Location and price, these are the two factors resulting in the growth of Kota Damansara.
“The boom started when residential projects in Kota Damansara came to a completion and started to mature in 2005,” says Jane Lim, General Manager of Peak Realty.
Kota Damansara is blessed with proximity to established neighborhoods such as Bandar Utama, Mutiara Damansara and Tropicana. It is further supported by easy access via Damansara-Puchong Expressway and direct exit from the North Klang Valley Expressway.
“Initial property launches in Kota Damansara were very affordable. Driving the population growth, most young families chose Kota Damansara due to its price and location.”
A three-bedroom, 800 sq ft Pelangi Damansara apartment seven to eight years ago was priced at RM180,000, targeting young professionals and students. Jane says this is one of the high density-but-affordable developments that started the growth of Kota Damansara.
Now, this established township of Kota Damansara commands about RM700,000 for a link house and RM1.6 million for a semi-detached within a gated and guarded environment.
A recent transaction of a two-story link house in the gated and guarded Bayu Damansara saw a 75% capital appreciation from a sub-sale value of RM400,000 in 2005. It was launched in 2001 for only RM275,000.
The life in Kota Damansara is supported by its lively commercial segment, from the commercial areas in Sunway Damansara, Mutiara Damansara and Bandar Utama’s 1Utama Shopping Center.
With the addition of new retail lifestyle complexes such as the completed Sunway Giza, and in three years time the Cascades and Sunway Nexis, the existing shops in these areas will see another around of capital appreciation, she adds. Currently, the prices of its shop lots are seen to rival those in SS2 and Damansara Uptown. A four-story 6,700 sq ft intermediate shop lot in SS2, Petaling Jaya is now RM4.5 million, about RM670 per sq ft.
Action is also seen in the industrial segment.
“The initiative by the state government arm PKNS to develop a science park (industrial property), that is close to Kuala Lumpur (KL) and close to Port Klang, has driven the growth and demand for industrial properties in Kota Damansara.”
Currently, a semi-detached industrial property in Kota Damansara or in particular Selangor Science Park 1, sees a value of RM3.8 million and above.
“We foresee another round of capital appreciation for industrial properties in this area when the MRT is completed, as it will be easier for factories to attract quality workers.”
A complete township now well-served by amenities, commercial and industrial activities, there will be a high demand for landed property developments of RM700,000 to RM800,000 range, she says. And new condominiums launched within the RM300,000 to RM400,000 segment will be a good entry level for first time house buyers.
“The urban growth will see its expansion toward Kampung Baru, Sungai Buloh and Ara Damansara,” Jane says.
Locations earmarked for stations
RRI; Kota Damansara; PJU 5, near
Segi University College; Dataran
Sunway near Sunway Giza
Link House, Bayu Damansara
- Launched in 2001 – RM275,000
- Subsale in 2005 – RM400,000
- Last transacted unit – RM700,000
Semi-detached home: Bayu Damansara
- 2005 – about RM800,000 to RM900,000
- Now – RM1.6mil
Bungalow Land at the Polo Club 2000
RM30psf to RM40psf from developer PKNS 2004, RM85psf
2006, RM110psf; 2011, RM200psf
Casa Tropicana Condominium,
- 1,200sf; 2008 – RM300,000
- 2009 – RM380,000
- 2010 asking price – RM460,000
Commercial Sunway Nexis
- 3-story corner, 6,491sf,
- RM9.41mil or RM1,500psf
Accessibility
- Plus
- North-Klang ValleyExpressway
- Damansara-Puchong Expressway
- Penchala Link
Education
- Segi University College,
- Sri KDU – a smart private school
…next stop: Saujana Impian, Kajang
Many would come to cheer that now that the MRT is chugging their way
THE housing skyline here would largely be dominated by double-story terrace houses catering to the middle income earners. There would also be a few gated and guarded enclaves of semi-detached, bungalows and bungalow lots seated within the golf fairway.
Prices in Saujana Impian have taken a back seat since 2005, says AB, a real estate negotiator from Reapfield Properties Sdn Bhd.
“It is only in 2009 that prices start to appreciate due to the completion of the LEKAS highway.”
AB says there is hardly any speculative element in Saujana Impian as the houses are populated by owner-occupiers with the exception of the semi-detached units, which homwowners would upgrade to after staying in terrace houses for many years.
“Almost 99% of the bungalows within the Saujana Impian Golf and Country Resort are owner-occupiers.”
Adjacent to Impian Golf & Country Club is another establishment that took the advantage of the LEKAS highway, which was officiated a year ago. Its two-story shop lots within the Prima Saujana residential address serve practically the entire population. The commercial segment in Saujana Impian is however underserved, AB notes.
To him, an ideal ratio of residential to commercial would be 70:30, but with only 20% of commercial segment serving the needs of the population, there is room for growth.
Its commercial advantages are evident as its two-story shop lots spotted the presence of a foreign bank within its confines; even the Tesco and Giant hypermarkets thrive alongside each other.
There’s still plenty of landbank on both sides of the LEKAS highway, AB says. And when the MRT is nearing its completion, Saujana Impian would welcome the people currently renting near the city center to its domain.
By then, this humble town would most likely be ready for the upgraders market while it sees a rising demand for houses in the range of RM200,000 to RM350,000 particularly within the radius of 100 to 300 meters of the MRT station.
That said, what needs to be improved he says is the existing infrastructure – the roads to accommodate the future influx of people when the MRT completes.
Location earmarked for station: Sungai Kantan near Tesco Hypermarket
Saujana Impian Golf & Country Resort
- Gated & Guarded
- Bungalows with golf fairway
- RM65 per sq ft in 2009
- Now, RM90 per sq ft on the average
Saujana Villa, Prima Saujana
- Gated & Guarded
- Semi-detached 2009 – RM550,000
- Current new launch – about RM850,000
Double-Story Terrace House
- Prima Saujana 20’ x 70’
- 2007 – RM250,000
- Average price now – RM350,000
- Rent – RM750 – RM850 per month
Accessibility
LEKAS, SILK, KL-Putrajaya, Cheras-Kajang, MEX, North South Expressways
Commercial
Major commercial banks; shopping, Tesco, Giant, Jusco, Parkson, Econsave; Sports, recreational food
and entertainment outlets are available
Education
UKM, UPM, Uniten, KLIUC, APIIT, Multimedia University, Government teaching colleges and training centers, Cempaka International School, Australian International School, Nexus International School, Alice Smith International School, MAHSA Nursing College and a host of IT training centers in neighboring Cyberjaya.
