If you really like and it’s not a huge stretch just do it. It sounds more or less cash flow neutral. Maybe an insurance policy against collapse in the West. The Malay currency seems like it’s been strengthening against the dollar over the last few years.
$800 rent makes more sense than a $300k purchase.
$300k can get you 10% return in stocks or currently 5% in a money market account. Seems like a better allocation of capital. Plus no commitment, headache or problems…
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$800 rent over 300k purchase is 3.2% yield. That’s before all the other expenses like insurance and HOA kick in. Doesn’t seem like you can count on appreciation either.
There are cute houses everywhere. Can’t have them all. It’s like you can’t marry all the cute girls. Better to date around. You already own multiple houses in the states. So by my analogy you already have multiple wives.
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Fair enough on the own/rent analysis, but…
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With the easing of the China visa requirements and the slightly more favorable terms to MM2H, there may be an onslaught on Penang property. Even these in the remote part. See story link below.
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My concern is that the nicest ones, like this one, will be either not available for rent anymore or will be priced way higher. No rent control here, boys. Yes, at terms end, if owner says bye bye you bye bye…
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$300K to buy my future generations (nephews and nieces) anyway a vacation place is a nice legacy to leave behind. Yeah, I know, watch them sell it for a Porsche…
Guys, I told you all to invest here. You would have made money already and the train station to Singapore is still what 3 years away!!! We stayed here to check out the facilities and frankly we are amazed. Foot traffic is good and all of the food that we have had on the grounds has been not only good but quite tasty. We are thinking about picking up a unit or two for investment or family use. Studios up to 4 bedroom condos. Area is literally blowing up as we speak…
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My advice after owning property for almost 50 years. Invest in what know and close to home. Put the $300k in a REIT or stocks.
Rent in a foreign country. Too many variables… politics, world events, currency issues. Contracts in a foreign language. Transparency, liquidity, local laws, restrictions on foreigners…. Unpredictability means less value long term…
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Good, sound advice and I appreciate it!!! Buuuuut, at some point, we all should buy or do something that transcends money or the cost of it. If we don’t do it, what is the point of living???
Come on, who can turn this down??? That view will extend my life at least 4-5 years easily…
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Go for it. Happy New Year
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Yeah number one priority is always to make yourself happy. Go for it dragonboy!
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It’s truly a sign that this country is no longer a good fit for us or anyone!!!
This actually happened coming through Customs this morning:
We get pulled “randomly” for baggage check. Probably because we are Asian and yeah we had probably too many luggage for 2 people. I am so pissed at my wifey for always bringing all this food junk home all the time. But get this, when on earth did CHICKEN FLAVORED “potato” chips become a national environmental security risk??? I am soooooo done with the US. Some guy could have carried a kilo of heroine through next to me but nooooo we got to stop the onslaught of CHICKEN FLAVORED chips into this country!!! Fing lame…
We saw people getting their INSTANT NOODLES pulled from them. OMG, there are enough preservatives in that and the chips to kill anything right???
Yes, looking at my credit line to see if I want to just buy that condo but getting a loan from a Malaysia bank sure sounds enticing enough…
You got pulled over by an Asian agent?
SFO is already one of the better ones in terms of Asians getting random baggage checks. My elderly parents who don’t speak much English at all once got harassed pretty bad at the Vegas airport.
I got put in a cage for 3 hours because I was driving a Prius coming across the Mexican border at Calexico. I sold the Prius and no longer want to travel. The terrorists, wars, illegal immigration, drugs have made US border agents into Gestapo…
Never mind customs. Air travel itself is horrible unless you can spring for first class on every trip.
I picked up a nasty bug on a plane ride last week heading to New Jersey for a family Christmas. Likely flu. Not only are you packed in like factory farmed chickens but on the ride back they didn’t even serve water. They came around asking if people wanted to pay for snacks and if you didn’t pay $4.50 for a cup of water you didn’t get any.
It’s just over 2000 miles to Princeton and I’m actually considering driving next time. I can do 1000 miles in a day, which is about 15 hours behind the wheel, with much less stress than the air travel experience and enjoy seeing the country.
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No, caucasian female officer who has unfortunately some sort of involuntary physical disorder (maybe Tardive Dyskinesia? , had to look it up) so I will go light on her. When she reacted the first time, I (coming from a 14 hr flight) thought she was messing with me. Look, you can’t convince me that a sealed bag of chips is going to somehow cause harm to the environment. The person, nutritionally, will is another story…
If it WERE an Asian agent, I would be hella upset!!!
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What? You don’t like security theater?
Riddle me this: How many attempts at terrorism has the TSA stopped?
Right with acre. And, as I’ve gotten older I hate long drives!
But, I hate flying more now. Access, parking, crowds, cost, TSA and being shoehorned into a seat fit for a small child. My shoulders are wider than any airline seat backrest I’ve ever encountered.
I’m old enough to remember walking into OAK for a flight to SAN. Straight to the gate. And then, finding out I screwed up and my flight was actually the previous day! They just had me stand aside, boarded all the waiting passengers, and told me to get on. Easy peasy.
But, that was then…
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I’ve known more than a few people who have done exactly that. And, lost it all. Some of them quite wealthy before their big plunge.
Calculated risk is one thing. Throwing caution to the wind is something entirely different.
Almost a sure thing, guys… this area of Malaysia was blowing up when I was there last month. Game Changer!!!
Singaporeans buying residential units near Bukit Chagar station in Johor (youtube.com)
Singaporeans buying houses in Malaysia… for vacation 
for investment 
Property policies yoyo according to which political party/who is in power.
The Malaysian Islamic Party is gaining popularity.
Gains for Malaysia’s hardline Islamist party a challenge for new PM Anwar
PAS, long a powerhouse in northeastern parts of Malaysia, has become a national force by winning the most seats of any party: 49 of the total of 222, nearly triple its tally in the last election in 2018.
As the biggest party in parliament, PAS could push for Islamisation and more affirmative action for Malays - a long-standing policy that Anwar has opposed, analysts said. PAS could also play up its religious credentials to distinguish itself from other Malay-centric parties, they say.
While I understand some Singaporeans may have been burned before investing in Malaysia, this may be a new day. Heck, even I am willing to maybe buy in…
EVENING 5: Malaysia-Singapore finalise the JS-Special Economic Zone (youtube.com)