Three major reasons why landed is better than condo. What do you think?
by Charles Tan
Today, I had lunch with a very capable young friend. She is many years younger than me but she already owns her own business in partnership with a very prominent personality here in Malaysia. A rich one. Over lunch, we were talking about her first property and I asked why is she not thinking of buying a second one. She said, she prefers landed but these days, landed are either too expensive or too far away. She does not want to travel a long time every time just to reach her destination on time. Then, I asked her why she prefers landed over her current apartment. As usual, the three major reasons were presented.
1) Bigger
2) More Land space
3) Standing on actual land.
Bigger. This was true long time ago when landed properties were the norm and high rises were all flats or apartments. Then, many years ago, the condos started. Most of the time, it was those 800 – 1,000 sf ones. These units are really smaller than the typical terrace houses then. Today, there are many more bigger units, from 1,500sf all the way to 2,500 sf. A typical 20 x 70 double storey terrace house would have a built up of just 1,400sf – 1,500sf which meant that just thinking about size alone, its no longer true that landed is bigger. Condos are actually getting bigger, more of them. Landed are getting smaller, most of them or they now give you more storeys, townhouses or superlinks etc.
More land space. I am not sure how you want to compare the tiny plot of ‘grass covered land’ within your 20 x 70 terrace house with a huge park within the modern condominiums of today. Some even have a rooftop garden, complete with an infinity swimming pool. Some allows you to do BBQ on the rooftop while you chit-chat with a huge group of friends. Yes, it is true, you do not swim everyday and you also do not ask your friends to drop by everyday. If you insist that hey, the condo’s BIG plot of land is SHARED while I own my own piece of land, then yeah sure. You win. Do remember, nothing stops me from using the whole big plot of land within the condo. I am not sure if you can use your neighbour’s plot of land.
Standing on actual land. Actually, this is true. If you own a landed property, you stand on the ground itself. Meanwhile, if you are in a condo, sometimes even the ground floor may not be standing on the ground because the car parks might be below. Tell me however, is standing on the actual ground really more important that having a place to stand? As usual, if your answer is that hey, I am prepared to pay a huge premium so that I can stand on my own piece of land and not standing on another person’s rooftop, ok you win.
The purpose of this article is not to tell you to buy condo. It is to tell you that if you like landed, just say you like landed. Don’t give the three reasons above. You can even say I buy landed to show people that I am richer. That’s a pretty good reason too. Or you can say, my parents love only landed property. In fact there are lots of other reasons which you can attribute to just the landed ones and I would agree. As for capital appreciation reason, that’s another story altogether. Happy Investing, whether it’s condo or landed.
>> This opinion article comes courtesy of Charles, the founder of kopiandproperty.com. He is popular for sharing his thought on property investment mostly based on his own 11 years experience as well as from all the readings and conversations with property gurus in the industry. (Source)
This is a stoopid topic. Why waste time discussing about which one is better the which? People buy things with many different preferences and reasons.
How this article can be published over here? completely rubbish and waste of time to read it.
This is good article, open out your mind…if not, u wil always think landed is always GOOD despiote paying so huge money, >1-2M just to get the landed. So this article open this out and start to appreciate ahy so many peope like to buy condo..it’;s really value for money with so many good reason. Food for thot!
This article seems want to promo condo and perli-perli (teases) those prefer landed indirectly. Landed or condo, it is still personal choice. Also, I don’t think those prefer landed NOT due to the 3 reasons mentioned. If you own a property, landed or condo, you should be a proud owner already esp in this tough economy and high cost of living situation.
Ha, ha, I think this article is waste of time reading cos just written for the sake of discussion, but no meaningful contents, advices or food for thought ones.
Correction : Also, I don’t think those prefer landed ARE really due to the 3 reasons mentioned.
So sad; i am been categorised in “Bo Lui Lang” group.
because i don’t have landed property.
Even i have
3 strata shop in Island.
2 strata shop in Raja Uda.
2 Strata condo in mainland.
1 Strata condo in Ipoh.
2 Strata condo in K.L.
1 Strata condo in Melaka.
So sad, don’t want to talk here liao, i want to cook Nasi Lemak and sell it below my “Strata Title Shop” below my Condo which i staying here now.
XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxx
labded property no view, no wind, no fresh air, but got theif, lizard, rat, cat, dog, so noisy and dirty.
no chance to eat apple then said apple got worm ==
Actually, I have a double Storey terrace house (landed) and also a 1300sq ft Condo in Penang Island. Am I the only one? I must be very lucky to have the best of both worlds
Actually property not for stay but for make money, u got 1 only ar? then how can sell and make money?
