This is another perspective from an investment and cash flow standpoint.
JB is brown field while nusajaya is green field. Therefore, to develop, JB will have to tear and rebuild while nusajaya will have the space to architect an entire new city. On the flip side, there are more people and activities in JB currently, compared with Nusajaya.
In my opinion, if we take a purely investment standpoint, my feel is that Nusajaya will have relatively higher capital appreciation compared to developments around JB in the long run, provided Iskandar takes off. The disadvantage is that current rental demand (and hence cash flow) is weaker in Nusajaya compared to JB.
Therefore, overseas investors with more cash are likely to take bigger bets with Nusajaya. On the other hand, locals with less cash and relatively risk averse are likely to prefer developed areas around JB.
Malaysia government always prefer greenfield development.
1. they have no lack of land.
2. if greenfield is successful, they can earn more since brownfield will mostly benefit existing property owners.
3. unlike sg, MY govt prefer not buy back existing housing from private owners and rebuild the whole place. Politically sensitive.
4. I think the ability to architect and reorganize their new city is probably the last thing in their mind. haha :P
Someone owing properties in nusajaya please correct me. How is the rental market in nusajaya now?
I'm guessing right now nusajaya rental is alright because there are not so many units for rental.
However, it will be challenging after more condos in the area (eg puetri harbor) are completed.
Regarding investment. If you are talking about new purchase (not subsale), developments like
Straits View Residences
http://www.straitsviewresidences.com/
Residence at the Peak
http://www.straitsview8.com/
Senibong
http://www.senibongcove.my/
Austin etc
are not cheaper than those in Nusajaya.
Therefore, they do not require less cash to acquire.
Risk wise, both sides have their risks.
Nusajaya risk is how the catalyst projects can attract enough attention and how the new industrial area can attract tenants. It definitely has more capital appreciation upside but it is also longer because many of the catalyst projects those in medini still need a long time to realize. I am also not comfortable with JB idea of building "financial center". It basically does not have the requirement to build one.
JB area risk is how the mrt from singapore will turnout. How Lido, danga bay, bukit bintang projects will be carried out.
It does have existing demand from working class across the causeway and local industrial in the east, however those demand cannot support the numerous amount of new developments currently in the pipeline.
I'm not a risk expert to evaluate the risk here but I think nusajaya offers higher risk and higher returns than JB.