Living in JB

[lastresort]

Was at Horizon Residence sales office today. Very impressive design and was told there will be Gurkha guards. Prices pretty reasonable but limited units left to choose. Feel so tempted. Should I or should I not? Any advice?

Finally my posts are not subjected to review. I've posted this before but it only appeared after 17 pages of new posts due to fast moving thread.

I hope It's not too late, below is my original post.

Hi Malapore, I wouldn't recommend Horizon Residence for many reasons. My family booked a couple of large units on a few of the highest floors in Dec. Paid the first 10 percent down payment. From Dec until now, the prices have increased by at least 20.5% for our units. But we chose to cancel our units and demand refund. I wouldn't go into the details as yet because we have not gotten our full refund (still chasing them every week).

But I need you to know they started selling this project since late last year even though they say they had a soft launch in Jan and an official launch in March, the contruction site is still pretty much the same since Jan, the progress is very slow.

Even though I bought at a discount, the price is still much higher than the price we paid for a much bigger unit at Fairway Suites which is within Horizon Hills (difference of more than 150 psf). Of course the gap has narrowed recently and more so in future as HH will price the condo higher knowing there is great demand outside. Horizon Residence's selling point is that they have very good view of the golf course at Horizon Hills (I personally do not think they can see much golf view). Location wise, it definitely cannot be compared to Exec Sky Suites or Fairway Suites. Location is always more important than the design. An old condo at beach road/sixth avenue can win any suburban new condo handsdown anytime.

Also bear in mind, they claimed that there will be a new road leading to the main road used by NI residence, but I have also seen a notice written in Malay warning the contractor not to touch or use the road during construction as it is UEM property. I have asked NI sales exec, they say it is not confirmed whether or not the road will be linked as it has not being approved (UEM-gov linked). If not, the future residents will have a hard time taking a long route, passing by all the empty shop houses to reach the main road. Last I checked with their staff, they claim that the plan is still ongoing.

Also, don't quote me, but I heard they were involved in a lawsuit with another developer, I will not say who and what.

Yes, it is cheap compared to SG prices, but definitely expensive compared to MY prices. So is it still reasonable?

I do hope you consider carefully! If you want to know more, talk to the locals.

I'm glad that after looking at so many properties in the past 3 years, we have decided to come back to HH for more.

 

[geritan]

With insurance and roadtax being affordable, its always tempting to get another car whenever you go to www.carlist.com.my. I would strongly advise not to go there, i am pushing myself very hard not to as well. Some of the MPVs there, are very tempting, must....not.....go.....over.....to....that....web....site.....

May I know why you discourage this website? I was browsing it and thought of getting a vehicle from there.

 

[Grago]

Just noticed that the asking prices of Horizon Hills houses on www.iproperty.com.my have shot through the roof.

Cluster corner semi-d in The Gateway (unfurnised) asking for RM1,050,000:

http://www.iproperty.com.my/propertylisting/1019906/HORIZON_HILLS_Cluster_Homes_ForSale

This semi-d (unfurnished) with golf course views was listed at first as RM1,350,000 on 20 June. The next day when I checked, the price had been revised upwards to RM1,480,000!!!

http://www.iproperty.com.my/propertylisting/1015731/Nusajaya_Semi-detached_House_ForSale

This furnished cluster semi-d in The Gateway is asking for RM900,000!!! An unfurnished one in The Golf was sold at RM650,000 just last month.

http://www.iproperty.com.my/propertylisting/1013975/Horizon_Hills_Jalan_Ambang_Cluster_Homes_ForSale

Looks like a lot of early investors are cashing in even before 2012!

Very Interesting.......

 

[karmabear]

JB is soooo dangerous!!! Another body found in JB....Its the second body found in the waterways in one week!!! Eeeee... So lousy, so dangerous, so third world!!!! :p:p:p:p

THE body of an 83-year-old man was found in Punggol River on Wednesday at 7am.

