Simple Rules and Regulations in Parcel Living

19th July 2010
Living in apartment or condominium is not really like living in landed property, be it in Malaysia or in any other part of the world. There are boundaries we need to follow, rules to obey and most importantly, neighbours to interact with. For landed property, although it might be more expensive then those of parcel units (flat/apartment/condo), it has its own advantages and disadvantages. I'm not going into the characteristics of landed property but then again, i would like to stress some of the benefits of living in landed property that would be otherwise, something kinda disadvantage in parcel living.

First and foremost, if you are able to live in both worlds (landed and parcel), you would definitely notice that there are no rules and regulation living on a piece of land, so called yours, except ethical limitations. This rules and regulations here basically refers to community living portion. Although we live in one so called area or 'Taman', you really have an option not to care about anything that might govern the area by the community living there. You can even park your car anywhere as long as it does not obstruct the traffic flow in your area but, you can't do the same in apartment living. There are rules and regulations on where to park your vehicle and i might say, this is only one of the example of living in apartment. So, basically, rules and regulations are very important in parcel living. Why do rules and regulations important when it does not come significantly important to landed property?

Choosing Between Condo and Landed Property.

11th October 2009
If you have the choice of living in a condominium in the heart of a city or a terrace house in the suburbs, which would you prefer? Both have their good – and bad – sides and nobody could fault you for taking your time to decide.

It’s different strokes for different folks, though to many, especially parents and aunts, landed property has the edge over a condo anytime.

"Owning land itself is a plus point," said businessman and father of two grown-up children Hisham Ahmad.

"No matter how small the plot, you can do more in a terrace house … you can also be free from the restrictions that come with condo living.

"Some people feel a more complete sense of ownership with landed property."

Convenient city condos Quite a number of households in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, however, prefer highrises as they like the convenience they provide as well as the ability to interact more closely with the city and all the lifestyle it has to offer.

"After a hectic day at work, some people, especially the younger bachelor types, like to spend their nights with friends until the wee hours," said upwardly mobile business development manager Marco De Booij.

"I, for example, am not the kind who wants to tend to gardens and worry about locking and unlocking gates and grilles... to me, a city condo is ideal as it comes with a host of facilities literally at my doorstep.

"These include a swimming pool, badminton, squash and tennis courts, a sauna and restaurants.

"I don't have to jump into the car and fight traffic to use any of these facilities.

Moreover, De Booij said city condo living promotes social bonding as "residents of various backgrounds and cultures can mingle and get to know one another at the swimming pool or the courts".

"This is important for racial integration the government is encouraging," he said.

Housewife Deslie Ang agreed, saying she feels secure living in a condo as it offers a number of layers of protection, from perimeter fencing to guarded entrance and card-access system to main door security.

"I don't have to worry about canvassers ringing my doorbell, which I would have to if I lived in a terrace house," she said.

However, Ang admitted that living in a highrise has its annoying moments, such as when a neighbour moves furniture around or "when he indulges in karaoke singing at two in the morning".

"But it's not the fault of the condo," she said. "It can happen anywhere there are people with poor social conscience".

The terrace as home For soon-to-be-wed freelance copywriter Elyas Ezanee, there’s no two ways about it: A terrace houses – preferably a bungalow – in a gated-andguarded residential estate is his idea of the perfect home.

"I'm thinking of having children soon. Living in a house with land would be more conducive.

"In the future, I want my children to be able to run around a park and grow up with a sense of space.

"I realise many new condo projects have landscaped gardens and playgrounds, but they’re common areas... nothing beats having space to call your own."

Elyas is not worried about the security element in landed living since "there are a number of gated-and-guarded terrace schemes available now, which provides security as good as that of a similarly priced condo".

Additionally, he said a landed property allows him to "park my car right in front of my door, where it is in front of my eyes".

"A home with land is for the long term; a condo is more suitable for the shorter term as it appeals mainly to the younger set: Bachelors and young families," he concluded.

