Serene Heights is an investment option, as it has potential for capital appreciation due to its location.
Continue Reading ⋅ 19 February 2022
The Birch is a serviced apartment in Kuala Lumpur. In fact, it is located in one of the oldest roads in the heart of Kuala Lumpur – Jalan Kasipillay, off Jalan Ipoh. Although the stretch of the road closer to the city centre has been renamed Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, many locals still fondly refer to it as Jalan Ipoh.
Jalan Ipoh stretches from the Jinjang and Segambut neighbourhoods to the older heart of the city near Sentul, Titiwangsa and Chow Kit. Through the years, Jalan Ipoh has retained its charm as a traditional retail area where many shophouses line much of the street.
The residential property landscape along Jalan Ipoh comprises terraced houses, old apartments/flats, and newer condominiums that cater predominantly to the middle-income group. However, the area is being gradually redeveloped. Condominiums and luxury projects that have been developed in current years mark the area’s potential and emerging opportunity.
We have a comprehensive list of project reviews in Jalan Ipoh. Read them now!
Joining this changing landscape is The Birch. The development is strategically located close to the city centre, with good connectivity via major roads and highways such as the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) and it is only minutes to the city centre.
The Birch is developed by SCP Group. Formerly known as Systematic Corporate Parking Sdn Bhd, SCP Group is one of Malaysia’s largest car park operators. Its property development division was launched in early 2011. Today, its property development contributes 90% to the group’s profit. SCP focuses on mature locations, pricing and design to deliver winning projects to home buyers.
Address: 2½ miles, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (Jalan Ipoh), Kuala Lumpur
Property Type: Suite Apartment
Land Title: Commercial
Total Units: 681
Tenure: Freehold
Sales Gallery: No 31, Jalan Kasipillay, Jalan Ipoh, 51200 Kuala Lumpur
Year of Completion: 2023
Built-up Area: 611 sq ft – 983 sq ft
Facilities – Level 8:
- Herb garden
- Yoga deck
- Barbeque area
- Olympic-length infinity pool
- Children’s playground
- Multi-purpose hall
Launch Price: From RM348,000
Launch Price Per Sq Ft: From RM570 psf / Average of RM650 psf
Maintenance Fee: RM0.33 psf
Project Details
The Birch is a freehold development off Jalan Ipoh, and all units will be North-South-East orientated. Just 300m from the Sentul West MRT station, the project will offer 681 units in two blocks on a 1.8-acre site.
Unit sizes will range from 611 sq ft to 983 sq ft, with 5 types of layout to choose from. Prices start from RM348,000, and each unit comes with air conditioners in the master bedroom and living room, home fibre, Astro-ready, and water heater points in all bathrooms. There are 2 parking bays for selected units, namely Type C and Type Ca.
The Birch will feature security systems to ensure a safer environment for unit owners. There will be access cards to designated floors, 24-hour security with CCTV surveillance, and carpark equipped with a panic alarm button. As for facilities, residents can venture into the herb garden, or stay active on the yoga deck, Olympic-length infinity pool, children’s playground and multi-purpose hall.
The Birch is slated for completion in 2023. From previous developments by SCP Group, The Birch could be completed earlier as the developer has a history of beginning construction before the launch of a project. The construction for The Birch has indeed begun and as at September 2019, 4 levels have been built.
|
Unit Types |
Built-Up |
Launch Price |
|
Type A1 |
· 611 sq ft · 2 bedrooms · 1 bathroom |
From RM348,000 |
|
Type A2 |
· 668 sq ft · 2 bedrooms · 2 bathrooms |
|
|
Type B
|
· 819 sq ft · 3 bedrooms · 2 bathrooms |
|
|
Type C |
· 983 sq ft · 3 + 1 bedrooms · 2 bathrooms |
|
|
Type Ca |
· 960 sq ft · 3 + 1 bedrooms · 2 bathrooms |
Location
The Birch is located near Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (previously known as Jalan Ipoh). The development offers good connectivity via major access road and highways including Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) and Mahameru Highway.
Additionally, The Birch is located near commercial centres and local amenities such as MATRADE Exhibition Convention Centre (MECC), Publika Shopping Gallery, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Sunway Putra Mall, SMK La Salle Sentul, Wesley Methodist International School, and KLCC.
Healthcare facilities close to The Birch include the Lourdes Medical Centre, Sentul Medical Centre, Hospital KPJ Sentosa KL Specialist, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Institut Perubatan Respiratori and KPJ Tawakkal Specialist.
