Selangor Dredging’s Five Stones to set new standards in condominium living

THOSE looking to buy a condominium or service apartment around Petaling Jaya maybe hard pressed in the next several months ... or maybe not.

For those looking for something exclusive, property developer Selangor Dredging Bhd will be launching the last two blocks of its Five Stones project in the first quarter of next year. Prices begin from RM490 per sq ft, compared with RM450 per sq ft when the five-block project was first launched in August. The first phase, which comprises a 38-storey block, a four-storey block and a 15-storey block, is today 90% sold. The entire project will have 377 units.

Its managing director Teh Lip Kim says the two blocks will have a total of 192 units with built-up of 2,000 sq ft in Block E (36-storey high) and 2,900 sq ft in Block D (25-storey). Teh says the company will have a private launch before Chinese New Year next year, which falls in February. The 25-storey villa block will differ slightly from the previous launch. It will have a lanai and a broad passage – what Teh calls a breezeway – between the entrance and the living area. “The old traditional houses have very good cross ventilation and we are going to incorporate this. Besides these two extra features, in terms of design, the unit remains about the same,” she says. She says Five Stones will be setting a new benchmark for condominiums in Petaling Jaya.

Chan Ai Cheng ... ‘The company (Selangor Dredging) is essentially targeting families, the owner-occupier market, which is why the built-up is pretty large.’

“Most of the developments come with a pool and some facilities. With Five Stones, there is a one-acre park, a pool, basketball and badminton courts. Residents will be able to enjoy the facilities and the park without having to leave the safety and security of the community,” she says.

The company is also offering a 10/90 scheme where buyers pay 10% and the stamp duty for the loan documentation subject to bank approval. Installment begins three years later for the remaining 90%. The interest has already been factored into the price of the unit. Those who are paying cash will have a 3% rebate, she says. When the project was first launched, its smallest unit, at 1,700sq ft, was sold for about RM800,000.

Selangor Dredging also developed Ameera, which is situated next to Five Stones. Ameera was launched three years ago at RM290 per sq ft. That project is now 100% sold, with the last unit going at RM410 per sq ft.

“SS2 is undervalued when compared with Mont’Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, and Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya. SS2 is an established area and very central, like Mont’Kiara,” she says.

S.K. Brothers Realty (M) Sdn Bhd general manager Chan Ai Cheng says RM490 per sq ft seems a bit steep but for those who want the location and a project of that category, they do not have much of a choice. Says Chan: “If you want something new and in that location, that is the only thing at the moment. There are the Ken I, II and III developments, with the best being Ken II.

Developers are improving their offerings. The company (Selangor Dredging) is essentially targeting families, the owner-occupier market, which is why the built-up is pretty large. Their audience are those who are already in the Petaling Jaya, or specifically in a double-storey landed unit in SS2, and who now wants the security of such an environment,” she says.

The SS2 market is different from the Damansara Perdana market, which is predominantly a tenant market, she says. There is also no gated and guarded projects in SS2, which appeals to home buyers today, she says.

Teh Lip Kim ... ‘Residents will be able to enjoy the facilities and the park without having to leave the safety and security of the community.’

“The main thing is access. On that same road, there is Ameera, Five Stones, Ken III and Jasmine Towers.

There will also be a mall development there with double-storey housing on the other side of the road. This means residents in that area will have to go through housing area to get to their destination if congestion builds up,” says Chan.

Another source from a real estate agency says it is difficult to talk about pricing because the project has not been built. “There is nothing to compare it with at the moment but it will be high-density for that location once it is completed,” he says.

Besides Five Stones, other developments in that area include Casa Suites and The Tropics, both by Dijaya Corp Bhd. Casa Suites is already completed and a unit with a built-up of 675 sq ft is currently going for about RM330,000. There are units with built-up of nearly 700 sq ft and about 800 sq ft available. The larger units, however are priced close to RM400,000.

Source: Star Business

Posted by: Five Stones, SS2