonesia.

"We are in the midst of talking with various parties, including listed property companies, to carry out projects either on a joint venture basis or on our own," Low told Business Times in an interview in Penang.
Soon-to-be listed Ivory expects to raise RM44.9 million via its initial public offering (IPO) slated by June 10, after postponing its listing plans since 2008 due to the weak market situation.

Low said the company's forte include adding value to existing but slow-selling projects as well as rescuing and reviving abandoned projects, rejigging them and then reconceptualising the projects to catch the attention of buyers.

This provides a win-win situation for Ivory, buyers, authorities and the land owners.

"Although land is limited in the Klang Valley, there are many slow- selling projects or abandoned projects which we can turn around together with our joint-venture partners or carry out on our own," he said.

Low added that Ivory plans to grow beyond its "rescue mission", but to do so would require massive capital expenditure which is a handicap for a private limited company such as Ivory Properties.

"That is why we are going for listing to raise money required for our future expansion as well as boost our credibility," said Low, who is a civil engineer by training.

Low said he gets ideas to boost sales of slow-selling properties from looking at newspaper advertisements in countries such as Hong Kong and Singapore, and emulating and inspiring his staff on how property players there do sales as well as come up with revolutionary building designs.

By Business Times

Plenitude to buy land in Penang


Plenitude

PLENITUDE Bayu Sdn Bhd plans to acquire 27 parcels of freehold land for RM45 million in Penang's North East district to develop another residential project.

In a note to Bursa Malaysia today, the subsidiary of Plenitude Bhd said it would acquire the land from Geotrade Sdn Bhd-Eden Ferringhi Resort.

The acquisition is strategic as it would allow the group to tap on the success of the Bayu Ferringhi project in Batu Ferringhi, it said.

"The development of residential properties to be undertaken on the said land will not only provide Plenitude with a new sustainable source of income but it will also enhance its position in the property development sector," it said.

Plenitude Bayu, formerly known as Golden Valley Network Sdn Bhd has proposed to develop medium high-end, semi-detached houses and condominiums, with the target market being first and second home buyers, resort home buyers, expatriate community and Malaysia My Second Home applicants.

It said the purchase price of RM45 million for the parcels of land was derived after taking into account the development potential of the land arising from the surrounding matured housing and infrastructure.

It also took into account the established medium to high end, semi-detached and bungalow houses next to the land and the close proximity to Batu Ferringhi beach and town area.

The proposed acquisition is expected to be completed in the first half of the financial year ending June 30, 2011 and contribute positively to the group''s earnings in future years.

By Bernama

Concern over rising prices of houses


Speculators believed may be taking advantage of easy financing

PETALING JAYA: The jump in home prices lately has raised concern that speculators may be taking advantage of the easy home financing scheme.

Since the introduction of the scheme early last year, property sales have improved considerably while prices in some locations in the Klang Valley and Penang have edged up by between 10% and 20%.

Under the housing facility, buyers only need to fork out a small deposit of 5% or 10% of the property price and do not need to make any further payment until after their property has been delivered to them.

Developers are absorbing the stamp duty, legal fees and interest cost during the construction stage.

While some industry players agree that there is cause for concern, most feel the housing facility is still needed at least over the next 12 months until the market is back on a stronger footing.


Ireka Development Management Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Lim Ech Chan said easy-payment schemes had its pros and cons.

With the low entry cost, such schemes enabled those who have difficulties buying a house to put down the initial 5% or 10% downpayment and have their own roof over their heads two to three years later.

“When SP Setia first came out with the scheme, it helped the mass market a great deal,” Lim said.

He said the drawback was that since buyers did not have to pay anything for the next two to three years, they may sell their units when the project was completed.

“If the project is handed to them during a boom, they can sell it. But if the project is handed to them during a weak economic environment, they will have to pay for the mortgages.”

ECM Libra head of research Bernard Ching said the recent 25 basis point increase in overnight policy rate had prompted more buyers to buy and lock in at the current interest rates as they might expect the cost of fund to rise further.

“This is the best time to buy a property for own occupancy as entry cost is at an all time low. As seen in the high buying interest in the past six months, many buyers are buying to hedge against rising inflation down the road,” Ching told StarBiz.

According to Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents and Property Consultants in the Private Sector president James Wong, developers need to catch up with “lost time” when launches had to be deferred for more than a year as a result of the global financial crisis.