The Birch is about a 300m walk to the MRT 2 Sentul West station, and it is affordably priced to attract working-class buyers. The medium to long-term outlook for the Jalan Ipoh property market is positive. This is due to its excellent connectivity, central location and proximity to the city centre. It is also close to established and affluent residential suburbs including Sri Hartamas, Mont’Kiara and Kenny Hills.
Accessibility
- Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE)
- Mahameru Highway
- MRT Line 2 – Sentul West station
- KTM Sentul
- LRT Sentul
- LRT Titiwangsa
- KTM Putra
Education
- SMK La Salle Sentul
- SMK (Perempuan) Jalan Ipoh
- Wesley Methodist International School
- Marefat International School
- SK Convent Sentul 1 & 2
- SMK Sentul Utama
- SJK (C) Sentul Kuala Lumpur
- Chong Hwa KL Independent High School
- SJK (C) Chiao Nan
- SJK (C) Chi Man Sentul Kuala Lumpur
- SJK (C) Khai Chee
- SJK (C) Lai Chee
- International University of Malaya-Wales
Medical Care
- Lourdes Medical Centre
- Sentul Medical Centre
- KPJ Sentosa KL Specialist Hospital
- Hospital Kuala Lumpur
- Institut Perubatan Respiratori
- KPJ Tawakkal Specialist Hospital
Shopping
- Suria KLCC
- Sunway Putra Mall
- Publika Shopping Gallery
- Kompleks Mutiara
- Tesco Extra
- Kompleks Sungei Mas
Exhibition
- MATRADE Exhibition Convention Centre (MECC)
- Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC)
Analysis
Jalan Ipoh is predominantly a middle-range neighbourhood and most of the older condominiums are owner-occupied. Newer ones have attracted many investors for their more affordable pricing, compared to places such as Mont’Kiara.
Some condominiums have seen strong value appreciation over the years. For example, Viva Residency was launched in 2006 and completed in 2009, and priced around RM220 per sq ft. A search on PropertyGuru in September 2019 shows that its sub-sale prices are between RM470 psf and RM560 psf. Based on an average of RM515 psf, that would be an increase of 134% over a 10-year period.
Jalan Ipoh’s monthly rental rates are relatively low and still generate decent yields, especially for older projects. Viva Residency has an average asking rent of RM2 psf. Based on a rental of RM1,800 per month and purchase price of RM480,000 for an 840 sq ft unit, the gross rental yield is approximately 4.5%.
Let’s look at another example – Pelangi Indah Condominium. Based on a rental of RM1,100 per month and purchase price of RM250,000 for an 869 sq ft unit, the gross rental yield is approximately 5.28%.
Here’s a quick look at high-rise developments in Jalan Ipoh.
|
Project |
Land Tenure |
Unit Type |
Completion |
Built-up |
Approximate Launch Price |
|
The Birch by SCP Group |
Freehold |
Suite Apartment |
2023 |
611 sq ft – 983 sq ft |
From RM348,000 |
|
The Pano by OCR Group Berhad |
Freehold |
Serviced Residence |
2020 |
609 sq ft – 1,831 sq ft
|
From RM460,550
|
|
Tuan Residency by CPI Land |
Freehold |
Condominium |
2021 |
878 sq ft – 1,018 sq ft |
From RM531,800 |
|
Eco Sky by Eco Sky Development Sdn Bhd |
Freehold |
Serviced Apartment |
2018 |
936 sq ft – 1,905 sq ft |
From RM813,000 |
|
Duta Park Residences by Malton Development Sdn Bhd |
Leasehold |
Serviced Apartment |
2022 |
858 sq ft – 1,618 sq ft
|
From RM450,000
|
|
Court 28 by The Group |
Freehold |
Serviced Apartment |
2019 |
703 sq ft – 934 sq ft |
From RM 492,100 |
Summary
Jalan Ipoh is being transformed by several prominent projects including The Pano, Tuan Residency, Duta Park Residences, Eco Sky, and several others. Newer developments are priced in the mid- to upper-end market segments and are likely to push up prices of existing properties.
The Birch’s general manager Chuah Jin Teik said, “There are several new launches in that area but they are not exactly at the same location. With our pricing strategy, proximity to the MRT station and our designs, we are positive this project will stand out. Also, we see sales picking up at existing projects after the recent general election and we are confident our projects will sell well. We believe that location sells.”
The non-Bumi units begin from RM368,000. So, for a unit priced RM370,000, the monthly repayment would be approximately RM1,648. This is based on a 30-year 90% LTV loan of RM333,000 with an interest rate of 4.3%. This amount is derived from the PropertyGuru Home Loan Calculator.
The Birch was under the government’s initiative to promote homeownership under HOC 2019.
