PROPERTY Sector report Pre-emptive move, but impact of higher foreign pricing threshold likely negligible 25 Sep 2014 OVERWEIGHT Mak Hoy Ken (Maintained)
[email protected] 03-2036 2294 Rationale for report: Sector update Investment Highlights Higher foreign threshold in Selangor. According to press reports, the Selangor government has introduced a new set of guidelines on property purchases by foreigners, permanent residents as well as foreign-owned companies. The new measures are supposed to take effect on 1 September 2014. Based on this, residential, commercial and industrial properties are divided into three zones. Zone 1 covers the districts of Petaling, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Sepang and Klang. Zone 2 includes Kuala Selangor and Kuala Langat, while Hulu Selangor and Sabak Bernam make up Zone 3. Key components: (1) Residential properties: The foreign threshold for Zone 1 & 2 has been raised to RM2mil from RM1mil previously (Zone 3: unchanged at RM1mil). Products available for foreigners are confined to strata and landed strata properties. (2) Commercial & industrial properties: The minimum foreign threshold for all zones has been raised from RM1mil to RM3mil. (3) Foreigners are also barred from purchasing properties under the Bumiputera quota. For the non-Bumiputera units, the amount is capped at 10%. Agricultural land, Malay reserve land, non-strata landed residential and auction properties are also off limits. (4) Malaysia My Second Home program (MM2H): Foreign participants are only allowed to purchase directly from developers, with a limit of one unit per family. Muted impact. The recent moves in Selangor are not new. Penang has set a minimum price of RM2mil for all types of foreign property purchases within the Island (mainland: RM1mil), while it is RM1mil in Johor.