“Buyers were facing cashflow problems then and needed to watch their spending. Buying big-ticket items like a house is the last thing on their mind. There are merits in the scheme as it has lowered the entry cost and make house purchase more affordable for buyers.

“Such financing schemes require a lot of resources and only the big developers with strong financial resources can afford to adopt them. In a way, it is a variant of the build-then-sell concept,” Wong said.

He said there was still no risk of overheating in the market as the double-digit rise in property prices was registered only for very niche projects in very-sought-after locations where demand far surpassed supply.

“Property prices on the whole are still much lower compared with those in other countries. While there is still upside potential, prices will not spiral out of control,” Wong said.

Since buying interest recovered in the past few months, developers are no longer offering the housing facility across the board but only for selective projects.

“Besides, Bank Negara is very stringent and only eligible buyers who have the required minimum income level will be able to sign up for the housing packages,” Wong added.

On its downside, he said while the scheme might had drummed up sales, it could give the wrong indication of the real or effective demand for houses.

Admitting that there would always be speculators in the market, SP Setia Bhd president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin said as long as speculation was not rampant, it was actually good for the market as it demonstrated confidence and would improve market liquidity.

“The key is for banks to be vigilant in their credit assessment to determine the borrowers’ ability to service the loan. They should also be selective in terms of the projects and developers to whom they extend the scheme.”

Liew said the higher prices reflected insufficient supply to meet the strong demand for projects in good locations and there was ample room for further price appreciation for good landed residential property.

Since the scheme was launched early last year, SP Setia’s monthly sales averaged more than RM190mil between January and July 2009, which was a new sales benchmark for the company.

Mah Sing Group Bhd president Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum said of the company’s RM727mil sales recorded last year, 51% of the buyers signed up for the easy financing facility. The sales was much higher than its target of RM453mil.

By The Star

Second Penang bridge 24% completed


GEORGE TOWN: The construction of the RM4.3bil second Penang bridge is now 24% completed compared with about 7% in October last year.


A Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd (JKSB) spokesman said the 24% completion covered the works done for both package one and two of the bridge.

Package one involves a RM2.2bil contract work on the main span, substructures and foundation, which is expected to be completed in May 2012.

Meanwhile, package two is a RM1.55bil contract for the construction of the superstructure, scheduled for completion in 2013.

The final package involves RM350mil of land portion works, both on the island and mainland.

The JKSB spokesman said a contract agreement signing ceremony would be held in Kuala Lumpur on Monday between JKSB and CHEC Construction (M) Sdn Bhd, and UEM Builders Bhd.

It is learnt that JKSB managing director Datuk Prof Ismail Mohd Taib would sign the deal on behalf of JKSB.

JKSB is a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) formed by the Government to supervise and fast track the second Penang bridge project.

It is also a concessionaire appointed to oversee the construction, management and operations of the second bridge.

Last October, in a visit to the bridge site, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said the bridge completion had to be delayed by a year to 2013 due to re-designing works.

The 17km bridge will link Batu Kawan to Batu Maung on Penang island and will be the longest in the region when completed.

By The Star

On lookout for signs of property speculation, overheating

As the property market makes its recovery, the government has one eye on potential speculative activities.

This is a risk because borrowing costs are still low while developers have their promotions to boost sales. This combination could induce people to bet on rising property prices, aided by an economic recovery.



Indeed, Valuation and Property Services Department director general Datuk Abdullah Thalith Md Thani said the government is concerned about the property market overheating.

However, he pointed out that the government has been taking preventive measures such as the Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT).
The 5 per cent RPGT is applicable to properties that are sold within five years of their purchase.

Still, the property market's recovery appears to be modest as the average price of a house based on The Malaysian All House Price Index, rose by 3.2 per cent to RM184,574 in the last quarter of 2009.

Houses in Kuala Lumpur are the most expensive at at average price of RM381,802, followed by Sabah at RM299,566 and Selangor at RM266,686 in the same quarter.

According to data from the National Property Information Centre, property transactions for the first three months of 2010 rose to 91,979 units, valued at RM25.3 billion, which is 52 per cent higher than in the first quarter of 2009.

Abdullah Thalith said the next three quarters will be better as people generally buy more properties in the second half of the year.

Demand for high-end units priced above RM500,000 will increase steadily. Last year, there were more sales for houses priced between RM100,000 and RM500,000.

By type, terraced houses will still be the most sought after as land prices are rising.

