Author Topic: Why not Butterworth? (Read 1373 times)

HIDDEN · « **on:** March 13, 2010, 07:04:24 AM »

Hi

I love Penang absolutely and would not consider anywhere else if we were to retire to Malaysia. I am just wondering about Butterworth as a place to consider seeing it is close to Penang. Any thoughts?

HIDDEN · « **Reply #1 on:** March 13, 2010, 07:47:10 AM »

Pros: much cheaper housing than Penang Island; closer to golf courses.
Cons: everything else!

HIDDEN · « **Reply #2 on:** March 13, 2010, 07:59:16 AM »

Pros: much cheaper housing than Penang Island; closer to golf courses.
Cons: everything else!

That is pretty broad John B, can you elaborate

Spider

HIDDEN · « **Reply #3 on:** March 13, 2010, 08:41:27 AM »

Taking the ferry from Penang to Butterworth is like moving from one country to another. Both are very special in their own way.
Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your view) Butterworth is not to Penang as Kowloon is to Hong Kong Island.
Take a trip across and look for yourself. It could be that Butterworth will really take off when they finish the second bridge but it could remain the sleepy little town that it is today.

HIDDEN · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2010, 09:31:25 AM »

I wouldn't qualify Butterworth as a sleepy little town. It certainly has a different feel then Penang Island and IMHO there are a bit more pro's than stated above:
*Food, cheap and very good quality. Both Radja Uda and Buckit Mertajam are packed with Restaurants. (http://www.vkeong.com/tag/bukit-mertajam/) If I really want good seafood I don't even try on the Island but drive straight to a good place in Radja Uda.
*Shopping, just about everyting is 10% to 20% procent cheaper then in the island.
*Property prices are about 30% to 40% lower then on the Island. Have look here: http://www.tambunindah.com/main.aspx
*The traffic is less busy.
*Access to the rest of Malaysia. It can taken up to an hour to get over the bridge from Tanjung Bungah. One hour from Butterworth you are already in Taiping, more great seafood, or Kuala Kedah for the ferry to Langkawi.

Having all that said: although I love to visit the mainland, also because some very good friends are living there, I still prefer to live on the Island, Tanjung Bungah to be more precise

HIDDEN · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2010, 11:17:47 AM »

I was just about to ask John B to elaborate on his statement too before noticing that Spider shared the same conclusion!

We stayed in Butterworth back in the early 1980's for a couple of years and I must say that I did yearn for Penang back then. Love Tanjung Bungah or is it Tanjung Tokong - the area near Fettes Park? There is a hospital there run by the nuns. I think it was called Mount Miriam and this old Catholic church.....kind of at the top of a hill, if you can call it that. Is that church still there?

Is there any housing estate near the ferry or the bridge that is worth considering in Butterworth side?

Cupert

HIDDEN · « **Reply #6 on:** March 14, 2010, 07:52:48 PM »

Hi Cupert,

When we moved to Malaysia we were staying at Tanjung Bungah for about 1 1/2 year. Short time after we arrived, we were looking around for a place to buy, but I didn't like staying in a Condo (never know who will stay on top of you) but prefer landed property. On the other side I like it having pool area etc in the premise.
So we tried to find a gated community with full facilities, but couldn't find it on the island. Some more, after a while got a bit troubled to check the hour of the day whenever you were planning to go downtown (you don't want to get stucked in a school area when they are finishing class, believe me!).
Than we got introduced to an ongoing project in Butterworth, what they called a "landed condo" and that's what it is...
We are now living here around 1/2 year and we love the place!
I only can confirm all the "Pros" my friend Stuurman did mention before...
We are about 3-5 minutes from the ferry and very closed to everything for your daily needs (and more)....
Walking distance for food, minute drives to super markets (Giant, Jusco, Tesco extra) and shopping mall (Sunway)
And a trip to the airport takes me 30 to max 45 minutes - from Tanjung Bungah it can take you 60 minutes upto 1 1/2 hour, depending on the time of day...
Frankly speaking, the only con for me is, that it takes me a little while longer to meet up with my friends who are staying on the island.... (but as long as the AC in the car works its not a big deal) - but if you are lucky and the ferry is just waiting for you, than it takes me a click only to visit them...
Click on the link, if you want to get some info about my place:
http://www.tambunindah.com/html/completed_details.aspx?PID=17&ID=97&CatName=3%20Storey%20Courtyard%20Terrace%20(%20A%20Gated%20Community)&Repost=True
or drop by, if you want to have a closer look into it.... There is always a hot coffee, cool tiger or one of my "famous" frozen daiquiris available...

