Look at where to invest, not when, says real estate consultant

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 27): KGV International Property Consultants executive director Samuel Tan is urging property investors to invest in locations where the proposed High Speed Rail (HSR) stations are to be located before property and land prices surge further.

Speaking at his session titled “Iskandar-Batu Pahat-Muar: A shining star?” during TheEdgeProperty.com’s "Symposium on Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail 2016" held in Kuala Lumpur, Tan said anytime is a good time to buy as long as it is in the right location.

“Someone asked me how do they know when is the best time to buy or invest. My answer is now because in real estate market, there is no such thing as the right time, but only the right place,” Tan said.

Tan believes the HSR will bring in more businesses to those quieter towns in the south of Malaysia, which have a planned HSR station, namely Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri.

“For example, Muar. Muar is a retirement town. If HSR can bring you to Muar in less than half an hour, I want to stay there and travel to Kuala Lumpur daily. Batu Pahat is a manufacturing and agriculture town, HSR will make businesses grow and allow workers to travel faster. Iskandar Puteri is already a busy place, but the HSR could pull in more businesses,” he said.

Although the future looks bright, Tan said there are two issues that are crucial to the successful implementation of the HSR — the fare and connectivity within the towns where the stations are.

“You can’t just build a HSR station in a town without having good connectivity from the station to places within the town such as buses and taxis to transfer people to places they want to go.

“Secondly, the fare. It is okay if the fare is significantly higher than other alternative transport if it is hassle free and faster. But it still has to be reasonable especially for the daily traveller," Tan said.

Organised by TheEdgeProperty.com, the symposium titled “Where to invest — Don’t miss the boat” is supported by The Edge Malaysia with Bukit Bintang City Centre as the presenting sponsor.

For more reports on the symposium, read the Sept 2, 2016, issue of TheEdgeProperty pullout. You can download the pullout for free at www.TheEdgeProperty.com.

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