Be ‘flexible’ during tough times

KUALA LUMPUR (March 25): Tearing your hair out over what to do with your investment properties during a market slowdown?

Well, according to Chur Associates founder and managing partner, Chris Tan (pictured), one has to consider a variety of options in tough market conditions.

“You need to think long term and be flexible with what you can do. Remember not to have sentimental value over the property — it is always the head over the heart,” Tan told participants at The Edge Investment Forum for Real Estate 2017 organised by City & Country of The Edge Malaysia, presented by Sunway Property and supported by TheEdgeProperty.com.

Speaking on the topic, “Legal Insight: What can you do with your properties in these tough times?”, Tan presented a few ideas to property investors including offering rent to own, diversifying the property portfolio and offering flexi tenures to tenants.

“For example, as a seller, if your buyer cannot afford to buy a house, you can propose to them to see how you can work out a scheme to convert the rental as a deposit for the house. Similarly, as a buyer, it can be done vice versa in a way that you can work out with the seller of the house to see how you can rent to own the property,” offered Tan.

“If you keep hearing that the retail segment is not doing so well, then diversify your investments to other segments of the market such as residential properties. Also, if you have a property which you are using for business operations from 9am to 6pm, then try to find users, for example, who do outsourcing work based in the US for example which operate in a time different from yours. Then, the property can be utilised during the night as well,” Tan explained.