I&T Penang Properties Blogs

The recent opening of the Jusco Seberang Perai City in Bandar Perda, Seberang Perai adds the latest foray of a new shopping mall to the highly competitive retail sector in Penang. The RM450 million Jusco Seberang Perai City, boasts a total floor area of 2.28 million square feet built on a 19 acre site with more than 3,000 car parks, is the 2nd Penang outlet by AEON after the successful opening of its first Penang outlet at Queensbay Mall in December 2006.

Jusco Seberang Perai City at Bandar Perda

A growing hotspot in central Seberang Perai

The development gravity is gradually shifting from Butterworth-Perai area towards Jalan Baru-Bukit Tengah-Bukit Mertajam as more lands are make available and earmarked for new housing developments including the partially developed mixed development project of 456-acre Bandar Perda township. Several government bodies such as Local government headoffice of MPSP, District Police headoffice, Bomba and Inland Revenue Department have already relocated to Bandar Perda. Central Seberang Perai is poised to be the upcoming conurbation of mainland Penang.

According to the Property Market Report 2007, Central Seberang Perai (Daerah Seberang Perai Tengah) has the most numbers of newly launched housing units totalling 605 compared to 544 units of North Seberang Perai(Daerah Seberang Perai Utara), indicating that more housing developments are taking place in central Seberang Perai.

Property Market Report 2007 on Butterworth properties

Notable upcoming residential schemes being launched within the Jalan Baru-Bukit Tengah- Bukit Mertajam growth corridor area include Uda Land’s Taman Pauh Jaya along Jalan Baru, Taman Aman By PPH Group and AMDB Berhad’s Bayu Mutiara in Bukit Tengah area, Parklane Residence and Aston Villa, a RM88 million mixed development project by Ivory Properties Group.

In recent years, selling prices of newly launched housing units in this growing hotspot area of Central Seberang Perai have noticeably fast catching up and match the pricing levels of those similar houses in more established locations of Butterworth- Mak Mandin-Raja Uda area.

Market Prices for conventional double-storey terraced houses in the secondary market for established housing schemes in the vicinity of Bukit Mertajam – Bukit Tengah area namely Taman Gemilang Ria, Taman Jambu Madu, Bayu Mutiara, Desa Palma, Taman Jernih, Saujana Permai, Bandar Perda have crossed to a new price benchmark level of RM250,000.00 to RM300,000.00. However, if you are looking for similar double-storey terraced houses costing below RM200,000.00 per unit, you still have the choice whereby these houses are located in the secondary locations of Bukit Mertajam namely Alma, Juru, Macang Bubuk and Permatang Tinggi area.

Market rental ranges from RM700 to RM1,000 permonth (unfurnished) for a standard 2-storey terraced house in choice locations in central Seberang Perai and those located in secondary locations, the rental rates are in the range of RM500 to RM650 permonth.

The latest trend in the market is that more higher end luxury terraced houses are being launched, these new 2.5 storey to 3 storey terraced houses comes with bigger built up area and better design and services are being priced at new ceiling prices of RM300,000.00 to RM420,000 per unit. Similarly, more higher end with luxury design 2-3 storey semi-detached houses and bungalow are being released to the market with new record pricing ranges from RM600,000.00 to RM1.2 million per unit.

For advisory on individual property investments, purchases and rentals of Penang Properties, email to us at Izrin & Tan Properties Sdn. Bhd. or call us at +604 6588333 (Penang Office) or +603 92839782 (Kuala Lumpur Office) and we would be pleased to assist.

butterworth properties -BORR Jln Baru aerial view

butterworth properties BORR-jln baru map

The new MPSP office building at Bandar Perda

The new private hospital at Bandar Perda

newly completed double storey houses in Taman Jambu Madu

Newly completed 2-storey houses at Bayu Mutiara, Bukit Tengah

Newly completed 2.5 storey semi-detached house at Taman Kristal, Bukit Tengah

Central mainland Penang (Central Seberang Perai District), with almost 45% of the total mainland Penang population of 775,000 and the center of the largest industrial hub in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia, is poised to be the greater conurbation area of mainland Penang.

