Popular townships in Johor continue to flourish, thanks to the development of new infrastructures that are transforming the state’s real estate landscape. In this article, iProperty Malaysia explores properties in townships in Johor that are priced below RM650,000.
The real estate market in Johor has evolved over the past few years. It has seen an increase in infrastructure projects in 2022, and is expected to see positive growth in its residential property segment.
According to Henry Butcher Malaysia’s HB Perspective Malaysia Property Outlook 2023, Johor’s residential sub-sector experienced a positive growth in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. Volume of transactions rose by 30.5% to record 20,387 units from 15,618 units while value of transactions increased slightly higher by 34.8% to reach RM7.85 billion from RM5.8 billion.
Residential properties in the RM400,001 to RM500,000 category had the highest growth in 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. This is followed by the RM500,001 to RM1 million category with a 48% increase in transactions in the same period.
In terms of property type, single-storey and double-storey houses were the most popular in both the primary and secondary markets. Johor’s residential and commercial sub-sectors are expected to be stable in 2023.
Factors to watch out for in 2023
Infrastructure projects such as the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS Link) is expected to create jobs and business opportunities, and unlock property values in areas surrounding it.
As at April 2023, work on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project has reached 32.42 per cent to include various components such as the depots, stations, land lines, and marine lines. This infrastructure project is expected to be completed in December 2024 and operational by December 2026.
The Gemas–Johor Bahru Electrified Double Tracking Project is another infrastructure project anticipated to encourage economic development in Central Johor. Once completed, trains can cover the KL Sentral-JB Sentral route in three hours and 30 minutes at a speed of 140km per hour.
Additionally, the Sungai Pulai Bridge and a road connecting Gelang Patah in Johor Bahru to Tanjung Bin in Pontian benefit residents from both districts.
Sungai Pulai Bridge will help position Pontian as a new socio-economic hub in Johor, bringing various employment opportunities and economic activities, increase property values, promote the development of local areas and stimulate the ecotourism industry in Tanjung Piai and Kukup, especially from Singapore.
The Henry Butcher report also highlights that Johor has the highest number of overhang properties in Malaysia with condominiums and serviced apartments contributing to the oversupply, especially in Iskandar Puteri which is built with the overseas buyers in mind. Overpricing is the main factor.
Townships in Johor with high number of transactions
If you’re looking to buy a property in Johor, there are several townships with properties below RM650,000. Based on iProperty Transactions, the townships with the most active transactions from Feb 2022 to Jan 2023 are as below.
Using the iProperty Mortgage Calculator, the calculations for the properties listed below assume:
- a 10% down payment
- a 35-year loan tenure
- a home loan with a 4.2% interest
1. Bukit Indah, Iskandar Puteri
Bukit Indah is located in the Iskandar Puteri flagship zone of Iskandar Malaysia. Launched in 1997, it has since established a reputation as a place where residents can experience a seamless blend of living, learning, work, and play.
The development is just 13km from the JB city centre via the Coastal Highway and about 26km to neighbouring Singapore by the Second Link Expressway. The North-South Expressway and Pasir Gudang Highway are also accessible from Bukit Indah.
One of the standout features of Bukit Indah is its landscape, which marries modern living with nature. The township boasts a 20-acre town park, as well as smaller parks and gardens scattered throughout, creating a streetscape of charming greenery.
Bukit Indah offers a wide selection of homes. Busy professionals and young families can opt for serviced apartments, while those seeking more space can choose from terraces and semi-detached houses. For those who seek exclusivity, luxurious garden villas are also available.
Bukit Indah is also home to numerous convenient amenities including AEON Mall Bukit Indah and Lotus’s. The nearby EduCity education hub in Iskandar Puteri offers access to world-class education from institutions such as Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia and the Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology. Medical facilities are readily available at Afiat Healthpark and Columbia Asia Medical Hub, while Legoland theme park is a short distance away.
Additionally, the township is about 29km from Senai International Airport (29km) and 22km from the Port of Tanjung Pelepas.
- The median price for terrace houses: RM617,500
- Built-up: From 1,302 sq ft
- Monthly instalment: RM2,527
- Total estimated entry fee: RM27,974
To know your home loan eligibility, we’d suggest using the iProperty Loan Care, so that you can calculate and compare your options with up to 17 banks.
