Property Hunter Magazine Property Hunter Magazine Issue 50 - January 2014 | Page 49

High-rise brings along, at least from a theoretical point of view, a higher density which means “better subdivision” of the land costs. We look at a more realistic calculation done on a lot of 5 acres or 217,800 square feet. If we consider an average ratio the results are as follow: Parameters LAND SIZE 217,800 SQ. FT. LAND VALUE psf 150 RM/psf TOTAL LAND VALUE 32,670,000 Comparison Table LANDED: LINK HOUSE 2 STOREY 2,000 SQ. FT. BUILT UP Number of units Nos Total Net Sellable Area Sq. Ft. Land Cost Incidence per Unit RM CONDOMINIUM 3+1 ROOM 1,300 SQ. FT. 120 550 240,000 715,000 272,250 59,400 Again without considering the plus point of having a wide range of facilities always supplied in a condominium and normally no or minimal ones with a landed project. Advantages are even clearer if we look at high-rise in areas with large number of foreigners, above all westerns. The condominium life-style in Europe and US is highly demanded and in a foreigner country expats surely prefer to stay in the “safer” environment which is offered by a high rise strata property. Let’s now have a look at the “Return on Investment” side. In case of a long term investment a unit in a high-rise condominium will surely offer a higher return in terms of rental, affordability in terms of initial cost and easier future marketability. Why I’m saying that? Covenant is not forbidding it, is to transform your house in a kind of “UK Bed & Breakfast” and rent room by room with all the mess that will come along with it. In conclusion we keep on talking about Smart Cities with Malaysia having already few of them on-going, Smart Cities are all about vertical as vertical allows a life-style less stressing and complicated and furthermore much safer compared to landed properties. You live not too far away from where you work and this will allow a longer time to be spent with the family and an easier connectivity/mobility in terms of proximity to your working place. Malaysia is one of the countries where “landed” is a kind of password as it has become a “status symbol” a “show off” of an “arrived” family. After reading carefully what I’ve done my best to explain I hope the readers will understand in a better way what and how the “High-rise life style” is actually much better under all possible points of view. By the way, I happily live in a high-rise building! Have a look at Penang where high r