Living in JB

[wuqi256]

too optimistic la bro....i think in JB context, when they say 7 to 8 years, its safer to plan for 10-12 years before the first trains start rolling. Sing's MRT construction gets delayed here and there too...in JB, many of the planned routes ply existing town ships/roads....i read somewhere they also consider tunneling...not easy.

Thats true, in fact some of the developments here i even gave them 2 years later to finish, that they finish way before and some on schedule was way beyond my expectation. As always, seeing is believing and i am still the type to buy something only when i see it finished. It did change a little though recently as i did buy off plan. (But thats me)

 

[euphony]

Agree. the developers have really priced in the future appreciation in many cases. that is why i think many here including myself would persuade potential buyers to beware, if buying to flip. I think sometime back in this long thread, there was discussion about looking at property price from a JB perspective rather than factoring the relative affordability based on SG prices. That is I think really good advice though we sometimes can't help but think we have done well to save much vis-a-vis sg. However, are our purchases bang for buck? hhmmm hard to say because different persons have different appreciation of different qualities/finish. At least I noticed the developers when they price upwards they tend to compensate with better building materials and tech. Those that are blatantly raising prices without complementary improvements, easily shows they are out to gnaw at the money with little regard for the buyers at heart. I can already tell a few out from my casual observations.

Now thinking more about what has been happening in Johor, especially Nusajaya, property price appreciation at such a skyrocket fast rate is healthy or not to both locals and foreigners. Most of us think we are getting something a lot cheaper than what we can get in Singapore. Our expression of our feelings about properties being cheaper in Johor (through our actions and aggressiveness in snapping properties there) gives the developers guts and signals to increase the price at any rate they like: they may think even they increase the price, we still think we are getting something cheap. Relative to what happened a few years back in Johor, what we are getting are no longer cheap (I am not using Singapore as the benchmark here). The main point is not whether we can afford it but whether the property purchase is value for our hard earned money.

 

[Puteri harbour]

List of forummers who have purchased or intend to purchase property in Johor. Hope those guests who are following this thread actively will also create their own account and join 'The List'. (Copy the whole list including this heading. Click 'Reply to Thread'. Paste it in your reply and add your nick to the list.)
# IMPORTANT - For new members, please try to make your first 10 post anywhere else before adding your nick to this list.

1. Wuqi256 - Nusajaya, Wuqi256 sisters, sister bf. Wuqi256's relatives, friends and colleagues - Total 27 bought so far in Nusajaya
2. Investor - Nusajaya
3. Analytical Professor - Kempas
4. Sanur - Leisure farm/polo view
5. Sanur's mum - Leisure Farm/bayou water village
6. Sanur's SIL - Leisure Farm/polo view
7. Jasonjst - Sutera Utama
8. Tansi - Leisure Farm
9. relaxmannn - Nusajaya
10. nusajayaphile - The Hills Precinct, Horizon Hills
11. Mahesh - Leisure Farm/pinggiran bayou
12. East539 - Nusajaya
13. East539's Sis - EL/LF
14. JazJoz - Horizon Hills
15. Lynn - east Ledang
16. TheGolf - HH
17. Grago. - Horizon Hills
18. Arsenal - Horizon Hills
19. Vincentck & Wife - NI
20. mathstub- Horizon Hills
21. ShawnLow - Bestari Heights
22. Skippy - Horizon Hill The Golf
23. LastResort Family - Horizon Hills, The Gateway, The Hills & Fairway Suites
24. Kaeel - Nusa Idaman , Hill side Semi D
25. Lord Aragorn - The Straits View Residences, Permas Jaya
26. cathylmg - Kempas
27. captw - Bukit Indah, Amelia 1
28. mallow - Nusajaya
29. IskandarRocks - East Ledang, Imperia@Puteri Harbour
30. euphony - LF & mt. austin
31. narmi - NI
32. maxpark - Fairway Suites, Indahwalk3
33. Avalon74- Setia Eco Garden
34. Yonglip - Bestari Heights
35. AbuGumGum - Sungai Chat, Johor Bahru
36. 2bFree - HH
37. Aisanbo - Sky Gardens Residences @ Setia Tropika
38. 29ers - LF
39. Weetabix - HH
40. SeriAustinian - Seri Austin, HH South Golf
41. iamapseudoneem - Nusa Idaman
42. Puteri Harbour - Imperia@Puteri Harbour
43.

