KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 24): The Johor property market is showing strong momentum on the back of projects such as the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
However, Olive Tree Property Consultants (Johor) Sdn Bhd CEO Samuel Tan said the real challenge is not a property bubble but a mismatch between supply and demand, alongside rising material, labour and compliance costs that are weighing on affordability.
Speaking at a webinar on Tuesday (Sept 23) titled “Johor Property Under the Lens: Growth Story or Bubble Risk?”, Tan noted that misleading sales tactics have compounded the problem.
“Today, we hear on social media about one-day sales announcements — projects being launched and selling out within a day. This can be true, partly true or totally untrue,” Tan said.
He explained that some cases involve collusion with marketing agencies, where units are booked at a nominal sum and then reported as sales or bookings being misinterpreted as transactions. In other cases, false news may be circulated “just to excite the market”.
As a safeguard, Tan urged for preventive measures, including stronger due diligence by regulators, a greater push for affordable housing, legal penalties for collusion and the use of technology to better align supply with actual demand.
At the same event, PropertyGuru head of real estate intelligence Lee Nai Jia highlighted that Singaporean buyers continue to play a key role in Johor’s property market.
“Among them are retirees seeking affordability and families enrolling their children in international schools in Johor,” he said, adding that many are Malaysians holding Singapore permanent residency.
Still, Lee cautioned that demand patterns remain volatile and are easily swayed by external factors such as currency fluctuations and geopolitical tensions.
While Johor’s growth story is underpinned by major infrastructure projects and cross-border demand, both speakers stressed that transparency, affordability and data-driven policies are critical to ensuring that momentum translates into sustainable, long-term gains rather than a speculative bubble.
The webinar was organised by PEPS Venture, a wholly-owned entity of the Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents and Property Consultants in the Private Sector Malaysia (PEPS).