Some looking across the Causeway to invest in property

With stricter property rules and property prices still buoyant, some Singaporeans and Malaysians are looking to invest in property in Johor.

"These are Singaporeans with existing homes - they are not affected by recent cooling measures," said Neo Keng Hoe, who heads the Singapore office of Malaysian property developer S P Setia International.

"They are looking to invest in the Iskandar Region because of the attractive prices and loans with 80 per cent loan-to-value limit," Mr Neo added.

However, many Singaporean investors are apparently still reluctant about investing in the region.

They could be concerned with crime, said Suntec Chesterton International's head of research and consultancy Colin Tan, adding that investors could also have had "too many bad experiences" with developers there. MORE