This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on September 16, 2024 - September 22, 2024

Along Jalan SS3/29 lies a stretch of 2- and 3-storey shoplots and two petrol stations, marking the main commercial area of the SS3 neighbourhood in Petaling Jaya. This stretch, along with Jalan SS3/31 parallel to it, consists of clinics, mini-markets, convenience stores, car workshops and the neighbourhood food court, Medan Selera Wawasan.

SS3 is a mature residential neighbourhood, surrounded by other residential neighbourhoods such as SS1, SS4 and SS5. Covering roughly 378 acres, SS3 comprises mainly 1- and 2-storey terraced houses as well as semi-detached houses and bungalows built mostly in the 1980s.

The neighbourhood is easily accessible via Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) and the Federal Highway. There is also public transport in the form of the Taman Bahagia LRT station. In addition, the Kelana Jaya and Taman Paramount LRT stations are within a 2km radius of SS3.

The commercial area of Jalan SS3/29 features notable eateries such as Restoran Hup Soon, Restoran Siong Pin, Restoran Uncle Pandian’s, Uncle Cheng Beef Noodles, Kuan Yew Coffee Shop (Western fare) and Fo Guang Shan Water Drop Teahouse.

The street is well patronised by residents of the neighbourhood; for example, a group of senior citizens are known to be regulars at Restoran Siong Pin, reminiscing about the good old days over a cup of hot coffee.

Amenities nearby include Masjid Al-Hidayah Kelana Jaya, Sekolah KAFA Integrasi Al-Hidayah and SMK Sri Permata. The nearest shopping centres, Paradigm Mall, is 2km away and Sunway Pyramid is 3km away.

According to PPC International Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Siders Sittampalam, most properties in SS3 are freehold.

“As the LDP runs parallel to the north and south of SS3, Jalan SS3/29 experiences heavy traffic during peak hours because motorists take a shortcut through it to avoid congestion on the LDP itself,” he says.

While transactions in this street have been limited, some shoplots have seen a price increase. “For example, a 2-storey shoplot with a built-up of 2,749 sq ft and land size of 1,759 sq ft was priced at RM1.35 million in 2017. In 2024, the price has risen to RM1.8 million, indicating a 33.3% increase,” says Siders.

Likewise, a 3-storey intermediate shoplot saw an increase of 8.5% from RM1.75 million in 2012 to RM1.9 million in 2022.

“Owing to a dearth in transactions of similar properties, however, these two sales cannot be said to represent the market at large,” notes Siders.

While there are no asking rents for shoplots along Jalan SS 3/29, he says rental listings have been identified nearby along Jalan SS3/31, Jalan SS3/39 and Jalan SS 3/37. The average asking rent for shoplots with a built-up of 1,800 to 1,900 sq ft are RM2.30 to RM3.80 psf for the ground-floor units; upper-floor units with the same built-up area are RM1 to RM1.60 psf.

Siders has a positive outlook for this street. “SS3 itself is a relatively small pocket of residential development within the larger Petaling Jaya. It is also a mature residential area with some commercial properties and no more land for future development.

“In terms of the continued capital value growth of SS3, it should not be looked at in isolation, but as part of Kelana Jaya and perhaps even Petaling Jaya. We believe the area has good potential for capital appreciation, given that the locality enjoys good accessibility via highways and public transport. Moreover, its proximity to Kuala Lumpur underpins its attraction as a residential neighbourhood,” he explains. 

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