Living in JB

[nusajayaphile]

Well, I've taken the plunge, and purchased an intermediate link terrace at The Hills Precicnt for RM745,800. Option period up to 9 months, but was told by the sales staff that it could be as short as 1 or 2 months, as the terraces are selling very well.

Nice big house - 26x80, and built-up is almost 3,000 sq ft. Every bedroom is ensuite.

Construction takes less than 2 years, so not sure whether to rent it out once it's ready or to use it as a weekend home, as still too early for me to retire in JB. Perhaps once the house is ready, will attract ready tenants, as a lot of projects will be finished come 2013, such as Medini and Puteri Harbour, Legoland, Indoor Theme Park and Educity with all the professors and students seeking accommodation.

Hoep this is the right choice.

 

[abugumgum]

Still, to answer some questions:


Updates for everyone:
1. Driving conversion for those driving Malaysian vehicles - (Superceded)
I got informed by a learned friend and also others and found that there is no need for the conversion afterall (only if you are migrating there) but that you can get an international driving license and thus able to drive all Malaysia cars in Malaysia.

2. When stopped, don't volunteer a bribe, there was one time my friend got away when he politely challenged the offence as it was really ridiculous.

Hi Wuqi,

I am confused over the need to apply / convert to International Driving Licence.

Can we drive Malaysia Registered Car with Singapore Driving License ? If not, what will be the right way? I am not under the MM2H or migrating to MY.

Thanks,

 

[nusajayaphile]

Great buy. Somehow I got this feeling that a normal terrace in Horizon Hills and East Ledang will be launched from RM 1 million soon. By the time they reach the launching of WaterFall, Peak etc, price will be scary as there are various interesting themes still in place

Thanks, horizonhills. Chances are you will be right. At RM1 million, it's still cheap by S'pore standards - only S$410,000, equivalent to the price of a 4 room HDB flat. Well, that will be good for all of us who have bought houses in Nusajaya. In 10 years' time, the price could go up to RM1.5 million, when Nusajaya is up and swinging. Again, still cheap by S'pore standards. I got texted by an agent in S'pore about 10 Shelford Road - 2 bedroom unit asking for S$1.7 million! 3 bedroom asking S$2.5 million. Crazy or what? How can anyone afford such prices? Only foreigners. Definitely beyond buying power of locals.

 

[aangsc]

comparing with first launch of Gateway superlink house,more like 50% appreciation for intermediate terrace of similiar size since 2008 launch.
I think HH will command a premium until another project of similiar theme (Residence_Golf_Clubhouse) within Nusajaya. Most of the other projects by Gamuda such as Valencia, Jade Hills, Bandar Botanic were well received.

 

[nusajayaphile]

comparing with first launch of Gateway superlink house,more like 50% appreciation for intermediate terrace of similiar size since 2008 launch.
I think HH will command a premium until another project of similiar theme (Residence_Golf_Clubhouse) within Nusajaya. Most of the other projects by Gamuda such as Valencia, Jade Hills, Bandar Botanic were well received.

The good thing is that they do not repeat the themes for new developments. UEM and Gamuda own the vast majority of land in Nusajaya, so each development has a different theme. HH has the golf course and EL the parks and gardens. The Imperia condo at Puteri Harbour will have a marina theme, and 1Medini is the Islamic Financial Centre. So the developments do not cannabalize each other, and we can see healthy appreciation of the prices, hopefully.

We are still at the beginning stages of Nusajaya/IM, so when all goes according to plan, there will be rewards to reap or enjoy.

 

[aangsc]

The main issue now is whether or not Singapore property prices will go down drastically now that the electorate has given the ruling incumbent a wake-up call. I have sensed many new BTOs or new flats being launched ever since the new Minister for National Development come on board. If the prices really drops 50% in Singapore, chances are the prices in HH or EL wont go anywhere higher.

I think so too. The new focus in SG is affordable housing for everyone and no longer asset enhancement . I expect price to soften and future increase will be gradual unless those in immigration not talking to housing again.

