Be a discerning house buyer

As the economy picks up and developers hit the market with their different offerings, there are certain issues that house buyers should take note as they mull over their choices.

While three major considerations like location, reputation of developers and pricing are paramount, there are other issues that house-buyers should consider. While some may consider these issues as secondary, they nevertheless, will take their toil in the long run and may become a sore point. At worse, it may be a point of regret.

The issues can cover a broad spectrum and includes the types of trees planted, the types of locks and sanitary fittings used, sound proofing, the number of lifts provided, the width of the road in front of the house, the availability and number of visitors parking, and layout and lighting in basement parking.

A source from a security firm says Malaysians tend to opt for condominium living because they want the security.

“Are condominiums really secure? We tend to say we are safe when there is no direct physical harm against us. But security is broader than a physical attack. It includes a violation of our personal space,” he says.

Two years ago, a body was found tucked in a refrigerator in a Mont’Kiara condominium development. The buyer had bought the property in an auction and when the time came for him to inspect his purchase, he made his discovery. He will not want to buy anything from an auction again.

In another Mont’Kiara high-rise project, someone within the project went around locking people in their units by fiddling with their locks. In both of the above cases, there was no physical attack. But there was a violation of personal space.

Not all condominiums come with cameras in the public corridors. Even if they do, they need to be maintained. Which calls into question the maintenance and sinking fund and the integrity of the people involved.

Says a condominium dweller: “Malaysians tend to skip on these payments or they buy into a project with low maintenance. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

“On the other hand, I do not want to pay loads and not get the service or the maintenance of important equipment like cameras.”

His take: Be part of the joint management body so you know what the money is used for.

Early this year, a young man perished when the condominium he lived in caught fire. This also happened in Mont’Kiara. He lived on the 32nd floor. In another case, a young man left his high-rise unit with the kettle boiling. Passers by saw smoke billowing from his unit and alerted the management.

Says the source from the security firm: “It does not cost a lot to have smoke detectors. A hotel room comes with a sprinkler system and smoke detectors and there is no reason why this cannot be installed.”

“The same goes for fire extinguishers. But Malaysians, being so house-proud, may not keep fire extinguishers in working conditions. Or they may just throw them away. What is needed is for the authorities to make these mandatory.”

When the developer of the Mont’Kiara project was contacted, a two-liner statement was given about dog patrols in the evenings.

Developer KLCC Property Holdings Bhd claims at this point in time, the only project known to have a sprinkler system and smoke detectors installed in the condominium units is The Binjai On The Park.

His take: Install smoke detectors on the landing or outside the bedrooms on your own, but not in the kitchen. Have a fire extinguisher close at hand.

While things like this help, there is another related security feature – the lifts.

In a project in SS2, the developer provided two lifts to serve a 38-storey development with 147 units; averaging four units a floor. There is no service lift.

It does not cost a lot for a developer to install an extra lift. But once the building is completed, it is impossible to have a third lift.

With prices ranging between RM800,000 to RM1.2mil a unit, it does not seem fair to have the owner of the penthouse share the lift with so many people.

Remember, the penthouse is at the top. That seems a rather long wait. But the pent house aside, if one lift were in need of repair, that leaves one lift to serve 147 units. Imagine the peak hours! You’ll be stopping at every floor, even with two lifts.

A marketing staff says the two lifts were the minimum requirement. Our take on this: Four decent-sized lifts, big enough to fit a stretcher, are needed.

The Star Property Fair will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. For more information, visit the website at http://starproperty.my/

By The Star (by Thean Lee Cheng)