6 Reasons for Buying a Renovated Unit versus an empty unit

6 Reasons for Buying a Renovated Unit versus an empty unit

When I bought my first property back in 2002, it was a partially renovated unit.

The owner wanted to sell because he was moving to the first floor of his new shophouse. I was getting married and, after some advice from my father-in-law, I decided that perhaps it was time to own instead of rent.

The renovation cost me about RM15,000, including extending the master-bedroom bathroom because the original one was simply too small.

I stayed there for almost six years.

Eventually, I sold it with an appreciation of slightly more than RM100,000.

Interestingly, one reason buyers liked my unit was quite simple:

My bathroom was bigger than all other units in the development. Haha.

That experience probably explains why I have always been quite interested in renovated secondary-market properties.

And today, with renovation costs becoming increasingly expensive, I think this strategy deserves another look.

#1 – I MAY BE BUYING SOMEONE ELSE’S RENOVATION

This is probably my favourite reason.

My third property was a fully renovated unit in Kelana Jaya.

The previous owner had already spent money on the kitchen cabinets, master-bedroom wardrobe and TV cabinet. There was even a sofa that was still in good condition.

I estimated that I saved at least RM50,000 simply because I didn’t have to do those things myself.

And this is the interesting part about renovation.

The owner may not recover the full renovation cost when selling.

Suppose the property itself is worth RM500,000.

The owner spent RM200,000 renovating it.

Does that mean the property is now worth RM700,000?

Not necessarily. The market doesn’t care how much the owner spent.

This creates an opportunity for the next buyer.

#2 – RENOVATION COSTS ARE NOT WHAT THEY USED TO BE

This point has become even more relevant today.

A 2025 New Straits Times report highlighted how renovation and repair costs are putting additional pressure on buyers of Malaysian subsale properties. One homeowner who bought a RM80,000 second-hand landed property saw renovation costs rise to RM60,000 from an initial RM35,000 budget. Another homeowner spent about RM20,000 on a RM500,000 home, while a Petaling Jaya buyer was quoted around RM300,000 for major renovation and refurbishment works. 

The lesson?

Don’t just look at the purchase price.

A RM500,000 empty property isn’t necessarily cheaper than a RM550,000 renovated property.

If I have to spend RM100,000 renovating the RM500,000 property, my actual cost becomes RM600,000.

Suddenly, the RM550,000 property looks quite interesting.

#3 – I SAVE TIME

This is another big one. Renovation takes time.

Find contractor.

Get quotation.

Compare quotation.

Negotiate.

Choose materials.

Wait.

Wait some more.

Then inspect the work.

Then discover something isn’t quite right.

Then ask for rectification.

Haha.

From my own experience, even 45 to 60 days can be a very optimistic timeline for a significant renovation.

And if this is an investment property, every month that the property is empty is potentially a month without rental income.

So if I can buy a property that is already renovated and reasonably ready for a tenant, I may be buying something more valuable than just kitchen cabinets.

I’m buying time.

#4 – LESS HASSLE, LESS STRESS

I actually enjoy doing things myself.

But there is a difference between:

“I enjoy choosing the design.”

and

“I enjoy managing a renovation project.”

They are not the same thing.

Contractors have schedules.

Suppliers have delays.

Materials can be unavailable.

The workmanship may not match expectations.

And sometimes the contractor who looked fantastic during the sales pitch doesn’t look quite as fantastic during delivery.

For my own home, perhaps I am willing to go through all this.

For an investment property?

I would ask myself:

Why create more work if I don’t need to?

#5 – WHAT I SEE IS WHAT I GET

This is probably the biggest psychological advantage.

When buying an empty unit, we imagine what it could become.

The artist’s impression looks fantastic.

The renovation plan looks fantastic.

The quotation looks fantastic.

Then the final product arrives.

Hmm…

Maybe not quite as fantastic.

With a renovated unit, I can walk in and see the actual product.

I can inspect the kitchen.

Open the cabinets.

Look at the flooring.

Check the bathroom.

Look at the lighting.

See whether the renovation was done properly.

There is much less guesswork.

And because it is a secondary property, I can also inspect the building and surrounding neighbourhood.

This fits nicely with why I like the secondary market in the first place.

What I see is what I get.

#6 – IT MAY BE EASIER TO RENT OUT

This one is particularly relevant for investors.

An empty unit gives me a blank canvas. But a blank canvas also means more work. I do not wish to rent out an empty unit as I prefer a higher-end tenant instead.

If the property is already renovated and furnished appropriately, I may be able to target tenants who are willing to pay more for comfort and convenience.

Of course, I need to be careful here.

Renovation does not automatically mean higher rental.

Tenants don’t necessarily pay RM500 more simply because I spent RM100,000 renovating.

The rental market still determines what the property can command.

So before buying, I would check actual rental listings and, preferably, actual rental transactions or evidence from comparable units.

NAPIC now provides residential transaction and price data across states, districts, property types and price ranges, while its latest portal includes Q1 2026 transaction and residential-price publications. 

SO, SHOULD WE ALWAYS BUY RENOVATED?

No lah.

A renovated property can still be overpriced.

And sometimes a completely untouched property is exactly what I want.

If the location is fantastic, the price is attractive and the renovation required is manageable, buying an unrenovated property can create value.

But I don’t want to assume:

“Renovation means expensive.”

Sometimes the opposite is true.

The previous owner may have spent RM150,000 renovating the property.

I may be able to buy it for only RM30,000–RM50,000 more than a comparable unrenovated unit.

In that situation, I may effectively be buying RM150,000 worth of renovation for RM50,000.

That is when it gets interesting.

Malaysia’s residential market remains active too. NAPIC recorded 120,307 residential transactions in H1 2025, representing 61.3% of all property transactions during the period. 

So there is still a large secondary market for us to search.

And that’s exactly what I would do.

Search. Compare. Inspect. Calculate. Negotiate.

Happy property hunting.

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Sources

• Original Kopiandproperty article — “Property Investment 101: 6 Reasons for Buying Renovated Units” — the original article and the basis for this refreshed version, including my 2002 first-property experience and six original reasons. 
• New Straits Times — “Sub-sale market buyers need better protection” (3 November 2025) — examples of escalating renovation and repair costs faced by Malaysian subsale buyers, including labour, materials, electrical, plumbing and structural works. 
• NAPIC — Property Market Status Report 2025 — official Malaysian residential-market data, including new launches and sales performance. 
• NAPIC — H1 2025 Property Market Snapshot — official transaction data showing residential property remained the largest property sub-sector by transaction volume. 
• NAPIC — Property Transaction and Data Visualisation — official sources for residential transaction, price, district, property-type and price-range data, including the latest Q1 2026 publications.