Iskandar -- Now is the time to invest in or it's overhyped?

[sgcount]

Then buy Sentosa Cove ba.

Yup. Sentosa Cove? No prob. If I rem correctly, the rich tycoon from India bought it only for holiday home for his family. He claimed not convenient for his kids to go to school from there every day.

 

[Funniman]

Isnt that great? You can keep 2 mistress instead of one!

Yeah...I will ask them to make internal connecting doors...just like hotels. Problem is wifey said...stay in one side, rent out the other. And there goes the grand plans.

 

[freedom]

The degree awarded at the Newcastle University should be identical to the one in UK. Technically there is recognition. The medical degree in Iskandar is really quite attractive for those who cannot secure a place in NUS or NTU.

I believe Singapore SMC does not recognise the medical degree from Newcastle Malaysia right now though it recognises the one from Newcastle England. Hopefully, this will change in the future.

I think now is a good time to buy into Iskandar if one has the extra cash and can hold for the longterm, especially if one does not mind retiring there, then even if the investment part does not work out, it can be a retirement home.

 

[DCputeri]

Looking at the last round of COE yesterday, it is really tough to retire in Singapore.

 

[freedom]

Looking at the last round of COE yesterday, it is really tough to retire in Singapore.

Agree..That is why I bought my place in Austin Heights, as an investment cum retirement home. If investment doesn't work out or I cannot sell it in the future, don't mind retiring there. In fact, when RTS is up, very tempted to stay there and commute to Singapore and may even retire or semiretire then, if I can survive on $3500 from my Singapore rental.

 

[alnine]

I believe Singapore SMC does not recognise the medical degree from Newcastle Malaysia right now though it recognises the one from Newcastle England. Hopefully, this will change in the future.

I think now is a good time to buy into Iskandar if one has the extra cash and can hold for the longterm, especially if one does not mind retiring there, then even if the investment part does not work out, it can be a retirement home.

Pitty if SMC does not recognise. From their web site seems to be same degree. With so many ft doc in our hospital I wonder if all of them are from SMC list.

 

[freedom]

Pitty if SMC does not recognise. From their web site seems to be same degree. With so many ft doc in our hospital I wonder if all of them are from SMC list.

I have encountered some myanmese doctors before and don't remember seeing Myanmar university as being recognized before, correct me if I am wrong, so I suspect some of them may not be from the list.

Back to whether it is a good time to invest. My rationale is, as Malaysia attains developed nation status , the potential for capital gains especially for landed is there. Just look at how landed in Singapore has appreciated since the 70s and 80s. So I believe it is a good time to invest. Though, I must say, as Malaysia is much larger, the increase will prob not be as dramatic as Singapore.

 

[sunriver]

My rationale is, as Malaysia attains developed nation status , the potential for capital gains especially for landed is there.

Property is all about location.

There are plenty of landed properties in the USA, what they call single family homes, selling for less than USD 100K, outside of the big cities. You can have a nice project in the middle of Nusa No-Where, but it's pointless if most people wouldn't want to stay there, much less pay high prices for it

 

[rockyB]

Looking at the last round of COE yesterday, it is really tough to retire in Singapore.

well there's public transport!

 

[freekazoid]

Any news on Meridin Linx phase launch? Eyeing on Meridin Walk

 

[FHBH12]

well there's public transport!

It is difficult to squeeze with 6.9 mil people. Everyone is going in the same direction as you to office area or out of it at the same time. Or to the same shopping/recreational area. You also just need another 0.5 mil rich foreigners coming in to inflate prices. On another note, the 1st and 2nd links will be fully overwhelmed in the next 1-2 years.

 

[cow138]

I am going to write on this thread from an investor's POV - mine actually. It whatever investment I make, I need to be sure of my property rights. e.g. if I buy a piece of land and there are squatters on it and I can't chase them away or the police cant effectively keep them away then that piece of land is not mine. or if I stay in a unit next to the sultan but his body guards prevents me from inviting ktv gals in then, IMO, that apartment is worthless. these are some lousy examples that I am raising but I think most get the idea. LKY was right when he says that they can take it away "at a stroke of a pen". Protection of property rights is most important. what you cannot protect is not yours. this applies to everything - including your car, your watch and your woman or in some cases women. So does Malaysia provide the average investor with adequate property rights protection. Currently from the looks of it, I would say that the answer is YES! is the protection as safe as Singapore? Probably not. I would probably rank Malaysia after Thailand. But that's just me.

