Malaysia Property

The real estate or property agent deals with sale or rental of properties on behalf of property owners. They normally have huge database of properties entrusted to them by house owners.

To make known the available properties to the public either for sale or for rental, the property agent normally resort to regular advertising in the local newspapers. They normally would need to advertise over a long term period as potential buyer or renter may not notice the properties if the agent only advertise for a day or two. In fact, many of them advertise everyday.

Advertising over a long term period is going to incur a lost of cost for the real estate agent. It is also not possible to advertise all the properties in their database as doing so would further escalate the cost.

When the agent only advertise a handful of properties out of the many they have, they would still need to attend to enquiries from public as to whether they have certain property at certain location for sale or for rent. This will put strain in the operation of the agent as the agent will be so busy to attend to calls that he has no time to carry out his other tasks. The ratio of enquiry materialising into actual sale is rather small thus imagine the number of enquiries a agent would have to handle before he clinch a sale.

Moreover, it will also be difficult for the agent to keep track of his own database if the database is large.

Having a web site with database will make life of the property agent much easier. The agent will only need to submit every new property to his web site and it will be immediately available for viewing by the public, it will remain in the database and the web until it is removed. The real estate web site can be equipped with advance search feature so that by input in the criteria such as location, price range and type of house, the web users or public can search for the property of their choice. Which means that the advertising is immediate and live 24 hours every day, every year until it is deleted.

Moreover the advertising on the web has world wide presence. It also allow the agent to manage his database more efficiently as he will be able to track his database, add property into his database or delete property from his database at any place or any time as long as he has internet connection.

The internet advertising allow the public to view the complete list of properties the agent has at any time or any place with internet connection connection without troubling the agent, the amount of phone enquiries will reduce and this will enable the agent to lead a more quality life and has more time to carry out other tasks thereby ultimately reduce stress of working.

It is now a norm that owner of new houses install security alarm system to protect their house from theft.

There are many types of security alarm system available in the market and they mainly consist of magnetic contact and vibration sensors to be installed at doors or windows to detect any intrusion. There are also infra red sensor to detect any movement within any particular space such as living room etc.

While the magnetic contact or vibration sensors will trigger the alarm whenever there is an intruder entering through the door or window. Infra red sensor will detect movement but that include the movement of pet or rat.

Some intruder may choose to enter the house through the roof by removing the roof tiles. The infra red sensors can be used for the space below the roof tiles within the roof truss area above the ceiling but that will cause a lot of inconvenience to the occupant of the house as alarm will be triggered when ever there rats moving above the ceiling area. So most owner will compromise safety for the sake of convenience.

But if you are renovating your house and if your renovation works include the replacement of roof tiles, then you can take the opportunity to install a layer of galvanised iron steel sheet or plywood immediately below the roof tiles location to completely cover the roof area before the roof tiles are being relaid on the galvanised sheet or plywood. The steel sheet or plywood will prevent easy entry of thief as any cutting of those material will create noise and takes time which the thief surely do not want.

Moreover if you choose to use galvanised iron steel sheet to cover the roof below the roof tiles, the roof will be almost completely leak proof thus serving two purposes of theft prevention and leak prevention.

While it is very useful and important today for a real estate & property agent to have web presence, many have not much knowledge of designing a web site and depend on others to prepare one for them. While a complicated real estate web site with database and admin control is the most ideal as it is most versatile and complete but it may be costly to have one done by an IT specialist. To have a simple web site done with simple HTML require constant updating in the page format and page linking structure as new content are constantly added. For those who are not very familiar with web design, having the need to constantly updating the site can be a daily pain.

There are many web site that offer free blog site for web users and one of those is none other than blogger.com. But what has a blog site got to do with real estate web site ? The blog site such as blogger.com is free to use, just register for an account with a sub-domain name that you like and start posting right away. Every property for sale or for rent with photo can be uploaded as a posting. Information for each property can be included as detail as possible together with the photo in each of the posting. Whenever the agent is entrusted with a new property for sale or for rent, all he need to do is just to post the property with full details. There is no need to worry about the linking structure between the pages as it is automatically taken care of by the blog script. Moreover there are many available templates to choose from and agent can choose the look that he likes. there is also no real need to do regular backup and it save the agent a lot of hassle.

In addition, the agent can register for an google adsense account and start making money through pay per click internet advertising straight away.

As the number of listings increase, a google site search can be included to falicitate visitors of the site to search through the site.

So it sound like killing two birds with one stone, the blog site can serve as a well presented real estate web site with beautiful linking structure and adsense allows the agent to begin buiding his money making empire through the internet.

