Ipoh, PJ, And Cheras Top iProperty Homebuyers Search List 2022

Prime locations such as Petaling Jaya, Cheras, Shah Alam and Johor Bahru continue to be in the top 10 list, since 2018.

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Property marketplace website iProperty.com.my has released its list of the Top 10 Searched Areas in Malaysia in 2022, and at the very top of the list is Ipoh in Perak, followed by Petaling Jaya in Selangor, and Cheras in Kuala Lumpur.

Taking the crown this year, is a surprise winner – Ipoh. It is the second city outside the Klang Valley to claim the top spot after Johor Bahru in 2020. Similar to Port Dickson and Kuching, Ipoh has always been more of a holiday destination than a homebuying haven. The capital city of Perak is known as a local food hub, and its preservation of heritage streets, buildings, and historical landmarks. Plus, the city is well connected to the North-South Expressway. Ipoh recorded 1,916 transactions across all residential property types in the past year. Homebuyers were mostly purchasing landed houses with a median price of RM280,000. The top three property types were terrace and semi-detached houses in Taman Cempaka, Taman Ipoh, and Taman Canning.
iProperty.com.my: Top 10 Most Searched Areas in 2022 by Homebuyers in Malaysia

In a statement, iProperty said the data shows a change in residential property search patterns, where in 2022, more potential homebuyers and investors are considering select areas outside the Klang Valley.

“These locations tend to offer affordable landed homes within a family-friendly environment,” reads the statement.

Quoting PropertyGuru Malaysia country manager Sheldon Fernandez, it also said the various lockdowns and economic challenges brought about by COVID-19 impacted house-buying activity in the past two years as consumers adopted a more cautious sentiment.

“Now that the country is riding out the after-effects of the pandemic and the political landscape has stabilised, it would be interesting to look at the residential areas that homebuyers and investors might consider transacting in moving forwards,” said Sheldon.

Sheldon Fernandez, Country Manager, PropertyGuru Malaysia (PropertyGuru.com.my and iProperty.com.my)

“In 2022, more people were considering residential properties in areas located outside the Klang Valley. This year we have three never-seen-before locations that made it onto iProperty.com.my’s annual list.

“This observation shows that the pandemic has prompted many consumers to rethink where and how they live and work. The remote work trend has enabled consumers to prioritise better living environments to raise children, proximity to family members, and better mental health.

“Looking ahead to 2023, it would be interesting to see if residential properties beyond the prime cities and usual crowd-favourites will continue to gain traction among homebuyers,” he said.

The full Top 10 list, as well as the search percentages, are as below.