06 June 2013| last updated at 11:51AM
COVER STORY: Expat property market heating up
By Khairul Khalid


INFLUX: Malaysia’s catalytic projects, MNCs and booming oil and gas industry has brought about an influx of expatriates, with potential upsides for property owners and developers
Communities of higher-level foreign workers or expatriates, in a globalised economy is gaining increased importance as more and more multinational workers and professionals in key industries such as oil and gas, financial services and construction are deployed all over the world. Similarly, Malaysia’s growing economy has seen the assimilation of expats into the local economy of major city centres such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru.

Invariably, the specific needs of the expat market would have to be catered to, at the top of which are their accommodation requirements.

According to the WTW (C H Williams Talhar & Wong) Property Market Report 2013, the influential force that is shaping demand for properties in the Klang Valley is the ETP (Economic Transformation Programme) initiated by the Malaysian government. These projects will lead to more foreign companies investing in the country and consequently, increase the entry of more expatriates and demand for up-market residences.

Project rollouts

Previndran Singhe, CEO of Zerin Properties echoes these sentiments, and adds that the expat property market has moved in tandem with the growth of the overall property market in recent years.  “The key drivers for growth in the expat property market have mainly been the oil & gas and financial services sectors. Other than that, the EPPs (Entry Point Projects) under the ETP such as Talent Corp, InvestKL and the MRT have also been pivotal in expanding the market. The rollouts of these projects have seen a lot of expats coming into the local market.”
Earlier this year, it was reported that InvestKL, a government initiative to attract foreign investments, is targeting investments by 12 global multinational companies (MNCs) this year, compared to its yearly target of 10 MNCs in the past years. Datuk Seri Michael Yam, Chairman of InvestKL said that they are in discussions with several global MNCs, including conglomerates in China and Russia, to set up their regional offices in Malaysia. He cited cost competitiveness and talent resources as some of Malaysia’s key attractions to foreigners. 

Singhe adds that a population boom will also spur growth in the expat market, giving an example of Greater KL’s population that is expected to reach four million by the end of this decade, out of which 500,000 are expected to be expats. He also admits that the expat property market had gone through a sluggish period 10 - 15 years ago.

Global phenomenon

“The market was stagnating somewhat then. A lot of MNCs wanted to localise their businesses, mainly due to cost factors. Nevertheless, this was counterbalanced by the fact that the oil & gas business was doing great. There was a lot of leasing related to the oil & gas industry. Manufacturing companies were also relocating to places like Vietnam, but have since returned. However, these manufacturing companies don’t generally employ large numbers of expats, and they are usually the CEO, CFO (Chief Financial Officer) or a production specialist,” Singhe explains.

The WTW Property Market Report 2013 also forecasted that sale prices and rental levels this year are expected to remain stable in the overall luxury condominium sector, which serves a significant portion of the expat market. On the other hand, the sector is expected to face stiff competition with high incoming supply and this will in turn exert pressure in terms of rental and occupancy rates.

Has the economic recession hitting many parts of the world had any impact on the housing requirements for local expats? “There is definitely some belt tightening and expense cutting by expats, but it is a global phenomenon, not just in Malaysia. For example, if an expat’s budget was RM10,000 some 10 years ago, it would have taken him very far but not now with the increase in cost of living. They could cut their expenditure on other things, but probably not on their homes. For most expats, spending on a quality and comfortable home is a top priority,” says Singhe while adding that foreign companies such as the major oil and gas players will have different housing packages and allowances to cater for different categories and levels of expat workers.

Expat enclaves

Shirley-Ann Joseph, a private wealth adviser with Zerin Properties says that her expat clients prefer gated & guarded properties if they are looking for landed homes, or condominiums for the facilities and quality of finishing. “Their selection of homes is dependent on a few key factors such as lifestyle, security and privacy. They are usually in the market predominantly for rentals and only a very small percentage look to buy property and that’s usually if they are staying in the country for a longer duration.”

Shirley-Ann mentions that the top four Klang Valley hotspots for expats are Damansara Heights, Bangsar, KLCC and Ampang Hilir. She explains that expats tend to flock to certain favoured enclaves for several practical reasons. “Proximity to schools is very important. Generally, wherever there are international schools, there is the likelihood of an expat community in the vicinity,” says Shirley while also mentioning other expat enclaves in other parts of the Klang Valley such as Desa Park City, Gita Bayu, Country Heights, Sierramas, Valencia, Ampang Utama and Brickfields. She says that the diversity of expat nationalities and cultures makes it both exciting and challenging to meet her clients’ expectations.

Minimum purchase price

Outside of Klang Valley, Penang is another major expat property market. Similarly, the Penang expat market consists of management and skilled workers from the MNCs, says Michael Geh, Senior Partner of Raine & Horne Malaysia. “There are also retirees as well as expats’ wives who bring their children here primarily for education purposes. Some of the expat property hotspots here are at Gurney Drive, Batu Ferringhi, Bayan Lepas, Queensbay, Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong.

Geh maintains that Penang’s expat property market has a good future as long as there are no major plant shutdowns but says that there are some issues to be addressed.

“The expat market here requires smaller units i.e 1,200 sq ft to 1,500 sq ft condos. A lot of Penang‘s higher end condos are 3,000 sq ft to 4,000 sq ft that are too big for the expats. Penang has also implemented a RM1million minimum purchase price on condos and a RM2 million minimum purchase on landed properties. That’s twice the national average of RM500,000 for condominiums and RM1 million for landed properties. This policy has made it difficult to sell properties in Penang to the expat market,” Geh notes.

Read more: COVER STORY: Expat property market heating up - RED - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/red/cover-story-expa...8#ixzz2VYAx3ZeZ

guys, I need advice here:

I'm a first time property buyer. Recently I saw an apartment unit at Pelangi Damansara, the unit is vacant and rented out, and tenancy contract will end next year Dec. The owner is selling at RM325K and the current rental is RM1400 per month.

I have searched around, the units of this apartment are selling at RM280K +, not more than RM300K.

My questions:
1. Given the MRT is under construction, is it worth buying this unit for investment?

2. Should I get an inspector to investigate the value of this unit?