By Business Times

Ipoh landed properties to cost 10%-15% more in second half

property Malaysian Property Market Outlook and REITs at Ipoh Perak

IPOH: The selling price of landed properties targeted for launch here in the second half of this year will be priced between 10% and 15% higher than last year due to better demand, rising raw material and land cost.

Real Estate Housing Developers’ Association (Perak) chairman Datuk Francis Lee said that since the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997, property prices had been stagnant.

“Presently profits reached sub-normal levels in Ipoh, with margins of about 10%.

”For example, the cost to construct which include the land and raw materials, and to market a landed property with a built-up of 1,800 sq ft, is around RM200,000.

“When sold in the market, such a property is priced between RM210,000 and RM225,000, depending on its location.

“The profit should be at least 20% as there are risks that the developer have to encounter, such as late delivery due to unforeseen circumstances and the liability period for claims on defects,” he said.

Lee said that for the past six months, the property development market in Ipoh had picked up.

“The demand is rising gradually,” he added.

“The growing demand in the property market, rising raw material prices, and land cost are likely to push property prices up in the second half by 10% to 15%.

“However, if the demand drops, there will be no new projects launched because of the abnormal returns.

“This will eventually force prices to move up to a more equitable level,” he said.

Lee said the present home ownership in Ipoh is about 60%, while the remaining 40% comprised those who stay as extended families or in rented premises.

“The potential for home ownership to grow in Ipoh is there, as it has a population of about 710,000,” he said.

Lee added that the purchase of primary and secondary residential properties in Ipoh was largely driven by effective home ownership demand. And only a fraction of which is in the form of property asset investment.

“As property prices in Ipoh are largely determined by economic fundamentals devoid of speculative investment, prices of properties are relatively stable even through the recent recession,” he said.

By The Star

Wise home improvements


RENOVATING your home is often an aesthetic choice, but if done right, it can enhance both the abode's rental worth as well as its resale value.

Whether it's something minor (such as changing the faucet on your kitchen sink) or a major reconstruction (like adding a new floor to your home), some renovations will help recoup your returns near instantly, while others might be nothing more than an investment disaster.

Know what you want

Before getting started, it's important to decide whether the house you intend to renovate is for keeps.

“If you don't intend to sell or rent, than you're limited only by your imagination,” says KL Interior Design executive designer Robert Lee. “For the investor who's looking to rent or re-sell some day, he should realise that some renovations, though appealing to him, may end up making the house less marketable to a potential buyer or tenant,” he says.

Lee recalls a client many years ago who insisted on having nearly everything in one of the rooms in pink. “It was for his daughter. He wanted pink drapes, a pink carpet, wall, door, everything. Many years later, his daughter moved out of the home and they were looking to rent out the room but had problems finding a tenant.”

Making upgrades or changes to your home can be a costly affair. According to Lee, renovations can cost more and take longer to complete than initially envisaged.

“A lot of people that decide to renovate their home are often taken aback by how much it actually costs. When this happens, they go for relatively unknown contractors who, though cost less, tend to cut corners and give you a cheaper but less durable product,” he says.

Lee recalls a neighbour who wanted to install a new kitchen cabinet and sink but was “not willing to pay beyond a certain amount.”

“She paid RM1,500 but after only three years, the sink was shaking in its place, water was seeping into the cabinet and the wood started rotting. She ended up paying RM3,000 for a new cabinet, which, after five years, is still going strong.

“It's better to fork out a little more for something that lasts a long time. My neighbour could have just paid RM3,000 initially for a good job but because she was thrifty, she ended up paying RM4,500.”

Lee says people who want to renovate their home but are worried about the costs should do thorough research and find the best price.

Home improvements do not have to be expensive to look good and marketable. Home-Deco Art Sdn Bhd director Rachel Tam says the key to efficient spending is to spend wisely.

“The kitchen paint might be peeling but that doesn't mean you have to spend RM20,000 just to make it look good. All it may need is a fresh coat of paint and perhaps some of the appliances may need renewing,” she says.

Tam says that those looking to sell their homes should “know their limits” when it comes to making renovations.

“If you're living in a mid-to-high-end neighbourhood and plan to sell your home, it's best to limit renovations to a certain level,” she says.

“It's pointless to spend RM500,000 on renovations when the market rate for the average home within the area is just RM250,000. You're not going to make your money back when you sell.”

Lee gives an example of a client who installed a swimming pool in the yard of his home, which was located in a mid-income neighbourhood. “This guy was living in a corner single-storey terrace house. With the added space he had, he had a pool built. But when he wanted to sell the house, he had difficulties because nobody wanted to pay more for something which would require added maintenance,” he says.