2. Taman Kota Masai, Pasir Gudang
Established in 1997, Taman Kota Masai is a township located in between the town centres of Masai and Pasir Gudang. It has a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial components.
Kota Masai’s growth can be attributed to its establishment of a wide variety of housing options that have drawn home buyers and investors. Kota Masai is home to landed properties, such as single-storey and double-storey terrace houses, cluster houses, semi-detached houses, and bungalows.
Kota Masai’s proximity to Pasir Gudang has also spurred commercial and industrial developments. Terrace and semi-detached factories have attracted businesses in light industries, while commercial shop lots have given eateries and other amenities the opportunity to capture the working population of Pasir Gudang.
Kota Masai is also within easy reach to access routes such as the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL), Pasir Gudang Highway, Johor Bahru-Pasir Gudang Highway, Coastal Highway, and North-South Expressway (NSE).
Johor Port is approximately 11km away, while Johor Bahru City Centre is about 23km away, where the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex is located.
- The median price for terrace houses: RM280,000
- Built-up: From 700 sq ft
- Monthly instalment: RM1,146
- Total estimated entry fee: RM11,790
To know your home loan eligibility, we’d suggest using the iProperty Loan Care, so that you can calculate and compare your options with up to 17 banks.
3. Bandar Putra, Kulai
Bandar Putra spans across approximately 6,000 acres and it offers an array of property choices including bungalows, cluster houses, semi-detached houses, terraced houses, and townhouses.
Among the shopping malls in Bandar Putra are IOI Mall Kulai, AEON Mall Kulai, and Kulai Centre Point. For everyday needs, residents can head to Giant Superstore, ETM Mini Market, and Fresh Hub.
Bandar Putra is also in close proximity to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), while there’s Kulai General Hospital for medical care. For leisure, Bandar Putra is relatively close to the Johor Bahru city centre (about 25 minutes away), and other options include Desaru beach (about 50 minutes away), and Legoland theme park.
The township enjoys easy accessibility to surrounding areas and the rest of Johor via main roads and highways such as Lebuh Putra Utama, Jalan Besar, Jalan Kulai-Kota Tinggi, and the North-South Expressway (NSE). Bandar Putra is also close to the Senai-Desaru Highway and Skudai Highway, which connects residents to other parts of Johor, leading to the Tebrau Highway, Second Link Expressway, and Pasir Gudang Highway.
- The median price for terrace houses: RM400,000
- Built-up: From 1,399 sq ft
- Monthly instalment: RM1,637
- Total estimated entry fee: RM17,250
To know your home loan eligibility, we’d suggest using the iProperty Loan Care, so that you can calculate and compare your options with up to 17 banks.
4. Taman Mutiara Rini, Skudai
Taman Mutiara Rini is an integrated township in Skudai. It sprawls over 1,438 acres of a former oil palm estate with a 6km frontage of Jalan Skudai-Gelang Patah. The project was launched in 1996, and it is surrounded by established housing estates, such as Taman University, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Taman Skudai Baru, and Taman Sri Orkid.
Taman Mutiara Rini is also conveniently located between many of Johor’s key townships, where amenities are abundant. It has landscaped green areas, bicycle and jogging tracks linking every parcel, and a 64-acre urban forest and recreational centre.
Apart from the residential component, the project also encompasses commercial areas, which makes the area self-sustaining and convenient for the residents living there. Taman Mutiara Rini is about 4km from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Amenities there include Lotus’s Mutiara Rini and Mydin Mall Mutiara Rini, which are located in the heart of the development.
Taman Mutiara Rini is easily accessible via the Skudai Highway, about 2km away from the east, and it is about 7km from the Second Link bridge to Singapore. The township is also just about 15km to Senai and the Johor Bahru city centre, and about 18km to Kota Iskandar, Legoland theme park, Mall of Medini, EduCity and Gleneagles Hospital Medini Johor. A further 2km from Medini Iskandar is Puteri Harbour, which houses a ferry terminal.
- The median price for terrace houses: RM630,000
- Built-up: From 1,173 sq ft
- Monthly instalment: RM2,579
- Total estimated entry fee: RM28,621
To know your home loan eligibility, we’d suggest using the iProperty Loan Care, so that you can calculate and compare your options with up to 17 banks.