Does it sound too good to be true, not really, a check or search in cyberspace will reveal that many have already taken and adopt this approach.

Setting up a real estate web site is easier than most people think. A real estate web site with portal, classifieds, blog, real estate directoty, article directory & forum can be set up in a matter of days.

But what is the use if no body know of the existence of your web site. After completing the web site, there is always satisfaction that finally one is able to be part of ever booming cyberspace where news and articles everywhere suggested that there are indeed great earning potential, moreover not being in the web is kind of stange these days, many people have their own blog or for that matter blogs. However reality soon set in, sitting in front of the computer, checking the various stastistic generated by the server provider or the script you have inserted into your web page, can be a very frustrating affair as suddenly you find to your horror that nobody or not many people are visting the beautify web site or the best web site you claimed to have built in your lifetime, the worst is that you may find that majority of the traffic to your site is none other than yourself.

So, no wonder there are so many web sites out there that try to outdo each other by offering the best tips in SEO, short for search engine optimisation, meaning that web site has to be optimised for the many search engine out there that determine the life and death of your web site. If your web site is consistently being shown at the front page of the search results of the major search engine for the targeted key words, then you can be rest assured that you may have your fair share of success with your web site. But then how do we ensure that our web site will be returned in the search results instead of other web sites, the main method is to improve the search ranking of your web site by increasing the back link to your web site or simply known as link popularity.

The most common method is to trade link with other web sites or simply to submit your link to directories but you only get one back link for each effort and it is unknown if the back link that you have obtained will still be linking to you six months down the road. The method which most SEO advocate now is the writing of articles and submit them to article directories. By writing good articles, there is a good chance that your articles may be adopted by other webmasters as additional quality content for their web sites, as all users of article directory are required to use the article in its original state which include a resouce box which usually contain the link to the authors’ web site and when one article you have written is used by 100 webmasters, then you have 100 one way back links and yes that is leveraging effect being exploited to the fullest in buiding back links. So instead of spending a lot of time carrying out the tedious link trading, why not sit back and write one good real estate article and submit it to a real estate article directory and begin the journey of building back link in a more effective way.

The Malaysia government recently approved the concept of build-then-sell for housing development project. The build-then-sell concept is essentially a 10:90 concept whereby the house purchaser pay 10% of the purchase price first and then pay the remaining 90% of the purchase price upon the completion of the house with certificate of fitness issued.

The conventional sell-then-build require the purchaser to pay 10% of the purchase price upon the signing of the sale & purchase agreement and the remaining 90% is progressively paid to the developer in accordance with term of payment accoding to stages of construction as stipulated in the sale & purchase agreement. The developers are required to adopt the term of payment approved by the housing ministry for the remaining 90% of the purchase price. The house purchaser can pay the developer by cash or bank loan. In essence, in the sell-then-build, the house buyer part finance the developer in the construction of the project and the financial institution basically lend the money to the individual purchasers.

In the build-then-sell concept, the developers will not get to be financed by the purchasers like in the case of sell-then-build and therefore the developers will have to obtain more financing from the financial institution to finance the project up to the stage of completion.

In order for the build-then-sell concept to work, the bank will have to play a major role by providing the additional financing up to the stage of completion and this will inevitably increase the risk exposure of the financial institution. The bank normally will prefer to lend to individual purchasers in many smaller parcels instead of lending it all to the developer in one parcel.

Hence, for those companies that has just started to venture into the property development field where they do not have the necessary track record, it will be rather difficult for them to convince the bank to provide them with the financing to do it in the new build-then-sell way.

Fortunately the two concept will be allowed to run parallel otherwise many aspiring up-start developers will not be able to kick start their project.

There are many books in the market and many websites in the cyberspace that advocate the purchase of property with no money down. While it is possible to purchase property with no money down in many countries, it is rather difficult to do so in Malaysia as the maximum margin of financing offered by the financial institution for the purchase of residential property is 95% of the purchase price and the maximum margin of financing for purchase of land for development is only in the region of 60% to 80% depending on whether the borrower has track record or has good relationship and good standing with the financial institution.

Most often than not, those who intend to purchase a piece of land for development purposes need to fork out substantial amount of cash as down payment let alone to purchase with no money down.

However the developer can always strike a deal with land owner to jointly develop the land in a joint-venture deal where the land owner provide the land for development and the developer bear all other expenses in connection with the development of the land. Upon completion of development, the land owner is then compensated by the developer a certain percentage of the completed units which can range from 20% to 50% depending on the value of the land. In such a joint-venture development, the land owner is normally compensated a value higher than the amount that the land owner will get if he were to sell his land, thereby effectively sharing the profit of the developer.

