I saw this house in SS2. Pretty cool renovation I thought. Probably really pricey too.

The cleaners for condo collect the garbage from the disposal rooms every morning. Hence, you don’t have to keep any rubbish inside your premise. Just bring the rubbish to the disposal room anytime you like. For landed, you have to keep it in your premise. Push and park your big garbage bin at your gate next morning for Alam Flora workers. Sometimes, stray dogs, crows, even the foreigners that look for recycle items ransack your rubbish bin before the arrival of Alam Flora. Hence, this is a PRO for condo. 

Happy Mansion there has many commercial outlet. Then, two problems:
- Mice and insert.
- Illegal parking and restaurants patrons occupy your car park. 

For terrace house, I think you can take the rough figure of RM 150 – 200 psf for the budget of wet work, plumbing, electricity and roof excluding the finishing, tiles and others. Mine is a semiD. Initially, the cost was around RM 180 psf. However, now it goes up to RM 225 psf because of various VO.

This is due to demand and supply. There are not many choices back then. The developer price for Ken III (next to 3 Damansara) was also around 220k. Now, subsales is around 800K. When there are more choices, the price will drop. For example, the early three phases of Mont Kiara also enjoyed double capital appreciation in the first 5 years. But, towards the end, the prices become stagnant.

Look for good and reputable developer. The developer that built my studio used to build office and shopping malls. I regularly go to one of their shopping malls, the basement car park is always wet and smelly. Now, I know the reason. Their plumbing design is the root cause.

Lastly, don’t stay near commercial or office block. There are many factors including noise pollution.

I saw this house in SS2. Pretty cool renovation I thought. Probably really pricey too.

Thanks for the detailed sharing of your experiences. I really appreciate it.

You are welcome.

If you like to rebuild an old house, perhaps view those re-built  houses at Medan Damansara and Bangsar. Some are quite nice. Some are featured in YouTube videos,  particularly those from Design Seed.

Getting an old house at SS2 or SS3 and rebuilding is better than buying a new house so far away from the city. PJ is such a convenient place for everything.

Hi all.
Was hoping to tap into the vast experience here to help clarify my decision making process. Hoping to get your perspectives and thoughts on moving from a landed home in PJ to a condo somewhere around KD, DPC, MtK or somewhere in the northern or eastern parts of the Klang Valley.

I currently live in a large family home in PJ. The reasons I want to potentially move to a condo rather than buy a new landed home are mainly:
- Smaller means easier to upkeep.
- nice views.
- Cooler temperatures and fresher air.
- Change of environment. Hopefully a more peaceful, greener but still convenient and nice environment.
- Gym and pool

I know condos and landed all have their own pros and cons. These to me are how I view it. Please share your thoughts ya.

Condos somewhere around KD/DPC/BU/Titiwangsa/Melawati
PRO vs Landed:
- If can get a high floor unit facing unblocked views of north and east means no afternoon sun and nice scenery. I really enjoy nice views. And it could be potentially cooler compared to landed homes which have their roofs exposed to the sun, making it very hot. Also high floors means nice breezes compared to landed which harder to get any cooling breezes.
- 1000 to 1000sq ft condo is easier to upkeep than landed with built ups 1700-2400 sq ft and hot garden.
- Can access gym and pool very easily.
- No or very few mosquitoes. No need to have mosquito netting.

CONS vs landed:
- Waiting for lifts
- Car park could be a hassle compared to landed.
- Carry groceries could be a hassle compared to landed.
- Throw rubbish is hassle (and potentially less sanitary?) compared to landed.
- No garden. Could feel cramped.
- Less space to express creativity compared to landed which you can do a lot more, especially if get an older non-strata unit which you can re-design. With condo, you can only change the interior, not exterior or structure.
- Maybe easier to hear neighbours compared to landed?
- Lack of utility space. Units 1000 sq ft -1200 sg ft also seem to have tiny yards. Where do you keep all the brooms and mops etc? Where do you pour dirty water? Landed can pour into outside yard space. What about if you go hiking? Where to wash your hiking shoes? Surely not the bathroom? What if you need to wash large items? How to wash? If landed, can just bring outside to garden and wash.