In early 1970s, the Penang State Government began to pursue industrialization programs. The state through its development agency, Penang Development Corporation (PDC) earmarked large track of land in Prai and developed it over the years into the largest industrial corridor of the northern region comprises three industrial parks ie Prai Industrial Park, Bukit Tengah Industrial Park and newly developed Bukit Minyak Industrial Park. The entire industrial hub stretches from Prai to Bukit Tengah-Bukit Minyak-Juru areas. It has since become the main centre of workplace providing thousands of employments for the residents in mainland Penang. Owing to rapid pace of industrialization over the past three decades, demand for housing units surged which led to many housing units being built nearby the existing industrial areas namely Taman Nagasari, Taman Perai Indah, Taman Pelangi, Taman Bukit Minyak, Taman Sentul, Taman Sejati and Sungai Rambai residential area etc. Developments accelerated after the completion of the North-South Highway with many property schemes mushroomed along the corridor areas of the North-South Highway and Bukit Tengah federal route. Juru Auto City is one such landmark development which has successfully transformed Juru area into a thriving business, entertainment and tourism district.

Juru Auto City and its surrounding developments

The 14.4 ha Auto City is a one-stop auto and food center with more than 20 automobile showrooms and 50 food and beverage outlets, banks and is also the premier entertainment venue for many live artist performances and motor sport shows. All the outlets and shops are fully occupied. In addition, it has been endorsed by Penang state Government and Ministry of Tourism Malaysia as one of the tourism districts in mainland Penang. Auto City, with the support of Penang State Government and Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, has successfully hosted the recent Penang International Lantern Festival 2007 in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007 from 15/9/2007 till 31/12/2007. More info at Dazzling lantern show in Juru and Grand Christmas lantern display. If you have not visited this Lantern Festival, here are the spectacular hello kitty lantern shows.

More info at update link Auto City to venture into tourism with RM120m investment.

Also located nearby Auto City are the newly completed 46-room Goldern Nasmir hotel ,Taman Pelangi and 2-storey highway complex - Juru AutoWorld. In addition, there is also a proposal to built a theme park near Juru Auto City. More info about Penang Theme Park.

According to Penang State assemblyman for Bukit Tengah area YB Ng Siew Lai, several more tourism projects will be implemented in Juru area namely homestay programmes and turning Juru into a multi-cultural center to attract more tourists to mainland Penang.

New and ongoing housing schemes

The successful transformation of Auto City has indeed turning its vicinity areas into a new property hotbed and spurred many housing developers to follow suit over the last two years. Notable schemes scheduled for completion in the 4th quarter of 2007 are Bayu Mutiara comprising shopoffices and double storey terraced houses, TPPT’s Desa Titi Panjang, Taman Delima Jati, Bukit Minyak Business Centre comprising a 150,000 sq ft superstore – Krico and 2-storey shops, DNP Land’s Sentinnel Watch in Taman Bukit Minyak Indah, Taman Kristal, Taman Seri Delima. Other newly completed housing schemes include Taman Cendena, Villa Cendana, Taman Seri Juru and Taman Juru Indah whilst ongoing housing developments in the vicinity includes gated community schemes of Juru Heights, Asiamas’s Palm Garden and Wing Tai’s BM Utama(Mirale Boulevard) along Jalan Bukit minyak, Tawakar’s Taman Bukit Minyak exclusive bungalows, Taman Tanah Aman by PPB Hartabina and Twin Villas of Taman Desa Juru by Emico Properties. Like other new housing schemes in established areas of Butterworth, Seberang Jaya and Bukit Mertajam, more new trendy houses in gated community schemes are being launched and built with prices of new houses are noticeably fast catching up as well.

Market Price and Rental

The market price for standard double-storey terraced houses in Bukit Minyak /Juru area ranges from RM180,000.00 to RM220,000.00 per unit whilst monthly rental rate ranges from RM550.00 to RM700.00. Prices for newer completed 2-storey houses with bigger built up area of 1,800 sq ft are going for RM235,000.00 onwards whilst the sales prices for double-storey semi-detached houses ranges from RM300,000.00 to RM380,000.00 perunit. The luxury 3-storey semi-detached houses with bigger built-up area in gated community schemes in Bukit Tengah area are priced at RM588,000.00 to RM700,000.00 per unit.

