This story was submitted by Chan Hen Yock
My first time home buying experience is a dreadful one! I was clueless and I didn’t know how to get an agent. I didn’t know where to start.
Thus, I simply walked into the condominium’s management office, which I had my eyes on and asked the staff if there’s any unit for sale. The lady earnestly recommended me a unit and I thought I was in luck. She became the ‘agent’ and I entrusted her to help liaise with the owner. When I got too busy with work, she took care of the necessary.
She became the agent and I entrusted her to help liaise with the owner. When I got too busy with work, she took care of the necessaries.
That was more than a decade ago. Today I’m still staying in the unit which is full of problems such as a leaking ceiling. The condominium is also poorly maintained; the lifts break down at least once a week; the pool is green; the corridor is dimly lit.
Apparently, the management fails to collect the maintenance fee from all residents, which affects residents like me. I was unaware that I needed to check on the management and the condition prior to purchasing the property. After all, I didn’t purchase it from the developer, but from its first owner.
To add to the misery, I recently learned from the agent’s colleague that she earned RM6,000 from the owner to get rid of the house, as problems already started surfacing then. No wonder she pretended to help and quitted shortly after.
I learnt my lesson the hard way, which put me through so much of struggle. To all first time home buyers, please find a good agent!
This story was submitted for the MY HOME, MY STORY campaign. The grand prize winner will stand a chance to win RM10,000!
