by NUR HAZIQAH A MALEK / pic by HUSSEIN SHAHARUDDIN

SHAH Alam and Ara Damansara both are the most searched areas on the iProperty.com.my website by Malaysian homebuyers in 2019.

Ranked according to consumers’ search behaviour data by the property website’s big data solution iPropertyIQ.com, these two areas recorded the highest number of searches from January to November 2019, with 34.12%.

The property website said one thing in common among the top 10 areas searched is easy accessibility to amenities.

“The iProperty.com.my’s customised point-of-interest feature is integrated into the maps of the searched property to help homebuyers make better decisions in terms of how convenient it is to access, for example, the nearest hospitals, schools and shopping malls.

“Homebuyers are able to view the distance and route to these amenities surrounding their desired property, all in one convenient view,” it said in a press statement last Friday.

In the list, Shah Alam topped the chart with 17.14% overall of searches, which is a top pick for those who want to live in greener, quieter surroundings with access to multiple amenities, alongside being an international education hub and a high accessibility area via multiple roads.

The Shah Alam properties are also expected to be boosted in capital growth with the future Light Rail Transit Line 3 (LRT3) which consists of six stations in Shah Alam, and slated for 2024 completion.

Ara Damansara is also becoming a fast favourite among homebuyers due to its strategic location in the middle of prime locations, namely Bandar Utama, Sunway, Glenmarie and Kota Damansara.

The area’s major feature is its accessibility, with two new LRT stations along the Kelana Jaya line and the six-lane dual carriageway Subang Airport Highway and Subang Kelana-Link Interchange, while the second access is via the New Klang Valley Expressway tunnel through Crimson Condominium to Damansara-Puchong Expressway.

The area is also self-sustained with amenities, such as shopping malls, clinics, cinema, international schools and restaurants.

Following the top two is Cheras with a search percentage of 13.15%, with its area boasting a variety of house types and amenities for a diverse demographic of homebuyers.

The area also has many infrastructure developments to cater to its large population, which is evident from the mass rapid transit (MRT) stations linked conveniently to shopping malls such as MyTown, IKEA Cheras and Sunway Velocity, thus totalling to 11 MRT stations within Cheras.

Bandar Utama tailed the ranking at fourth place with 12.22% search percentage, and Semenyih with 11.96%, Petaling Jaya raking in a 7.91% search percentage.

Taking seventh place in the ranking is Rawang with 5.5% search percentage, followed by Subang Jaya with 5.19%, Johor Baru at 5.16% and Puchong with 4.79%.