Living in JB

[Analytical Professor]

Which docs do u guys visit? Do u get overcharged cause ur Singaporean?

 

[toyohon]

Same thing happens in Spore

Friends, relatives, ...,real estate sales people are given first pick of a development before it is open to the public. Even LKY enjoys such perks

Agreed that it happens everywhere but the difference is that these properties (in JB) may not be worth the artificially jacked up prices as compared to Spore.

 

[eck2912]

Wow, scary.
Ok but still got big land, hope to see you in HH soon.

hello, is there any more units available now at HH?
I saw there is a second hand selling at 560k for 2-1/2 storey cluster semi-D. Anybody know what is the original price?

 

[wuqi256]

Adda Height also like that. There was only 1 salesperson in their show room. When we ask to see the showroom he told us to walk to the end of the street the last unit. When we ask if deposit can be return to us if bank loan not approve, his answer was 'you should know whether your loan can be approve or not', followed by a 'you can afford' kind of face expression.

I think these developers still have a long way to go in wooing Singaporean customers with this kind of sub standard services.

Oh yes, most places are like that, i even got very bad service at the Public Bank. She refused to let me get an account as i am "a foreigner"

In the end, her boss and the boss's boss called her and she LL told me, Sir,(now she calls me sir) do you want an ATM card?

 

[wuqi256]

hello, is there any more units available now at HH?
I saw there is a second hand selling at 560k for 2-1/2 storey cluster semi-D. Anybody know what is the original price?

For The gateway or The Golf? 2.5 storey cluster don't go up much as there is a serious lack of interest due to the design. You need to fix it up to get the full benefits, extend the front part of the ground floor into the car porch and make a large balcony and then extend the side patio area into the front, giving you an al fresco dining area.

According to one of my learned friends, I think less than 100k Rm can make the cluster a much better place but requires time and effort to fix. Once that is done however, the house is easily worth 700k at least.

 

[wuqi256]

Which docs do u guys visit? Do u get overcharged cause ur Singaporean?

Actually i use the Polyclinic near here (Bintang i think, its open until 11pm) as well as there is one specialized for women and children at Nusa Bestari, its called Shuang Xu. We never got overcharged at these places though.

There are also good dentists here, one of them is near Sutera Mall near the aptly named "Da Zui Ba" KTV. Nice massage for foot, etc there too, cheap and good. "Huang Zu Xuan" is really good, located near the Eurorich hotel. Avoid the Thai place, i hurt my toes during the massage, they were too rough and don't really know their stuff.

 

[wuqi256]

Actually, we also had a bad experience in Horizon Hills. In December 2007, we went to HH for viewing and met this Patrick Chin K H (Senior Sales and Marketing Executive, Arapesona Development Sdn Bhd) at their site office. When we asked about viewing the showhouse, he just pointed to us and said: "You just walk straight along this road and turn right. Then the unit is at the end of it". I think their PR is really poor.

Sorry to hear, they are quite rude sometimes, for me, if i know its something good, i will grin and bear with it. My wife is even better, she will grin and bear with it and then give the business to the persons colleague.

My sister lagi better, she will buy from the other colleague and then complain to the boss.

 

[wuqi256]

Agreed that it happens everywhere but the difference is that these properties (in JB) may not be worth the artificially jacked up prices as compared to Spore.

Yes, have to shop around and see carefully first before committing. There are gems and there are also lemons around.

 

[wuqi256]

Hence its advisable to do very basic or minimal renovation that does not void your warranty in anyway.

That is what i did atleast. Also i do not live in the property at the moment and hence i did not do any renovation.

This gives me ample time to discover errors that need to be rectified.

Give you an example during the heavy rains that lashed around this region 2 weeks ago the drain in my house at the car porch that leads to the muncipal drain got flooded with rain water and the water overflowed into the carporch. Upon lodging a complaint Their first reaction was that my renovation men had thrown cement into the drain and hence the clogging..

So when i pointed out that i had not done any renovation works at all.... they looked surprised and promised to work on it.

Now if i had done some renovation i would have to prove to them that the water logging was not caused by my renovators....

So that would end my 3 year warranty atleast on the drain clearance....


Any drilling or hacking and maybe ur structural warranty maybe void... Ha ha... Its true I am not kidding.

