M’sian Teacher Shares How He Transformed His Low-Cost Flat Into a Luxurious Apartment

We’ve all heard the stories of how millennials are no longer buying properties and are choosing to rent their homes instead. This is because property prices are skyrocketing along with the cost of living but our salaries didn’t seem to get the memo.

So, how can young Malaysians afford a house of their own fancy?

Cikgu Farid Saadul Baharim took to his Facebook account to showcase his freshly renovated apartment, which he shares with his wife. The apartment literally looks like what you’d find in a luxurious hotel room, but the best part? He didn’t have to break the bank for it, considering it’s located in a low cost flat!

Cikgu Farid wrote, “Our first home, an apartment. We couldn’t afford a terrace house but the dream is still there. Just sharing some ideas to inspire everyone, Alhamdulillah the outcome of our combined incomes.”

Source: facebook

They had taken a low cost apartment that would not have broken the bank and turned it into an aesthetically pleasing modernised apartment, and they owe it all to getting their own hands dirty, a good sense of decor and affordable furniture!

“The manpower cost for the renovations didn’t even come up to RM10,000, and items like tiles, sinks and doors, I had gone to the factories to survey and buy myself. We even installed the wainscot ourselves for the price of RM250 compared to hiring someone for RM1,000. Whatever we could do ourselves, we did ourselves so when the house is done, we’d have the sweet memories of how we built our house together and also appreciate every moment together,” Cikgu Farid explained.

Source: facebook

They had done most of their furniture shopping at more affordable places like Ikea, though they did not buy everything they needed at one go. They chose to split the cost of items across a few months so that they didn’t have to spend a huge lump sum immediately.

“You don’t have to buy expensive furniture and household items from fancy shops. You can go to places like Eco, Mr DIY and Ikea. What’s important is that it all looks elegant and stylish. Though, it’s not wrong if you’d like to spend a little for the comfort of your own home considering it’s permanent.  But to help your affordability, buy a few items at a time. Buy the cabinets this month, buy other things the next month. Buy from cheaper places as long as they look expensive and luxurious, we were very smart with our choices,” he added.

Source: facebook

Hopefully, his posting will help others who are currently in the process of looking for a property to decide on a more affordable choice.

His best advice out of all, “Don’t put in too much furniture so that it’s not too crowded, make sure there’s space for you to run around and play tag with your wife.”

Cikgu Farid’s posting has since garnered over 4,000 shares.

Looks like I might be able to afford a nice house after all! 

Also read: 7 Important Questions All M’sians Must Ask Before Buying Their Next House