For advisory on individual property needs in central mainland Penang, email to us at Izrin &Tan Properties Sdn. Bhd. or call us at +604 6588333 (Penang Office) or +603 92839782 (Kuala Lumpur Office) and we would be pleased to assist.

Map of Central mainland Penang (Seberang Perai Tengah)

From left; Mrs Gary, Director-General of Tourism Malaysia Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Bukit Tengah state assemblyman YB Ng Siew Lai, Intproperties.com director CL Tan, Auto City Managing Director Gary Teoh and Lantern in Motion Managing Director Colonel Lim at a cafe in Auto city after their visit to the Penang International Lantern Festival.

Front view of Phase 3 Juru Autocity

Food outlets and shops at Auto City

Some latest snapshots of the newly completed housing schemes in the vicinity of Juru Auto City area ;

Double –storey terraced houses at Bayu Mutiara

Three storey shops at Bayu Mutiara

3-storey luxury semi-detached homes at Taman Kristal Bukit Tengah

DNP Land’s Sentinelle Watch ; 3 –storey semi-detached luxury homes

Double-storey terraced houses at Taman Juru Indah

New Bukit Minyak Business Centre

An entourage of RTM crew has recently came to Penang to film a TV documentary on Batu Kawan Parliamentary area and its Member of Parliament MP Huan Cheng Guan. Amongst the places of focus are the site for the proposed Second Penang Bridge and Bandar Cassia in Batu Kawan, Auto City in Juru, Sungai Sembilang Village, Mybatik-a batik production house in Bukit Tengah and a little-known island of Pulau Aman. The half an hour TV programme will be aired through channel RTM 1 on 27th May 2007 (Sunday), Malaysian time 22.00 pm.

Like the much-publicized Iskandar Development Region (IDR) in the southern Peninsular of Malaysia, Batu Kawan Parliamentary area[click here for Location Map], which is situated in the mainland state of Penang and covers part of the two districts of central and southern Seberang Perai (stretching from Perai to Sungai Bakap), has great potential to be the future booming area of the northern Peninsular Malaysia. The construction of the proposed RM2.8 Billion Second Penang Bridge project, a major infrastructure projects initiated by the Federal Government under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), is expected to generate tremendous economic spillover effects and accelerate the developments of the northern region.

The 2,680 hectare Batu Kawan land bank, formerly an oil palm estate, was acquired by Penang Development Corporation (PDC) in 1990’s and earmarked as Penang’s third satellite township after Bandar Baru Bayan Baru dan Seberang Jaya. The new township known as Bandar Cassia will take about 30 years to complete and has a projected population of 150,000. Crescentia Park, an 186 hectare township which forms part of the Bandar Cassia master plan, is currently being developed by Equine Group. There will be a 16-hectare park with man-made lakes within Crescentia Park. See related links at Equine riding high on Penang Projects and Equine Capital Unit launching houses in Crescentia Park. Besides this, the construction of the Penang International Equestrian Centre (PIEC) to relocate the Penang Turf Club to Batu Kawan is progressing well. More info at Work on equestrian centre in Batu Kawan picks up pace.

In addition, PDC has also launched its RM150 million project; Dedaun, a 127-acre bunglow village within Bandar Cassia offering 8 different country bungalow designs. Other housing developers have also capitalized on this and launched their schemes recently in the vicinity of Batu Kawan are Tambun Indah’s Juru Heights and Airmas Group’s Palm Garden.

Batu Kawan is also famous for its sea food industry. In recent years, many sea food restaurants have mushroomed in the vicinity. Located within Batu Kawan area and close to the proposed Second Penang Bridge is the little known small island of Pulau Aman. A new jetty known as Batu Musang Jetty at Batu Kawan has been built last year to enhance accessibility and further promote Pulau Aman as an eco-tourism destination similar to Pulau Jerejak. More interesting info on Pulau Aman.

Some snapshots on recent visit by RTM crew to Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan and Pulau Aman….

Mr C H Kwong, General Manager of Abad Naluri Sdn Bhd and the developer of Crescentia Park, briefing MP Huan dan RTM crew on Batu Kawan development plan.

Coincident meet at Pulau Aman between MP Huan and Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman, who was on his last inspection assignment of an infrastructure project in Pulau Aman prior to his appointment as the new Council President of Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP).

View of Pulau Aman, with potential to be an eco-tourism destination.