Most property write-ups you will read are written by an agent who has never spent a night in the place. I am writing this one about my own home. I bought this villa in Country Heights, Kajang for the lake view, I have hosted guests in it since 2022, and I know exactly what it costs to run and what it brings in. If you are looking to invest in Malaysian property without buying into an off-plan launch, or you are looking for a calm place to retire near the Klang Valley without leaving it, this is a straight account of what is on offer.
The unit
Valued at RM600,000 RM480,000 RM120,000 below valuation — 20% underLake-facing villa · 3 bedrooms · 2 bathrooms · approx. 1,400 sq ft · leasehold · 1 car park · Country Heights Villas, 43000 Kajang
Why it is priced below valuation
I will be direct about this, because a discount with no explanation should make any buyer suspicious.
The unit is assessed at RM600,000 and I am releasing it at RM480,000. The reason is timing, not condition: I am ready to move on from this asset and I would rather conclude a clean sale directly with a buyer than hold out for another year chasing the last twenty per cent. There is no agent in the chain, which means no commission is priced into what you pay. The unit is tenanted-ready and generating income today, so it is not a distressed property — it is simply one I am willing to price to sell.
You do not have to take my word for the valuation, and you should not. Ask me for the figures, check recent transacted prices for Country Heights on Brickz or through your own banker, and get your bank's valuer to give you a number before you commit. If their figure comes in near RM600,000, the gap speaks for itself. If it does not, you will know that too — and I would rather you find out early than feel misled later.
The investment case, in numbers
Here is the arithmetic on the two ways this unit earns. These are gross figures based on the rates I currently charge — they are before quit rent, assessment, maintenance, insurance, income tax and vacancy, and I have set them out that way deliberately so you can subtract your own assumptions rather than trust mine.
| Scenario | Gross annual income | Gross yield |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term tenancy at RM1,500/month | RM18,000 | 3.75% |
| Long-term tenancy at RM1,800/month | RM21,600 | 4.50% |
| Homestay, 40% occupancy at ~RM280/night average | ≈ RM40,900 | ≈ 8.5% |
| Homestay, 55% occupancy at ~RM280/night average | ≈ RM56,200 | ≈ 11.7% |
Two honest caveats on that table. First, short-stay occupancy is never guaranteed — it moves with the university calendar, the school holidays and the general economy, and a bad quarter is a real possibility. Second, running a homestay is work: cleaning, linen, messages at odd hours, the occasional difficult guest. The long-term tenancy figures are the conservative floor; the homestay figures are the upside if you are willing to do the work or pay someone to.
Measured against the RM600,000 valuation rather than the price you pay, those same rents represent a yield of 3.0% to 3.6% on a long tenancy. Buying below valuation is what lifts the return — that is the whole point of the discount.
Where the demand comes from
This is the part that makes the numbers plausible rather than hopeful. The villa sits about 12 minutes from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and 15 from UKM Bangi. Two large universities within a short drive produce a steady stream of tenants every single academic year: postgraduate students who want somewhere quieter than a hostel, visiting academics on short contracts, and staff families. Add Kajang town, Seri Kembangan, Balakong and the commuter flow to Putrajaya and Cyberjaya, and the tenant pool is not dependent on any one employer or any one industry.
Kajang is also on the MRT line. The station is about 10 minutes away, which matters more each year as Klang Valley traffic gets worse and rail access gets priced into rents.
Why this is a genuine retirement place
Not every buyer is doing sums. Some of the people who ask me about this unit are looking for somewhere to slow down, and I think it suits that better than it suits anything else.
The villa faces open water. There is a landscaped bank of grass between the building and the lake, mature trees behind, and an arched bridge across the water. It is genuinely quiet — no through-traffic, no commercial premises, no nightlife anywhere near. The loudest thing most mornings is the birds. If you have spent thirty years in Kuala Lumpur or Petaling Jaya, the change in noise level is the first thing you notice.
For older buyers specifically, a few practical points that matter more than the view:
- Flat, walkable surroundings. The path along the lakeside is level and shaded — a real daily walk, not a treadmill.
- Medical care nearby. Serdang Hospital is around 18 minutes away, and there are clinics in Kajang town roughly 10 minutes out.
- Strong water pressure. A small thing until it is not. The showers here run properly.
- Everyday shopping close by. Kajang town, Seri Kembangan and the Mines are all a short drive; you are not isolated.
- Family can actually visit. Three bedrooms means children and grandchildren can stay the weekend rather than turn around the same day.
- Low-density neighbours. This is a settled community, not a transient block.
It is also a sensible middle option for people who want a retirement home in Malaysia that is calm without being remote. You are not moving to an island or a hill station where every appointment becomes an expedition. You are twenty-five minutes from Putrajaya and thirty-five from central Kuala Lumpur, with the quiet of somewhere much further out.
You can rent before you buy
If you are weighing up retiring here, do not decide from photographs. Book a few nights as a homestay guest, or take the unit on a tenancy first and see how the place feels on a wet Tuesday rather than a sunny Sunday. I would far rather you arrive at the decision slowly than regret it — and a buyer who has already lived here is the buyer I would most like to sell to.
What you are buying, precisely
| Asking price | RM480,000 (negotiable) |
|---|---|
| Assessed value | RM600,000 |
| Property type | Lake-facing villa unit |
| Built-up | approx. 1,400 sq ft |
| Bedrooms / bathrooms | 3 / 2 |
| Tenure | Leasehold |
| Car park | 1 |
| Facing | Lake, unblocked |
| Current use | Operating homestay; can be sold furnished and running |
| Agent commission | None — owner direct |
The unit can change hands with the furniture and the homestay operation intact, which means the income does not stop on the day the keys move. If you would rather take it empty and put your own tenant in, that works too.
The risks I would want you to weigh
Anyone who tells you a property has no downside is selling you something. Three things you should think about:
- It is leasehold, not freehold. That affects financing terms and resale, and you should ask me for the remaining lease term and factor it into your offer.
- Short-stay income is variable. The homestay yields above are achievable, not promised. Underwrite the deal on the long-tenancy figures and treat the homestay upside as a bonus.
- Kajang is not a hotspot. Capital growth here has been steady rather than dramatic, and you should buy for the yield and the lifestyle, not on an assumption of rapid appreciation.
I would rather set those out plainly than have you discover them during due diligence and wonder what else was left unsaid.
How to take it further
WhatsApp Carmen, who handles enquiries and viewings for this unit — she replies within the hour between 9am and 10pm, and she can put you in touch with me directly for anything about the sale itself. Serious buyers are welcome to view the unit in person, and we will share the title details, quit rent and assessment figures, the remaining lease term, and the actual homestay occupancy history rather than a marketing summary of it.
About the author
Sam — owner & host, Country Villa, Country Heights Kajang
I bought this villa for the lake view and have looked after it myself ever since. I have hosted guests here since 2022, mostly families visiting UPM and UKM, and I live close enough to be at the door within fifteen minutes. Everything in this article — the rents, the occupancy, the costs — comes from running this specific unit, not from a market report.
Enquiries: Carmen — WhatsApp +60 11-5757 3099
Disclaimer. This article is written by the owner of the property and is a sales listing, not independent advice. The RM600,000 figure is the owner's assessed value and has not been independently verified on this page. The yield figures are illustrative gross calculations based on current asking rents; they are not a forecast and not a guarantee of return. Property values and rental income can fall as well as rise. Before purchasing, obtain your own bank valuation, legal advice and financing terms. Last reviewed .