Next - what kind of returns does Iskandar offer? In all my investments, I believe in literally doing the ground work. i.e. you go on site, check on the soil quality, look at the surroundings, look at the neighbours, look at the infrastructure, study the demographics, understand the political situation, global money flows and interest rates, etc, etc. When it comes to property, I do not believe in being an armchair quarterback/keyboard warrior. Cos usually the investment amounts are rather significant. So my POV is, anything north of Taman Sentosa will enjoy slower rates of growth. I have said before that most Singaporeans prefer staying and shopping closer to the border. Of course there will be Singaporeans who venture further than the rest, but these are the outliers. There are Singaporeans living in Romania but you don't see me investing there.

So where to buy? JB Sentral is good. I am quite surprised at the vibrancy of JB Sentral. There is a lot of business activity going on. A lot of human traffic. Even with the growth of Nusajaya, human traffic did not seem to have been diverted. If they can get the synergy going between the few buildings surrounding City Square, it should be a very fun place to be.

Bukit Indah looks good too. Again, there is a lot of business activity. The restaurants while not full on weekdays, seem to get by. New ones are still springing up. The clean massage parlours are quite fully booked. Business is so good that they are beginning to "eat" my time. Avoid the SOB Wan Jia next to Giant. knn... also "eat" my time. pay for 60 mins but get only 45 mins of real massage. And the dirty ones seem busy too. The gals don't sms me to solicit my business. it seems they have their hands full, literally. this is a growth area. how fast? I dunno. I dun have a crystal ball. but for the long run (10 years) this place looks good.

so which is a better investment? well, it depends on your risk appetite. the way I see it, Nusajaya is a place for self stay - families. everything is more spacious and friendlier. I can see myself spending time there cos while I could get the same massage in Zone A, but after I am done with whatever work I have to do in Zone A, I would drive all the way to Zone B to get my fix - food and massages. upside would be slow but downside is limited since most ppl bought cheap and the early investors would have holding power and not likely to dump.

As for JB Sentral, I can visualise it in my head. stay in a condo, walk to CIQ, go to work in SG and at night just do the reverse. while not the lifestyle I envision for myself, I can see other ppl doing it. I might do it if I were single and still young. why not? it's the perfect lifestyle. Good food, amenities, entertainment, all within the block. Car not needed at all. Best of all, for investors, I see a relatively good rental market for the area. Prof is rite to be looking at this area for investment. For a punter (not that prof is a punter. I am saying "for a punter".), this place would probably record the fastest growth. Personally, I wouldn't buy this place cos I don't like the area. It is too messy for me. but its a personal choice. don't let my personal preference affect your business decision.

Medini. check out my previous postings. but in a nutshell, Medini is for the long haul. similar to Nusajaya.

next, interest rates. Investing in Iskandar is NOT FOR THE AVERAGE HDB FOLK. note that the key word is INVESTING. 80% financing at 4%+ financing is no laughing matter. borrowing 50k at 4% p.a. and borrowing 500k at 4%p.a. are very different matters. sometimes, ppl get caught up in all the hype and all they see is the 4% interest but not the 500k principal. a little leveraging is good. I am a huge believer in leveraging. without leveraging, I wouldn't be what I am today. but for heaven's sake, leverage within your means and according to your risk profile. I married late and had my child late so I was leveraged to the max until my early 30s, cos I had very little to lose and I could eat fishball noodle everyday. But now that I am married with a child and possibly more on the way, I cant make my family eat $2 fishball noodle everyday. my borrowings are down by half and would probably be down another quarter by end of next year. While making money is important, it is MOST IMPORTANT TO STAY ALIVE. if you stay alive, you live to fight another day.

so there you have it! my alcohol infused insights to investments in Iskandar. The potential upside is tremendous if they can get their act together. but that's a really big if. The Malaysian work culture and inefficiency is their biggest stumbling block. And to top it off, they have their Malay supremacy pride, which to me is pure rubbish; when you have money, you can have all the pride you want. when you have no money, you jolly well swallow your pride and work for it. unless of course, you have your private army or have nuclear bombs, but these too needs money...... so bottom line is, it all goes back to money.

some of the stuff I have typed down today are quite controversial so let the flaming begin. but whatever it is, I want all of us to make money and be happy. go ahead and use my views for reference, BUT PLEASE ALSO DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!

