A PLACE TO CALL HOME
It’s possible to own a dream home that comes with quality finishing and affordable price
LOOKING for the ideal home in the right location with an affordable price can sometimes feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Former compliance manager Kathy Wee finally found her home sweet home at PR1MA @ Alam Damai in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, after searching for some time.
Wee, who runs an office automation products company, was renting a double-storey terrace unit at Bandar Damai Perdana, Cheras, for the last 17 years with her two sons.
“All the developments which I came across easily cost over half a million. When I drove past PR1MA @ Alam Damai early last year, I was attracted to the building facade.
“Then I came across the Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia (PR1MA) website when I was looking up the project.
“I wanted to apply for the development but was initially told the application had closed.
“I was lucky enough to later receive a call from PR1MA that informed me that I was eligible to purchase a unit,” she explained.
She added that PR1MA also gave her a chance to select her preferred unit, commending the quick process from application to unit selection that took less that a year.
Wee now owns a 995sq ft apartment, priced at RM385,000 at PR1MA @ Alam Damai’s Block A, that comes with three bedrooms and two bathrooms as well as two parking bays.
She received the keys to her first home which she owns last November and moved in five months ago, together with her sons aged 24 and 26.
When Wee first stepped into her unit, she had a positive first impression and was satisfied with the overall finishing.
“I only had the layout models to look at when I selected my unit upon purchasing. When I saw the actual unit for the first time in that good condition, I was over the moon.
“It is really spacious and the flooring is nicely tiled while the kitchen and bathrooms come with quality accessories,” Wee described.
When asked about her first-time experience staying in a high-rise development, Wee was quick to say that she has no regrets.
“Compared to my previous landed space, my new home has very good ventilation. It is airy with lots of natural sunlight coming in from the large windows.
“I also love the lush green landscape around the residential blocks that encourage a healthy lifestyle.
“The development also has standard modern facilities located on the fifth floor such as an outdoor gym, children’s playground, futsal court, community hall and an upcoming gymnasium,” she said.
Being able to purchase a home at a price which she can afford, which is just a stone’s throw from where she used to stay, is a rare find for Wee who feels blessed to get this gated and guarded place.
“It is hard to get something similar anywhere else with this price tag in this strategic location that is easily accessible via major high- ways and close to the city centre.
“Many people think PR1MA units are not easy to own because of the balloting process.
“I just want everyone to know that PR1MA is meant for all Malaysians who fulfil the requirements; they can register and apply through the company’s website,” she said.
She noted that many people perceived PR1MA developments as low-cost flats which may not be properly maintained.
“Speaking from my own experience, this is not true. Throughout my stay, the management team and maintenance staff have been doing a good job keeping the compound and common areas clean,” she said.
PR1MA @ Alam Damai sits on a 6ha-leasehold land, featuring 2,074 apartment units across two blocks, and each splits into four towers.
Both Blocks A and B are mirror images of each other, equipped with facilities such as a children’s playground and futsal court.
Each block also has a sky garden on every fifth level and a rooftop garden on the 19th floor.
Priced from RM243,000, the units come with four built-up sizes: 662sq ft, 935sq ft, 995sq ft and 1,048sq ft.
In addition to nearby public transportation hubs such as the MRT Cheras Sentral Station , Taman Suntex Station and Aman Cuepacs Station as well as the Bandar Tasik Selatan KTM Komuter station, the development is also easily accessible via major highways like the Cheras-Kajang Highway, Middle Ring Road 2 and Silk Highway.
A primary and a secondary school are located opposite the development, and nearby amenities include a police station, shopping malls, a medical centre and the Alam Damai Recreational Park.
PR1MA was established under the 2012 PR1MA Act to roll out a thorough and extensive programme in building quality houses for the middle-income group (M40) with a household income between RM2,500 and RM15,000 a month, and owns no more than one property, living in urban and suburban areas.
“Looking at the rapid development in Malaysia, there is indeed growing demand by the middle-income (M40) group for fairly-priced quality market homes.
“Our homes are designed to address the needs of the M40 group. PR1MA is not just about building houses; we are also responsible for the creation of a quality, conducive and harmonious living environment for the PR1MA community,” said PR1MA chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Mutalib bin Alias.
To date, there are 45 projects currently open for sale nationwide. Some 140,000 units of PR1MA homes are under various stages of construction while 15,000 units have already been completed throughout Malaysia.
PR1MA also offers the Skim Pembiayaan Fleksibel (SPEF), a financing package exclusively for PR1MA homebuyers that provides a significant reduction in monthly home loan instalments at affordable levels.