When anyone mentions Taman Billion in Cheras, the Western food restaurants in Jalan Siput Akek invariably come to David’s mind. The housing estate on higher ground, which comprises only landed properties, is adjacent to the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) and Jalan Cheras.
These two thoroughfares are also the two main entrances into Taman Billion and, whichever one you take, the first road you arrive at in the development will be Jalan Siput Akek the only commercial street there.
The road is lined by a row of 4-storey shopoffices, housing mostly F&B outlets, as well as trading companies and shops offering various services. The landmarks include Charis Christian Centre and Western food restaurants such as Kafe Kaki Corner, Samosa Café & Catering and Rendezvous Steak Garden that have been around for about two decades, apart from other cafés and Chinese restaurants there.
Terraced houses and condominiums enjoyed some of the best returns and capital appreciation prior to the influx of high-rise units in the Klang Valley property market in the mid-2000s, says PPC International Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Siders Sittampalam. Rents generally declined owing to the increased supply, he adds.
“Owing to the rising cost of land, developers adopted vertical development. The growing population and demand for housing led to the growth of high-rise developments, and land for development became scarce and costly,” Siders says.
On top of the persistent soft market, last year had been challenging to both the economy and the property market generally, owing to the Russia-Saudi Arabia oil price war, US-China trade war, change in government in Malaysia and the Covid-19 pandemic, Siders notes. “The real estate market [saw] declining sales volume, capital values and rental returns or yields.
Flanked by Universiti Malaya and Mahsa Avenue International College (MAIC), Jalan Ilmu in Kuala Lumpur has experienced more activity in recent years, especially among the student community.
One of the attractions here is Pokok KL, a trendy glasshouse-themed café that is filled with natural light and lush greenery. It attracts a steady stream of city dwellers and café hoppers and is a popular brunch spot that serves croissants, pies, pastas, nasi lemak and truffle fries.
Nearby cafés and landmarks include Three Guys Café, KFC, Degree Coffee, Bayu Café catering and services, Wunderbath, Merceria neighbourhood grocer and The Zoo co-working space. Around the corner is the office of the National Institute of Public Administration.
Many streets in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) bear the name “Rahim Kajai”, including Jalan Rahim Kajai and Lorong Rahim Kajai 1 to Lorong Rahim Kajai 14. There is also a Padang Rahim Kajai.
This part of TTDI is situated on the northwestern side of the township. Located next to the Aminuddin Baki area, it consists of mostly landed houses, with some shoplots on Lorong Rahim Kajai 13 and Lorong Rahim Kajai 14.
“Rahim Kajai” refers to the late, renowned journalist and writer Abdul Rahim Haji Salim (1894 to 1943), who used the pen name Abdul Rahim Kajai when he started writing for the
Idaran Zaman weekly in 1925. Kajai is the village in West Sumatra, Indonesia, where his parents came from.
Last year was a tough one for almost all property sectors. According to data from the National Property Information Centre (Napic), in 1H2020, Malaysia’s property market transaction volume and value decreased 27.9% and 31.5% respectively compared with the previous year. While most property consultants believe there should be some recovery this year, it will depend on the Covid-19 vaccine as well as the performance of the job market and economy.
Some consultants think there will be opportunities for investors in the auction market with foreclosures likely to increase, but others believe that owing to government intervention and the low interest rate environment, this might not be the case. On the other hand, this could be a golden opportunity for first-time homebuyers to purchase their dream home. However, as property is a long-term investment, the age-old advice of doing your homework and buying what you can afford continues to hold true.