But be aware... my wife's cousin from Australia had a look - bought the house to my left side right away
my brother in law stayed with us for a long weekend - bought the house to my right side

Unfortunately there is no buying from the developer anymore and the price on the second market is above 500K now... but that's still less than half what it would cost you on the island...

Ok - guess that's enough promotion

There are some more places around here as well as a new one coming up from the same developer.. check it out.... the mainland is no longer the kampong as it was years ago...

Ciao

Udo

HIDDEN · « **Reply #7 on:** March 15, 2010, 12:13:06 AM »

Quote

or drop by, if you want to have a closer look into it.... There is always a hot coffee, cool tiger or one of my "famous" frozen daiquiris available...

That will be most delightful especially as we will be in Penang from 14April for nine days! May take you up on that offer!

HIDDEN · « **Reply #8 on:** March 15, 2010, 12:39:09 PM »

You are most welcome...
just let me know when you are here and we can arrange "a good time" - can arrange a gathering with some other forum friends, too - right Paul?

See you than

Ciao
Udo

HIDDEN · « **Reply #9 on:** March 15, 2010, 02:35:55 PM »

You know I never say no to a few frozen daiquiris

HIDDEN · « **Reply #10 on:** March 15, 2010, 02:46:28 PM »

I know, I know....

unfortunately there is no power plug at the beach tonight - so can't use the blender

in any way, will bring some "premix" along...

See you later

HIDDEN · « **Reply #11 on:** March 15, 2010, 05:07:49 PM »

hi,

Talking about Butterworth, I read sometime back that a mm2h agent was handling many Japanese applications, and was thinking of getting together with a developer, or becoming a developer, to build houses/units for the Japanese mm2h market. Don't know if it happened.

adiosu.

HIDDEN · « **Reply #12 on:** March 15, 2010, 05:58:22 PM »

Quote from: HIDDEN on March 15, 2010, 05:07:49 PM

hi,

Talking about Butterworth, I read sometime back that a mm2h agent was handling many Japanese applications, and was thinking of getting together with a developer, or becoming a developer, to build houses/units for the Japanese mm2h market. Don't know if it happened.

adiosu.

That is interesting Scott.
When we were in Motour in Kl getting our visa in Jan. we had lunch with an older Japanese guy also getting his visa.
He told us he was into developing a Japanese style Old Folks Home in the Penang/Butterworth area.
Seems there is a market for wealthy Japanese to retire in Malaysia and be looked after by low-cost Malaysian help.
I told him that most maids etc. came from Indonesia. He was aware of that and indicated he probably needed to import staff although he and his wife would run the Home.

My wife (Indonesian) was eager to become his recruiter, but I'm scared it would upset the RI government if we were to indulge in trafficking people. Particularly as there is some bad press about the treatment of Indonesians in Malaysia.

There's another million dollar idea gone south....

Its like the classic Taiwan ice buckets that I wanted to sell some years back. I didn't know that some people wouldn't want ice from what was a converted URN for burial ashes!
I had to give some away....In hindsight, I should have sold to a funeral director.

David

HIDDEN · « **Reply #13 on:** March 15, 2010, 06:43:41 PM »

Hi Guys

You are so amazing. Would really love to meet up with you when we are in Penang. Arriving in KL on Tuesday, 13, overnight in KL and then onward to Penang on Wednesday, 14. We will be staying at the E&O. Not planning to do an awful lot. What I had in mind is to explore GT by foot but that is also depending on how I survive the humidity and the heat.

Would you like us to bring food stuff over from Sydney, some kangaroo steaks, perhaps or buffalo meat?

Ahhh! I forgot that there are plenty of buffalos in Malaysia! What about some witchetty grubs or iguana steaks!!

Happy to bring some duty free liquor as our contribution towards the daiquiris. Just let me know what type of liquor goes towards the 'making' of daiquiris.

HIDDEN · « **Reply #14 on:** March 16, 2010, 07:16:27 AM »

hi, David,

Those are great ideas. Remember Edison, 100 ideas, 99 fails and bingo, the light-bulb amongst others.

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Why not Butterworth?