Wangsa maju
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Spanning 937 acres, Wangsa Maju is one of the biggest townships within the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. It was formerly part of the Setapak rubber estate, before Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) teamed up with Peremba Bhd and started developing the place in 1984.

Located about 13km northeast from the heart of the capital, Wangsa Maju is situated within Setapak. It is bordered by Setiawangsa to the south, Ulu Kelang to the east and by Taman Melati and Desa Melawati to the north.

The area was previously a remote sleepy location inhabited by natives and indigenous people. But it is now a vibrant and densely populated township that is witnessing a steady influx of people who eagerly want to live there. It has transformed into a great place to settle down, and buy residential properties for investment due to many factors.


The Allure of Well-Located Affordable Homes

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According to real estate experts, one of the top reasons why the township has emerged as a popular place to buy a home is that Wangsa Maju is just a 20-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur city centre and residential prices in the township are relatively lower.

As of August 2019, the average prices of non-landed homes and landed residences in Wangsa Maju stood at RM289 psf and RM1,558 psf, respectively. In comparison, the average prices in the state of Selangor for these properties reached RM396 psf and RM2,525 psf respectively.

Another testament to the growing popularity of residential properties in Wangsa Maju is that in June 2019, Sunway sold about 80 percent of the units at the first tower of Sunway Avila, a freehold and integrated project that marks the developer’s maiden foray in the township.

The units at Sunway Avila were priced from RM439,000 (RM598 psf). Located about 6.5km from the heart of the capital, the project has a gross development value (GDV) of RM590 million.

The project’s 43-storey towers will contain 810 residential units in all and 30 retail shops. The development will be directly linked to the Sri Rampai LRT Station, meaning it will just be six stops from the busy KL Sentral transport hub. The project is expected to be completed by 2023.

Spurred by the success of Sunway Avila, the property developer also acquired a 3.69-acre freehold land just 200 metres from the site of Sunway Avila. With a potential GDV of about RM300 million, the project is expected to contain 468 condominium units. It is slated to be launched during the second half of 2021.

Wangsa Maju is also home to many other notable property developments. There is the 190-unit Hedgeford 10 Residences that was completed in 2015. Another is the 655-unit Irama Wangsa that was finished in 2018, and the 653-unit Henna Residence that is expected to be completed by 2021.

The first project one was built by Hedgeford Sdn Bhd, the second was developed by Beneton Properties, while the last one is under construction by a joint venture consisting of Mapletree Investments, Beverly Group, and Lai Sun Development.


3 LRT Stations & Accessible via Major Roads

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Many real estate developers have ventured into Wangsa Maju due to its excellent access to public transportation. As a matter of fact, the township has three existing stations nearby for light rail transit (LRT) within its vicinity. These are the Wangsa Maju LRT Station, Sri Rampai LRT Station, and Setiawangsa LRT Station.

“The area is easily accessible via major roads Jalan Genting Kelang, Jalan Pahang, Jalan Jelatek and highways Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2), Duta Ulu-Kelang Expressway (DUKE), Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH), as well as the Setiawangsa-Pantai Expressway (DUKE 3), which is under construction,” said Jerome Hong, Managing Director of PA International Property Consultants (KL) Sdn Bhd.

The 29.8km DUKE 3 Expressway is estimated to cost around RM5 billion. The four-lane dual carriage expressway, which runs from the north to south of the capital, is anticipated to open to motorists by the first quarter of 2020.


Strong Rental Market Driven by Many Schools

Wangsa Maju has become popular with lessees and tenants, particularly college students, thanks to the many nearby prestigious institutions of higher learning. Among them are VTAR Institute, Dasein Academy of Art, Institute of Childhood Education-Studies & Community Education, and the AlDiwan International Centre for Teaching Arabic.

The robust demand for rental homes in the area is being driven mainly by students from the Malaysian Institute of Art and Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TARUC), with student tenants drawn to Wangsa Maju’s wide range of amenities and lower rents.

Landserve’s Managing Director Chen King Hoaw revealed that Wangsa Maju is a top rental market for students due to the availability of affordable residential properties.

“In terms of market performance, high-rise units and landed properties in Wangsa Maju are comparable to those in Setapak, Setiawangsa, Sri Rampai, Taman Melawati and Taman Melati,” he noted.

For instance, terraced homes with an average built-up area of 1,400 sf command rents of RM1,700 per month, which works out to a gross return of 2.9 percent per annum. For high-rise residences with sizes ranging from 900 sf to 3,000 sf, monthly rents start from RM1,000 and can reach up to RM5,000. For landed houses, the monthly rent is between RM1,200 and RM3,500.

Meanwhile, data from Savills Research indicates that monthly rents of high-rise homes in Wangsu Maju ranges from RM1,060 (RM1.45) to RM2,350 (RM1.70 psf). These figures translate to a gross return of 4 percent to 4.7 percent per year, making rental homes in the township a lucrative long-term investment.


Large Malls & Popular Eateries Nearby

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Further boosting the appeal of Wangsu Maju are five prominent shopping malls in the vicinity, namely Melawati Mall, Aeon Alpha Angle, AEON Big Wangsa Maju, Setapak Central Mall, and Wangsa Walk Mall.

The busiest among them is Wangsa Walk Mall. Shoppers are attracted to its anchor tenant Cold Storage, which offers fresh produce as well as top quality local and imported products. Apart from that grocery store, the mall’s first level also houses eateries, retail shops, and establishments that sell electronic goods, home furnishing and other items.

Other amenities that continue to attract throngs of people to Wangsa Walk Mall are its world-class bowling alley and high-definition (HD) TGV Cinema on its uppermost level. Another good thing is that the shopping centre is strategically situated in the most established area of Wangsa Maju.

Another notable shoppers’ haven close to the township is the Setapak Central Mall, which features a small lake next to its premises. As such, it is a great place to hold picnics, as well as bond with family and friends.

As a matter of fact, the lakeside mall is a popular hangout spot for college students as it is close to dormitories, condo units being rented out, and nearby eateries that serve affordable food and mouth-watering cuisine.

For example, the 30-year-old Wahab’s Cendol is often packed with patrons and tourists who do not mind falling in line just to sample their yummy cold desserts. Meanwhile, Stiq steakhouse in Section 2 serves meat dishes cooked in French sous-vide style that is commonly employed in luxurious restaurants.

Another popular eatery in Wangsa Maju is Hayaki Kopitiam that specialises in Kelantanese dishes. We recommend their Nasi Kukus, a plate of rice, curry, and crispy fried chicken.

If you do not mind travelling a bit farther, there is the busy Hong Lai Restaurant that serves authentic charcoal-fried Moonlight Hor Fun. The Alley, a famed bubble tea chain from Taiwan, also sells thirst-quenching beverages filled with homemade tapioca pearls.

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(Written by G. Zizan, 23rd June 2020)

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Not just a big township within FT but also one of the most congested in Kuala Lumpur.