 

[cockcansing]

If you leave HH by 6.15am and reach Woodlands CIQ via coastal highway by 630am, i guess the traffic at woodlands CIQ should still be okie rite?

I guess your job offers you great time flexibility as well as income to allow you to fetch boths ur kids thru and flow....i cannot imagine how much u spend on petrol and toll every mth....

Bro,
The jam at causeway can start as early as 6am. But the problem is at woodlands CIQ, where you have to stop and check the boot, and then from 4 lanes to 1 lane. Sianz. With more ppl going through the causeway the jam might even starts earlier. But I had not been there for a long time in the morning. Just could not stand the jam there. Wake up and smell the fumes and get your blood boils? I prefer the Tuas side in the morning.

 

[euphony]

Re: Investing in Nusajaya

Hey bro Euphony, I would love to have some... when I move into HH by end Nov, I can start a small garden using pots. We could meet in a common place, restaurant or something and I could buy coffee for you...

sure! let me know closer to time. Don't need coffee la. Am already very happy that the plants are and will be appreciated.

 

[wuqi256]

Very recently, just got a huge shock when 3 friends shared with us about their rape stories and this
was in SG.

Again, crime is everywhere but was very sad to hear as i know one of them personally.
One was a couple years ago, the other 2 was quite recent. None wants to report anything for fear
of the stigma associated.

At first, only one shared but when they saw her sharing, they came out of the group to talk as well.

 

[wuqi256]

Bro,
The jam at causeway can start as early as 6am. But the problem is at woodlands CIQ, where you have to stop and check the boot, and then from 4 lanes to 1 lane. Sianz. With more ppl going through the causeway the jam might even starts earlier. But I had not been there for a long time in the morning. Just could not stand the jam there. Wake up and smell the fumes and get your blood boils? I prefer the Tuas side in the morning.

Same for me, the only issue with the 2nd link is the numerous questions some ask even if its clear you are not a threat and just going to work.
I noticed that this has gone down a lot in recent months though.

Had a funny case a while ago where even though i was in long sleeves and tie and answering in English, the guy still asked me what am i doing
in Singapore, what i intend to do and where am i going. This is even though my passport was clearly in my hands and the guy saw it.

I answered him as best and politely as i could. Still not satisfied, even asked me for my office address and i got upset when he asked again and
again in a rude and dismissive manner it was as if he was interrogating me.

Tell me why are you going to Singapore again? Why are you going to Singapore? Which part of Singapore? Why that part?
I told him it was for work and as a citizen, i have a right to go back to my own country, going to that part of Singapore as my office is there.

 

[arsenal]

Singapore immigration side is really the bottleneck for all the jams...

Same for me, the only issue with the 2nd link is the numerous questions some ask even if its clear you are not a threat and just going to work.
I noticed that this has gone down a lot in recent months though.

Had a funny case a while ago where even though i was in long sleeves and tie and answering in English, the guy still asked me what am i doing
in Singapore, what i intend to do and where am i going. This is even though my passport was clearly in my hands and the guy saw it.

I answered him as best and politely as i could. Still not satisfied, even asked me for my office address and i got upset when he asked again and
again in a rude and dismissive manner it was as if he was interrogating me.

Tell me why are you going to Singapore again? Why are you going to Singapore? Which part of Singapore? Why that part?
I told him it was for work and as a citizen, i have a right to go back to my own country, going to that part of Singapore as my office is there.

 

[jasonjst]

Same for me, the only issue with the 2nd link is the numerous questions some ask even if its clear you are not a threat and just going to work.
I noticed that this has gone down a lot in recent months though.

Had a funny case a while ago where even though i was in long sleeves and tie and answering in English, the guy still asked me what am i doing
in Singapore, what i intend to do and where am i going. This is even though my passport was clearly in my hands and the guy saw it.

I answered him as best and politely as i could. Still not satisfied, even asked me for my office address and i got upset when he asked again and
again in a rude and dismissive manner it was as if he was interrogating me.

Tell me why are you going to Singapore again? Why are you going to Singapore? Which part of Singapore? Why that part?
I told him it was for work and as a citizen, i have a right to go back to my own country, going to that part of Singapore as my office is there.