1. 20 x 70 terrace has a built up of 1,400 to 1,500! (Gosh, either is bad in math or a retard) 20 x 70 would have a built up of 20 x 40 (and for 3 floors that would gross up to 2,400 sqf)
2. Yup condo comes with infinity pool, (wait till your neighbour brings the dog swimming) BBQ with friends i’m sure terrace would also able to (oops did i mentioned if u need your beer chill you got to walk 10 mins back to your condo to get it n back, forget another thing and you are screwed.
3. I agreed that condo comes with more facilities but wait, did you pay for it, through those exorbitant maintenance and management fees.
Nothing beats knowing that my ride safely is parked in front of my house. Of course standing on real ground is different. What stupid argument is this.
Never owned a condo and never will want to own a condo….
I think that when a person likes something, they will come out with all sort of reasons that makes perfect sense in their own head to justify their choice, but less so to other people.
I could come out with three totally different reasons why I like landed properties too:
1. Close house door to car door to condo gate distance.
I have a habit of putting stuff in car/forgetting stuff in the house. Walking around takes time, the fastest house door -> condo gate time I’ve manage is 5 minutes, that’s equivalent to 5km commute if you live landed further away. Longer if I forgot something.
2. Manly hobbies.
I want my own garage. I like to have my car/bike tools in a cabinet next to the car. I like to spend whole weekend washing and polishing my own car. I can’t do that (in comfort) in a condo.
3. Do not like Management/shared compound.
I do not like dealing with people. I had my share of social interaction at work, I want to rest at home. I don’t want to have to deal with the management that takes my money, promise to satisfy me (and everyone else) but in the end satisfied nobody fully. I don’t like noisy swimming pool, I don’t like noisy bbq area.
I’m not saying Condo is all bad, but when you want to talk about the pros and cons of each type of place, you can go on the entire day.
Aiya,no right or wrong, it’s just choice guys!
You can waste your time whole day talking about it, but it doesn’t help anything and anyone at all.
Thank you all for the comments, every single one accepted in good faith.
This article is not about landed vs condo. I love both. It’s about if you like landed, then give a more objective answer instead of the three reasons stated above which used to make huge sense but no longer today. You may refer to online portals and even Penangpropertytalk.com The condos used to be 900 – 1,000 sf. (older condos in island of Penang). Today, the more luxurious condos are bigger, 1,350 sf or even higher. However, the landed ones are becoming smaller due to land price. There were not many 3-storey landed last time but it’s very normal for 3-storey landed these days. They can’t build bigger, so they build taller. In fact the three reasons by Chris, fully agreed. If I may add, if my baby is sleeping, it’s more convenient to carry her from the car into the house within 10 steps compared to the usual min of 50-100 steps for the condos. Let’s take out those super luxury condos where car park to lift and to home would also be no big difference. If my parents are old, I would hate to have them walking 100 metres just to reach my doorstep and more. I can even park 4 cars in my parent’s home in Ipoh and that’s quite impossible with majority of all condos. So, you see there are lots of reasons why landed is indeed better. Take care and continue browsing penangpropertytalk.com and happy investing guys.
Good article for Thought! I don’t see a bias but simply good sharing! Cheers!
There is no right or wrong for sharing a thought. Readers have their right to do own judgement, based on preference and financial, whether condo or landed property.
Do you know what is the most waste of time? Keep comment stupidly on the article you think stupid. There is no need to quote blog writer name in the comment. That’s a bit personal attack.
It’s a matter of preference indeed.
Some rich people too stay in Condos, BUT they owned landed house(s) simultaneously.
Like it or not, stay or not, owning a landed property especially freehold is kind of “mindset” in most of Malaysian (at least people I know).
Especially in prime location and well known residential it really made people looks you up. What people think when you mentioned Minden Heights, Island Glades, Tmn Sri Nibong, SPI, One Residence, Pearl City, etc
I guessed this topic will be more interesting if we are comparing “value”.
which is more value for money (not affordability as it is another topic by itself)?
Just personal opinion la.
The article is merely as reference and not judgmental. This is about the 3 main reasons people commonly think of, versus the property development trends nowadays that developers tend to reinvent themselves heavily to change people’s perception toward landed and high rise. This article serves as a deep consideration reference to all. Nothing more than that
@kopiandproperty
Hi Charles,
Interesting you brought that up, funny how I was just talking about that with a colleague of mine about carrying a sleeping child.
As I’m still without a child I never thought of such things, but it was interesting hearing parents saying how they appreciate able to just carry a sleeping child back home, without having to walk from the multi-storey car park, struggle to hit the lift button with the elbow, and then unlock the house door.
