Johor Bahru A Draw on Singapore Expat

Expatriates from Singapore are attracted by bigger and cheaper homes in Johor while Malaysians struggle to find affordable housing, reported The Straits Times.

Singapore expats lured to buy homes in the state are spurred by the new lifestyle offerings and the number of infrastructure projects in Johor as well as the strong strength of the Singapore dollar against the Malaysian ringgit.

Since the Iskandar Malaysia economic zone was set up in 1996, the number of foreign buyers of housing projects in the region has steadily moved upwards. Some of these projects include Ledang heights, Leisure Farm Resort and Horizon Hills.

UEM Land said that about half of the units of their housing projects in Nusajaya are sold to foreigners. Prices of units range between RM2 million and RM7 million while monthly rents inched up between RM8,000 and RM20,000.

Such prices are significantly lower compared with those in Singapore, plus the completion of several infrastructure improvements attracts people as well.

"With projects such as Marlborough College, Legoland, Pinewood Studios, and hospitals and universities completed or nearing completion, there is not the same level of risk associated with investing," said David Bochsler, Director of Sales and Marketing at Exhale, who also lives in Johor but works in Singapore.