 

[cathylmg]

How do u guys go to Setia T from Custom? I presume is go to Jalan Skudai then up Perling and into PG highway and turn left into kempas? 1 hour from Tampines to Setia T is very very fast!

I drove from customs towards tebrau highway then take the North-south highway. Pretty fast if not much traffic.

 

[cathylmg]

This only happened recently... It is this kind of news that I am worrying over my daughters' safety day in day out in JB

PETALING JAYA- An 8-year-old girl was alleged to have been raped by a man with two previous convictions for theft.

He was reportedly caught by the victim's brother-in-law and other guests at a wedding ceremony at SRK Yoke Kuan in Sekinchan.

The Year Two pupil is now being treated at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang. The girl is reported to be still traumatised.

The incident happened at 9pm on Saturday when the victim went to the ceremony with her sister and brother-in-law.

RELATED STORYGirl, 8, raped in toilet during wedding
Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Adnan Abdullah said the victim went to the toilet near the canteen.

The brother-in-law took her to the toilet and waited for about 10 minutes. He then waited at the canteen but shortly, he heard a scream.

Adnan said the brother-in-law rushed to her aid and saw a man running naked from the toilet.

He shouted for help and several guests came to help detain the man.

Checks revealed the suspect in his 20s had served two jail terms - the first for 11/2 years and the second for two years -- for theft.

The man was last released from prison in 2006.

Thats is why I always follow my daughter to the toilet. Even in Singapore. Even if my daughter insisted that she is old enough to do so on her own. Can't take any chances.

 

[cathylmg]

Talking about trips my light bulb blows and the MCB trips... Whole home plunged into stone age.... "no electricity"

Now this is fine if it happens when my wife and/or i are at home.

When we are not at home... its a different story... Cause we cant rush back and my maid is none the wiser....

My mum prefers to stay away from MCCBs...

Leaving young kids at home may not be a good idea in JB.

But thinking again... this happens in spore as well.

Is this how Circuit breakers are designed to work?

My hubby thought my son how to check the circuit box for power trips. He is now able to check it on his own which one is the one that tripped and turn the rest on. Have to learn to protect mummy and younger sister if daddy is not around. :P

You might want to teach the eldest one to do it too. In case such thing happen without your presents, life will still goes on.

 

[cathylmg]

All house owners with corner lots at Setia Tropika in my precint seem inspired....

All of them are using the grass patch outside the house... The L shaped grass patch.... All kinds of plants abound...

Nice.....

Looks like i will have a green estate in times to come

Saw a couple of birds this morning.

The tweeting and chirping of the birds is awesome....

Professor bro, I'm planning to do this too. After I have set up the gardening patch at car pouch. I find that people chopped down the tree infront of their house inorder to do so. Am thinking of whether to chop down mine too.

 

[Batok Seri]

I have been to 10 Shelford showroom and was told that a conservative 500+ sq feet 1 bed-room apartment is going for almost S$1 million. But cant compare la cos 10 Shelford is in prime Bukit Timah district and 1KM from Nanyang Pri and Raffles Girls Primary School. For a kiasu parent like me, I would pay S$1 million for a 500+ sq feet condo in Bukit Timah anytime over a S$1 million 5000 sq feet bungalow with swimming pool in East Ledang. I guess education remains a top pirority for my kids.

Here's a thought.
Get a 500 sq ft condo in HH or EL.
With the savings from not paying that S$1 mil, send your kid to private school in Nusajaya. Where unlike in Singapore where private schools are off-limits to Singaporeans even if you are willing to pay the fees.

If your kid born in early half of the year, can jump to next grade and get a leg up over cohort in Sing and take O and A levels earlier.
Class size definitely less than 40 per teacher like in RGPS.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Yeah when the rate is better i pay using S$ at Tesco.... Give bigger notes.

They will return in Ringitt.... So acts like a mini money changer....

He he....

Yesterday 243.3 at money changer near to Pizza Hut (Nusa Bestari 2, along Jalan Sutera Danga).

