If any of you have been staying at a condo in KK (Kota Kinabalu) you would know that finding a parking in one of these condos is like winning the 4D; You need luck but its possible. Common sights of cars lining up beside the both side of the road leading to the condo entrance is common. Sometimes you have to fight for parking by coming home earlier than you need to just to confirmed your spot, while you don’t dare to go out or you ask your friend to pick you up so you don’t lose your spot. And this repeats EVERYDAY. I feel you because I experience this before. I won’t make that mistake again.

Most of the condos sold nowadays comes with only 1 carpark for standard size units, usually those around 1000sf and below, every family in Malaysia owns at least 2 cars and above, its no wonder cars are park near roadside, drain side, under the tree, double parked, basically anywhere that you can squeeze your car into. If you thinking of buying a condo for your own stay, please get AT least 2 carpark! Otherwise its going to be a nightmare a few years down the road after your condo is fully mature and occupied.

Its not that the developers do not know this, but the cost of a single carpark space can be as high as RM 10,000 to RM20,000 per lot. Why so high you ask? One word – Land Cost. Land cost here meaning that same space that is used for the carpark space means the developer is losing their Nett Saleable Area, (Yeah I made that up) If 1 carpark uses 20sf of space for 90 degrees angle parking, 50 carpark would mean 1000sf of space, if 500 units means 600 car park and another 80 visitor then total is 680 x 20 = 13600sf . 13600sf divide by 1000sf per unit is roughly 10 units of condos! But wait you still have to add in the roads which eats further into the space. The carpark developer build the lesser amount of units it can build and thus reducing the no of units that the developer can sell.

So if a developer sells you a condo with 2 carpark space please do consider it seriously! As most developers would not be so kind in the future to provide 2 carpark space because of the land cost issue mentioned above. Take note also whether the carpark space provided is side by side or tandem (front and back), with the latter seriously testing your patience and tolerance for your housemate or spouse (Imagine telling your wife to hurry up while she is doing her make up and stuff, not pleasant…)

On top of my head I can the condos with provided with 2 carpark is Surian Residence (all of the 1233sf unit), Suritz Condo (from 3 floor onwards), The Light Residence, while Gamuda’s Bantayan Residence you can buy extra carpark which is awesome I think. Tip: Please buy the carpark if have the money! Even if you don’t use it, you can still rent it out for a nice profit!

I hope in the future, the developers in KK would all provide at the minimum 2 carpark for the new developments, however unlikely.  Otherwise you have to get used to parking at the roadside or under a tree where you could see some extra “stuff” on your car in the morning.

propertykid. Always learning. Always investing.