Situated just a little further away from the posh Mont Kiara enclave sits Changkat View – a condominium complex on Jalan Dutamas Raya. Like most other villages and condos that are located in Mont Kiara and the Sri Hartamas areas, the residents of Changkat View also enjoy the easy access of the area through major thoroughfares like the Sprint Highway, the North South Expressway, and the newly-opened Penchala Link. This means that it is also quite a short drive to KL and Petaling Jaya.
But just as close as the Changkat View condos are to the posh living spaces in Mont Kiara and nearby Kenny Hills, Changkat View is far from similar. And in more ways than one. The design of the homes is a good way to start. Maybe even the number of homes in the complex will also define its being different.
Changkat View is located along a stretch of road which is heavily populated by apartments (some new, some old, some very run down); its neighbours are Prima Ria and the two Menara Duta condominiums. The new Concerto North Kiara condominium is about 200m down the road.
Changkat View Prices
Price-wise, the “Segambut” neighborhood (OK, OK, North Kiara) and its not-too-stellar reputation is one thing that keeps the psf rates here a bit lower than its Kiara neighbors. Currently, the price per square foot of a unit at the Changkat View will cost no more than RM 600 – a far cry from the at least RM 800 psf rates of nearby Mont Kiara enclave homes. For context, its neighbours Prima Ria and Menara Duta are at RM300 and RM400 per sq ft respectively. To check if this is the fair price for Changkat View, use this guide.
Either Love It Or Hate It…
Changkat View condos, all 700+ units of them carry a design and layout that’s a little out of the norms of today’s condo units in urban Malaysia. While all the other residences are going for the posh and the relaxed, the resort-esque and the hotel-like, and best of all – the most space-efficient, the Changkat View condos decided to defy all of them.
Changkat View seems to have a “love it or hate it” proposition among Dutamas condos
The units are divided among the four 26-storey buildings, each floor having only eight units each. This, and the fact that you are sharing only a single wall with one other neighbor gives the place a sense of exclusivity. This may be a fake sense of privacy and exclusivity though, as it could only last so long.
Having neighbors in more than 700 plus other units cannot really be all that exclusive, especially when you try to use the shared facilities. There are four types of homes to choose from at the Changkat View, with standard units measuring up to 1,100 sf and the penthouse units measuring about 3,000 sf.
Changkat View units show a rather modernistic layout and design, with units featuring a semi-D layout and rooms that are angled. Some units also have unique features like balconies that sit right in the middle of the room, as well as a really long hallway that brings two units together.
This feature may not exactly be a good use of space but it pretty much gives them something unique to offer to their residents. This feature, however, is not quite popular with families and is a better choice for the young and single homeowners who like the contemporary feel to the units.
Our Analysis
Let it be known that we at PropertyReviews.my are not overly enthusiastic about Dutamas Raya (“North Kiara”) because of the proliferation of some rather run down apartments which plague this area of Segambut. The new launches in the form of Concerto and Verdana (as well as our perennial favourite Mesra Terrace) are poised to change this, but right now we may be adopting a wait-and-see approach – especially when there are no shortage of choices in the “central” Mont Kiara area as well as Kiaramas.
Changkat View specifically do not appeal to the collective tastes of PropertyReviews.my editors; its design seem to be aging quite rapidly (despite being completed in 2009). During one of our regular visits to the area, we found that rubbish bins were indiscriminately and haphazardly “rearranged” right at the grand entrance which was a real turn off.
ADDENDUM: We were told that the rubbish bin arrangements were made to accommodate for the Concerto project, and they have since been cleared (see comments below).
We do, however, recognize that Changkat View may appeal to a certain niche in the property market, and despite its flaws it is one of the better maintained condominiums on Dutamas Raya (although our expectations have now gone sky high with the launches of Verdana and Concerto in the area). Also, the development of KL Metropolis nearby will also have a positive spillover effect on Dutamas properties.
rubbish bin were arranged right the entrance last few months because the construction of the project “Concerto”, they occupied the road, entrance of the rubbish disposal room entrance. Chankat View (CV) need to change to entrance of the rubbish disposal room. Now the rubbish bin are not put on the entrance. Please update.
Done!