federicoPa

Many thanks, bakedbean !

In share your opinion about Phuket, I think it is still a place where you may live well, but I saw this island changing so rapidly in the last years that I am worried about the future.

Unfortunately it is importanto for us (mainly for my wife....) to find out a nice villa with pool to live in, and you confirm it is not so easy to find one in Penang.
Now I'll take a look also to Melaka, that is another place that we like so much, but I am not sure there is some decent beach easily reachable from it.


Thanks again

federico

ex reg

No real beaches in Malacca although there is a long fishing beach about 5km north at Tanjong Kling.

Villas with pools in Malacca????
Not for rent.

federicoPa

Thanks, ex reg,

in fact I would like to have a decent beach at a reachable distance.

I will google again in Penang area to see if I can find a villa with private pool on sale, if anybody has some indication or a real estate agent to suggest me I would appreciate.

Thanks again

federico

bakedbean

Not for rent - Federico wants to buy. I remember someone in Melaka building a place with pool, so maybe there are some but, as you say, beach?

ex reg

There's some old style chinese villas with surrounding ground that could be renovated and a pool built in the grounds but might cost a bit.

Otherwise another option is like some on here have done in JB/Nusajaya to get a developer to build in a gated area and include a swimming pool in the build.

IMO Malaysia up until now is unlike other countries in the region as condos have been built which are up there facilitywise with anything but villas are only now being built in gated communities.

bakedbean

Hi Federico. Did you find anything?

federicoPa

Hi Bakedben

Not yet gone to Penang due to family problems, I hope to be able to go at the end of the year.

But the feeling that I had from google and from google earth is not so much encouraging, not only for the prices, but mostly beacuse I see, in the Batu Ferringi area a lot of cement.
From google earth it does not appear so different from Phuket !
Anyway the best will be to see directly with my eyes :-)


I'll inform you.

Thanks and bye

Federico

bakedbean

Yes there is plenty of building in the Batu Ferringhi area. But cannot have it all ways I guess. I'm sure you could find a nice remote house somewhere but then you don't get the infrastructure (banks, hospitals, shops).

Trying to remember..... I think there are some housing developments on the edge of B Ferringhi. Might be worth a look for you.... more quiet up that end. I think called Ferringhi Villas. You can google anyway.

Bluenose1

There are beaches near Melaka at Tanjung Birdara, Tanjung Kling (as Ex Reg mentioned above), Klebang and Melaka Raya. One of the problems in Melaka is that a few years ago there was a lot of land reclamation going on and the beach suddenly got further away from already built houses! The reclaimed land was (at that time) then being sold to Arabs who were intending to build hotels. We haven't been down that way for about 3 years though, so not sure if that is still the case.

I think it might have been me that BB mentioned above - my wife owns some land at Batu Berendam (although a bit inland) and, once we have had it properly surveyed (aiming for next week) will have it cleared and are then intending to have our own house and, all being well, swimming pool built later this year.

bakedbean

Sounds great, Bluenose

Bluenose1

Hope so, BB. My wife and one of her brothers met a surveyor on the site on Monday morning and the surveyor has now mapped it out. The 3 of us went along Monday evening and found someone on the land, looked like he was scavenging. When my brother-in-law asked him what he was up to..... you could say a bit of a dispute took place (handbags stuff, really!). Turns out he was an employee of a guy who had rented there up until last November and was 'clearing the site'. Also turns out he was rather the worse for wear. Anyway, his boss arrived soon after and everything now sorted! Went back this afternoon and had a minor disagreement with a local resident who asked us if we were "sure that all of the land marked out actually belongs to us"! He will know soon enough once we get the JCB in!

bakedbean

This sounds like it might be the start of a saga . Hope it all goes smoothly.

Scoobydo

Hi there Baked Bean and any others who maybe able to help me with this one

Still considering Penang, but we really do not want to come back to the UK when we retire and now just considering only one place to live which could possibly be Penang.

I would like to know whether you can stay here permanently or is this on the understanding only while you are in good health.


I guess many expats go back to the UK because they are very old and health may not be too good.
We would not like to have to return years later but make it our home in Penang despite health issues.

Any thoughts,
Thanks for any information

bakedbean

No you don't have to be in good health permanently. Lets face it, who is.

The MM2H visa can be renewed every 10 years on same conditions as you joined. I'm not sure if you have to fill in a medical form again when you renew. I think if I was not in good health when renewing, I might use a MM2H agent to smooth the way. Just my personal thoughts.

My personal thinking is very much along the lines of yours. I have no intention to return to UK at any time. It does require a bit of planning, saving plenty of rainy day money for health (in case med insurance does not cover or cannot get med insurance at any stage) and need good support network of friends here with same intentions. That's my plan anyway.

Scoobydo

Thanks for your reply
This is good to know. Are there any costs to renew after 10 years.

We really do not to go back to the UK and so with this being the place where there are not any restrictions as USA as you know we can only stay 6 months and the health insurance on top of this.
So keeping a few options open now, to actually stay in Penang full time is an option.
We would have enough money for the rainy day, as there would not be expense of flights to USA and Penang.

It's a way off but need to still visit Penang before we know where we will lay our hat for good! Never managed it this yr., perhaps a visit in 2014..........

Thanks once again.