The Malaysian Insight

AS property prices surge way beyond what many youths in the city can afford, one young entrepreneur believes he has the answer to those looking to own a house and a plot of land for less than RM100,000.

When 28-year-old Muhamad Azree Abd Rahim decided to built a home fashioned after a steel container three years ago, he never thought his labour of love would resonate with so many others facing the same financial situation.

His container home sits on a tidy 2,400 sq ft plot of land he bought in Kampung Sijangkang, Telok Panglima Garang, 60km from Kuala Lumpur.

The total cost of the land and home is less than RM75,000.

Azree said property prices in the city were too high for him to consider owning a conventional home.

When news of his container home started spreading online, Azree said many people contacted him, seeking advice on how to build similar homes or asking if he could design such a home for them.

“Container homes are the best option for young people. Technology has enabled container homes to be more comfortable and easier to live in.

“But, builders have to ensure they keep the pricing reasonable. Otherwise, it doesn’t solve the problem,” he told The Malaysian Insight, referring to the inability of many young people in major cities to afford buying houses.

Last September, Bernama reported that only 39% of properties up for sale in Malaysia were sold in the first half of last year, compared with the 52% in the same period in 2015.

The Housing and Property Developers Association said last year that the majority of homes that were unable to be sold were those valued at RM500,000 and above as buyers were only able to obtain bank loans of between 75% and 80%, and could not afford to foot the balance.

Azree said at least 10 people had sought his advice on building container homes.

“After it went viral, many people started making container homes, including incorporating the design into a hotel. Six people came to me with the serious intention of building homes.

“A friend of mine is building a container home in Kedah. In the area where I live, there is another container home.

“Many others just ask me for advice. I don’t provide building services, but I can give advice to those who are interested,” said the young man from Kluang, Johor.

Stepping out of the comfort zone

Azree said the younger generation must be bold and think outside the box if they wanted to do well.

He said he decided to venture out on his own and set up a company designing wesites. A section of his home will soon be renovated to serve as an office space.

“Not all work opportunities are in the city. The younger generation should look at the potential of finding jobs outside the city and not be too picky when it comes to location.

“They should step out of their comfort zone and check out opportunities that are not limited to salaried jobs. The problem will not solve itself, so it needs to be faced head on.”

He said he only had to take a 10-year loan for his container home, a big difference compared with the 30-year loan he would have had to take had he bought a conventional home nearer to the city.

“In terms of commitment, I only have seven years left. Yes, I still needed a loan, but the repayment duration is so much shorter.

“Thankfully, this home is still sturdy, and I will keep repairing and improving it based on my creativity.” – August 20, 2017.