Hi, interesting comments.. I agree.

Can you share what you think about the eastern side like Permas Jaya. Seems like undervalued compared to Bukit Indah?

 

[1nottiboy]

Truth is I have never been to that area although I have studied it from the map.

That area lacks a causeway which is why BI fetches better prices.

That place has potential but unless it has direct transport links to SG - either a new bridge or some kind of ferry, I doubt it will be as popular as BI anytime soon - IMO, not for at least 10 years unless there are direct transport links.

BI also has LEGOLAND and Educity and HSR (potentially) and Medini and Horizon Hills and all kinds of massages and my presence. Permas Jaya has Senibong Cove and will take time to build up. And remember, they will build up at Malaysian speed.

I have also written in my previous posts that Johor has a population problem - the lack of a sizeable and productive one. Whos gonna move into all these houses and condos? The Malaysians Chinese aren't reproducing. The Malays aren't rich enough. So whos buying? Singaporeans are the ones buying now but is it sustainable? What industries or economic activities are lined up for Permas Jaya? As for as I know, nothing much. Maybe a massage parlour or 2 and some durain stalls. Whereas Nusajaya is a hive of activity.

I am not writing off Permas Jaya, after all I did take a look at Senibong Cove. But for investment purposes, I would pick Nusajaya anytime. I am not going to live for 200 years to wait for Permas Jaya to take off but I think I will live long enough to maybe one day retire in Medini although I doubt I will. Or follow one of the old birds here. He is a big fan of JB Sentral. I think Matex is a good punt. There are at least 2 others for you to take a look.

I will never buy off plans in Malaysia again but if you have the balls for it, may I suggest that you look for one that offers all the legal and loan and stamp duties subsidies. All these add up in MY.

But if you are looking at self stay, then its just personal preference.

Hi, interesting comments.. I agree.

Can you share what you think about the eastern side like Permas Jaya. Seems like undervalued compared to Bukit Indah?

 

[FHBH12]

Truth is I have never been to that area although I have studied it from the map.

That area lacks a causeway which is why BI fetches better prices.

That place has potential but unless it has direct transport links to SG - either a new bridge or some kind of ferry, I doubt it will be as popular as BI anytime soon - IMO, not for at least 10 years unless there are direct transport links. West side is more touristy to me.

BI also has LEGOLAND and Educity and HSR (potentially) and Medini and Horizon Hills and all kinds of massages and my presence. Permas Jaya has Senibong Cove and will take time to build up. And remember, they will build up at Malaysian speed.

I have also written in my previous posts that Johor has a population problem - the lack of a sizeable and productive one. Whos gonna move into all these houses and condos? The Malaysians Chinese aren't reproducing. The Malays aren't rich enough. So whos buying? Singaporeans are the ones buying now but is it sustainable? What industries or economic activities are lined up for Permas Jaya? As for as I know, nothing much. Maybe a massage parlour or 2 and some durain stalls. Whereas Nusajaya is a hive of activity.

I am not writing off Permas Jaya, after all I did take a look at Senibong Cove. But for investment purposes, I would pick Nusajaya anytime. I am not going to live for 200 years to wait for Permas Jaya to take off but I think I will live long enough to maybe one day retire in Medini although I doubt I will. Or follow one of the old birds here. He is a big fan of JB Sentral. I think Matex is a good punt. There are at least 2 others for you to take a look.

I will never buy off plans in Malaysia again but if you have the balls for it, may I suggest that you look for one that offers all the legal and loan and stamp duties subsidies. All these add up in MY.

But if you are looking at self stay, then its just personal preference.

North to east side has more manufacturing than west side although there is less talk about them. Afterall that is where many locals stay. Note that some big Singapore factories r located north to east side of 1st link. This area is where u get abundant labour.

 

[potter]

if u hired 10 ppl in mly, the fighting force is only 7, then minus another ~2,3.

 

[sunriver]

BI also has LEGOLAND and Educity and HSR (potentially) and Medini and Horizon Hills and all kinds of massages and my presence.

The only time I ever took a high-speed train was the bullet train in Tokyo. I recall for the first trip, I was very startled when it arrived. It sounded really like a fighter jet flying into the station. In China, residents protest if the new HSR line pass through their neighborhood.

