Petaling Jaya

Petaling Jaya (PJ) is a major city located in the Klang Valley bordered by Kuala Lumpur (east), Gombak District (north), Shah Alam (west) and Subang Jaya (south). Founded in 1952, it was Malaysia’s first planned town and was developed as a satellite city for Kuala Lumpur on former rubber estate land. It was granted its city status in 2006. Today, it covers an approximate area of 97 km2 and includes Kelana Jaya, Damansara, Bandar Utama and many other sections. Expansion of PJ occurred at a rapid pace with many commercial, residential and recreational developments to become the metropolitan city it is today.

There is no shortage of shopping malls here, from neighbourhood malls like Atria Shopping Gallery, Paradigm Mall and Starling Mall to regional mall 1 Utama Shopping Centre. IKEA Damansara is also located in this city at Mutiara Damansara. PJ can be accessed via the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP), Federal Highway, SPRINT Expressway, New Pantai Expressway (NPE) and North-South Expressway (NSE). In terms of public transportation, it is serviced by several light rail transit (LRT) stations along the Kelana Jaya line, KTM Komuter stations and mass rapid transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang line.

A free bus service – PJ City Bus which was launched in 2014, provides free public transportation for PJ folks covering six routes. PJ01 covers Jalan PJS 3/11 in Taman Medan to University of Malaya Medical Centre, PJ02 covers Taman Jaya LRT Station to SS2 via Jalan Bukit, PJ03 covers Taman Bahagia LRT Station to SS6 Kelana Park View while PJ04 covers Taman Bahagia LRT Station to Kampung Tunku/Sea Park via SS2. Meanwhile PJ05 and PJ06 cover the northern parts of PJ (Bandar Utama).

Old is gold

Petaling Jaya Old Town, popularly known as PJ Old Town, is where PJ first took shape in the 1950s. As PJ’s earliest housing and commercial hub, it led the growth of Selangor in the early days. As property prices climb and with an increasing number of high-rise residences coming up, the old areas in PJ could be more affordable and attractive to those looking for landed homes with a PJ address.

The housing areas of PJ Old Town covers Sections 1 to 4 which comprise mainly single storey terraced and detached houses. The only high-rise residential development is Inai Court Apartment in Jalan Templer, Section 1. Metro REC Sdn Bhd senior real estate negotiator Alan Wong notes that about 20 years ago, more commercial shops were built, spurred by the population growth and demand from Section 2 and 3 as well as from the industrial area in PJS 51, which is located about 2km from PJ Old Town.

For those unfamiliar with PJ Old Town, especially the younger generation, landmarks within the area such as the Jalan Othman wet market and Assunta Hospital in Jalan Templer may help in identifying where PJ Old Town is. PJ Old Town has retained its charm of yesteryears as a basic, no-frills town with many empty nesters who are at home among the traditional coffee shops and sundry shops, said Jubilee Realty Principal May Leong. The best thing about living there is that it is affordable and a myriad of amenities offers convenience.

“Food is definitely one of the biggest attractions here. One could find plenty of nice and cheap food here, such as Veng Soon Claypot Chicken Rice and Kie Kee Chicken Rice, some of the local favourites,” she told EdgeProp.my. Besides the easy access to Jalan Templer as well as the Federal Highway and New Pantai Expressway (NPE), it is close to the Kuala Lumpur city centre and other commercial hubs such as Bangsar, Mid Valley, Bandar Sunway and Subang.

Its excellent accessibility aside, Rahim & Co International Sdn Bhd director Choy Yue Kwong notes that the leasehold bungalows in Sections 1 to 4 are understandably relatively more affordable than those in other areas in PJ, considering the fact that most are leasehold with some having rather short leases. According to Choy, vacant bungalow plots with longer remaining leases of more than 92 years have been transacted for around RM150 psf to RM180 psf while bungalows were transacted at between RM135 psf and RM440 psf, depending on the lease expiry date and the property’s condition.

For homebuyers looking for affordable bungalows with a good location within a mature and established area in PJ, PJ Old Town has become a viable option. However, one must be prepared to spend some money on renovations, says Choy.

And on to the new…

Section 52, PJ, the area —which is better known as PJ New Town or colloquially as PJ State — is also home to the scenic Taman Jaya Park. The latter was derived from the State Cinema, which is now the Lotus Five Star PJ State Cinema that shows Tamil films. It is located along Jalan Yong Shook Lin. Less than 10 minutes’ drive from the small but bustling PJ New Town area is the Bukit Gasing hiking trail.

Many local government buildings are located here, including Menara MBPJ, Bangunan Persekutuan Petaling Jaya (PJ Federal Building) which houses or used to house government offices such as the National Registration Department and a branch of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.

Essentially, PJ New Town lies within Section 52, Petaling Jaya. The original “State” or PJ New Town was confined to the area bounded by a part of Jalan Selangor, Jalan Sultan and Jalan Yong Shook Lin including the area occupied by Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) or Petaling Jaya City Council with offices to the south of Jalan Yong Shook Lin.

