WHERE can you find a home in which your big master bedroom window opens out to a golf course and a forested area? From the back of the unit, you can also enjoy a view of a park just across the road and a commercial centre located conveniently about 1km away.

Hard to find, isn't it? However, people who had the foresight when they visited the 5.3-acre vacant site of the Casa Indah Condominiums (or Casa Indah 1) in the Damansara Indah Resort Homes in Selangor two years ago knew they had found their “dream haven”.

They are now rewarded for their right decision as prices are said to have shot up by a hefty 30%! Real estate agents have been calling up buyers enquiring whether they wanted to sell their units even before they have received their keys. Handing over of vacant possession is expected to be this month.

Casa Indah 1 has been completed (the certificate of fitness will be issued soon) and has exceeded purchasers’ expectations.

It comprises two 20-storey condo blocks (209 units per block) and two blocks of four-storey condo-villas (40 units per block). The selling price was only RM187,900 and the current price is RM242,900, an increase of 30% within 21⁄2 years – one of the highest appreciation in the area.

The condo-villa units with 3+1 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms measure 1,347 sq ft to 1,794 sq ft. They were originally priced an average of RM330,000.

Despite the higher price tag, people still pick this project over other condominiums in the vicinity probably because of the golf course “wow” factor and the less congested location compared to the other side of the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) where several fairly new condominiums like the Opal Damansara, Palm Spring @ Damansara, and Pelangi Damansara are located.

The resort's developer, Dijaya Corp Bhd, is showcasing its Casa Indah 1 to promote the current launch of the adjacent Casa Indah 2 condominium that will be even better.

To give potential purchasers an idea of the quality product they could expect from Casa Indah 2, the company showed them Casa Indah 1's fine and detailed workmanship and the lovely view of the Seri Selangor Golf Club, also designed and built by Dijaya.

I checked out Casa Indah 1 recently and I must say the developer has done a good job. For example, it has installed decorative wrought-iron gates for the lift lobby entrances so that residents can see who are on the other side of the passageway and vice versa. Such gates are also installed at all the units between the shoe rack foyer and the main entrance door for double protection.

The long sheltered car park in front of the two low-rise blocks enables residents to park their cars right in front of their units (only two units per floor). They can then walk straight to their units on the ground floor or take a lift up to the top unit at level 4. The insulated curved roof reduces the heat.

There is also a multi-security system at the main entrance (two guard houses), car park entrance and lift lobby as well as CCTV cameras at strategic locations. An intercom system in every unit is connected to the guardhouse.

Facilities include resort-style swimming pool and wading pool, children’s playground barbecue pit, gymnasium, multi-purpose hall, and a stage area for family activities.
The bedrooms at the back of units in the high-rise blocks have a pleasant view of the undulating Taman Jelutong opposite Persiaran Surian. From level 18, I could see a lot of greenery and some nice houses, including big mansions, dotting the landscape. The Tropicana Golf & Country Resort is just next door.

The developer has given much thought in the planning of this condominium.

The units have a North-South orientation, which helps to reduce the sun’s heat. The multi-storey car park faces the busy Persiaran Surian (many people mistook this side as the front when actually it is the back), thus offering an unobstructed view of the lovely golf course for the low-rise units and most of the high-rise units.

Units on the first few floors of the high-rise blocks can have a good view of the irregular-shaped swimming pool and recreational area (with stage and children’s play area) below.

“Casa Indah 1 has been completed and the result has exceeded my expectations,” said Dijaya group managing director P.K. Poh.

“We've paid a lot of attention to details and spent much time refining them. All our buyers are happy that prices have escalated considerably. Our phones have also not stopped ringing from people asking to buy a unit. We had to ask them to buy Phase 2 which promises to be even better.”

He said some people bought two adjacent units so that they could have the whole floor for themselves. “Some buyers now regret that they did not buy two units. Our top to bottom glass windows enable you to look out at the golf course from the bed of your master bedroom.

People outside can’t see you as there are no tall buildings in front of you except the golf course,” Poh said, adding that “prices of the low-rise villas have shot up from RM330,000 to between RM400,000 and RM420,000!”