{
  "id": 12292500,
  "title": "Developers juggle costs, buyers count the cost",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/developers-juggle-costs-buyers-count-the-cost",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-06T03:31:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/property/2026/10/1548774/developers-juggle-costs-buyers-count-cost"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's property sector is grappling with rising construction costs, which are squeezing developers' profit margins and making already expensive homes even less affordable for buyers. According to the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) Malaysia, construction costs have surged by an average of 13% in the first half of 2026. The association's Property Industry Survey for the same period revealed that 81% of 181 respondents reported higher business costs, up from 74% in the second half of 2025.\n\nProperty consultant Samuel Tan highlighted the challenge faced by developers in balancing rising costs without making homes less affordable. He noted that developers cannot indefinitely absorb higher costs, nor can they pass the full increase on to buyers without further straining affordability. Tan suggested that the government should consider measures in the 2027 budget to reduce the cost of housing delivery, such as streamlining approval processes, reviewing development-related charges, and encouraging more cost-efficient construction methods.\n\nThe issue at hand is not just the cost of building a house, but whether the final price remains within Malaysians' purchasing power. Rehda is calling for Budget 2027 measures to address both the cost of delivering homes and improving Malaysians' ability to finance their purchases. Construction cost inflation is a broader industry concern in Malaysia, with rising input costs affecting not only developers but also housing affordability. In early 2026, the Ministry of Economy reported that prices of seven key building materials had risen by an average of 12.59%, due to global supply chain disruptions and domestic fuel price adjustments.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Rising housing delivery costs are emerging as a growing concern for Malaysia’s property sector, putting pressure on developers’ margins while threatening to make already expensive homes even less affordable for buyers.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}