Sometime it make me feel that SG custom do things to incovinence us so that we wont go JB too often , haha . Maybe bros here feel the same too ?

 

[aangsc]

Sometime it make me feel that SG custom do things to incovinence us so that we wont go JB too often , haha . Maybe bros here feel the same too ?

Agree absolutely, there is no benefit for Singapore govt to make it easier for you to buy petrol & groceries cheaper and spend your money up north instead of local economy. Sometime I find they intentionally control the flow instead of making it the most efficient.
Soon school holiday jam will start all over again.

 

[cockcansing]

too optimistic la bro....i think in JB context, when they say 7 to 8 years, its safer to plan for 10-12 years before the first trains start rolling. Sing's MRT construction gets delayed here and there too...in JB, many of the planned routes ply existing town ships/roads....i read somewhere they also consider tunneling...not easy.

Yup Bro, you may be right. We will have to wait and see when the trains starts operating lah.

 

[arsenal]

It will be interesting to see how the MRTs things will happen unless it is the interest of Singapore govt to ship those economically not viable people out of the country and import young cheap foreign labours and convert them to residents..

Agree absolutely, there is no benefit for Singapore govt to make it easier for you to buy petrol & groceries cheaper and spend your money up north instead of local economy. Sometime I find they intentionally control the flow instead of making it the most efficient.
Soon school holiday jam will start all over again.

 

[GorengPisang]

Can some bros here help to brief me a bit here. thanks

A quick n simple explanation on Progressive Payment and loan concern:

Progressive payment takes effect whether on loan or cash purchase.

EG: 500k property, 80% loan 20% downpayment (usually 20% to be paid within 2-3 mths)
Day 1: Booking (can be RM500/1k/5k depending on developer)
Day 14: (Usually booking states within 14 days) Sign S&P and pay 10% downpayment less booking fee
Approximately 2 mths later, upon completion of sales documentation, pay balance 10% downpayment.

Thereafter your loan kicks in. The developer will ask your bank for the remaining 80%, once 80% is paid to developer by the banks, your monthly installment starts.

Now, that is for a fully completed property, for common cases for most of us here where our properties are still under contruction, assuming the above scenario:

*RM500k property, 80% loan
*Currently house is only 50% built (ie. construction of house is only 50%)
*After paying 20% d/payment, there is a balance of 30%
*Developer will then ask your bank for the 30% approximately 2 mths after your 1st booking.
*Banks will then pay the developer 30% and your installment will start, however since its only 30% of total purchase price, your installment will only be 30% (eg. if your eventual full mthly installemnt is RM2k/mth, now you only pay RM600 p/mth)
*Usually every 2-3 mths developer will will ask your banks for more $, eg 3 mths later the house reaches 70% to contruction completion, so developer will ask your bank for additional 20%, so your mhtly installment progressively increases.

Thus, this is what you call 'Progresive Payment'. However do note that banks do allow payment of interest only. Eg. if your current progressive is RM600, maybe out of the 600, 100 is for interest payment. So u only pay RM100 p/mth, this will go all the way until the day u collect your hosue keys, then your full mthly installment kicks in.

Also, last but not least, if its a cash purchase, then progresively, every time the developer bills you for an amount, 20%, 30% 10%......since u have no loan then you will have to pay the said amount directly to the developer, this is also progresive, only diff is u pay the full amount yourself instead of the banks paying for u....

Ok, hope its clear?

 

[abugumgum]

Indeed. We are getting used to the different lifestyle here such that at times I don't really feel like going back to Sgp. But, there are still matters to attend to.

Whether the quality of life is better here than sg is subjective. It depends on one's lifestyle and taste.

 

[euphony]

Singapore immigration side is really the bottleneck for all the jams...

agree and heaven forbid they make smoother road humps like they did on the JB side.