AP, Tesco is still 244 for cash payment, I remembered too late, payment done :(

 

[Analytical Professor]

Yes i discovered YES 4G last night....

I seem to have gotten the tech bug in me for the last couple of days since Wuqi and the booster post.

So i read up about 2G, EDGE, 3G, 3.5G (Turbo 3G) and HSDPA/HSUPA.

4G yet to read up.

So while browsing discovered a blog with someone talking about Yes 4G.

Then i googled it and found the website.... But was not sure of coverage in Johor cause they are not very clear about it.

But the blog i read had mentioned that the writer had tested it out at Bukit Indah and it was real fast compared to all the existing service providers.

Btw, Yes 4G is a new provider www.yes.my (no contract, no monthly fee, just pay as you use) After calculation, it is not suitable for my consumption pattern. Not sure of their coverage too. Now they are running a free 14 days trial with Rm5 credit.

 

[Analytical Professor]

How is P1? Is it really 4G? not many seem to believe its 4G.

Can you share with us how you find it?

The Discovery plan is good i guess at 700kbps.... Should be quite reasonable for normal browsing.

how do you find the experience when they reduce the speed at night to 128kbps? Is it painfully slow? Or is it still tolerable?

I remember the days in 1996 in college during my masters i used to love using the 64kbps leased lines (dedicated lines) as compared to the 56kbps dial ups.

Looks like at 128kbps we are back in time by 15 years ??

The Digi guys have not throttled my speed yet... I am using the RM 15/week plan.
So i am not sure what is in store for me once they throttle my speed.

Why do they have this Fair Usage Policy in Malaysia? Just cause they dun wanna invest on infrastructure? Malaysia being a bigger country must have more competition. Unfortunately they lag severely behind in the Information & Telecommunication space....

I am staying at the Indah Samudra Condo (next to Thistle Hotel). The inconsistent signal strength in my unit is probably due to interferences or being blocked by Thistle Hotel.

I will go over to Thistle hotel and to check out the Singtel Signal and probably around different locations in the condo.

Yes, I am using Digi Discovery Day for running about. P1 at home.

Btw, Yes 4G is a new provider www.yes.my (no contract, no monthly fee, just pay as you use) After calculation, it is not suitable for my consumption pattern. Not sure of their coverage too. Now they are running a free 14 days trial with Rm5 credit.

 

[cathylmg]

Left Tampines at 8.30pm yesterday night and went in through the 1st link. There was quite a long queue. Bumper to bumper but strange as it is, customs cleared very fast. It used to be like this before the finger print thingie started. Now it back to the old routine. With an addition of a sticker.

This indian custom officer asked many question:-

1. Where are you staying in Malaysia.
Ans: Setia Tropika

2. You bought a house in Malaysia?
Ans: Yes

3. Why you want to stay in Malaysia?
Ans: ....(Smile)

4. Why you want to stay in Malaysia?
Ans: Singapore very expensive lah....(Smile again! (*)&)*^%*)

5. Stay in Singapore lah!
Ans:!!! (Smile again! _)^(*%*^%$%$)

6. Better stay in Singapore!
Ans: haha! (Smle again! *%**&^*^)

7. You never do MAC ah?
Ans: Passport left only 1 1/2 year cannot lah....

8. Then do for the rest lah...
Ans: Then some scan some chop very troublesome lah....

9. )*(&^(%(*&).....

I guess like Singapore's attitude towards foreigners, they are starting to fill the heat now, so there is a need to be very very very humble to them. Although secretely in our mind.......

 

[Analytical Professor]

You should definitely be able to get the signal at Thistle.

If you check around your condo you may definitely get a single or double bar atleast....

If you intend to use a booster look out for minimal wattage and anti radiation chips.... then you are pretty safe....

At Thistle i used to get full strength.

I am staying at the Indah Samudra Condo (next to Thistle Hotel). The inconsistent signal strength in my unit is probably due to interferences or being blocked by Thistle Hotel.

