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5 most searched places in Johor by 2020's homebuyers

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Which place in Johor should you move to? Here’s where to eat, sleep and play in the southern state of Malaysia.

most popular places to live in johor in 2020
© Trisno Quartris / EyeEm/ gettyimages

Picking where to live should hinge on your quality of life, commute time, or where you work. But, when it comes to homeownership, Johor is one of the major states in Malaysia where property prices soared beyond the reach of many Malaysians. Even though there is Home Ownership Campaign (HOC) and affordable housing programmes like the Rumah Mampu Milik Johor (RMMJ) or Rumah Mampu Biaya Johor, in reality, the units are limited and it does not cater to everyone.

Not just that, the closure of state and international borders due to COVID-19  dampened the purchasing sentiment. Despite all, the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) that is currently under construction may boost property uptake nearby the rail corridor.  In the coming years, it will further catalyse the development and unlock the property value within its surrounding area. 

We have compiled a list of the most searched places in Johor by 2020’s homebuyers using data from Malaysia’s No.1 Property Site iProperty.com.my’s big data solution, iPropertyIQ.com.This is based on consumer search behaviour data compiled from January 2020 to December 2020. The areas are ranked in ascending order and are presented in the form of the search percentage (%).

5. Masai

Search percentage: 4.80%

masai most popular place to live in johor 2020
© Marvin Yong/ 123RF

Masai is the oldest township in Johor Bahru (JB). While it may not sound too touristy, there are plenty of activities to do when you’re visiting Masai. If you’re into nature, there are Kong Kong Fishing Village and Taman Pertanian Johor for you to explore. At the fishing village, you may enjoy activities such as fishing, rent a boat, and don’t miss out on the chance to try fresh seafood!  On top of that, you may enjoy the topical fruit orchard tour at Taman Pertanian Johor. There also other activities like camping, trekking, fishing, and kayaking. You can also cycle as they provide a bicycle rental service. 

As for the property segment, the property prices in this area are still affordable. According to Brickz, the median price for a terrace house in Masai is RM380,000. The most popular property type in Masai is the terrace house, followed by apartments. The top three projects (based on transactions) within this area are Bandar Baru Seri Alam, Taman Rinting, and Taman Megah Ria

4. Kulai 

Search percentage: 5.93%

Kulai’s economy is made up mostly of the agriculture sector; palm oil and rubber plantation. It is also home to the country’s first Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA)’s settlement, FELDA Taib Andak. When in Kulai, feel free to drop by the Johor Premium Outlet (JPO) or enjoy outdoor activities at the Rainforest Tree House Kulai and Star Fish Leisure Farm, and snap interesting shots for your Instagram feed.  Also, living in Kulai isn’t bad at all as it has direct access to North-South Expressway, Malaysia-Singapore Second Link, and Senai Highway. This network of highways provides connectivity to JB City Centre and Singapore. The top three developments in Kulai are Flat Temenggong, Taman Putri Kulai, and Taman Sri Pulai Perdana. Based on Brickz, the median price for a terrace house in Kulai is RM350,000.

READ: 9 townships in the Klang Valley with the easiest access to LRT and MRT lines

 3. Skudai 

Search percentage: 8.19%

Skudai is home to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and is also known as one of the student townships in Malaysia. This suburb of Johor’s new corridor, Iskandar Puteri (Nusajaya) has a good rental market potential for people who are looking to rent out their properties to local and international students. 

If you have not been to Skudai, here are a few must-visit spots within this area; Legoland, Danga Bay, Dataran Bandaraya Johor Bahru, and Johor Premium Outlet (JPO). One day, once the travel ban is lifted, you may also visit Singapore as is only a drive away from JB. In terms of connectivity, Skudai is surrounded by a network of highways, namely the Second Malaysia-Singapore Second Link, the North-South Expressway, and the Skudai-Pontian Highway. 

In Skudai, the terrace house is the most popular property type with a median price of RM400,000. The top three projects (based on transactions) are Taman Mutiara Rini, Taman Universiti, and Taman Skudai Baru.

2. Iskandar Puteri (Nusajaya)

Search percentage: 10.83%

iskandar puteri most popular place to live in johor 2020
© tang90246/ 123RF

Formerly known as Nusajaya, Iskandar Puteri is South East Asia’s largest urban integrated development. It is also situated at a prime location due to its proximity and connectivity to Singapore. 

Even though the 2020 residential property market in Johor remained gloomy, the much-anticipated RTS has begun and once completed, the project will be a game-changer. Easy transportation will greatly benefit Johor’s property market as Malaysians working in Singapore with higher incomes have the option to stay in Johor and commute daily. Not just that, this long-awaited project looks promising as it will boost Johor’s economy and create an economic spillover, particularly in the Iskandar Malaysia region.

In Iskandar Puteri, the most popular property type among the 2020 homebuyers was the terrace houses. The median price for a terrace house in this area is RM570,000. The top three projects are Taman Bukit Indah, Horizon Hills, and Taman Nusa Bayu. 

READ: 10 most expensive homes in Malaysia for 2020

1.  Johor Bahru (JB)

Search percentage: 56.83%

jb most popular place to live on Johor 2020
© Kokkai Ng/ gettyimages

Topping the chart is Johor Bahru (JB)! It also topped the chart for the most-searched areas among the 2020 Malaysian homebuyers. Even though JB is an attractive residential option for those who work in Singapore, the residential property market in this area has remained subdued in 2020 due to border closure and the dampened purchasing sentiment. 

However, the upcoming RTS is set to boost Johor’s property market.  The project which is slated for completion in 2024 will bring forth many impactful changes as improved connectivity with Singapore will help spur property uptake by foreigners who are looking to leverage Singapore’s robust economy and reputation as the global financial hub.

The most popular property type among the 2020’s JB homebuyers is the terrace house, followed by the apartment. The median price for a terrace house in JB is RM415,000. 

Note: Analytics is based on the data available at the date of publication and may be subject to revision as and when more current data becomes available.

Disclaimer: The information is provided for general information only. iProperty.com Malaysia Sdn Bhd makes no representations or warranties in relation to the information, including but not limited to any representation or warranty as to the fitness for any particular purpose of the information to the fullest extent permitted by law. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided in this article is accurate, reliable, and complete as of the time of writing, the information provided in this article should not be relied upon to make any financial, investment, real estate or legal decisions. Additionally, the information should not substitute advice from a trained professional who can take into account your personal facts and circumstances, and we accept no liability if you use the information to form decisions.

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