 

[rogersk8ter]

Hi there roger
My children are studying in Singapore and we commute daily. One of them is in the morning session and the other is in the afternoon. They are both schooling in Woodlands. Well, the elder will wake up about 5:30 to get ready for school and leave about 6:15 and drive in through Tuas. I usually reach woodlands about 7:10 and will drive back to JB. The younger will leave home about 11:20 and drive through woodlands and would reach school about 12:10. When I fetch the younger back and will drive through woodlands and get back about 7:30 - 8pm depends on the jam at the causeway. The jam at the causeway will start about 6pm usually but on rainny days sometimes its not so bad. If some odd days, I would drive back through Tuas and would reach home about 7:40-8pm well if I am lazy to Q in the jam. You need to try out for about a week or two to get some timing right. Btw im staying at HH. I would avoid the morning jam from JB at the causeway. I tried the route before and I left home at 6am and reached my kids school earliest at 7:15, that is with good driving skill going through the jam. The traffic from tuas to woodlands is a breeze as most of the traffic is going the opposite direction.

Just my 2 cents
Cheers

Wow! I cant imagine myself do tt daily. Salute to you.

This is the only obstacle why i did not go for a unit in JB.

I was keen 3 years back and still cannot get over this today.

Im ok if im retired and just spend my time driving my children or maybe grand children to schools everyday, but
loaded with many other commitments one hv to thinks carefully.

Just beginning this yr, i know of a malaysian(SPR) who works in sg selling his semi d in tmn suria for myr 560k. I went to see the place
not bad with carrfour shopping nearby. Six mth later, he offered me 510k. was tempted but worry cos not gated tho guarded.

Its the reverse as he was trying to sell his jb landed to buy 4rm hdb in sg. what an irony! They travel daily to sg to work and hope the hdb flat will
cut alot their travelling time. ofcos capital appreciation must be another reason but he didnt say lah.

so was thinking matured estate semi d of almost 4000sqft in JB going at 1/2mil no takers and newer developments asking similar types
asking over 1mil were sold out?

Pls note im not trying to talk down JB property but just wondering while malaysians are flocking to sg to buy properties and pushing
up price, we are now doing the same in jb.

 

[NoOnEsAwMe]

i got to JB customs with my last piece of white card yesterday, and asked the customs officer for more white cards (at the JB entry point - i cant get them at the exit point - tried before)
JB customs officer tell me no more white form, i ask him next time how
he said next time no need/more(?) white form..
i blur

any bros can pls englighten me on what's going on?

 

[vincentck]

Hi, Bro, my place will be ready about 2 years from now.

Should be less than 2 years; I believe the construction has already started.

Now thinking more about what has been happening in Johor, especially Nusajaya, property price appreciation at such a skyrocket fast rate is healthy or not to both locals and foreigners. Most of us think we are getting something a lot cheaper than what we can get in Singapore. Our expression of our feelings about properties being cheaper in Johor (through our actions and aggressiveness in snapping properties there) gives the developers guts and signals to increase the price at any rate they like: they may think even they increase the price, we still think we are getting something cheap. Relative to what happened a few years back in Johor, what we are getting are no longer cheap (I am not using Singapore as the benchmark here). The main point is not whether we can afford it but whether the property purchase is value for our hard earned money.

I agree with you bro; it feels like the developers are being greedy and increasing the prices to above RM500k because they are targetting Singaporeans and others working in SG to buy. Even after converting a RM800k house to SGD, it is still considered cheap to a lot of Singaporeans. But actually it's not cheap; so if there's a property bubble, it's caused by the influx of SGD into Johor. Who knows how long can the high prices last before people will start to say it's too expensive.

Horizon Hills, 79100, Nusajaya, Johor

Thanks bro lastresort, mathstub and wuqi. So, in conclusion, the correct address should be "No. XX, Jalan Ambang X/X, The Gateway, Horizon Hills, 79100 Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia."

I think it is still cheap if you buy at the right location, price and developer. The problem I see it is people think that the whole JB is price at a premium . Sometime I wonder where is the real saving we were talking about at the begining of the thread 3yrs ago. Assuming you buy a house 1M = 450K SGD , you need a SG car , a JB car and toll charge / petrol / times.
With this kind of money a retirees can find a humble HDB pigeon hole , move around in MRTs , eat at hawkers .
Anyway I still feel is great buy if you have the money , quality of life is better than living in pigeon hole lah, saving is not that great already . If you are buying in very high end development , maybe cost of living higher than in SG leh .

Bro, I agree with you too... there is no savings anymore because we're comparing HDB to landed property prices. There is still plenty of savings if you compare SG houses selling at SGD2mil+ to Nusajaya houses. But those who can afford SGD2mil houses may not want to move to Nusajaya. But if you look at the intangible aspect, a lot of us gained from the improvement in our quality of life.... we can do gardening to release our stress, play kites with our children or go cycling or fishing, etc. That's priceless!

