The results showed that 62.3% of survey respondents were keen on purchasing property in the next 6 to 12 months, with 71.3% stating that they had a budget under RM 500,000. Interestingly as well, 28% of respondents wished to purchase property as investment for resale, more than in other survey respondents in the other regions.

The low barriers to property ownership and the healthy property price growth in the country, makes Malaysia an attractive country for not just locals but also foreigners to invest in. This can be attributed to several factors such as low mortgage rates, financing of up to 100%, stamp duty exemptions, long repayment periods, up to 30 years, or until age 75, which makes homeownership for Malaysians easy.

The most important issue for concern in the Malaysian property market was that of rising house prices. However, a significant number of people surveyed also expressed high concern about home financing policies and interest rates, as well as errant developers and building quality.

A full copy of the report can be downloaded at: www.iproperty.com.my

A Place For The Arts

Happy Valentine’s Day! As the world celebrates this day dedicated to lovers everywhere, we take a different look at the love affair for the heart and soul of a city.

Georgetown has always attracted those with a particular love for the arts and heritage and in the past few months, we have had the privilege to witness how the passion, dedication and simple vision to share one’s personal love of art and heritage transform into a vibrant space for the arts.It adds value to the way performing arts are experienced and in so doing enriches the lives of those dwelling within the city limits.

In our exclusive with Narelle McMurtrie, owner of China House in Georgetown, Penang last month, there were some behind-the-scenes shots that we captured to show her love affair with Penang’s art scene.

The Food Had The Crowd Eating Out Of China House's Hands

The first clue that tipped us off to her love of the cultural heritage of Penang was reflected in the gilded mirrors that adorn the ground floor dining area. Of course, there was the food itself, an array of Western and local delights, that enticed the taste buds.

Celebrating Local Handmade Jewellery

The jewellery gallery next to the main dining area welcomes all to take a look at the handmade items and appreciate wearable art.

The Art Gallery Upstairs

Talking about art, we were led upstairs where the art gallery and performance space was. There are various activities held at the theatre besides contemporary art exhibitions, among them open-mic nights and live band gigs on different nights of the week.

A Testament Of Good Times Here

All in all, we came away from the interview and photo shoot we had at China House with a brand new take on Narelle’s love affair with the culture and crafts of various locals whether in the performing arts scene, fashion or even food and beverage.

The Courtyard That Joins Both Shophouses

There are two entrances to China House, as it consists of two pre-war shophouses that are back-to-back and joined with a courtyard. Another one of Narelle’s passions, animal rescue, is evident here as the wading pool is used by the dogs she rescues to learn how to swim. The main frontage is on Beach Street while the quieter one faces Victoria Street. With the walkabout ending on Victoria Street, we had a good look at how different passions come into play to make China House a labour of love for something that will last.

Victoria Street Signs The End of Our Walkabout

Text, Coordination & Photos by Yan Yi. All Rights Reserved.

Kindly contact owner for reuse of text and images.

As a company that strives to continuously seek ways to further enhance the property search experience, we at the iProperty Group spend hours on research and development to deliver only the best in innovation to our valued consumers, agents and developers.

The quote by this legendary man, who is considered the father of the Indian independence movement, aptly puts things in perspective. The future truly does depend on what we do today.

Visionaries such as Steve Jobs thought about the future and developed tools and apps that have enormously transformed the way mobile phone, desktops and laptops functions. He thought ahead and saw the needs and demands of the people and developed the right tools to meet these needs.

The iProperty Group is part of that future thinking group. What started out as an idea nine years ago, has since changed the way properties are listed, searched and bought. Our forward thinking has enabled us to develop innovative tools that now enables consumers to search for properties directly from their mobile phones, tablets and even desktops, and all at the their own convenience.

Our one-stop search platform also makes it easy for consumers to make an informed decision as they are provided with up-to-date news on the property industry.

Believing in a dream and seeing it true is also a key fundamental in any successful venture. Having the can do attitude and the determination is just as crucial.

So, think ahead and in the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi – “The future depends on what you do today”, so think ahead and start working towards a better future today!

We at the iProperty Group are.

Have a great weekend!

February brings along with it many special occasions. We just celebrated Federal Territory Day and this weekend, we will be celebrating Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday and Thaipusam.

I am also thrilled to announce that we launched our new mobile strategy and development team. The formation of the new team is in line with our company’s objective of becoming an organisation that is mobile-first in its outlook.

The team, comprising of experts and headed by Michael Ong, will be in charge of developing innovative mobile products for customers and consumers across the group’s core markets – Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore.

The team will also be responsible for the Group’s presence on all non-computer platforms – mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, smart televisions and other devices.

The iProperty Group has and will always be committed to enhancing the experience of our property buyers and investors, including meeting the future needs of our customers and consumer.

We have a lot of interesting things in the pipe line, so do stay tuned!

Aside from that, tomorrow also marks World Cancer Day.  It’s a day where the world unites together in the fight again the global cancer epidemic. To all fighting the battle, I pray that you combat the disease successfully!

Enjoy the long weekend and the festivities!

In 2011, the teams all across the iProperty Group focused their commitment on building relationships with customers and in finding ways to further enhance the experience of consumers who visit our website, to search for the dream home.

The dedication, passion and unrelenting commitment showcased by the team have resulted in the group achieving a 103% increase in revenue, and a 72% increase in the number of paying agents.

The Group also significantly deepened its relationship with property developers, highlighted by the launch of our Top Developers publication earlier this year.

To our loyal and esteemed consumers and customers, this success could not have been achieved without you as well. The growth we’ve experienced over the years is because of customers and consumers like you, who faithfully support our business. We appreciate your trust, and we’ll do our best to continue to give you the kind of service you deserve.

And to the entire team at the iProperty Group, a big THANK YOU for all your hard work and dedication. Your passion and determination, has helped us achieve one milestone after another.

Our performance in 2011 provides us with an outstanding starting point for 2012, and rest assured, we have a clear strategy for each country and will continue to focus on executing our plans to continue to deliver only the best for you.

Have a great weekend.