hi munkeong,

I am more confident in economic and company analysis when I am doing research for my portfolio, but I just not interested in properties investment and thus I have no much idea of knowing where to get the relevant information of buying an ideal house. Thanks for your information on the housing mortgage.

Looks like taking the installment for 340k mortgage with 6% for 20 years does cut into the pocket by more than RM2.4k per month. So I have to look for a cheaper department instead of landed house so to borrow less, or extend the repayment period from 20 years to 30 years:(.

Just do some simple calculation by assuming that my brother buys a house and will pay RM2.4k per month, so after deducting the saving of rental of RM700, there is still a cash outflow of RM1.7k per month or RM20,400 per year, which is almost my whole year savings. And my elder brother is earning less than what I am earning, so I don't see the point of taking 340k morgage for 20 years. Furthermore, I don't agree to my mum's thinking that buying landed house is an investment as it will appreciate in price more than other investment tools. Even if the price of the house has increased, are we willing to sell the house and move to a smaller house instead? Buying our own house has never been considered as an investment choice to begin with in my view, as I know I might end up putting in a lot of money for renovation which could cause me to dispose the house in losses in future.

I have made up my mind, I told mum that either we buy a cheaper apartment instead of landed house, or we wait the landed houses' price to drop (my view is that house prices in Klang-Valley are at least in the stage of bubblet, if not bubble), or I have my salary to double in the next few years, or I need to roll my investment portfolio to a bigger size in next 5 years before consider to own a house in Klang Valley. I just cant kill the "golden goose" by liquidating my investment for the sake of the "sense of security for not to worry to pay monthly mortgage installment", just like my stubborness not to own a car unless necassary for work. Owning a house at a very young age involves a big chunk of opportunity cost, this is what makes me to stand firm my point when talked to mum.

Regarding the savings part, assuming I am unemployed and will back to stay at Ipoh. My monthly expenses in Ipoh was less than RM1.3k when I was full-time studying for 2 years from 2008 to 2010. Without committing to any additional liabilities since start to work for 8 months from last year October, thus I can confidently assume that RM8k of savings is more than enough for me to survive in Ipoh for half-year. Of course, it would be different story if I take up mortgage loan

hi all,
just need some POV on my financial situation. i know i might be criticized of my ignorance on savings and high CC debt but i'm willing to hear your advises to learn from it. Here is my situation:

Salary: RM5,500 (Net)

Commitment:

Money for Dad : RM600
Insurance: RM300
Phone bill : RM 120
Petrol for Car : RM 400
Credit Card : RM 2300 (RM 1650 balance transfer-3 credit card which all ends in Sep 2013 and balance is minimum payment for another credit card)
Gym : RM165
Car maintenance : RM 200-300 (in every 3 months use credit card most of the time)
Eat/Entertainment/Misc :RM 1200 as i eat lunch and dinner outside (nobody cooks at home)

Currently I'm saving RM500 per month but I need to travel for holiday in March and April. I will be able to start saving for emergency and investment from May onward. I'm planning to start investing in order to get RM 50K in 3 years (for wedding and house down payment). Any suggestion how to achieve it?

I'm starting to learn on mutual funds and etc. hope i am able to come out of the debt and start learning how to earn from investment. I would want to be debt free by end of 2013. Hope this info is sufficient. Hope to hear your feedback on this. Thanks in advance.

Opinion; which plan is better for 22-year-old earning roughly RM2000. Spend half salary on sedan like Vios so that when loan is settled in 7 years (and presumeably get married and maybe have 1 kid), no need to upgrade car coz the car size will be just right for that age/position title coz maybe manager by then. Hence save a lot of salary when car loan settled..... or buy according to means now, like Viva etc, then upgrade every 4-5 years according to changing salary/job title/family needs etc?

Nnathan
(Cal

I do market survey on property from North till south. I open few portfolio already coz wanted to invest /buy property again just waiting for election.

RM50K appreciate is quite easy to reach as KL and selangor new condo is more than RM400 per sqft. If concentrate on major area like PJ, Cheras, Ampang, Kepong, Subang Jaya, Puchong, klang etc. I agree if u looking at area a bit further like sungai buloh, those maybe a bit hard.

Hi forumers,

Anything better than a 3.65% FD rate for 55k? I tried the ASM, couldnt get it at all. I dont know stocks, I dont hold any UT. Had 2 accounts for HLA Cash Builder with yearly commitment about 5.5k.
Still have around 30k(FD 1m 3.0%) waiting for something better. Any idea what to do? Thanks.