So while the HSR is overall positive for JB, it will be a total nightmare for owners with properties in the immediate vicinity of the line (or those stretches where it is above ground). Good luck staying there, trying to rent it out, or even selling it later on. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Frodo]

Truth is I have never been to that area although I have studied it from the map.

That area lacks a causeway which is why BI fetches better prices.

That place has potential but unless it has direct transport links to SG - either a new bridge or some kind of ferry, I doubt it will be as popular as BI anytime soon - IMO, not for at least 10 years unless there are direct transport links.

BI also has LEGOLAND and Educity and HSR (potentially) and Medini and Horizon Hills and all kinds of massages and my presence. Permas Jaya has Senibong Cove and will take time to build up. And remember, they will build up at Malaysian speed.

I have also written in my previous posts that Johor has a population problem - the lack of a sizeable and productive one. Whos gonna move into all these houses and condos? The Malaysians Chinese aren't reproducing. The Malays aren't rich enough. So whos buying? Singaporeans are the ones buying now but is it sustainable? What industries or economic activities are lined up for Permas Jaya? As for as I know, nothing much. Maybe a massage parlour or 2 and some durain stalls. Whereas Nusajaya is a hive of activity.

I am not writing off Permas Jaya, after all I did take a look at Senibong Cove. But for investment purposes, I would pick Nusajaya anytime. I am not going to live for 200 years to wait for Permas Jaya to take off but I think I will live long enough to maybe one day retire in Medini although I doubt I will. Or follow one of the old birds here. He is a big fan of JB Sentral. I think Matex is a good punt. There are at least 2 others for you to take a look.

I will never buy off plans in Malaysia again but if you have the balls for it, may I suggest that you look for one that offers all the legal and loan and stamp duties subsidies. All these add up in MY.

But if you are looking at self stay, then its just personal preference.

Regarding lacking a causeway at the Eastern side, I believe there are already talks to explore a third link. This would change the landscape significantly.

 

[hockbeng]

I am going to write on this thread from an investor's POV - mine actually. It whatever investment I make, I need to be sure of my property rights. e.g. if I buy a piece of land and there are squatters on it and I can't chase them away or the police cant effectively keep them away then that piece of land is not mine. or if I stay in a unit next to the sultan but his body guards prevents me from inviting ktv gals in then, IMO, that apartment is worthless. these are some lousy examples that I am raising but I think most get the idea. LKY was right when he says that they can take it away "at a stroke of a pen". Protection of property rights is most important. what you cannot protect is not yours. this applies to everything - including your car, your watch and your woman or in some cases women. So does Malaysia provide the average investor with adequate property rights protection. Currently from the looks of it, I would say that the answer is YES! is the protection as safe as Singapore? Probably not. I would probably rank Malaysia after Thailand. But that's just me.

Next - what kind of returns does Iskandar offer? In all my investments, I believe in literally doing the ground work. i.e. you go on site, check on the soil quality, look at the surroundings, look at the neighbours, look at the infrastructure, study the demographics, understand the political situation, global money flows and interest rates, etc, etc. When it comes to property, I do not believe in being an armchair quarterback/keyboard warrior. Cos usually the investment amounts are rather significant. So my POV is, anything north of Taman Sentosa will enjoy slower rates of growth. I have said before that most Singaporeans prefer staying and shopping closer to the border. Of course there will be Singaporeans who venture further than the rest, but these are the outliers. There are Singaporeans living in Romania but you don't see me investing there.

So where to buy? JB Sentral is good. I am quite surprised at the vibrancy of JB Sentral. There is a lot of business activity going on. A lot of human traffic. Even with the growth of Nusajaya, human traffic did not seem to have been diverted. If they can get the synergy going between the few buildings surrounding City Square, it should be a very fun place to be.

Bukit Indah looks good too. Again, there is a lot of business activity. The restaurants while not full on weekdays, seem to get by. New ones are still springing up. The clean massage parlours are quite fully booked. Business is so good that they are beginning to "eat" my time. Avoid the SOB Wan Jia next to Giant. knn... also "eat" my time. pay for 60 mins but get only 45 mins of real massage. And the dirty ones seem busy too. The gals don't sms me to solicit my business. it seems they have their hands full, literally. this is a growth area. how fast? I dunno. I dun have a crystal ball. but for the long run (10 years) this place looks good.

so which is a better investment? well, it depends on your risk appetite. the way I see it, Nusajaya is a place for self stay - families. everything is more spacious and friendlier. I can see myself spending time there cos while I could get the same massage in Zone A, but after I am done with whatever work I have to do in Zone A, I would drive all the way to Zone B to get my fix - food and massages. upside would be slow but downside is limited since most ppl bought cheap and the early investors would have holding power and not likely to dump.