Very true, avoid all the major ones UNLESS you are prepared to settle the things yourself.

Avoid doing anything on the roof including antenna, Astro.
Avoid doing anything with the drains, unless you intend to cover them up.
Avoid hacking down side walls or making any major changes to the ceiling on the 2nd floor(if its double storey)

Always before renovation:
Check on the manhole to ensure nothing is thrown in there by the developers and subsequently, the contractors.
Check for protective paper that the original developers has not clear out of the pipes. These may cause leaks
Check for leaks in the roof, look for water marks and also for water seepage in the walls.
Check for any cracks or weird sound coming when you turn on the water.
Get a wireman to check on the power and wiring before doing the lighting
Identify where all the manholes are and do not seal up with carpet grass
If covering up a drain with cement and tile, ensure first that the sides are not cracked or one end is sinking into the ground

 

[cathylmg]

Oh yes, most places are like that, i even got very bad service at the Public Bank. She refused to let me get an account as i am "a foreigner"

In the end, her boss and the boss's boss called her and she LL told me, Sir,(now she calls me sir) do you want an ATM card?

Yeah about getting a bank account, I heard that foreigners aren't allowed to open an account. Am I right? Any comment?

 

[johnny333]

Oh yes, most places are like that, i even got very bad service at the Public Bank. She refused to let me get an account as i am "a foreigner"

In the end, her boss and the boss's boss called her and she LL told me, Sir,(now she calls me sir) do you want an ATM card?

In JB they don't get many foreigners applying to open new accopunts, so I think it's a case of ignorance on her part.

When I was in Bangkok I enquired about opening a bank account, the front end staff had to escalate to their managers before I got an answer.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Ur point is valid. But
1. no one is forcin anyone to buy. Ppl are buyin wit their eyes wide open. Malysians r buyin too at the same prices

2. Speculators and artificial prices abound more in spore than jb

3. Its a competitive market in jb. No single land bank operator can hold the market to ransom by artificially jacking up prices. Ppl will simply vote with their feet.

4. The malaysian government has taken steps to curb speculative activity

5. Real estate is peoples asset. No government in this world worth its salt wants ral estate prices to crash

6. Its nt like the whole of spore has queued up to buy the ppty thankfully. Those who are buying are those who need it or those who see the value in it

Hence despite the availabilty of huge land banks and some over supply the market has remained firm healthy and steady for the last five years atleast

My analysis above is definitely not for the

Agreed that it happens everywhere but the difference is that these properties (in JB) may not be worth the artificially jacked up prices as compared to Spore.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Wuqi thanks for your reply.

I heard that there is a clinic at Setia Tropika and it ridiculously overcharges patients!!!

I checked out 2 clinics one is polyclinic angerrik on jalan kempas lama and the other is klinik neo and lim at taman bukit kempas.

The first one charged my daughter Rm 20 for cough med + consultation.

However he charged me Rm 20 per strip of medication (no consultation) So ie., Rm 40

Klinik Neo and Lim charged me Rm 90 (for 2 strips (20 capsules) of anti biotics and 2 strips of another medication)

I am not sure of the charges in Malaysia for similar consulations.... But i felt the charges could have been cheaper. What do you guys think?

Most importantly please do not convert to S$ and compare.... cause this is when we begin to say cheap.... cheap ( and i am guilty of this mistake too). Will discuss this in another post....

Morally the docs should not charge us more than what they would ordinarily charge Malaysians.

Wuqi i have no idea about the places you mentioned cause i do not know the road names although i am familiar with the areas. It would be great if you could give us addresses (sorry for bothering you) and yes of course please do not forget to share charges with us.

Actually i use the Polyclinic near here (Bintang i think, its open until 11pm) as well as there is one specialized for women and children at Nusa Bestari, its called Shuang Xu. We never got overcharged at these places though.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Good dentists? Wow....

And are they reasonably priced? Addresses or directions would be appreciated.

I love massages any day any time. But again i do not know where Eurorich hotel is??

There are also good dentists here, one of them is near Sutera Mall near the aptly named "Da Zui Ba" KTV. Nice massage for foot, etc there too, cheap and good. "Huang Zu Xuan" is really good, located near the Eurorich hotel.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Holy Heavens

I never thought that installing an antenna or Astro on my roof would involve my roof warranty practically going over the roof!!!

