Property Malaysia

You know the thing about viewing second launches of properties? Especially when it’s almost similar to the earlier launch? We’ve mentioned it before a few times, it’s kind of a double edged sword thing. Everyone can see the earlier phase right there before their eyes, if it is completed. So if it is good, then it serves as the best advertisement your second phase can get. But on the other hand … well, you get the drift.

We’ll keep this review short, in light of that. Just google up the name of the project on the internet, and you’ll find lots of people with things to say about the project, seeing that the first phase, Armanee Terrace, is almost going to be completed. As with most projects, there are good comments, and there are otherwise, so by reading them, and talking to the buyers, you get a fair picture of what to expect. Besides, you can anytime drive by the first Armanee Terrace to see the quality and the facade of the product you will most likely be getting.

We remember pretty well when Armanee Terrace first launch, it was quite a different concept than most other condos at that time. We also remember very well that there was quite a hefty price tag along with the unit, considering Damansara Perdana isn’t was it is today yet. Armanee Terrace II, is almost similar in many ways to it’s predecessor, especially in terms of how the building looks like from the outside. Yeah, about that. Some people have commented it looks a bit like those beach motels built back in 70’s, except on the larger scale.

Damansara Perdana is a large scale project consisting of, so far, lots of condos, commercial areas and some landed properties built around a hill. Most of the areas is slowing blurring into neighbouring developments like Mutiara Damansara and Damansara Damai. Perhaps one day we should do a development review of this area.

Back to Armanee Terrace II. It’s located about halfway between the LDP and NKVE (you can see AT1 clearly from the latter). To get here just turn off the LDP at the most complicated interchange on this highway, drive a distance on the main road past all the commercial areas and you’ll see it on your right. If you are coming from the NKVE, you should turn off at Kota Damansara and come from the direction of the shopping malls. A bit on the traffic here. It’s heavy especially during peak hours. Ask anyone who works in this area and they’ll tell you lots.

On the units. There are over 500 units in AT2 alone, added to AT1 you can safely say it’s quite densely populated when completed. Both condo share the facilities, partly due to the scarcity of land here. Most of the hillside development here, like in Metropolitan Square, are situated next to hillslopes that can be quite steep, so you may want to inspect the site if you have certain phobias.

Layout-wise they have taken the comments on the shortfalls of AT1 and applied them to AT2. However, the concept of is still unchanged here, double-storey units with your own private terrace. What they’ve tried to recreate here is the likeness of having a semi-D or terrace landed home here, but actually in the condo. But unfortunately the price is rather high, but more on that later.

There are two unit types basically, an intermediate type and a corner type. Both unit types are basically the samen but the corner unit has a larger terrace, formed in an L-shape. The terrace is the key feature here, a private garden which is like a large balcony with turfing. There are about 10 units per floor, which means exclusivity isn’t a priority in the design. The other key design feature here is the double volumed living room, which is trendy design but as a trade off, you get a smaller build-up on the second floor.

AT2 has basically larger units all with a minimum of 4+1 rooms. Units come bare finish, and we can foresee that a lot of ID works need to be done to make this place work.

The concept of the terrace doesn’t seem to work well for us. It doesn’t look appealing (with the passe railings) and we have serious problems with the concept of a garden in your unit. Actually, more about the price you are paying here. On the average, we are talking about RM700 to 800k for a 3,000sq.ft. unit, which is steep at any rate. This is comparable to Mont’Kiara (the similarities with the developer’s name does not escape us), but without the prestige and expat market evident in the latter. At that price, you can easily still get a landed double-storey link home or even a semi-D in Petaling Jaya, either new or off the secondary market. Ready to stay homes in Ara Damansara are also in that price range.

MK Land took a risk of sorts with this concept, and while AT1 did well in sales, there are quite a lot of units left for AT2, partly due to the increase in price, imho. The traffice situation here may also be a factor, plus location wise it not DSH or Mont’Kiara. We have been told most of the initial marketing was done to foreigners, mainly in Singapore and HK.

Bottom line - Very expensive, high density.

MK Land are quite established players in the property market, going quite big since the mid 90’s. However, they’ve had some problems with their delivery recently. Damansara Perdana is seen as their flagship development, and they have some years left before it is fully developed.