“However, over the years, the public has come to perceive PJ New Town as encompassing the commercial area along and off Jalan Barat, comprising shop offices as well as the PJ Hilton hotel. In the future, it may also include the upcoming PJ Sentral being developed by Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB),” said Rahim & Co's Choy.

According to Choy, typical shop offices in PJ New Town are on 22ft by 75ft or 1,875 sq ft lots offering two, three, four and four-and-a-half floors with built-ups from 3,575 sq ft to 11,000 sq ft. HASB Consultants Selangor Sdn Bhd director Victor Huang Hua notes that most businesses operating there include decades-old traders such as hardware shops, tailors, jewellers and others. “Poh Kong, State Tailor, PJ Textile and Supper Club to name a few, have been there for years.

The PJ Sunday Car Market that usually operates around Kompleks A car park located along Jalan 52/12 and its surroundings is also an attraction on Sunday mornings. Usually, the car owners will bring their cars here to be sold and one can find a bargain on certain vehicles. According to Huang, the shop office rentals here vary with the number of storeys and the location of the property.

Typically, asking prices for the ground floor (as of late 2018) start from RM6,000 per month whilst the upper floors range from RM1,300 to RM3,000 per month. “Asking prices range from RM2.7 million onwards for the double-storey units while rental yield are roughly around 3% to 5%, depending on when the property was first purchased and the asking price,” said Huang.

Meanwhile, Choy said that rental for a ground floor shop unit can go up to RM7,000 with rental yield hovering about 4%. As for the other sections, PJ has other well-known suburbs such as Kelana Jaya (SS3, SS4, SS5, SS6 and SS7), Damansara Utama (SS22), Bandar Utama, SS2 and more. Most of which consist of residential neighbourhoods with bustling commercial areas.

Outlook

Old and unkempt could be the general perception of the seven decades-old PJ Old Town. However, area specialist agents believe there is still potential for growth in the years to come. Choy from Rahim & Co noted that the gentrification of the area will happen organically over time, especially after properties change hands and new owners extend their leases, many of which are coming to an end.

“PJ Old Town remains attractive for budget-conscious homebuyers looking for landed homes with a PJ address,” said Choy.

MBPJ has done quite a bit to improve and upgrade the public amenities such as the roads, pavements, car parks and streetlights. The PJ Sentral development, which covers the vast majority of the PJ New Town that formerly and currently houses some government buildings, would offer some spillover effect on the surrounding properties in future, something akin to how Brickfields benefitted when KL Sentral was first completed,” said Huang.

He believed that the maturity of the area itself and the shops and businesses that have been there for years will continue to support the commercial scene as it is one of the few matured commercial areas in Petaling Jaya.

Amenities and Facilities

The Kota Darul Ehsan Arch demarks the gateway into PJ and is a sight to behold at night when fully illuminated. Taman Jaya and Kelana Jaya Park are recreational hubs for cycling, jogging and picnics. Gasing Hill is a forest reserve with flora and fauna popular among nature lovers.

For adventurous, fun-activity lovers there are a number of places that include Escape Room (live action puzzle game), Camp 5 Climbing Gym; Jump Street Trampoline Park, Canyon Paintball, It’s a Hit Batting Cages, The Royale Chulan Damansara Ice Skating Rink, Scuba Diving at Sealantis Dive Centre and Kidzania at the Curve.

Other amenities include multiple shopping malls such as The Curve, IPC Shopping Centre, 3 Damansara Mall and Empire Damansara; places of worship such as Wat Chetawan Buddhist Thai temple, Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, St Francis Xavier Church and Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple; multiple SRA, SMK, SK, SKJ (C), SJK (T), international and aesthetic based schools; reputed higher education institutions such as KDU University, University of Malaya, International Islamic University Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak University (UNITAR) and Mara University of Technology; state of the art medical facilities are provided by hospitals such as Ara Damansara Medical Centre, KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital, Tropicana Medical Centre and Columbia Asia Hospital; and several night markets, banks, police stations, post offices, gas stations and innumerable eateries and hotels.

Healthy occupancy at Mutiara Tropicana Shops (The Edge, January 31, 2022)

The single row of 11 shop-offices along Jalan Mutiara Tropicana 3 in Tropicana, Petaling Jaya, is a convenient place for both local and nearby residents to do their shopping, grab a bite or run their errands. Jaya Grocer is the key tenant on this commercial stretch and occupies six ground floor units. Parking is relatively easy to find here. 

According to Savills Malaysia group managing director Datuk Paul Khong, the shops are part of the Mutiara Tropicana development by Hicom Builders. "The mid-sized mixed-use development comprises two-storey terraced houses and three-storey townhouses, in additiona to this row of shops."

"This area is in close proximity to the mature neighbourhoods of Bandar Utama (BU12), Ara Damansara and the Tropicana Golf & Country Resort," says Khong, adding that Mutiara Tropicana is a leasehold project built in 2010. 