Mr Lim Ong Sai, a retiree, was found fully clad. His valuables were not taken. He was said to have been living in a flat 300m from the river with two sons. According to Shin Min Daily, he had gone to a nearby coffee shop on Tuesday night to meet friend. His sons went in search of him when he did not return by 2am. Police are investigating.

This is the second body that was found in waterways here. Police found the lower half of a body in Bedok Reservoir on Monday morning.

http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110623-285597.html

 

[euphony]

View attachment 1911

i was just thinking about your post when i saw a bentley parked in the estate i'm living in, the car is several times the most expensive apartment unit there is. i wonder if there will come a time when these supercars are a common sight rather than exotic in JB. i am already starting to see quite a handful of MY plated bmws, mercs and audis. I hope in the near future. That would mean a lot about JB's progress.

 

[euphony]

May I know why you discourage this website? I was browsing it and thought of getting a vehicle from there.

haha i think wuqi means it very 'poisonous'

 

[euphony]

Finally my posts are not subjected to review. I've posted this before but it only appeared after 17 pages of new posts due to fast moving thread.

I hope It's not too late, below is my original post.

thanks for sharing. that was insightful and good fodder for consideration.

 

[lastresort]

3 years back when we first came to HH, a typical cluster house was just selling at around 300+k (now resale at 900+k), the intermediate super links were selling at 500+k, semi Dees at around 700+K Everyone was saying it is too expensive at that time. I believe buying cluster was the best bet. But now it seems to have risen so much faster than most types, will the price gap continue to widen? :*:

 

[wuqi256]

Hi Geritan, its a very good site, some of the prices though are not always correct, like there was a time, they posted an MPV at 5k.

If i go to this site too often, what will likely happen would be that Wuqi is left with 1 house in both SG and JB and have 40-50 cars in his car park, making his neighbours all very pissed off as every available "parkable" land would be full of cars.

 

[polyman]

The kinda of money banks earn...

Based on a property of RM500K with 20% down, at 6% p.a. interest for a 20 year loan, the monthly instalment for a RM400K loan works out to be about RM2,800 or S$1,200. Out of this $1,200, about half of it goes to the bank as interest. The other half is used to pay down the principal. That is why when u enquire about your mortgage after a couple of years of paying, you realise that the loan outstanding hardly ever moved. Do remember that whenever we borrow from the bank, the total amount repaid over the duration of the loan is roughly double the amount of loan taken. In other words, you buy one house for yourself, another house for the bank. :o

This is the reason why banks pay themselves more than 6 months bonus yearly.

If you dont want banks to earn so much of your hard-earned money, would suggest putting more money upfront and taking a shorter duration loan. This is the key to preserving your wealth.

 

[wuqi256]

Too much of Grand Turismo at friends place when i was young maybe. I always enjoyed souping up old or junk cars and adding in engines, it was too expensive and restrictive in SG for this so modding stuff here albeit everything within legal limits. Not going to add in monster engine and change out tranny but everything else is fair play.

 

[Inception]

3 years back when we first came to HH, a typical cluster house was just selling at around 300+k (now resale at 900+k), the intermediate super links were selling at 500+k, semi Dees at around 700+K Everyone was saying it is too expensive at that time. I believe buying cluster was the best bet. But now it seems to have risen so much faster than most types, will the price gap continue to widen? :*:

