Property Malaysia

At a glance, the top ten in the annual The Edge Top Property Developers Awards 2007 are as follows:

1. SP Setia Bhd
2. IGB Corporation Bhd
3. IOI Properties Bhd
4. Sunway City Bhd
5. Island & Peninsular Bhd
6. Sime UEP Properties Bhd
7. Boustead Properties
8. Bandar Raya Developments Bhd
9. E & O Property Development
10. Sunrise Bhd.

The two newcomers into the top ten this year are E & O Property Development Bhd and Boustead Properties Bhd. replacing YTL Land Bhd and MK Land Bhd. YTL Land slid from 10th to 11th while MK Land slid to number 17 from eight last year, on the back of a pretty dismal year for them.

On the whole, there were not much changes to the top 30 developers, with only three new developers breaking in, namely YNH Property Bhd, Ayer Hitam Planting Sdn Bhd and Johor Land Bhd.

For the full write up and explanation of the voting process, see today’s the Edge.

Now here’s something that will cause massive traffic problems if implemented in KL.

Town planners have long dreamt of floating super-cities, especially in densely populated or land-scarced cities like Dubai, Singapore, Tokyo or Hong Kong.

The reality of these plans coming to fruition is still many, many years away, but it still doesn’t stop the designers from working on a design is getting closer and closer to materialization. Taisei Construction Corporation, has come up with plans for one such super city, and according to Inhabit:

Looking eerily like Mt. Doom in the above rendering, the mountain-like X-Seed 4000 represents a utopian eco-vision for a self-contained high-rise city in the Tokyo harbor - powered mainly by solar energy. Aesthetically inspired by nearby Mt. Fuji, the behemoth building would measure 13,123 feet tall with a 6 square-kilometer footprint, and could accommodate five hundred thousand to one million inhabitants.

You can see the pictures and full write up here.

With the school holidays here and most people depressed by the subprime market thing (not to mention the KLCI dropping), let’s take a breather a do a poll.

Please send this poll to as many people as possible, we want to get a huge feedback. You can direct people to this page or send them link (it will bring them to this same page). Please only vote once, this poll will run for a week.

http://propertymalaysia.blogsome.com/2007/08/19/poll-commercial-or-residential/

QUESTION:
Malaysian condos are usually built on land that is designated as commercial or residential. Initially, commercial condos were more popularly known as serviced apartments, but now that differentiation is not so obvious are many commercial title projects are marketed the same.

In terms of the national land code and HDA, there is a world of difference, but what do you prefer as a buyer?

Thanks in advance for voting.

Looks like the Damansara Heights real estate landscape is going to be changed a little more in the near future. An multi-million ringgit mixed development is being planned at this stage, jointly developed by E&O Property Development Bhd and Selangor Properties Bhd (SelProp). The planned project will comprise of commercial and retail space, and service apartments.

According to the report:

Under the deal, Puncak Madu Sdn Bhd, a joint venture company of E&O Property and SelProp, is acquiring the 16-storey Wisma Damansara together with the 1.1ha piece of land located in Jalan Semantan here from SelProp for RM100 million .

Wisma Damansara is adjoining a 2.62ha piece of land, which was acquired by Puncak Madu in February, 2005 for RM124.5 million.

Puncak Madu is a 40:60 joint venture between SelProp and E&O Property. E&O Property will raise its stake in Puncak Madu to 50% by subscribing to 20,000 new shares at RM1 each.

With the acquisition, the parties will jointly develop the combined 3.73ha site into a mixed development comprising commercial and retail space as well as service apartments.

This is definitely prime commercial space, we hope that the design and density would be suitable for this kind of area.

Reader Saiful has sent in some recent photos of Sierra Residency. Sorry for the delay in putting them up, we’ve been having a bit of problems with our internet connection.

For the original review of Sierra Residency and a lively ongoing discussion, you can read it here.

Right after the International Homebuyer last weekend, there are two more big property show in the next 2 consecutive weekends. Today, MAPEX started at Mid-Valley, there was actually a special pull-out in the papers.

