A Malaysian man going by the username @izzuddin_676 on Threads has gone viral after openly admitting that the studio unit he bought in Bangi back in 2017 for RM300,000 has since dropped in value to just RM240,000.
A RM60,000 loss, and he still can’t sell it without topping up cash out of his own pocket.
His post, which racked up over 75,000 views and 1,200 likes, is striking a nerve because it challenges one of the most repeated pieces of financial advice in Malaysia: that property prices always go up.
So what actually happened?
Izzuddin bought his studio apartment roughly 500 sq ft at Bangi, Kajang, at a launch price of RM300,000.
The plan was to rent it out or list it on Airbnb and generate passive income. Young, hopeful, FOMO-fuelled. We’ve all been there.
It didn’t quite work out. Airbnb bookings were sparse. Rental income came in below his monthly loan installment.
And when he eventually tried to sell, he found the market had moved just not in the direction he was promised.
The selling price at the time didn’t match the actual market value. The agent and developer propped up the price, said the area was great, expats would move in, it’s near the university.
“They marked it up way above market value. I didn’t know what market value was, so I just bought it because I could afford it.”
Two to three years after purchase, the price went back to its real market value.
He’s now sitting on a unit worth less than what he paid, locked into a 30-year loan, with limited options: rental income that doesn’t cover his installment, an Airbnb that barely gets bookings, and a sale that would require him to top up cash just to close.
“I’m currently stuck,” he said simply.
‘I just swallowed everything the agent said’
Rather than retreating in embarrassment, Izzuddin stayed in the replies and gave refreshingly candid answers to everyone who showed up with questions, hot takes, and the occasional “bro, what were you thinking.”
He also admitted to believing everything the agent told him and not doing his own research,
Izzuddin also explained exactly why prices can fall: when developers inflate launch prices far beyond real market value, a correction is almost inevitable especially in non-prime areas drowning in unsold units.
“The smart buyer waits until a year or two after a development’s launch sales are done, then picks up a unit at bargain price. In any condo with hundreds of units, there will always be a few owners who can’t sustain the payments and let go cheaply.”
Malaysia’s property overhang is very real
This isn’t just one guy’s bad luck. It’s part of a structural issue that’s been quietly building across the country.
As Izzuddin pointed out backed by a Google search result he screenshotted and posted, Malaysia’s property overhang stood at nearly 44,794 residential units valued at RM30.87 billion as of the first half of 2025.
And it’s the mid-range condominiums in the RM200K–RM600K range that are piling up unsold, not just luxury penthouses in KLCC.
Another commenter, @nadhinim, backed this up with her own experience: her sister-in-law’s property in the KL area had also dropped in value. Proof that what happened in Bangi isn’t an isolated case.
One day, when too many units that were supposed to be affordable are no longer affordable for locals, sellers will have no choice but to drop prices on unsold units.”
So what should you actually do?
Izzuddin’s advice, distilled from painful personal experience, is worth saving:
- Understand Market Value before you sign anything. Check what similar units in the same area are actually transacting for not what the agent tells you they’re worth. Use sources like Brickz.my or JPPH to check real transaction data.
- Don’t swallow the agent’s pitch whole. Agents get paid when you buy. Their optimism is a feature of their business model, not unbiased financial advice. Jangan telan bulat-bulat. (Don’t trust everything that’s being said)
- Location is everything. Prime areas with genuine demand tend to hold or appreciate. Non-prime areas hyped with promises of incoming expats and new MRT stations? Be very, very sceptical until you see the receipts.
- Run the rental yield numbers honestly. If realistic rental income doesn’t cover your monthly loan installment, you’re subsidising a tenant’s rent with your own money, indefinitely. That’s not passive income; that’s a monthly donation.
- Smart buyers wait. In a development with hundreds of units, some owners will always struggle and let go below market price. Patience is a legitimate investment strategy.
View on Threads
