Landed vs. High-Rise: M’sians Who’ve Lived in Both Before Tell Us Which They Prefer & Why

If you happen to be looking for a new place to rent or buy, besides location and budget, you’re probably deciding between landed or high-rise. Well, to help make your decision-making a bit easier, we got in touch with a few Malaysians who’ve lived in both before to tell us which they would rather live in and why. Here are their thoughts based on a few important aspects:

 

1. AMENITIES

Landed

In general, most landed properties would not come with as many amenities as a condo. The most you would be provided with is perhaps a playground and neighbourhood security in your housing area. And while this may not sound like much, according to Lynn, 25, who moved from a landed home to a condo states that “I actually miss the park at my old place where I could jog around in the outdoors.”

 

High-rise

Whereas for many condominiums today, they’re mostly equipped with a gym, pool, playground, badminton court, tennis court, jogging track, a nursery for kids, even a BBQ area and more! Sounds super lucrative, right? Especially if you’re the type who enjoys sports and keeping fit. Dream come true wei! Alternatively, if you’re not the sporty type, it may not be that worth it for you. Which brings us to our next point…

 

2. MAINTENANCE FEES

Landed

Aside from the high-end, million-dollar bungalows that occasionally come with their own little clubhouse, your everyday double-storey link homes don’t usually require maintenance fees of any sort. Unless of course, you live in a gated and guarded development, then you’d probably have to fork out a little, but the maximum you’ll probably need to pay is about RM100 only.

 

High-rise

For condos, on the other hand, depending on the number of facilities you’re provided with, your maintenance fees can range from RM0.25 to RM0.45 per square feet.

According to Lee, 26, who moved from his parents’ landed home in Kedah to a condo in KL, his parents never had to pay maintenance fees whereas, he has to now that he lives in a condo. “The condo I’m currently living in (which is about 1,500 square feet) comes with a maintenance fee of RM0.32 per square feet. That means I pay RM480 a month for maintenance alone. Although I don’t use these facilities often, it’s actually nice to know that I could if I wanted to. My friends come over occasionally to use the pool and gym too, so that’s pretty fun.”

 

3. SPACE AND PRICE

Landed

For approximately the same price, landed properties are generally bigger in size and are therefore much more spacious. So if you plan to have a family in the near future, landed homes are usually a better idea. “You even have your own porch as well located right outside your doorstep which is kinda like a giant balcony, but better. You can do your gardening, keep a few pets, and even wash your car without actually leaving the compound.” Lee shares.

 

High-rise

Alternatively, condos are usually smaller in size although they cost about the same. What’s more, if your condo is built on commercial land (with nearby malls and so forth), you may end up paying double for electricity and water bills as compared to landed properties; but of course, if you live nearby commercial areas, your day-to-day life would probably be much more convenient. Renting it out will also be much easier. Can fetch higher price also!

 

4. PARKING

Landed

For most landed homes, you’ll probably be able to fit two cars in the porch of your house or outside the main gate of your house. Worse comes to worst, you can even park it next to the nearby playground if any. Odds are whether you own two or three cars, you’ll probably be able to find somewhere (free) to park it.

Chow, 31 who moved from a condo to a landed property with his wife and two-year-old son states that “although I loved my condo, one of the main reasons I moved out, was because they only provided us with one parking lot. Both my wife and I own a car each so it was very inconvenient; but now that we have a porch that can fit both cars, it’s a lot safer and so convenient. I just need to take three steps to get from my car to my house door now. Haha!”

 

High-rise

As for condos, most units are limited to either one or two parking spaces only. If you live with a big family and don’t have enough parking lots allocated within the building (just like Chow), you would either have to rent an extra parking lot from a neighbour who doesn’t need it (which of course will incur extra cost) or park it somewhere outside your condo.

On the other hand, if you do have enough parking in your condo, it would be completely sheltered and you won’t have to worry about bird poop or theft.

 

5. PRIVACY

Landed

Tan, 28, jokes that one thing she misses about living in a landed home is the fact that she could walk from her house door to her car in PJs and no one would notice. Additionally, living in a landed home probably means you’re living across from one house as compared to a condo where your balcony may or may not be facing a few other balconies situated in the opposite block.

 

High-rise

“Now that I live in a condo, I’m constantly bumping into neighbours in the hallways and elevators, especially during peak hours and this can be both fun and awkward at the same time, depending on my mood. Haha.” shares Tan.

This can be a common thing especially if you live in a high-density building where there are hundreds of units situated in one block, right next to each other. Also, because there are people living on your left and right, top and bottom, odds are you’ll be able to hear noises especially if they’re watching TV too loudly, and vice versa. But then again, this allows you to make friends with neighbours much easily which is a good thing because everyone knows it’s important to have neighbours you know and can depend on, especially in case of emergencies.

At the end of the day, it truly depends on your personal preferences and what suits your needs. For example, if you plan to live in a home long-term and start a family, landed properties are often the preferred choice due to its spaciousness and price as well. With a landed house, you can expect more privacy and you’ll probably be able to save more money too since you won’t need to pay for maintenance.

Well, in case you’re on the lookout for a new place, you could consider Sime Darby Property’s latest affordable collection KYRA Double Storey Link Homes in Bandar Bukit Raja, Klang.

This township which happens to be located right next to the largest town park in Klang comes with a jogging and cycling track plus, a dedicated Auxiliary Police Station. It’s definitely comfortable for all with flexible living, kitchen areas, and so much more. Also, it’s a freehold property!

Source: Sime Darby Property

What’s more, it’s currently selling for just RM563,888 with free stamp duty for first time home buyers.

Do note that there are only 194 units available. So if you’re keen, don’t miss out! If you’re worried about travelling time, you’ll be glad to know that the area is connected via the NKVE, Federal Highway, and SHAPADU, so you’ll be able to enjoy excellent connectivity.

Find out more about these KYRA Double Storey Link Homes here.