And now the location issue.
I grew up in PJ and am fond of it. But I thinking, perhaps it is time for a change of environment.
Right now it quite convenient to go anywhere for food or shops. There are many kopitiams and mamaks within walking distance.  SS2/SS4/Paradigm Mall/Tropicana/Suria Aman/Taman Sea/Damansara Jaya/Damansara Uptown/One Utama/Section 17/SS15 Subang/Old Klang Road/TTDI are all geographically pretty near. If no traffic, can reach them all within 5-10 minutes. Tons of shops and eateries.

But the reality is, the traffic is quite heavy. Driving to these places can be a hassle with the traffic. And with the heavy traffic comes pollution. And not only the traffic but also the parking situation. Parking is difficult in PJ. And sad to say, PJ is quite built up. Lacks greenery. Parks are by the highway and not very beautiful.

DPC looks nice and green and well maintained and easy access to lakes and forests for hiking. But how is the food situation? Is it good and easily available? Does it feel isolated to live there?
KD lots of food and got nice community forest nearby but I don't feel it is that convenient a location. Location is a bit on the fringe.

There are some charming low density condos ( fewer than 50 units) around Taman Sea and Bandar Utama but I feel there is a risk with the high maintenance fees (50  sen psf). What if not enough people stay there? Will you have to bear even higher maintenance fees? While low density is nice, I feel the floors are too low to give any nice views/escape mosquitoes/catch the cool breezes).

Titiwangsa and Melawati are two areas I am not familiar with. But the views of KLCC from the condos there! Just WOW! I could just sit and stare the views all day long. There are also close to the mountains so I imagine cooler and fresher air. And also easier to get to nature for hiking. But I do wonder about the food situation. Good food easy to come by? And being on the eastern side of KL, it is hard to get around to the rest of the Klang Valley.

I also did consider newer, further developments like Gamuda Gardens, Setia Eco Templer, Eco Majestic. Coming from PJ, these places look so beautiful, new and well planned and green and peaceful. But again, I wonder about the issues surrounding good food, and access to the rest of the Klang Valley. While the environment is nice, will I eventually be bored?

Looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks!

This would go for close to 2M I’d imagine. A total gut job needing more than 6 months if you can even secure contractors. Be a very capital intensive exercise as I believe building material costs have jumped up 20+% on top of a weakening Ringgit.

You are welcome.

If you like to rebuild an old house, perhaps view those re-built  houses at Medan Damansara and Bangsar. Some are quite nice. Some are featured in YouTube videos,  particularly those from Design Seed.

Getting an old house at SS2 or SS3 and rebuilding is better than buying a new house so far away from the city. PJ is such a convenient place for everything.

CONS vs landed:
- Waiting for lifts
yes especially if poor management
- Car park could be a hassle compared to landed.
imagine one member of family own a car
- Carry groceries could be a hassle compared to landed.
yes but can overcome with small trolley
- Throw rubbish is hassle (and potentially less sanitary?) compared to landed.
i feel ok on 2 condos i lived, just walk out of unit n walk to garbage room, sanitary depends on the design/maintenance
- No garden. Could feel cramped.
yes but some condo having big balcony, pricy indeed
- Less space to express creativity compared to landed which you can do a lot more, especially if get an older non-strata unit which you can re-design. With condo, you can only change the interior, not exterior or structure.
yes unless u have a big uni

- Maybe easier to hear neighbours compared to landed?
yes since there is neighbor on top of u
- Lack of utility space. Units 1000 sq ft -1200 sg ft also seem to have tiny yards. Where do you keep all the brooms and mops etc? Where do you pour dirty water? Landed can pour into outside yard space. What about if you go hiking? Where to wash your hiking shoes? Surely not the bathroom? What if you need to wash large items? How to wash? If landed, can just bring outside to garden and wash.
it is bathroom or u can do it at yard since washing machine at yard, u can add a pipe there

Stay in condo, if whole family members like to go gym that will be cheaper than joining gym club. Beside that, can also do swimming, play badminton, basketball or tennis. Some can Even enjoy the garden/park, jacuzzi, sauna/steam room facilities. Kids actually can have more space to move around compare to landed that could only have car porch space only for them to running circle there and scratch the car.