I think the prices on the secondary market have risen because the prices on the primary market (which are all controlled by the developer) have risen. The last I checked, the launch prices from the developer for a typical cluster is 500+K, super link for 700+K, and semi-D for at least 1.4m. The developer claims that building cost and market prices have increased, but in reality their strategy is to keep increasing with each launch, so that they can make a tidy profit, and everyone who bought the previous launch will be happy, and will buy more units or tell their friends that they made a good investment and that they should also buy. So what we see now are owners of The Gateway increasing prices to just below the new launch prices at The Hills and The Golf. But before we get too excited about this uptrend in prices, we need to know whether these secondary market prices are actually transacted (not just advertised). Perhaps buyers would rather buy the new launches, as they can get defects liability warranty direct from the developer, they get to pick the unit, and they get some freebies thrown in like legal fees, club membership etc. I believe that these prices are sustainable because of increased demand as more foreigners discover (and like) Nusajaya. For example, one of the main reasons why Singapore and Hong Kong property prices went up after the GFC was because there were more capital inflows (especially from the PRC). Well, what the PRC and European investors did (and are doing) to Singapore, the Singaporeans are doing (and will do) to Nusajaya. It's only a matter of time as everyone scrambles to acquire freehold property, which is increasingly harder to do at reasonable price/income ratios.

The only thing which I think can cause Nusajaya prices to fall is:

(a) a global/asian recession, which is not likely at least until 2013, where Singapore's property market heads towards the perfect storm; or

(b) a sharp downward spike in Singapore property prices caused by Singapore government policy, especially now that Minister Khaw has taken over (see his blog).

By the way, here's a thread from another forum on Nusajaya which is worth reading: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=354490

 

[ginfreely]

in google type virtual office address and choose pages from singapore on the left tab. explore away. bro self action abit la, dun spoon feed to the smallest detail le! :p

just curious, what is the difference between PO Box and virtual office address for the purpose of mail collection?

 

[ginfreely]

Thanks ginfreely, no jam indeed.

Also I noticed a Singapore car pumping ron95 at a petrol station.. unfortunately I did not risk it as my tank was relatively full when I reached JB, so risk rewards not worth it. Seems worst case is RM100k penalty but probably more like RM1,000 as for personal use.

In this one case I prefer the Singapore rule of 3/4 tank!

For Singaporean, i think too high risk leh...wait end up in the police station

 

[ginfreely]

It is very nicely fully furnished .

oic...that is for a Cassania cluster right? can know roughly how much they spent to fully furnish the house nicely? thanks.

 

[ginfreely]

Yes its on lower ground and flat but its still sited higher than the main road. I did a check and found that the nearest one is far enough not to pose a problem unlike another one just beside the development which locals have told me is too near.

Yeah it is far enough for me too

 

[ginfreely]

We use a Mac and Samsung printer Excel programme was fine too. Dunno if this works for you and your printer - try first?
At one time it was also possible to buy for RM$10, a 2 cm+ pile of forms at the immigration counter at the second link ... otherwise collecting 2 - 4 at a time to build up a pile was too time consuming.

ok, thanks...will give it a try nearer end of year when my macs expire...

 

[ginfreely]

Hi hyp, some of my friends go back weekly, some fortnightly to collect mails, etc.

Hi Ginfreely,

UPS one unit, cheapest is about 70-110 SGD. You can also get better ones with surge protection, etc and prices ranges from 150 SGD to 600-above 1000 depending on the type.

For a unit at $3500 RM, it should be fully furnished. That is not 100% true though and depends on the place and location, another SG neighbour just rented out out his semi-d place at 5k in HH, empty.

Thanks wuqi. Can ask you about air-con? For Nusa Duta cluster house, do you think this kind of air-con configuration is cold enough:
living & dining room - 1 x 2.5 hp aircon or need 2 x 1.5 hp aircon?
master bedroom - 1 x 1.5 hp aircon sufficient or need 1 x 2 hp aircon?
the other 3 rooms - 1 hp aircon each

 

[tanvir09]

You have done such an amazing job on this series. I envy your sewing skills and your patience and your diligence. If anyone ever asks me how to sew, I'm sending them to your blog and this series. Congratulations on such an extensive, well thought out and clearly presented set of tutorials

 

[tanvir09]

What a great idea!! i'ld like to know more how many people you met on 1st sept, i'm quite late to see this blog.Very good! Nice information this is really interesting. Good luck in building the table.