House hunters can't have it all

PETALING JAYA: Location, affordability and the credibility of housing developers are among the top criteria for Malaysians looking to buy a house.

Project management executive Nur Aiezzah Atira Mohd Yusoff said when she was house-hunting, it was difficult to find one in a strategic location at a reasonable price.

“I live in Penang and the houses here are quite expensive. To add on, the interest rates (for bank loans) are also a challenge, especially as we face inflation,” she said.

The 30-year-old said her first house loan was approved when she was in her early 20s and she was keen on getting a big, landed property.

However, at that time, she said, she failed to take into account the distance between the house and her workplace and the need to spend a lot of time on the road, with the additional burden of petrol and tolls.

“Another factor was that in terms of safety, the longer the journey and the more time spent on the road, the greater the risk of an accident.

“But I was so focused on getting a big house.

“Fortunately, I was able to make a final decision right before I signed the agreement. I refused to proceed,” she said.

Nur Aiezzah Atira said she finally decided on another house in a more strategic location.

“It’s in the middle of the city and a three- to five-minute drive to malls, the Penang Bridge, schools, university, college and others. But the price was really high,” she said.

She said despite being satisfied with the location, there were other problems that she had to face.

“After living there for three to five years, I faced problems with the house such as soil deposits, cracks and piping problems.

“I had to fork up a lot of money to fix the damage, so I believe the choice of housing developers is also another important factor,” added Nur Aiezzah Atira.

Teacher Siti Asfah Farhana Arifin said she faced a similar situation, where houses near her workplace were beyond her budget.

“I work in Putrajaya but it’s too expensive to buy a house there. I surveyed for houses in Dengkil but when I tried driving from the area to my workplace, I could not bear the traffic.

“It would take about half an hour if I leave before peak hour, otherwise it can take up to about an hour. I did not want to be tired at work and on the road too,” said the 32-year-old.

She said she preferred locations that were less busy and a distance from the loud city.

In terms of price, she had a budget of below RM400,000 and preferred a house that had access to public transport.

Siti Asfah Farhana added that her priority were areas with low density as some apartments would have too many blocks.

“More people means more drama.

“I finally settled for a house in Cyberjaya. However, although it is low density, there is still many issues with other residents,” she said.

Similarly, unit trust consultant Lee Xiao Jin, 28, said that location was also the priority for her when looking for a house.

“My biggest concern is the distance to my workplace, as I would be travelling daily. I also needed to know the area well if I decide to live there,” she said.

“I was interested in the Kiara Bay area and there were many new housing projects there, so I needed to do a comparison, which took me longer to decide.

“I had to compare the different projects as they would have different potential growth and packages or rebates,” she said.

Lee added that she settled for a well-known developer as she had more confidence in their projects.