5. Taman Mount Austin, Tebrau
Taman Mount Austin is located in the heart of Johor Bahru, and thus, it enjoys easily accessibility via the Pasir Gudang Highway, Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL), and Jalan Pandan. The EDL connects the North-South Expressway to the Johor-Singapore Causeway, enabling easy travels to the Johor Bahru city centre and Singapore.
Taman Mount Austin offers a range of housing options, including terrace houses, semi-detached houses, service apartments, and shop lots. Plus, it’s close to many neighbourhoods in Tebrau, including Bandar Dato’ Onn, Adda Heights, Taman Delima, Taman Daya, Setia Indah, Taman Desa Tebrau, Taman Istimewa, Taman Bukit Mutiara, and Taman Desa Mutiara.
In terms of recreation, there’s Setia Indah Park, and Austin Heights Water & Adventure Park, while golf enthusiasts can visit Austin Heights Golf & Hotel Resort and Daiman 18 Golf Club.
The township is self-sustaining, with its range of basic amenities, including shopping malls like AEON Tebrau, Lotus’s Tebrau City, AEON Big JB, and IKEA Tebrau, as well as healthcare facilities such as Hospital Sultan Ismail, Regency Specialist Hospital, and KPJ Johor Specialist Hospital.
Additionally, SMK Desa Tebrau, Sunway College JB, SRJK (C) Foon Yew 5, Austin Heights Private & International School, Sunway College Johor Bahru, and SMK Taman Daya, are among the educational institutions in the area.
- The median price for terrace houses: RM580,000
- Built-up: From 1,399 sq ft
- Monthly instalment: RM2,374
- Total estimated entry fee: RM26,036
To know your home loan eligibility, we’d suggest using the iProperty Loan Care, so that you can calculate and compare your options with up to 17 banks.
6. Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Permas Jaya
Bandar Baru Permas Jaya is located about a 20-minute drive away from Johor Bahru city centre, and it is equally accessible to Singapore and the Pasir Gudang Port, both just 15km away in each direction.
The township is conveniently connected to the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL), a highway stretching from the city centre to the North-South Expressway (NSE).
Within Permas Jaya is also the Permas Jaya Bridge, a long arched structure connecting the township to the city centre. The bridge is also a major feature of the Johor Bahru East Coast Highway, which links the city centre to Pasir Gudang.
A second Permas Jaya bridge was constructed in 2012, working in tandem with the EDL, to facilitate smoother travel for commuters traveling from Singapore into Johor. The Senai International Airport is about 30km drive from the township.
Within Permas Jaya itself, residents can enjoy a range of amenities, including the Permas Mall, AEON Mall Permas Jaya, and several primary and secondary schools. For sports enthusiasts, there’s the Permas Jaya Sport Complex and the Permas Jaya Golf Club.
- The median price for terrace houses: RM487,500
- Built-up: From 1,302 sq ft
- Monthly instalment: RM1,995
- Total estimated entry fee: RM21,231
To know your home loan eligibility, we’d suggest using the iProperty Loan Care, so that you can calculate and compare your options with up to 17 banks.
7. Taman Johor Jaya, Johor Bahru
Taman Johor Jaya is a mature township with an array of residential and commercial properties. There are single-storey houses, double-storey houses, and commercial lots in this self-sustainable township.
There’s a park with multi-purpose courts, jogging tracks, and children’s playgrounds in the township. Shopping and dining options are in abundance as well. Banks, restaurants, and offices, can be found in the commercial lots, while the wet market offers fresh produce for daily needs. Plus, schools like SK Taman Johor Jaya 3 and SMK Taman Johor Jaya 2 are located close to the residential areas.
For entertainment, residents can head to The Store and Daiman Bowl, or venture out to nearby AEON Tebrau City and Lotus’s Desa Tebrau. For medical care, there’s Sultan Ismail Hospital just outside the township.
Traveling to neighbouring townships or the Johor Bahru city centre is a breeze with easy access from Jalan Pandan and Pasir Gudang Highway.
- The median price for terrace houses: RM425,000
- Built-up: From 1,539 sq ft
- Monthly instalment: RM1,739
- Total estimated entry fee: RM18,387
To know your home loan eligibility, we’d suggest using the iProperty Loan Care, so that you can calculate and compare your options with up to 17 banks.