Security Versus Luxury II

Some people prefer to live in high rise building with many facilities and security. They thought the 24 hours security plus strict floor accessibility and stand by guards are sufficient to ensure they are safe. On the contrary, high rise building even with security guards are still exposed to higher probability for unwanted incidents. I don't really realize this until I made some simple past incidents.

There were many cases where people were robbed while living in an apartment. The most recent case was a woman was robbed in a lift in Setapak Condominium. The condo has a 24 hours security and close circuit TV. Yet, nothing can prevent the robbery. After almost a week, there is still no news that the perpetrators were caught. (http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/10/24/Crime-Woman-Attack-elevator/)

Some bad accidents also happened in high rise building which are hard to control. It could be due to young age, unsound mental health, too tired, and etc.. Some of the news I gather here should be sufficient for you to think carefully. Today, your physical and mental health may be at optimum. How about the next 10, 20 or 30 years?

A man in Malaysia fell eight floors from a condominium and not only survived after crashing through the carpark roof, but used his mobile phone to call his father.
The advertising worker had just bruises on his legs after falling from a condominium block in Bagan Ajam in Butterworth, Penang on Sunday evening.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-falls-8-floors-from-penang-condo-but-survives-mostly-unscathed-calls-dad-on-phone

Foreign student survives fall from condo window

June 24, 2015, Wednesday

KUCHING: A foreign university student survived a fall from a window of her condominium unit yesterday onto the ledge of the floor below.
The victim, a 22-year-old from Mauritius, was found by a female friend sprawled on the ledge of the fifth floor of the condominium complex at Jalan Petanak around 11.45am after apparently falling out the window of her unit located one floor above.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/06/24/foreign-student-survives-fall-from-condo-window/#ixzz3pbTUHDf9

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/06/24/foreign-student-survives-fall-from-condo-window/#ixzz3pbTMDe3c

Air stewardess plunges to death from Bukit Jalil condo 

KUALA LUMPUR: An air stewardess plunged to her death from the fourth floor of a condominium block in Bandar Bukit Jalil here.
In the Monday incident, Cheras OCPD Asst Comm Chong Kok Sin said the fully clothed 29-year-old woman was found sprawled face down on the ground at about 6.30pm.
"There were signs of critical injury on her head and body. She was wearing a black shirt and black skirt when her body was found.
"Initial investigations revealed that she had fallen through a window on the fourth floor," he explained.
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/08/25/Stewardess-falls-from-condo/

Somali man falls to his death at condominium

Published: 20 August 2015 8:33 AM

A Somali man died after falling from his 7th floor unit at Kondominium Villa Putra, Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, about 5pm yesterday.
Dang Wangi police chief, ACP Zainol Samah said Hussein Mohamed Rabi, 44, died at the scene due to the injuries sustained in the fall.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/citynews/greater-kl/article/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium#sthash.oKENHm06.dpuf

New mother falls to her death from 16th-floor condo

KUALA LUMPUR: A new mother fell 16-floors to her death at her Bangsar South condominium, just 10-days after she gave birth to her first child.
Police said it is believed the 30-year-old accountant handed over her crying child over to her maid for feeding at about 10am Saturday, and fell from the balcony of her home while the maid and child were in another room.
She was found in a pool of blood by security guards, on the ground floor. She was declared dead at the scene. Police have ruled the incident a sudden death.

 http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/10/25/Mother-falls-from-condo-baby/

Somali man falls to his death at condominium

A Somali man died after falling from his 7th floor unit at Kondominium Villa Putra, Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, about 5pm yesterday.
Dang Wangi police chief, ACP Zainol Samah said Hussein Mohamed Rabi, 44, died at the scene due to the injuries sustained in the fall.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/citynews/greater-kl/article/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium#sthash.SfbThA35.dpuf

 A Somali man died after falling from his 7th floor unit at Kondominium Villa Putra, Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, about 5pm yesterday.

Dang Wangi police chief, ACP Zainol Samah said Hussein Mohamed Rabi, 44, died at the scene due to the injuries sustained in the fall.

A Somali man died after falling from his 7th floor unit at Kondominium Villa Putra, Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, about 5pm yesterday.
Dang Wangi police chief, ACP Zainol Samah said Hussein Mohamed Rabi, 44, died at the scene due to the injuries sustained in the fall.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/citynews/greater-kl/article/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium#sthash.SfbThA35.dpuf

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/citynews/greater-kl/article/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium

The high probability for bad incidents to happen is one of the main reasons for me to decide not to invest in any high rise building investment (where both have security). And since I live in Johor Bahru, lands are still plenty; it is more strategic to invest in landed property than in high rise property. 

Another consideration you have to think is a landed property development must be completed in 2 years while a high rise property development must be completed in 3 or more years. This also means you have to pay more interest to the bank. Although some developers love to use DIBS scheme, you still lost opportunity for next investment since you income per expenditure is less while the buildings are still under development.

Of course if you live in Kuala Lumpur and Penang Island, you have less choice to invest in landed property. But, investing in landed property in those areas will give you much higher return in the long run. But the most important thing is landed property has less probability for unwanted accidents compared to high rise building. Some of you may disagree, but that is the reality.