However, one cannot deny the benefit of a high rise condo. Depends on lifestyle choice, it may be everything you need/want. I once watched a video talking about small apartment in Hong Kong, the guy says 400 sf is all he ever need, because if you live in a city, the city is your home, and your actual apartment is just a place to sleep.
Do I agree with it? No, not really, but that doesn’t make his opinion invalid. Which is why I do not think any well written article is stupid, nice to see someone sharing something new. A pleasure to read indeed.
Haha. Chris, one day when you have a baby, you will understand. Somehow, you become a great juggler cum acrobat cum strongman. Sorry, 400sf is not for me but yes, as long as that man loves it due to all the circumstance, sure.
This article open my mind about landed and condo. There have pros and cons between landed and condo. Charles did a great job to share about your friend opinion on why your friend think landed is better than condo. This is depend on which one a person like, and in reality, which one should buy.
Personally, myself like landed because of my parent love landed property. In reality, i will buy condo. After analysis landed and condo in my personal situation, i choose condo.
I am the one that want have nice decoration such as plants outside my house, but i don’t have time spend on it. I admire my friend in US, last year she built a swimming pool in her house garden just spent RM 30,000. However, in Penang, if the landed build in with swimming pool, the property value will be more than 10 million. When there is something goes wrong outside my house, i prefer report to management, let management solve the issue for me, rather than i settle myself. Yes, i do not have time to spend on this stuff.
Recently i found a landed property in Penang which fulfill all my needs exactly same as why i choose condo in reality when talk about purchase. In reality, for my current status, i will choose again condo than landed. Why? I already found a landed which fulfill my requirement. This not a perfect match? The landed is manage by management, anything deal with management; the planting is nice, good environment, the most important is have the turtle i loved in the pond. The reality is always cruel. Yes, i unable afford for this 5 million landed with 3000++ sf. End up, i will choose the condo again. I will say, when i afford to purchase the landed here, i will buy the landed at here. The car park is not park outside my house, there have a car park centre. I don’t mind on this, because car park is not my main consideration. When talk about buy property, we should face the reality.
I have a friend who bought a landed in two years ago. Very sad to say that, the landed consists of three floor, but, in 1200 sf. The living room size equal to the condo master room size. I get shock when view his landed. Because in my mind, landed should have at leave 2000 sf and above. Then only i realize that, due to land limitation and there have the high demand in landed with price less than 1 million, this is the solution from developer.
Landed or condo better? Depend on which you like; and in reality, which one you should buy.
Thanks for Charles great sharing about this to us. You are open my mind, and after read your article, I know what to do for next ^_^
After reading the sentiments here, I would draw some parallel to Singaporean.
Many stayed in HDB and quite proud of their units size on surface but deep inside, most of them yearning for the private condo.
To purchase landed for this island state NOW is totally rare species la.
@W
Human beings are born competitive. They compete on whose home is more expensive, whose girlfriend is prettier, whose car is bigger etc, regardless of the usefulness. My advice, don’t get sucked into keeping up with the jones. Life is short, there are plenty of more meaningful things to do.
If like landed or like condo, just buy lah. It’s personal choice that based on so many factors.
However, sometimes also due to no choice ma, when you want certain location, only condo is affordable OR if you want certain green environment area, only landed is built. Also, I don’t think you really need to give or find reasons to others why you like landed or like condo and hope for the acceptance or blessing for the reasons.
Anyone want to write article about reasons why Penang hokkien mee is better / delicious than Penang curry mee ?
Note: The article’s title itself is misleading readers whether agreed landed is better COMPARED (vs) to condo.
My point is that IF the writer were to write something like Pros and Cons of Landed vs Pros and Cons of Condo; or something like Selection Criterias for Landed vs Condo; then I think it’s more neutral, helpful and informative.
Also, how do we know that 3 reasons are the 3 major reasons for most ppl, esp reason number 3 ?
Admin Ken, do you have this kind of article, can you publish it ?
Someone,
Thanks for your suggestion. But I don’t have the exact article to publish yet.
Actually if you read Charles article again, you would know that he is not suggesting which one is better. He was just saying most people has their very own reasons to choose landed over condo, but most of them choose to give the 3 “commonly used” reasons instead of a more objective answer.
Firstly, the title end up with “What do you think?”, therefore I don’t think is misleading. Instead, the writer is seeking more feedback from the readers to see if there are more feasible reasons. As I said, this is food for thought. Writing of article is for sharing and opinion but not conclusive, and also open up platform for others to give constructive feedback to enrich the writer’s next writing. Mr Writer, I hope to see a follow-up of this article from you soon, after so many “good” feedback! haha!