I stand corrected here, i did get the progressive no matter whether i used bank or not. For the houses that i bought with cash, it was a portion each time they finish a part until the end when it was completed.

I would still defer to the professional here though.

Couple of quick clarifications:

Banks like EON banks offer the flexi way but really do charge the 10 MYR monthly
90% was actually possible for foreigners but now most banks will lend only up to 80% or 85%. Most bros i know got 85-90% easily when they first came here though 80% is more the norm now. A friend of mine recently still got 85% though but he is doing pretty ok.
70% for third residential property can be circumvented in a way by using wife name solely for first batch of 2 houses and then husband for second batch of 2.

Commercial property loan, it really depends on whether the bank feels comfortable to extend a loan after they see you loans for property as well as how well or regular you make the monthly payments. Their Credit Bureau is pretty efficient here even if you buy multiple properties at once. The caveat bro Vincentck has pointed out is good though, to chase the lawers and then banks to make sure the payment goes through. The banks will normally inform you. Its best to chase as the state consent also has a time limit.

So far, HLB, SCB and Alliance Bank also charges the RM10 monthly maintenance fee for current accounts. I believe most banks in MY do that if you open a current account. All the properties owned by my wife and I are in single name, both loan and property. Even when I bought my first apmt and I was dating my ex-gf(current wife), I still put it under my name only; most of my friends that time will put under both person's names... (usually the MIL will advise their daughters to ensure the property has their name too). The main reason was because I wanna avoid paying RPGT if we were to sell any properties. There is an exemption for RPGT for the first property sold in your life. The RPGT waiver works well when the property that you want to sell is under a single name; so that means my wife and I can each sell our first property without paying RPGT.

I got 90% loan 2 to 3 weeks ago. Not sure I will get the same % if I decide to buy and apply loan now instead of 3 weeks ago.

Regarding using wife's name to circumvent the 70% third loan limit problem, the wife needs to have a high enough income level, right?

All the flexi plan requires a monthly payment fee. Taking into account this fee, Bros here prefers flexi plan or non-flexi plan?

Depending on how much you loan, an income of SGD3500 should be sufficient to take a RM500k loan, 30 yrs, 4.2%. From what my mortgage broker told me, the MY banks multiply the SGD income 2X and use the 35-40% loan commitment to check your eligibility.

We chose non-flexi for most of our loans because we only have limited amount of extra cash to dump into the current account. What I do now is the extra cash goes into the loan account with the highest interest rate, 4.75% (3 yrs ago loan package) which happens to be a flexi account. All my new loans are non-flexi.

 

[vincentck]

Hi

Just a note. Have used CHL movers. Reliable n friendly. Need no declaration documentation.

That's good to know, Sanur. They are coming to my HDB this Saturday to view and quote on the transportation.

Hi

Anyone have quote from builders in Jb? Just got my quote, its rm 240 per sq ft, include a pool. Any other info?
Thanks

Sis Sanur, this is for building a whole house right? Does your builder also do double-storey extensions?

Bro Jasonjst,

I agree with you on this. The gap is narrowing.

I have noticed price increases for some food items (within the last 3 months) , not really justified in my opinion.

The "value" associated with the living in JB may be changed from lower living expenses to other factors. Worth or not will depend on individual's definition of "value".

Bro, I was in MidValley last weekend and ate at the Food Junction (foodcourt) on the top floor. I ordered simple fried rice with taufu, cauliflower and fried egg; the bill came to RM7.35. My wife and I got a shock! Freaking expensive for "economy" rice.

 

[kennyc]

With the express bus service daily, who cares about kopi money from the cops. They can get it from the express bus driver. We need to find our way, we have become too dependant on the system, just like the character in the Matrix, Cypher. He became too used to the system so that even when having freedom, he chose instead to get back in.

We need to start thinking about solving our problems instead of whining about them. No one cares about us, nor would they for our parents, ok well i do but not everyone thinks my way.

The piety campaign that is coming at us is just a way to shirk responsibility to us. So i am more than happy to take up the responsibility but just not here anymore.

I plan to move before next CNY! welcome neighbour!