Malaysia Property Exposition (MAPEX ) 2007 Klang Valley

Date: 3 August 2007 - 5 August 2007 (Friday to Sunday)
Venue: Halls 2 & 3, Mid Valley Exhibition Centre (MVEC), Mid Valley Megamall.
Opening Hours: 10:00 am - 9:30 pm
Admission: FREE
Organizer: Real Estate & Housing Developer’s Association Malaysia
(REHDA Malaysia)
Telephone: 603-7803 2978
Fax: 603-7803 5285 / 7805 1206
Website: http://www.rehda.com

Mega Malaysia Property Showcase 2007

Date: 10 to 12 August 2007 (Friday to Sunday)
Venue: Matrade Building.
Opening Hours: Not sure, but should be the usual-lah.
Admission: FREE
Organizer: Exhibition Guide (M) Sdn Bhd
Telephone: 603 9056 3323/012 3062 980

Yep, we were there alright.

It was pretty well attended, we heard that the seminars were quite popular and were mostly full. The exhibitors didn’t disappoint, too, most of the big players who have new projects at hand were there to promote them.

The big ones were like Putrajaya Holdings, SP Setia and Sunway City. Some other regulars were missing, probably because they lack a new project to centrestage it there.

The venue was excellent as always, big hall was able provide ample space for visitors and the exhibitors, unlike the cramped style of some other expos (let’s not mention which ones).

We notice they are trying to increase emphasis on the ‘International’ bit of the exhibition, getting foreign companies and GLCs to participate. As usual we try to avoid that particular end of the hall where these exhibitors tend to ‘hassle’ you like credit card companies. Nothing wrong with that, just not our cup of tea…

All in all a good mission for us. Lots of new reviews for us to scout out.

Before we forget, this weekend there’s the International Homebuyer and Property Investor 07 held at the KLCC Convention Centre. You can check out more info such as maps and seminar listings here.

We’ve been to the previous two instalments and we seriously think this is the best expo there is in the annual calendar, but we’re not sure if we can make it this year round.

Make sure you guys mark it in your calendar.

With all the buzz about feng shui these days, house buyers really getting into it when it comes to buying, renovating, decorating or simply choosing a unit.

Malaysians think nothing of plonking RM10k for a revered geomancer to give their advice on anything related to property, and devour any of the many books appearing in the market on the subject.

Then Malaysians were introduced to Vastu Shastra, the ancient art of architecture originating from Sanskrit culture, or more popularly refered to as ‘Indian feng shui’.

Now emerging is the also ancient art of Malay geomancy. To quote a recent report:

Organised by the Malaysian Institute of Geomancy Sciences (MINGS), the conference seeks to explore the common scientific principles found in the various forms of geomancy, including Ilmu Tajul Muluk or Tiang Seri, as used in Malay house construction.

To be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from July 20-22, the conference will have four geomancy experts delivering papers on their respective fields.

The chairman of the organizing committee is none other than Gerard Benedict, which some of you may remember as being a TV3 newsreader back in the 80’s.

The report goes on the say:

“This conference is also to dispel the myths associated with geomancy or feng shui.

“We want to explain to everyone including property developers, town planners, architects, engineers and the public, that feng shui is not related to religion or divinity. Geomancy is very much a form of science based on facts and natural elements.”

Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman was recognised with an Honorable Mention in the 2000 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation
The speakers are Malaysian feng shui consultants Yap Cheng Hai and David Koh. They will speak on How to use feng shui in a practical way and Modern Living, Ancient Concepts, respectively.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia architecture head Prof Dr Mohd Tajudddin bin Mohamad Rasdi will deliver his paper on Tiang Seri or Ilmu Tajul Muluk.

For the full story, read here.

Some of you may have noticed that Equine Capital has been in the news recently with the official launch of the RM80mil Permai Central Transport Hub in Pusat Bandar Putra Permai, part of their flagship development in Seri Kembangan.

Recently, the group has also announced that they planning about RM500mil to RM800mil projects by March 2008, which is the end of the financial year. This includes projects in KL and Penang.

Their current projects are made up of

• 900 acres in Seri Kembangan consisting of Equine Park, Putra Permai, Permai Park and Pusat Bandar Putra Permai;
• 450 acres Bandar Cassia in Batu Kawan, Penang.

In the pipeline for the Seri Kembangan project are the Meadow bungalows, Equine Business Park, Rise bungalows, The Crest Hillvillas and the first condominium in Equine Park called Blooming Hill @ Equine Park.

For more on the projects around this area, you can check out the following reviews:

Cahaya Permai Apartments
Taman Dato Demang, Puchong
Phase 3, Taman Dato Demang
Sovereign, Permai Park
Desaminium Park (Taman Desaminium)
Bayan Villa, Bukit Ikhlas