"Once they outgrow their home, they’ll want to move to a place with land."

From a condo to a terrace Marketing executive Johan Jaafar, who just moved out of a condo to a terrace house, said he "moved to a condo soon after I got married".

"It was just my wife and I then, and we felt it best suited our lifestyle, since we are both working professionals.

"Four years later, though, when we started planning for a family, the thought of upgrading to a landed property came to mind.

"We decided on a terrace... not only would it be larger, it would also enable us to 'create a home', instead of just 'living in a house'," he said.

"Living in a condominium is like driving an automatic car, which will do most things for you...

"Living in a terrace house, on the other hand, is more like driving a manual.

"Although more energy is put into the effort, the fun and enjoyment you get is much greater."

Source: NST

Buy A House or Condo?

2nd April 2009
A big debate these days is whether or not to buy a house, or buy a condo. Most of this debate comes from a lack of understanding about condos, and what they are. Hopefully, the following information will prove to be helpful.

When Buying a condo, are you a tenant?
No. That simply isn't true. When you buy a condo, you are buying a part of the corporation, and are thus an equal owner. It is true that you can be forced to move, if you are really disturbing the other owners, or causing problems. But this is true of residential homes as well. If your neighbors complain repeatedly about smell, health concerns, or criminal behavior, then you may be forced to move. The same holds true in condos and houses alike.

The board can force you to pay thousands of ringgit arbitrarily, and without notice.
At first glance, this may appear to be true. But keep in mind that the condo association is made up of owners who have the same goal as you… Having a comfortable place to live that is building equity. The members of the condo association do not make any money from their positions. They are owners like yourself, who are volunteering their time. There can, however, be 'special levy's' brought about by unexpected maintenance in the building. The same holds true of a house as well; the expenses just come from a different place. Ask anyone who owns a house how much it cost them for their last furnace. Or how much they spent repairing the water leak, and replacing the shingles. The advantage in a condo association is that you share these costs with the other owners, and are forced to save money in advance for these repairs, through the reserve fund.

Condo fees cost too much each month!
Again, not necessarily true. If you were to add up the amount of money that a family spends over 5 years on the maintenance of their house, you'll usually notice that it equals more than 5 years worth of condo fees. Also, many condo associations pay for their monthly expenses as a group. Heat, water, insurance, and maintenance are examples of such expenses. By purchasing as a group, they can often get these services at a lower rate than a single home owner can.

I could never live in such close quarters
That's probably true. Condos aren't for everyone. Every person has to make their own decision, based upon their own lifestyle; now and in the future. If you have 3 large dogs, 3-5 children, and 4 cars… a condo probably isn't for you. But, if you're a single young executive who works 80 hours a week, or you're retired and travel most of the year, then perhaps a condo is the right choice for you. Only you can make that decision, as it is a lifestyle choice. Here are some factors to consider in your decision.

1) How much time do you spend at home?
2) Do you want to shovel walks and mow lawns?
3) Are you used to having your neighbours far away from you?
4) Is the condo association that you're considering favorable to your children's lifestyle?
5) Do you want a low maintenance home, or do you like tinkering in the yard and garage?
6) Who's going to be living there? What are the neighbors like?

In fact, these are issues to consider on any home, not just a condominium. It's just as easy to get 'bad' neighbors when you buy a house as it is when you buy a condo. The best advice that can be given is to research your choices, and be objective when choosing a home. My favorite example of this is as follows:

'A friend of mine asked me to help him find a home. He's a single young man who travels 75% of the time for his job and is rarely at home. When he is home, all he wants to do is sleep and watch TV. He wanted to buy a bungalow so that he could have privacy. After looking at the amount of continuous maintenance required for an bungalow, he realized that bungalow living wasn't for him. He's very happy in his apartment style condo.'

Make your own decisions, based upon what's best for you. If a condo is where you'll be happiest, then buy a condo. If a house is what's right for you, buy a house.

Source: John Carle & Sharon Gregresh