Why is there a price for intermediate unit of Semi-D of RM1.48M while it's already finished? I thought there are only 3 corner units left? Is this new price for the last row that they had yet to release?

I'm a Semi-D Purchaser, please count me in! Thanks.

I’ve made some comparisons between Kinrara Residence (KR) in Kinrara and Mah Sing’s Garden Residence (GR) in Cyberjaya:

Land:
GR’s Freehold is better than KR’s Leasehold.

Location:
KR’s location in Puchong is generally better than GR in Cyberjaya in terms of accessibility, distance to KL and nearby towns such as PJ, Subang, Old Klang Road and Cheras. KR also has more commercial activities within close distance. Nonetheless, it’s subjected to where you work and where your family and friends are located. I think this is the major reason that GR is priced slightly lower than KR.

Facilities:
Both are gated, guarded with clubhouse facilities.

Design & Finishes:
It really depends on individual’s preference.

2-Storey Semi D
To me, the overall built up size (about 3100sf) and layouts for 2-storey Semi D at both developments are almost the same. However, I feel that GR’s living & dining area are more spacious as the maid’s room & guestroom are pushed further to the back, resulting in smaller room sizes. Besides, the space underneath the staircase is empty in GR while KR has a storeroom there. On 1st floor, similarly, GR’s family room is more spacious as the two bedrooms are smaller in size. Therefore overall GR gives a better sense of luxury and space, however KR’s design with bigger room space may be more practical. As for finishes, the only difference I notice is GR uses a better quality white colour powder coated aluminium window & sliding door frames while KR uses cheaper dark brown colour anodised aluminium frames. I think we should demand Mah Sing to use powder coated frames as it is indicated on the brochure’s design model.

3-Storey Semi D
Personally, I think GR’s 3-storey design is definitely much better than KR’s even though their built up is smaller at only 3683sf vs KR’s built up of about 4118sf. GR is more practical as it has 5 bedrooms altogether: 1 guestroom on GF, 3 bedrooms on first floor, and 1 master bedroom on 2nd floor. KR only has 4 bedrooms: 1 guestroom on GF, 2 bedrooms on 1st floor & 1 master bedroom on 2nd floor. The reason is the bedroom space on 1st floor is wasted and used as double volume headroom for the living space downstairs. Personally I don’t like double volume ceiling because of maintenance and sustainability issues highlighted below:
1. You can’t even change the light bulb of the chandelier or special lighting you decide to install.
2. You can’t install ceiling fan as it’s way too high.
3. It wastes tremendous amount of energy on air-conditioning, therefore it’s not sustainable at all. Fourthly,
4. The living room shares the same acoustic space with the family room, noise between the two areas become a problem.
5. The only benefit is that you get a luxurious feeling of space when you have parties showing off your house to your friends.
I don’t know if the columns and walls can structurally take the load if one decides to put a slab to cover the double volume space and convert it into a room. I think it’s not an easy renovation especially if you need a toilet in there. Nevertheless, I’d like to reiterate that the above is just my personal opinion.

Other concerns:
Overall Kinrara Residence is a good high end development. However I feel that the materials provided are not so high end. For example,

1. Aluminium frames are brown colour anodised frame but not powder coated. The glass panels are generally smaller than those provided in the Garden Residence.
2. Architrave not provided around door frames
3. No tempered glass shower screen provided
4. Rain shower is good, but need to provide hand shower to clean the backside too!
5. Timber flooring uses narrow strip, prefer to use wider strips
6. Not sure whether Air Cond points are provided?
7. Not sure if the solar powered heater is provided?

I suggest the purchasers go and make some noise, hopefully Mah Sing can improve on the above.






This post has been edited by cooolguy: Mar 16 2011, 04:59 PM

I've just sent an email to Angela Chong as per Covillea's advice. Hopefully all of you can start sending similar comments to her so that we can get better value for our money. Bottom line is, high end development should come with high end finishes lar... These properties are way above 1million ringgit. Will be spending many more years paying very high installments.

