/// West Malaysia Property News
Agent: Purchasers Want Affordable Homes but in Safe Neighbourhoods
“This is probably to purchase a
double-storey house in areas such
as Ara Damansara, USJ Heights and
Glenmarie, Shah Alam where Sime
Darby has developed its housing
projects,” said Jones, who is attached
to Ramdar Properties.
On whether selected areas in the
Klang Valley remain accessible to
potential house buyers, Jones said
although there was affordable
housing in various pockets within
the Klang Valley, new buyers tended
to look for a new environment and
preferred to have their home within
a gated-community.
Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Datuk Abdul
Rahman Dahlan (centre), Sime Darby Property Berhad managing director Datuk
Seri Abd Wahab Maskan (right) and prof Dr. Sr Noor Rosly Hanif (left), former
dean of Faculty of Built Environment of University Malaysia launch the HousingIncome Index by Sime Darby Property
The Government must take more
action to tackle property price
hikes and make homes accessible
across the country for the people,
especially the middle income group,
said MCA vice-president Datuk Chua
Tee Yong.
He said the commitment by the
Government to make homes
accessible was commendable.
“Further, the Government must take
it as its responsibility to provide
solutions for affordable housing,
which young Malaysians who want
to establish a family of their own are
finding increasingly difficult to get,”
he said in a statement.
Chua said this in response to the
recently-released Sime Darby
Housing-Income Index, which said
that house buyers must have an
average household income of
RM14,580 a month to afford a home
in the Klang Valley.
Affordable homes are still available
in the Klang Valley but many
areas with houses priced around
RM400,000 and below are not
preferable to buyers.
Real-estate agent Michael Edward
said areas such as Taman Sentosa
and Taman Seri Andalas in Klang
are examples where the houses are
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affordable but there are few pickers
because it lacked security facilities
and gated community features.
“Buyers want affordable pricing,
safety and location when they buy a
house. But most affordable houses
that are available are usually under
the older projects and may have
a high crime rate. This puts off
potential buyers,” said the Klangbased agent with Rina Properties.
Responding to recently-released
Sime Darby Housing-Income Index,
which said that one must have
an average income of RM14,580
a month to afford a home in the
Klang Valley, Edward said the survey
probably interviewed respondents
who owned properties in Sime
Darby’s housing projects where
prices were much higher compared
to other areas.
“If other housing projects besides
Sime Darby’s are taken under the
survey, the average household
income should be lower,” he added.
Describing the survey as “putting
the bar too high”, real estate agent
Jeremy Jones said the average
household income of RM14,580 per
month in the Klang Valley could be
applicable to properties valued at
RM950,000 to RM1.3mil in strategic
locations.
“Therefore, choices for such housing
become available to affluent buyers
only,” he said.
On Monday, Sime Darby Property
Bhd in collaboration with the Faculty
of Built Environment of Universiti
Malaya released the finding of a
study that indicated that house
buyers must have an average
household income of RM14,580 a
month to afford a home in the Klang
Valley.
The study was conducted on 1,529
respondents aged between 21 and
60. Ninety-four per cent of them
were married and 59% of them
worked in the private sector.
Further, the Government must take it as
its responsibility to provide solutions for
affordable housing, which young Malaysians
who want to establish a family of their own
are finding increasingly difficult to get.