In addition to Jaya Grocer, Jalan Mutiara Tropicana 3 i also home to newer tenant, Amazing Bakes. Occupying a corner unit, the bakery has garnered positive reviews for its pastries and breads, as well as hot meals and coffee. 

Also on this stretch is a 7-Eleven, Continental Chai Safety Auto tyre shop, Health Lane Family Pharmacy, JY Home, which sells household supplies and kitchenware, and other offices. 

Khong says the last transaction here was in November 2019 for a three-storey intermediate unit at RM2.1 million. The unit has a land area of about 1,680 sq ft and a built-up of around 4,780 sq ft. 

"The exclusive row of 11 shops enjoys almost full occupancy, except for an upper floor unit that is observed to be available for rent. The asking rent is about RM2,500 per month for a built-up of 1,645 sq ft," he adds. 

As for residential properties in Mutiara Tropicana, they comprise only two-storey terraced houses and three-storey townhouses, says Khong. "There have been limited units changing hands over the last four years."

He adds that a townhouse unit with a built-up of about 2,790 sq ft was transacted at about RM1 million, or about RM360 psf, in 2019. 

According to EdgeProp.my's property listings, a two-storey terraced house in Mutiara Tropicana with a built-up of 1,680 sq ft and land area of 1,600 sq ft is aksing for RM1.2 million on the market. The property has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, and comes partially furnished. 

Also listed on the portal is a two-storey townhouse that is asking for RM930,000. The unit has a built-up of 2,790 sq ft and a land area of 1,680 sq ft, and comes with 4+1 bedrooms and 4+1 bathrooms.

Another townhouse, with a built-up of 1,68 sq ft, is listed for RM750,000 on the secondary market. The leasehold property has been renovated, has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and comes fully furnished. 

Keeping up with the times in Taman Paramount (The Edge, March 21, 2022)

In addition to finding one of the best roast duck stalls at Loong Foong Seafood Restaurant, one can also find an eclectic mix of trendy eateries and cafes along the unassuming single row of shops on Jalan 20/13 in Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya. 

F&B outlets on this block inclulde One Half, Awesome Canteen, Meat feds by Chef Yenni Law, Kakiyuki, Monster and Beer, Shokudo Japanese Curry and Feng Hotpot. The stretch is also home to creative space Awegallery and multi-label lifestyle store ilaika, which shares a space with One Half. All there newer businesses are interspersed by conventional services such as tyre shops, car workshops, auto parts shops, air-conditioning repair shops, a hair salon and other offices. 

Jalan 20/13 is adjacent to commercial developments on Jalan 20/14, Jalan 20/16a and Jalan 20/16 as well as the Star Grocer supermarket, previously Giant Paramount Garden, at the intersection of Jalan 20/13 and Jalan 20/16. 

CCO & Associates director Chan Wai Seen notes that the shops on Jalan 20/13 as well as the surrounding commercial offerings have formed a highly sucessful neighbourhood commercial area offering a wide range of conveniences such as banks, F&B outlets, clinics, convenience stores, supermarkets, car workshops and offices. 

Chan says: "The shops on Jalan 20/13 have evolved and sustained over the years. Many businesses along the road have been established over the medium to long term and they have proven to be sustainable and well accepted by the local and nearby population. 

"Generally, these shops are supported by those living and working in and around the area." 

He says the shops on Jalan 20/13 have seen a limited number of transactions. "There have been very few shops along Jalan 20/13 that have changed hands over the past several years, largely because very few owners want to sell. Owners either occupy the shops or are enjoying the recurring rental income."

The shops - originally 1-storey but some have been renovated to include additional floors - have typical land sizes of 1,875 sq ft and floor areas of 1,600 sq ft to 1,700 sq ft for the 1-storey units, and 3,500 to 3,600 sq ft for the 2-storey ones, says Chan. 

He notes that prices range from RM1.4 million to RM1.65 million for the 1-storey shops, RM1.8 million to RM2.2 million for the 2-storey shops and RM2.5 million to RM2.7 million for the 3-storey ones. 

According to Chan, these shops enjoy high occupancy rates. "This is an established commercial area in a mature neighbourhood. Although there could be ome changes because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we believe the shops will be occupied quickly once the market improves," he says. 

Asking rents for the ground floor units are RM5,000 to RM5,500 per month, or RM3 to RM3.30 psf per month, he notes. 

Located in Section 20, Taman Paramount is one of the earliest developments in PJ, comprising a mix of residential and commercial developments. "Taman Paramount has grown to be a popular residential area in Petaling Jaya and caters to a large population within the area and its surroundings," says Chan. 

He adds that the popularity of Taman Paramount was further enhanced when the Taman Paramount LRT station, on the Kelana Jaya Line, was completed in 1999. 

As for the residential landscape in the vicinity of Jalan 20/13, Chan notes that the majority of properties there are terraced houses: One-storey units have land areas of 1,600 sq ft to 1,875 sq ft and built-ups of 1,250 sq ft and have been transacted between RM650,000 and RM720,000, whereas 2-storey units have been transacted at RM800,000 to RM900,000.