The developer in effect sacrifice part of their profit to compensate the land owner but the developer is spared from forking out a lot of cash for down payment of the land as well as spared from paying holding cost of the land. As the units are only distributed to the land owner upon completion of the development, the developer effectively only pays the land owner upon completion of development. Therefore effectively buying land for development with no money down.

Buying property almost always involve financing especially for most of those who are buying their first house. Majority of those who buy their first house buy it when they are young and when they are not that financially strong and financing is always used to finance the purchase.A home mortgage or housing loan is a long-term credit that a house buyer or a house owner obtains from a financial institution to finance his property purchase or refinance his existing property. In general , the subject property or house is used as the collateral for the mortgage, thus the term “home mortgage” is commonly used to described credit facility that is extended by the bank or financial institution. A home mortgage is usually comprised of a large loan which is why in most cases a home mortgage or home loan can take 15 , 20 or even 30 years before the borrower can pay back the due amount. In a home mortgage, the due amount to be paid by the borrower include the principal amount of the mortgage and the interest owed relative to the outstanding balance which usually translate into a fixed monthly installment over a fixed number of years.

It is possible to repay the loan earlier than the stipulated repayment period by making lump sum payment midway through the loan tenure and most bank or financial institution require prior notice to be given or some may only allow such lump sum repayment at end of financial year with ample notice. Paying off the housing loan earlier in this manner save the borrower a lot of interest charges but the only disadvantage is that the fund that is being used to repay the loan in the lump sum manner is no longer liquid unless the property or house is refinanced.

For those who wish to pay off a home mortgage quickly, there are things to be considered. First and the foremost, the person must make sure that he has a stable source of income. He has to ensure that paying off his mortgage will not over-extend his cash flow. There are many such considerations that should be carefully planned and organized before deciding to pay-off home mortgage. Second, it is also important that he has a ready reserve of cash just in case of emergencies.

There is however many choices in the market place today as far as the housing loan is concerned. In particular there is a type of housing loan that is offered as an overdraft facility rather than the term loan which is to be repaid over over a fixed term.

The overdraft facility that is offered in place of the term loan allows borrower to deposit any amount more than their monthly installment anytime, and as often as they wish. Any extra amount deposited will reduce the loan interest. Every ringgit deposited into the account will reduce the loan principal and cut interest cost and thus shorten repayment period. In addition the amount that is deposited earlier than required can always be withdrawn to meet individual financial need so long as the account is operated within the allowable limit. Therefore borrower can deposit even their salary as soon as they receive it and later withdraw by writing a cheque be it for personal use or to pay bills but in the mean time the principal amount is reduced until the amount is withdrawn. The borrower can deposit whatever fund they have to pay off the loan as soon as they wish and still have no worry as the fund is always available in case of emergency.

Therefore be sure to consider the various option available when you decide to take a housing loan. A wise decision can save you tremendous amount of interest and paying off your home mortgage earlier can be a extremely rewarding experience. After all, nothing beats a worry-free, debt-free financial status.

Among the many various types of businesses in the economy, property developer rank among the top in term of prestige and profitability. It is by no accident that corporation big or small are involved in property development. Doing business as a property developer can be profitable and lucrative and at personal level can be very rewarding. However, to be successful as a developer, it is important to play by certain rules and apply certain proven techniques. Through this article we shall share some of the tips to help you become a successful property developer. The very first step in any property development project should be to carry out market survey and research. A direct method is to check with real estate or property agents as to what types of property is most popular and in great demand as well as the average selling price of the respective properties. Market survey and research will also help you to identify the area that has development potential. The real estate or property agents will be able to tell you what type of consumer goes for what type of property and what is the current trends in the area you have identified. The information collected will enable you to ensure that the properties you intend to develop meet the demand of the market segment you are targeting.

After identifying the particular area that you intend to commence your development project, the next step is to source for a suitable piece of land for the intended development based on your budget and proposed size of your development. You will also be need to get important information or data by checking with local planning authorities and such data may include the zoning of the area that your proposed land fall within. The local authorities should be able to tell you whether your proposed development is inline with the overall master planning.