This is the quality of aluminium window frame I expected: Powder coated, thick and wide aluminium frame, the one that they use in their clubhouse.
Semi-D: VS Clubhouse:

This post has been edited by cooolguy: Mar 18 2011, 11:30 AM

Neither the shower room nor the bathtub has handheld showerhead. How are you supposed to wash your back or bathe your young children? I've attached herewith a picture with both rain shower head and handheld shower head:
Kinrara Residence: VS: Other High End Development:

This post has been edited by cooolguy: Mar 18 2011, 11:31 AM

The laminated glass railing on 1st floor of 2-storey Semi-D and balcony + 2nd floor of 3-storey Semi D look so unsafe. You can't even lean on the glass railing as there is no stainless steel railing like the one used in 3-storey superlink.

Semi D: VS 3-Storey Superlink:

Comparison between Kinrara Residence's parquet strip flooring and other high end development's solid timber flooring:

VS

My apologies, perhaps I jumped the gun too early on the glass railing. Maybe they already planned on putting it originally.

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Added on March 18, 2011, 6:44 pmMy apologies, perhaps I jumped the gun too early. Maybe they already planned on putting it originally.

This post has been edited by cooolguy: Mar 18 2011, 06:44 PM

Another shortcoming is, I think Kinrara Residence is using concrete sand roof tile that has much lower insulation properties than clay roof tile.

Take a look at the high quality & thick clay roof tile used in Bandar Kinrara Phase 7A12 (Emerald):


Don't misunderstand me, I'm not complaining about Kinrara Residence. Overall it's still an excellent development with G&G, clubhouse, linear park, etc. I just hope the developer understands that nowadays purchasers are more knowledgeable and information spread very fast. Therefore they should try to return good values to their customers so that they'll continue to excel in future sales. Again, I must emphasize that high end properties should come with high end finishes. Otherwise the purchasers will end up with unnecessary & extensive renovation, which creates more waste material. That would be very bad for our green mother earth.

I was at the sales launch today, was told that the 2-storey Intermediate Semi D are going for RM1.548M while some of the corner ones are as high as RM1.8M. E.g. Unit 633 facing TNB with land area 4254sqft is priced at RM1.795M. Can anyone verify this? If so, congratulations to the early birds as you've made at least RM200k (or more) in paper gain!

I think if all the purchasers understand that this is meant to be a G&G neighbourhood it would be OK. Most Malaysian don't bother about reading the legal document, so whether or not it is stated in the S&P is irrelevant unless the case goes into arbitration.

For example, the Southlake phase in Desa Parkcity comes with individual title while the rest of the phases come with Strata titles. But to a layman living in Desa Parkcity, he wouldn't be able to differentiate. So as long as there is an understanding in advance during the purchase that maintenance fee has to be paid, it would be OK.

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Added on March 26, 2011, 8:41 amAnother point I'd like to make is that the Semi D will come with high quality welded wire mesh fencing with CCTV (according to their brochure), not chainlink fence, not brickwall fence. It's those they use in other high end neighborhood such as Setia Ecopark, Valencia, & Ambang Botanic. However I think the superlink phase will probably use normal brickwall or chainlink fencing. The latest MPSJ guideline for non strata neighbourhood allows only chainlink fencing, so don't know Mah Sing will be able to overcome this.

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Added on March 26, 2011, 8:51 amFor non strata superlink residence, Mah Sing needs to assist in this, read this:

GATED & GUARDED - MPSJ'S PROPOSED GUIDELINES

1. Guarded, minimum 80% of residents (regardless of tenants or owner occupied)

2. Gated, minimum 85%

3. Perimeter fencing - chain link only

4. Guard house - Cannot build on the road, only road shoulder. Need to apply for TOL as well.

5. Must be run by a registered resident association (RA) with annual AGM

6. Guards - must engage a security company registered with the Home Ministry

7. Must subscribe to public liability insurance

8. Agreement between MPSJ and RA

 

 

Steps to apply / Cara memohon

a.To formally write to local State Assemblyman, councilor, JKP chairman and MPSJ;

b.To hold an AGM to establish a Residents Association;

c.To announce the proposed scheme via banners, posters, postings on website and to distribution membership application forms;

d.To distribute consent forms for guarded scheme to all property owners and tenants in the area;

e.To submit registration of association to the relevant authorities;

f.To submit TOL application to the Petaling District Land Office;

g.To submit letter to the Subang Jaya District Police informing them of intention to have guarded scheme;

h.To submit application for temporary permits for the erection of guard house, fencing and boom gates to MPSJ’s Building Department with:

i.A copy of residents consent form duly filled;

ii. A copy of the registration of the association;

iii. A copy of the TOL;

iv. Location plan, guard house structure plan, boom gate and fencing. (the duration of the permit has to go hand-in-hand with the TOL and insurance);

v. A copy of the public liability insurance policy.