Thankfully we delayed installing the antenna or astro dish for lack of time and also cause we wanted to take time to think things through before proceeding.

Avoid doing anything on the roof including antenna, Astro.

 

[Analytical Professor]

We were especially worried about the structural warranty and hence decided against any hacking or changes to the original structure.

Why would i wanna install AStro or an antennae on my roof only to have my roof warranty void? But there are those who are prepared to pay for it.... Like my neighbour at Setia Tropika he hacked down practically every wall.... in his effort to renovate his home...

For me this is what i did.....

1) Inspected as much of the house as i possibly could
2) Identified the errors for rectification.... Though as time has progressed I have noticed the appearance of hair line cracks which are not serious yet i will get them to do it for me
3) I got the lights done (absolutely essential)
4) Water pressure a bit low in certain toilets but i decided not to tamper with it cause if it begins to leak later then the fault would be mine right?
5) The other absolutely essential thing that i did was the solar films.... Gosh i could not bear the heat... It was so freaking hot ( those days in Feb when there was a minor unusual heat wave with temperatures usually around 34 ++) So i got the solar films done.... That made my life much more pleasant
6) Oh yea i forgot i did one other thing and that was the grills. Choce wider diametered hollow iron ones... Could not escape the price...pretty steep as it is a corner lot
7) Lucky i did not do any cement work else i would have kena for the drains...

Very true, avoid all the major ones UNLESS you are prepared to settle the things yourself.


Avoid doing anything with the drains, unless you intend to cover them up.
Avoid hacking down side walls or making any major changes to the ceiling on the 2nd floor(if its double storey)

Always before renovation:
Check on the manhole to ensure nothing is thrown in there by the developers and subsequently, the contractors.
Check for protective paper that the original developers has not clear out of the pipes. These may cause leaks
Check for leaks in the roof, look for water marks and also for water seepage in the walls.
Check for any cracks or weird sound coming when you turn on the water.
Get a wireman to check on the power and wiring before doing the lighting
Identify where all the manholes are and do not seal up with carpet grass
If covering up a drain with cement and tile, ensure first that the sides are not cracked or one end is sinking into the ground

 

[Analytical Professor]

Ofcourse only externally we paint ourselves as Holier than Thou..... But we are just the same as anyone else if not worse....

Wah lau, such tactics also in merlion land lah. Ppty trade is as dirty as politic, no angel and santa doing charity there. Politic = power + money + etc , ppty = $$$$$$$

 

[Analytical Professor]

Aiyo like this also have ah????

If i was an insider.... Phew... Why waste my time to discuss living in JB

I would have maids at beck and call with a nice home and a fleet of cars....:(:(:(:(

Hmmm.......... maybe the Professor is an insider from the Setia Group.

 

[Analytical Professor]

In 1999 i discussed purchasing property in Malaysia with my then gf (now wife)... But she being a true blue Singaporean was worried.... What if the rules change/What if this/ What if that/

And the whole plan was shelved....

But i kept reminding her on and off about it.

Finally last year it was she who dragged me to the Setia Showroom in Spore to sign up. What a transformation? And she was proud of her achievement and ofcourse i had always supported her in this...

Now just thinking 10 years back it would have been really cheap and i could have probably bought a palace...or rather several units....

But then there were not many established developers then and honestly we could have suffered. Right? Like economically weak developers / badly designed homes / townships etc...

Now you get reputed developers albiet at a higher price with minimal baggage from the past...

Even KL was not spared the bad reputation of the past...

So in hindsight my wife was probably right... The time to enter the Malaysian especially JB property sector kicked off in 2005 + i presume

Actually the tought of getting a piece of property in JB did crossed my mind some 15 odd years ago. That time property was like a couple of ten Ks only. Don't know why didn't take action. I could have bought up the whole row of terrace and finished servicing its loan by now.

Oh wow, i wished i knew about this 15 years ago, but then again i was in the jungles serving my country's NS and had neither the money or know how to get in.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Same Here.....

When the min sum of 500k did not exist i was a wee bit apprehensive to commit to another unit.....

Now that i am ready ..... the units are getting more and more out of my reach.....
:(:(:(:(

Its going to get more and more expensive to buy a house in JB. We already bought ours. And only if I can afford another one.....