I will go over to Thistle hotel and to check out the Singtel Signal and probably around different locations in the condo.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Agreed. That KBW will have no choice but to do something about the escalating home prices....

He is in a Catch 22 situation or rather a thankless situation
1) PRices drop in Spore.... He will get whacked at the next election cause a majority of the voters are definitely not first time buyers. For most folks in Spore the HDB Is their main asset and some sort of nest egg for old age.... if they choose to downgrade etc....
2) If prices dun drop the first time buyers will whack him and this will have a cascading effect where the older folks will whack him too....

I think the solution lies in not reducing the resale prices of flats but by making properties for first time buyers (young couples) really affordable...

Cause if resale HDB price drops i think the whole market may go bearish after that....

The main issue now is whether or not Singapore property prices will go down drastically now that the electorate has given the ruling incumbent a wake-up call. I have sensed many new BTOs or new flats being launched ever since the new Minister for National Development come on board. If the prices really drops 50% in Singapore, chances are the prices in HH or EL wont go anywhere higher.

 

[Analytical Professor]

One of my FT friends who has 2 properties back home (1 paid up and the other on loan) had invested in a 3 room hdb flat about 8 years ago.

He just sold it 2 weeks ago making a tidy profit of S$200 k. Not bad eh for an FT.

He then paid up the on loan property in his hometown transferred his property to his parents and to prevent himself running foul of hdb laws.

Now he is about 37 and has invested in an EA at a price of S$565 (COV cant remember exactly but definitely close to 50k)

He has taken a 30 year loan. I asked why such a long loan tenure.

His reply..."U think i am gonna stay here till then? Im just gonna sell my property in 5-10 years pocket the profit and semi retire in my home country after that"

Wah nice sia.....

But i cant sell...my hdb to buy another.....

And condo is so small... i get suffocated....

I think so too. The new focus in SG is affordable housing for everyone and no longer asset enhancement . I expect price to soften and future increase will be gradual unless those in immigration not talking to housing again.

 

[Analytical Professor]

yeah thinking of teaching them..... then again i am scared to teach them....

cause in a rush of young blood they do the wrong thing then thats it...

They need to mature a bit i guess before i teach them these things... scary lah electricity...

My hubby thought my son how to check the circuit box for power trips. He is now able to check it on his own which one is the one that tripped and turn the rest on. Have to learn to protect mummy and younger sister if daddy is not around. :P

You might want to teach the eldest one to do it too. In case such thing happen without your presents, life will still goes on.

 

[cathylmg]

Agreed. That KBW will have no choice but to do something about the escalating home prices....

He is in a Catch 22 situation or rather a thankless situation
1) PRices drop in Spore.... He will get whacked at the next election cause a majority of the voters are definitely not first time buyers. For most folks in Spore the HDB Is their main asset and some sort of nest egg for old age.... if they choose to downgrade etc....
2) If prices dun drop the first time buyers will whack him and this will have a cascading effect where the older folks will whack him too....

I think the solution lies in not reducing the resale prices of flats but by making properties for first time buyers (young couples) really affordable...

Cause if resale HDB price drops i think the whole market may go bearish after that....

IMHO, Singapore's property prices will not skyrocket any further for the time being, nor will they let it skydive. An adjustment of 10-15% is at best. Then gradual increase over the years. Singapore has limited land resources. Although they had temporarily thrown so many units into the market, they can't be doing it forever. Upward pressure has been there and will always be there. Unless the economy goes down the drain.

80% of Singaporeans stays in HDB flats. The whole chaos in this election is created by those kiasus who couldn't get themselves their first HDB flats. Fanned by politicians who pick it up as an arrow to shoot the current current government policies so as to score points for their own campaigns. Those that have already board the train will not want to see their single most precious assets depreciate. So if its price skydive, KBW will be in deep shit!

Btw, where is the retirement village that was mention sometime back? I thought should be annouced in May? Now already June?


PS: Its my personal point of view, you are entitled to yours!