For those looking to rent, knowing the type of tenant you are targeting is important too. Some tenants are only willing to pay so much.

Says Lee: “If you're living near a college or university and are targeting students as tenants, don't expect them to pay for the high-horsepower air-conditioning you installed in the room you are letting. This might be more appropriate if you are renting out to someone who's working.”

Renovations that pay

Freelance real-estate agent cum property investor Kamarul Ariff reckons that renovations made to the kitchen and bathroom are great ways to enhance the resale value of a property.

“Nowadays, people are finding more ways to beautify their kitchens and bathrooms. It's also what a lot of people look at first before buying a home.”

Ariff says renovation works can range from upgrading appliances, changing the flooring or a total make-over.

“Compared to renovating the living area or a master bedroom, the kitchen or bathroom is generally smaller and tend to cost lesser - making it easier and faster to recoup your cost,” he says.

He also says building a new room or an extension, though costly, can provide good, long-term returns. “It costs a lot but then you'll be able to rent it out. You'll be recover your money in no time,” he says.

By The Star

China property bubble to burst 'very quickly'

Workers labor on a construction site in Shanghai

Workers labor on a construction site for a residential development in Shanghai. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg


SINGAPORE: The "bubble" in China's property market is going to burst very quickly, with prices set to fall as much as 20 per cent in the next 12 to 18 months, according to Nomura Holdings Inc.

National real-estate prices may drop between 10 per cent and 20 per cent on average, compared with an increase of about 22 percent last year, Sun Mingchun, a Hong Kong-based economist at Nomura, said in a Bloomberg Television interview.

"If you look at housing prices to disposable income in Beijing and Shanghai, they are 13, 14 times," said Sun. "There's no way you can say there's no bubble."

Dissecting China's Housing Market




Explore China's booming real-estate market and the government's latest policies through graphics, analysis and video stories.







Real-estate prices jumped 12.4 per cent across 70 cities in May, adding to the 12.8 per cent surge in April that was the most since the data series began in 2005. The gains suggest that measures ranging from a ban on loans for third-home purchases to higher mortgage rates and downpayment requirements for second- home purchases have yet to cool the real-estate market.
Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia Ltd, said the government's measures are working "by all accounts".

China's property boom isn't a bubble because it's supported by "solid" demand for residential housing, he said. While portions of the real-estate market such as high-end apartments are overheating, demand for homes will remain robust as rural Chinese migrate to bigger cities, he said in a radio interview.

[CPROP]

"This is just a sliver of the property boom," Roach said, citing that each year since 2000, between 15 and 20 million people migrate to Beijing, Shanghai, and second- and third-tier cities in the mainland.

The China Banking Regulatory Commission warned of growing credit risks in the nation's real-estate industry and increasing pressures of non-performing loans. Risks associated with home mortgages are growing and a "chain effect" may reappear in real-estate development loans, according to its annual report published on its website on Monday.

CPROP

By Bloomberg

Kayveas moots 10pc discount for non-Bumi house buyers

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — People’s Progressive Party (PPP) president Datuk M. Kayveas has suggested that non-Bumiputeras earning an income of less than RM3,000 be given a 10 per cent discount currently enjoyed by Bumiputera house buyers.

He said a Bumiputera house buyer received a 10 per cent discount, irrespective of the person’s financial capability, whereas a non-Bumiputera house buyer needed to pay that 10 per cent.

“In this way, it is believed that every citizen will be more confident on the implementation of the quota and status system,” he said in his policy speech at the PPP’s 57th annual general meeting here today.

The meeting was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Kayveas also proposed an annual increase in the budget allocation for education, in view of the increase in the number of outstanding students every year.

On the Maika Holdings Berhad shares, Kayveas said that as the response to the 80 cents offer per share was lukewarm, the government could step in to pay 20 cents to enable its more than 60,000 shareholders to benefit.

On May 12, a notice of conditional takeover offer was served on the Maika board of directors to inform them of G Team Resources’ intention to acquire all Maika shares.

The rationale for the offer was to return to Maika shareholders their cost of investment in the company on the basis of a cash offer price of 80 sen for each Maika share held.

On another matter, Kayveas said PPP would not trouble Najib’s leadership by raising petty issues and hoped the prime minister would continue with his people-responsive policies.

“In the meantime, PPP will continue to take a positive political stance suitable to the multi-racial composition of the country. — Bernama

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