The more important question is what is your strategy to ensure you can maintain the bank loan repayment. Anyway, landed property investment should be your next major milestone if you have not done any yet in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and close surrounding area. For Johor Bahru, opportunity in landed property investment is still plenty. Again, what is your best strategy to achieve it!?

Somali man falls to his death at condominium

Published: 20 August 2015 8:33 AM

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/citynews/greater-kl/article/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium/somali-man-falls-to-his-death-at-condominium#sthash.SfbThA35.dpuf

Security Versus Luxury

Some people are willing to spend money to buy expensive cars. For them, it is among the top most priority in life. Most of the time, they justify themselves it is for their comfort. But in reality, it is more for show off than a necessity. This is also the habit most of young work force in Malaysia have including my relatives. They never think that they have put the wrong priority in their dreams.

Some people are more concern to buy a secured home: gated and guarded. Security is always a priority. In some countries, their culture is always emphasis on public and individual safety first before any action. With the global and country's economies are getting slower next year, the impact is already felt this year. Criminals are getting more desperate to gain big. 20 years ago, a crime which involve a human life is a rarity. Nowadays, it is a common incident in Malaysia.

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/10/09/Kidnapped-boy-reunited-with-family-in-Kajang/

I am not saying life in Malaysia is getting worst. As the number of population increasing rapidly every year, and there is no serious effort from the government to reduce illegal immigrants, the number of crimes involve human tragedy cannot be reduced. So, the best course of action is to take action on our own. My car was broke in two years ago. Almost the same months, my neighbor house was robbed while it was still about 10pm! There were also some other incidents beyond my memory. These made me determined to buy a gated guarded house.

End of last month, I finally got the keys to my new home. A week after that, one of my neighbors' house was broken into while people inside were sleeping. The neighbor was also my colleague at work. Fortunately, he only lost a MyVi and hand phones. The following week, my neighbor next door lost a car which was parked outside this house. I am glad that I already got the keys of my new house. I hope I can renovate the house as soon as possible and move in ASAP.

You mentality determine your reality!

Activities After Received the Keys

I got my new house's keys about three weeks ago. Finally, the waiting is over. It is a big relief knowing that there was no delay at all to complete the house. There is a big difference waiting for a house to complete compared to a shop to complete. One thing for sure, there are more tasks to do after a house is completed compared to a shop especially if you plan to stay in the house.

I already settled all my financial obligation to the developer such as interest on any late payment by my bank. It was only RM153! I really appreciate my lawyers and bankers who have done the fantastic job. My current house was bought for about RM144,300 in the year 2000. But, I have to pay more than RM2,000 for my interest on late payment penalty. I also paid the SAJ and TNB deposit and registration before I can get my house's key. Since my new house is a gated guarded development, I have to pay RM756 for a six months advance of RM126 per month fee.

I did not get any free maintenance fee for any month because the maintenance management is already under the community i.e. the developer is no longer taking care the maintenance management. I congratulate the current Joint Management Body for their superb job to take care the area. I cannot find any stray dog in the area. Children freely move around especially to the club house in the afternoon to take a swim. And the guards are really strict to their tasks that outsiders have to follow specific procedure to enter, regular inspection around the gated area, and always watchful if everything is OK with the house's owner especially if there are visitors to the house.

So, what is next? Currently, I am still waiting for the utilities services especially SAJ and TNB to be connected to my house. But, the most important thing to do is the house inspection for defect claims. I have to make sure to list out any unsatisfied work by the contractor to be remedy in 30 days. Once the repair being done, and I am satisfy there are no other defect I want to claim, only then I can do the house renovation. If the renovation is done before any defect claim completion, the defect cannot be claim under the warranty. I have submitted the defect claim on Wednesday last week 7 October 2015. And today, when I inspected the house with my brother, the house is under repair work.

I am quite lucky, internally, there are not much defect. But, there are many cracks on the outside walls. After these repair works, I still need to do inspection on the electricity and water system in the house. If there is any defect, I can ask for repair.

Meanwhile, I should not wait for the defect claim to be completed. I already started to invite renovation contractors to visit my house. I briefed them separately what are the modification my wife and I want to do. What is my master plan for the renovation. And what is the minimum renovation that I want to do if my budget for the master plan is not enough. They should provide the the floor plan drawing and quotation for further discussion. This time around, the renovation is quite extensive. We have to be careful when do any renovation especially a major renovation. This issue is a big topic itself.

I am so anxious to complete the renovation ASAP because since the time I got the keys, two of my neighbors were robbed! That is one of the possibilities you have to face when you live in a non-guarded and non-gated house. And, starting this month, I have to pay full monthly installment. Once my family move in the new house, I need to do some minor renovation on the existing house before I can rent the house. Once I get a tenant, I have less burden to pay the loan.

Anyway, since I already paid the maintenance fee, I should not wait to get any benefit from it. So, I always bring my family to enjoy the facilities especially the swimming pool! We also enjoy the view from the balcony. The surrounding area especially the North and East are about two meters lower than my house. This also means the wind is always breezing through my house. I am planning to capitalize on these advantages.