been busy with a few parties but I am free tonight so I will post a little on Country Garden (CG).
Went there recently on a weekday. was very surprised that they were very organised. there was a guard who stands by the road to point out to SG cars the entrance to CG. and they had ppl to tell you where to park and after you park, they have ppl pointing out the showroom to you. all in all, I was very impressed with the hardware. I could see that a lot of effort and thought went into the organization and marketing. the landscaping was great. the man made beach looked good. oh! and the car park was half filled with cars!!! on a weekday, that's very impressive.
for those who have been following my posts, you will recall that I said I wont be buying into CG. I have my fears abt building so soon after land has been reclaimed. maybe my fears are misplaced, but its not something I wanna take a risk with. lots of projects in JB. why so hard up for this one, rite? anyway, because I am not keen on this project, I didn't ask too many questions - only a few on the large sea facing units in the unlikely event I buy. info below
- was told that 5,000 of the 9,000 units have been sold.
- 1,500 sqft units are RM1,100 psf and up. at this price, I would rather go for Capri next door. MUCH NICER!
- they couldn't commit on what will actually be provided with the unit/. maybe sales person new to the job
- the straits of Johor is actually quite wide at this pt, so it does look like a mini sea. The straits is really narrow at PH.
- there is a really cute customer service girl working there. couldn't get her alone and hence didn't get her number. damn! but really quite cute. you guys might wanna check her out. good luck.
overall, my feel is that unlike my damned Tiong Nam project, CG will most likely get built. the hardware and marketing seem to indicate that these ppl are serious, working ppl - if you know what I mean. it is a solid, reliable project. club house is already up. it has a functioning bowling alley!!! I would buy if they have a functioning night club! but unfortunately, they don't. also have a real wine shop selling wines and a provision shop selling coffee powder. so the estate can be self contained.
downside - it is VERY MASS market. I foresee a HDB estate in the making. If I wanted to stay in a HDB, why come all the way to JB rite? Also, with them increasing (slowly) the price, the incentive is slowly diminishing. I am also not a big fan of the unit layouts. the living room is quite narrow - think HK and SG condos. again, why would I go all the way to JB and buy a SG style condo? then again, this is just personal preference. i am the type who likes a 1,500sqft 2 bedder - big living room type.
conclusion - this project is not for me. but for forummers who want something cheap (non-sea facing) and the confidence that the developer will actually complete the project then CG is quite a safe bet from what i have seen.