Downside nowaday many compact size condo unit less than 1k sqf size. Usually don't come with utility room. 3rd or 2nd room may need to convert it to utility room.

Washing hiking shoe or bicycle can use the car wash area. Sure not as convenient as landed.

my 2cents advice is you should stay in landed given the current situation.
Human just  need 3 basic things to survive if SHTF.

Benefits OF LANDED:

-Can grow own food from natural sunlight.
- Can have water catchment from rain water.
- Roof under your head with ability to have solar panel for energy independence.

Choose wisely...

No idea Happy Mansion had “penthouses”. Still gotta walk up though. Same category as Jasmine Towers, has held its value very well.

Funnily enough, growing up I didn’t use to think highly of this area. Being stuck here during Covid really made me grateful for a lot of the conveniences, accessibility and lifestyle in the area. I can see why the value has retained in the area and of course there’s no chance for additional supply.
I think workout your budget first. Then target localition. And look at what’s the best bang for buck for you though you gotta work out your non-negotiables in unit size and layout. With units, function follows form.

If you got 2 mil cash in the bank… plenty options can be chosen to upgrade your house

Yes. Those on Design Seed are nice. They should disclose the reno cost.

In terms of convenience and lifestyle, no doubt renovating an existing PJ landed cannot be beat. Just need the surroundings and environment to improve to match the maintenance and landscaping of those in newer townships like Setia/Eco/Gamuda.

For sure, you save in terms of gym membership which is getting more expensive.

Ya, the facilities is good, esp the pool, which you can't get at the gym.

For the gardens, hopefully the condo has large and beautiful garden spaces.

Ya, I wonder why developers think utility room not important. There are some though, which are nice - they give a large yard that can function as outdoor kitchen and a laundry area and even comes with its own attached bathroom. It really makes the whole condo feel more spacious.

If you wash shoes/bicycle at the common car wash area, is it safe to leave it there to dry? Or is it ok to bring in wet shoes and bicycle into the lift?

Good points. But I was thinking more of getting larger piece of land in the countryside for that kind of living.

Happy Mansion "penthouse" haha. But sorry, it was not over RM1 million. It is just RM880,000! For 2,700 sqft, 6 bedrooms/6 bathrooms!

Amazing views too from its massive balconies. And just go downstairs got good eateries. But no facilities.

https://www.iproperty.com.my/property/petal...sale-101660217/

Actually, the renovation industry is very competitive and you can get the quotations quite fast. Of course, good renovation contractors are hard to find and they are usually very busy.

Renovation for a house is more complex than condo.

For example, water supply is one key factor house owners must remember. For the past 2 years, there were several water disruptions at Klang Valley. For most of the old houses, the capacity of the standard water tank probably is only for one day supply. This is another PRO of condo. The condo I stay was designed 20 over years ago. The tank is huge and we could survive for 3 - 5 days. So, none of the water disruption in the past impacted us. My brother-in-law stays in a newer condo. For his case, the water tank only supports two days. So, for my current renovation, I checked my Air Selangor bills and decided to buy tanks for 6 days supply.

For electricity, landed properties can install the solar panel. In the past, the owners could sell the excess to TNB. However, I understand this is no longer the practice. Furthermore, the investment for this solar power generation is not cheap. So, I drop the idea.

Water bills and electricity tariffs for condo are different. For some commercial title service apartments, the contract is with the management corporation and the price is high.

Admittedly, layouts are getting smaller but generally more optimised for today’s living. When you’re paying per sqft, it seems like one would concentrate on the parts that impress rather than back of house stuff. A lot of older layouts were quite inefficient too with numerous corridors or bedrooms that were too big. I still have to explain to foreigner friends what a wet kitchen is.
You’re on the money. A city pad + rural retreat are the properties of choice for retirees nowadays.
Not bad at all. Certainly worth it if you need all that space but then I’d give a con of units that wasn’t mentioned previously. Your unit is only as pretty as your neighbours or the surrounding environment. Would you sink in substantial capital into this penthouse to fix it up without much tangible gain in its value? The prettiest unit in a dated or “ugly” block may get a slight premium is all.