Trust that binds a community

10 Years And Above Non-Strata Residential: Bronze: Aman Sari 18 

Location could be the main consideration for homebuyers, but as a property gets older, the upkeep and surroundings of the property will be the main factors that impact the value of the property.

Homeowners of 13-year old Aman Sari 18 in Taman Bukit Kuchai, Puchong, Selangor, have seen their property prices more than double since they were handed over in 2006.

A semidee home here sold for around RM730,000 or an average RM200 psf in 2006 but in 2018, similar properties changed hands at an average of RM1.8 million or RM528 psf.

Meanwhile, bungalows which were sold for around RM1.05 million or an average of RM260 psf in 2006 have seen transaction prices surge to RM2.7 million or RM800 psf last year, according to its developer Selangor Dredging Bhd (SDB). 

Aman Sari 18 is a 20-acre leasehold gated-and-guarded community that features142 landed homes comprising 116 semidees and 26 bungalows. It also has a playground and rest area for residents. The project won a Bronze award in the 10 years and above non-strata residential category at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019 recently.

Aman Sari 18 Homeowners’ Association chairman Balbeer Singh Khaira says security and good accessibility to amenities and major highways such as the Damansara-Puchong Highway, Sungai Besi-Puchong Highway and the Kesas Highway are what attracted home buyers to the development, especially those looking for spacious homes in Puchong.

“High perimeter fencing, 24-hour security with an audio intercom system that links to the security guardhouse and CCTV surveillance around the perimeter and guard patrols make it a very safe and secure environment,” he adds.

“Another thing is that the development is situated on elevated land, which enables residents to enjoy breath taking views of the city skyline and because of the lush greenery, it is very cooling and not humid,” he opines.

Being one of the few luxury landed housing developments in Puchong in the early 2000s, construction on the hillside plot was a challenge for the developer.

SDB has engaged consultants to manage the slopes and until today, the company has

continued maintaining the slopes and the retention wall to ensure everything is safe, says SDB head of post development Peter Quah, who is responsible for the current management of the housing precinct.

He notes that during the early days after handover, there were some minor problems such as cracks on the partition wall between houses due to ground movements which took the company three months to fix. The responsiveness of the developer towards defects repair at that time helped build trust and confidence among the home owners, who then engaged SDB’s management services.

The importance of post-development service

Although property management wasn’t properly regarded being important back in the early 2000s, SDB observed that there was a need for the company to take up the responsibility to manage the assets to ensure the maintenance of the facilities was able to meet standards.

SDB managing director Teh Lip Kim stresses that Aman Sari 18 was designed and built for three-generational living, which means it is an asset that may be passed down to grandchildren.

With this in mind, the company realised there is a need to ensure that it remains in its best condition far into the future. 

“I think it is important for us to take on this responsibility. I also feel that as we have created the piece of development, we would know how to care for it better,” says Teh.

SDB had, over the years, opened up the option for the residents to choose an external property manager but the residents have chosen to retain the developer as its property manager.

Balbeer from the Homeowners’ Association says the SDB management has been very proactive and responsive to issues raised by the residents especially those related to community safety.

For instance, there were several trespassing attempts through the perimeter wall in the past. The property manager took immediate action to prevent any unauthorised trespassers and the project has been able to maintain zero break-ins until now.

In property management, Quah opines that openness and transparency on the part of the property manager is important to build trust with the owners.

When he came on board six years after handover, residents had queries on maintenance expenses, so he engaged external auditors to review the financial accounts and drafted future maintenance plans to provide better clarity on expenses. These were sent to all residents while the management took all queries. This helped the residents understand where their money went, as well as learn the importance of property management and maintenance.

As a result, collection rate of maintenance fee has increased to 97% from 85% six years ago, even though the fee was increased between 15% and 20%, as the residents understand that the money is well-used to preserve the value of their property.

The highlights of the Awards:

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin on good property management:

For an overview of the winners at the Awards: Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah named Malaysia’s Exemplary Leader of Sustainable Development 2019

For more information about the Awards night and the winners, click here.

This story first appeared in the EdgeProp.my pullout on April 26, 2019. You can access back issues here.