Expatriate Housing and Living

The City?

If you want to be right in the thick of things, the City is where you want to be. If you are used to living by the water and hate the thought of not being anywhere near a deep blue sea, living downtown allows you to be close to AQUARIA KLCC. With a total built up area of 60,000 sq ft and over 5,000 freshwater and marine residents AQUARIA KLCC is a much needed conveniently located natural sanctuary right in the heart of the city. Should you be looking at condo living and do not want the hassle of facing a traffic jam on a daily basis or have an aversion to cooking then living in the City is the right choice for you. Bukit Ceylon is one area that is quite ‘green’ and offers a large selection of condos and serviced apartments with great amenities. Kenny Hills is another beautiful area with a small number of exclusive properties right in the heart of the City. However should you be looking to acquire a bungalow, be prepared to pay highly for this privilege as they are becoming extremely rare in downtown KL.

Damansara • Bangsar?

Damansara/Damansara Heights being the older of these two areas, offers spacious bungalows for expats and in some sections, condo style living. The positioning of these areas between Petaling Jaya and the City make these suburbs quite popular with expats and Malaysians alike. If you are considering living in the Damansara area, ensure you ask your real estate agent exactly which part of ‘Damansara’ you are to be shown properties. There has been an explosion of housing estates such as Damansara Perdana, Damansara Intan, Damansara Jaya and Sri Damansara and although technically in the Damansara area, they are the newer additions to this very ‘old money’ area and further out from town. BANGSAR is the place to be if you are or want to be part of the ‘in crowd’. It was here in Bangsar that KL’s coffee culture was born and this community consists largely of affluent expats and trend setting locals. All forms of accommodation are available here and is also home to BSC (Bangsar Shopping Center).

Putrajaya • Cyberjaya Country Heights?

Malaysia’s new Federal Government Administrative Center of PUTRAJAYA is not just a new city. It also represents the coming of age of Malaysia as a dynamic and progressive member of the global community. Putrajaya is located at the center of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). Located here is also the Putrajaya Wetlands, the first man made wetlands in the tropics. For those wishing to take up residence there is the Alamanda Shopping Complex and soon to be finished, an international school. There are also a number of 5 star hotels. Homes in CYBERJAYA are all hi-tech, modern and spacious. Travel time from here to KL City is approximately 45 minutes by car and there is also the light rail transport system. COUNTRY HEIGHTS, a 30 minute drive from KL, is an estate definitely worth asking your agent to show you should you want to live in a spacious bungalow set in beautiful grounds contained within an estate that is fully self contained with a little village comprising a mini market, café and bank to take care of the residents’ needs.

Mont’ Kiara • Sri Hartamas?

These areas have long been associated with posh housing. All forms of accommodation - condos, terraced homes, bungalows and of late, serviced apartments are all available with varying price ranges. There are a number of international schools and shopping complexes here making going ‘downtown’ unnecessary. The range of restaurants that have opened here is mind- boggling and you are really spoilt for choice, again making going ‘downtown’ a thing of the past.

Petaling Jaya • Shah Alam • Klang?

Due to the high density of industrial businesses in and around the well-established and older area of PETALING JAYA, finding property here is not that difficult. Should you decide to reside here, find an agent that specializes in the above areas as PJ and Shah Alam are divided into ‘sections’ and can be very confusing to the newcomer. SHAH ALAM is one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Selangor with many companies employing a great number of Malaysians and international talent. For shopping there are a number of complexes and this area also has a few of the smaller international schools. KLANG has developed in the last few years from a small dusty town to a bustling modern city boasting shopping malls, entertainment outlets and commercial complexes. For boating enthusiasts, there’s Yacht Club at Port Klang.

Ampang?

Ampang attracts many expatriates because of its proximity to KL’s city center, international schools and offers plenty of Western style restaurants and grocery stores/supermarkets. Many Embassies and High Commissions are also to be found here as well as quite a large number of shopping complexes that are ‘expat’ friendly. Ampang is a fairly old and established section of KL where you can find not only the colonial and 60’s style bungalows but also modern and up to date condos. There are a number of high-end housing estates that cater across the board to the expat who are looking for a terraced home, semi detached or detached bungalow as well as condos/apartments all within a gated community. Serviced apartment living has also caught on here and there a select number of them in this area.