In addition, bearing in mind that your aim as a property developer is to buy land at a low price and sell the finished products (housing units) at high prices. A good buy will very much reduce the risk involved and hopefully will enable you to achieve the profit margin that you desire. The other aspect to consider is how much you will need to spend on purchase of the land and the building of the properties to achieve your desired selling price and then work out the necessary cash flow. Careful planning on the financial aspect will enable you clearly understand your financial need so that you will have time to apply for the necessary financing at the very early stage of the development project which will inevitably reduce the risk of you being caught off guard in any financial demand mid way through the project. It is also essential to have a good understanding of the practicalities and the steps involved in property development. Before buying, make very sure that you understand the building regulations that will affect how you will develop the property as well as the risk involved.. In conclusion, if you have carried out the market survey and research thoroughly and are targeting the right group of customers, if you buy well, if you manage your costs carefully and if you market the completed properties efficiently, you could make a lot of money as a property developer.

Everytime a house owner purchase a new or old house for his own occupation, most likely he will do some renovation to the house he bought. The extent of renovation depends on individual requirement or budget. Whenever a house owner want to have renovation done to his house, he will most likely look for a interior designer and a renovation contractor. The renovation contractor will construct the skeleton of new extension or make modification to the existing structure of the building as well as the various services such as plumbing installation works, sanitary installation works and the electrical wiring works. The interior designer will then work together with carpenter to finish off the renovation by putting of the finishes and furniture.

Most of the time, after confirming the quotation of the renovation contractor, the owner will allow the contractor to proceed with the construction work without much intervention. The house owner normally get the renovation contractor through recommendation of friends or relatives and they assume the contractor to be competent as far as construction is concerned.

While most renovation contractor are competent to a certain extent in construction works, many small timers acquired their experience from years of involving in the business, many will built according to what they know when they were not provided with a structural plans. While not all renovation involve structural changes, some major renovation may involve extension and changes to the existing structure. In the absence of structural plans, the contractor will built the structure based on his experience and unless the contractor himself is a qualified engineer, his experience in structural soundness of building actually leave much to be desired. There may be cases where the owner may want a certain pillar (known as column in engineering terminology) to be removed and the contractor obliged without advising the owner on the consequences in taking down the column. There may be cases where owner decided to add another floor to the building and the contractor do so without strengthening the column and the foundation. Hence it is advisable that the owner engage a structural engineer to design and supervise the construction so that the end product is structurally sound. Or at least the owner should include the engagement of the structural engineer in the scope of works of the contractor so that the owner can request from the contractor a stamp and certified copy of the structural plans before the commencement of construction and with the structural plans, the owner can liaise with the engineer concerned so that the construction work is actually carried out in accordance with the certified plans.

The engagement of structural consulting engineer is important as the construction of the structure only account for a portion of the total cost of renovation where the other cost that involved include the finishing works and the furniture and fittings that is installed in the property itself. There are many cases where the house owner proceed with the renovation without a structural consultant and when the renovation completed with major works and much money spend in putting all expensive finishing and fittings, suddenly they found their house start to crack here and there and when all things have been completed, it would cost a lot to rectify the construction as a lot of construction works will have to be carried out again in the correct manner and in the process, all expensive finishes will have to taken off and majority will be damaged in the process of them being demolished and of course the labour cost involved, not to mention the wastage of money.

Another case would be upon the completion of construction and if the interior finishes involve the putting up of ceiling below beam level and the wallpaper on the wall where all brick wall and column is covered up. In which case, any cracks that appear may not be visible to the occupant of the house and any visual warning to the impending failure may not be available and dweller may be caught off guard if there is any collapse that happen suddenly.

Therefore it is always wise to engage an engineering consultant if you intend to embark on a major renovation to ensure that whatever extension and modification to building is done in accordance with acceptable code of practice and standard before one even put in all the expensive finishes and fittings.

After one is satisfied with the selection of the property he is intending to purchase, signing of the sale and purchase agreement is the next obvious step. If the property that one intend to purchase is already in the advance stage of construction, always remember to negotiate for an interest free period or grace period to allow yourself time to source for a loan as the time taken for

1. selection of loan

2. loan documentation

until the fund is released by the financier bank can be quite long. Therefore it is advisable to negotiate for a minimum of 60 days or 90 days. The interest free period is particularly important if the construction of the property is already in advance stage and if the buyer is taking maximum loan of 90% as one can expect that upon signing of sale & purchase agreement, the developer will flood the buyer with a series of progress billing that will be due 21 working days after issuance of billing that make it to about a month including the non-working days and the late payment interest is normally 10% which is higher than the loan interest rate which can be as low as zero for the first year for some loan package from certain bank. Without the interest free period, the buyer would most likely be charged hefty late payment charges as the amount of billing can be as high as 75% of purchase price which the interest calculation is based on.

However if one is buying a property where construction has yet to begin, then the issue of interest free period may not be critical but as buying a property is not something that one do very often, why not exercise your right to as much as possible before you sign above the dotted line.