Present Guidelines under the Selangor Housing and Property Board

85% approval for guarded schemes;

100% approval for gated schemes ;

Any road barriers can only come down between 12 midnight to 6am.


This post has been edited by cooolguy: Mar 26 2011, 08:51 AM

Can somebody please tabulate out how many units are there in total for:

2-storey link
2.5-storey link
3-storey superlink
2-storey Semi D
3-storey Semi D
Bungalow

Any idea what's that piece of land in front of the clubhouse (currently used as the workers' squatters) planned for in future?

I think rising interest rate would cause the opposite of price escalation as cost of fund increases. I'm under the impression that the regulators do it to curb speculation and therefore put some pressure on the prices. Anyway, I think a good project like KR will not be affected. Just make sure we get TMS to change all those lousy finishing materials.

All purchasers should start writing in formally with all the complaints.

Any idea what are these two plots of land used for in future:

1. In front of 3-storey Semi D beside the entrance guardhouse
2. In front of the Clubhouse

See attached:

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Added on March 29, 2011, 5:29 pmNot sure if those beside linear park will appreciate the most as they were already sold at a premium originally. Besides, the park may be too noisy to some people.

Does TMS allow transfer of non-family purchaser at the same Dec 2010 price? Those who bought in Dec already made paper gain of at least Rm200k, so the RM50k premium seems too little.

This post has been edited by cooolguy: Mar 29 2011, 05:29 PM

I agree with you. If they should've done their feasibility based on acceptable quality finishes. No developer within Klang Valley would use such lousy finishes for a Semi D.

If Qaseh is a properly G&G development, I think it'd probably be sold out on launching day. I would probably buy Qaseh instead of KR too. But the thing is no matter what kind of high end finishes you are providing, bottomline is our general malaysian population is still very concerned about security. People don't mind paying more for a peaceful mind knowing that their wives and children are well protected. Again, there's no such thing as 100% security, but the perception of being secured and protected makes hell a lot of difference.

The sexy clubhouse is a big turning "ON" factor, but the poor finishes is a big turn "OFF". I'd say at 1.32mil it's probably still worth it, but not at the current 1.5xmil. The show village is supposed to be help with selling out the remaining units, but it turns out that most people are quite disappointed with it. It'd be interesting to see if they can sell out the final row as rumours say that they're targeting at >1.6mil for 2-storey & >1.9mil for 3-storey Semi D.

I received a statement from Angela Chong saying that the management is still considering our comments. It'd be good if any of you not satisfied with the finishes to complain officially to them.

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Added on April 1, 2011, 11:20 amI found out from the internet that TMS Deputy GM – Sales & Marketing is Amy Loh: (Email: Amy "dot" Loh "at" mahsing "dot" com "dot" my). I'm not sure if she's in charge of this project but I think her position is more senior than Angela Chong. I suggest that you can cc to her on your email or fax to TMS at +60 3 9222 8988.

This post has been edited by cooolguy: Apr 1 2011, 11:27 AM

I think the workmanship is OK. However, the quality of finishing materials is not on par with other Semi D developments in Klang Valley. It would be OK for a normal terrace house, but not for Semi Ds. You have to go take a look at their show unit, compare it with the finishes they use in the Clubhouse.

For example,

1. Compare the cheap parquet strip flooring to the high quality timber stip used in their clubhouse gym room.
2. Compare the cheap brown color anodised window frame to the high quality powder coated window frame in their clubhouse.
3. The above are the 2 major items. Other minor items are such as the staircase ballustrade (staircase railing); no shower screen to the bathroom 2, 3 & 4; window handles and locks; etc.

Some other forummers commented on the use of concrete-sand roof tiles & brick walls. Nowadays not all developers are using clay roof tiles and clay brick walls because of the high cost. Generally clay roof tiles and brick walls provide better heat insulation. It'd be good if they use the clay materials, but concrete-sand materials are still acceptable to me as long as the roof is properly insulated.

I think you can make these comments to them prior to paying your booking fee. Perhaps they'll consider.