As for JB Sentral, I can visualise it in my head. stay in a condo, walk to CIQ, go to work in SG and at night just do the reverse. while not the lifestyle I envision for myself, I can see other ppl doing it. I might do it if I were single and still young. why not? it's the perfect lifestyle. Good food, amenities, entertainment, all within the block. Car not needed at all. Best of all, for investors, I see a relatively good rental market for the area. Prof is rite to be looking at this area for investment. For a punter (not that prof is a punter. I am saying "for a punter".), this place would probably record the fastest growth. Personally, I wouldn't buy this place cos I don't like the area. It is too messy for me. but its a personal choice. don't let my personal preference affect your business decision.

Medini. check out my previous postings. but in a nutshell, Medini is for the long haul. similar to Nusajaya.

next, interest rates. Investing in Iskandar is NOT FOR THE AVERAGE HDB FOLK. note that the key word is INVESTING. 80% financing at 4%+ financing is no laughing matter. borrowing 50k at 4% p.a. and borrowing 500k at 4%p.a. are very different matters. sometimes, ppl get caught up in all the hype and all they see is the 4% interest but not the 500k principal. a little leveraging is good. I am a huge believer in leveraging. without leveraging, I wouldn't be what I am today. but for heaven's sake, leverage within your means and according to your risk profile. I married late and had my child late so I was leveraged to the max until my early 30s, cos I had very little to lose and I could eat fishball noodle everyday. But now that I am married with a child and possibly more on the way, I cant make my family eat $2 fishball noodle everyday. my borrowings are down by half and would probably be down another quarter by end of next year. While making money is important, it is MOST IMPORTANT TO STAY ALIVE. if you stay alive, you live to fight another day.

so there you have it! my alcohol infused insights to investments in Iskandar. The potential upside is tremendous if they can get their act together. but that's a really big if. The Malaysian work culture and inefficiency is their biggest stumbling block. And to top it off, they have their Malay supremacy pride, which to me is pure rubbish; when you have money, you can have all the pride you want. when you have no money, you jolly well swallow your pride and work for it. unless of course, you have your private army or have nuclear bombs, but these too needs money...... so bottom line is, it all goes back to money.

some of the stuff I have typed down today are quite controversial so let the flaming begin. but whatever it is, I want all of us to make money and be happy. go ahead and use my views for reference, BUT PLEASE ALSO DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!

Fully agree with you.

Malaysia has hopeless leaders and will never get their act together in another 100 yrs. As long as their "Malay Malaysia" BS continues.

High crime and robbery! Why the hell would anyone want to stay there if they had a choice?

For all those who claim prices have risen from so many years back, it is the same for most countries around the world, even new zealand.
Central banks around the world have expanded money so much that almost everything has increased in price: oil; gold; silver; wheat etc.....

 

[hockbeng]

I have encountered some myanmese doctors before and don't remember seeing Myanmar university as being recognized before, correct me if I am wrong, so I suspect some of them may not be from the list.

Back to whether it is a good time to invest. My rationale is, as Malaysia attains developed nation status , the potential for capital gains especially for landed is there. Just look at how landed in Singapore has appreciated since the 70s and 80s. So I believe it is a good time to invest. Though, I must say, as Malaysia is much larger, the increase will prob not be as dramatic as Singapore.

The big diff is the type people staying there.
It's like comparing HK vs Madagascar

 

[hockbeng]

All investing activity is risky. But J.B.? Oh Boy!!!!! I say, good luck to you if you want to mess around with J.B. property.

Just ask anybody who invested in J.B. property in the 1970's, 1980's, 1990's.

You will get an earful!

(Granted, it is cheap. About 2 years ago, a good Condo by a "Top 3" Developer can be had for RM$300 psf. But not now. Now, you pay more than RM$600 psf for the privilege of putting your head on the chopping block.)

If there is any financial instrument that allows me to bet on iskandar property rotting away after 10 yrs, I will buy. Like short selling!