マレーシア/Malaysia
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英語(English) |
中国語(Chinese)
Chance of
Capital Appreciation: Excellent
Malaysia has always been one of the favorite Asian property
markets. During the boom it never overheated, with growth remaining steady at around 10% per year. Now, after a short
recession (about four months), it has fallen into the same trap as many
Asian markets that survived the crunch unscathed and has overheated. However,
the government is already acting to slow growth to bring the market to
a soft landing, from where steady growth can resume. Malaysian property
is therefore a safe bet for capital appreciation over long-term ownership.
Few Restrictions on Foreign
OwnershipBecause Malaysia is formerly a part of the British
Empire, it has many laws left over from that time. One is a very relaxed system
on foreign property purchases. Foreigners may buy any property, anywhere in
Malaysia, as long as it costs more than RM500,000(€124,500), although they are
currently trying to make it RM1million (€249,000).
First Language is
EnglishMalaysia is a fantastic place to move to and work,
especially for those from English-speaking countries or who are fluent in
English. This is because English has been the first language ever since it was
part of the British Empire. This also makes it easier to buy property because
all contracts are in English as well.
Foreigners May Obtain
FinancingForeigners may easily obtain mortgages in Malaysia,
both from Malaysian banks like Maybank and from international banks operating in
the country, including HSBC.& CIMB may be up to 70 -80 % normal 15-20 years
depending on the age of the investor, PLUS his home pay-slips .
Relaxed Tax
RegimeWhile it is about average on things like income tax,
Malaysia has a very relaxed tax regime including no annual wealth taxes, no
estate duties, no gift taxes, no accumulated earnings tax, no federal (as
opposed to national) income tax, no controlled foreign company legislation, no
thin capitalization rules (yet) and no transfer pricing rule.
After being
abolished, capital gains tax was recently reinstated on property sales to curb
speculation. Currently, gains from the sale of property are taxed on a sliding
scale: from 10% if a property is sold in Year 1, to 0% if it is held for more
than five years.
Income tax for non-residents is a flat 26%, payable on
Malaysian-sourced income. However, permanent residents are classed as resident,
and resident individuals are taxed on chargeable income at graduated rates from
2% to 30%, after the deduction of tax relief.
First-Class
HealthcareAnother remnant of its being a British colony is a
world-class healthcare system. In fact it is so good that medical tourism is
taking off.
Growing
EconomyAfter one of the shortest recessions of the financial
crisis, the Malaysian economy has been growing strongly since 2010. According to
the CIA World Factbook, Malaysian GDP rebounded from a 1.7% contraction in 2009
and grew 7.2% in 2010, then 5.2% last year. What’s more, reports indicate great
growth in job opportunities for skilled foreigners as the country
develops.
Outside
Natural Disaster Danger ZoneMalaysia is outside the Pacific
Ring of Fire so there is little risk of earthquakes, tornadoes and
tsunamis.
Cheap
PropertyWhile prices have grown rapidly of late, Malaysian
property prices are still low compared to many developed nations. For example,
it is possible to pick up an attractive 2-storey, 4-bedroom townhouse in Bukit
Bandaraya, Jalan Medang Serai or Kuala Lumpur for just 1.35m Malaysian Ringitt,
which is over the foreign ownership limit, and currently converts to
£274,000.
Possible
DrawbacksDisease, in particular tuberculosis, is epidemic.
Of course, most developed nations immunize against TB in childhood, but this is
certainly worth consideration. AIDS is also a big problem in Malaysia.