Big freehold homes, five to a floor, inside The Light City in Gelugor
Lightwater Residences The Light City
Lightwater Residences @ The Light City, Gelugor, Penang
The Light City, 11700 Gelugor, Penang island
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Project Details
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Development
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Lightwater Residences @ The Light City, Gelugor, Penang
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Developer
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Jaringan Simfoni Sdn Bhd (IJM Perennial Development)
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Land Title
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Residential title under the Housing Development Act
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Land Area
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2.87 acres
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Tenure
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Freehold
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No. of Towers
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Total Units
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262 Units
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Total Floors
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34
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Total Unit Per Floor
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5
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Lifts Per Floor
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5 passenger lifts + 2 bomba lifts per tower; private lift lobby for each unit
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Unit Size
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Type A / A1 / A2 | 1,152 sq.ft. | 2 Bedroom
Type B / B3 | 1,410 sq.ft. | 3 Bedroom Type B2 | 1,561 sq.ft. | 3 Bedroom Type B1 | 1,572 sq.ft. | 3 Bedroom Type C | 1,690 sq.ft. | 3+1 Bedroom Type D1 / D2 | 2,454 sq.ft. | 4+1 Bedroom Type E1 / E2 | 3,186 sq.ft. | 5+1 Bedroom |
What You Get at Lightwater Residences
Five Homes on Each Floor
Five units a floor, five passenger lifts and two fire lifts in each tower, and a private lift lobby for every unit, so you share very little with the neighbours on your level.
Two to Five-Plus Bedrooms
Twelve layouts: A, A1 and A2 at 1,152 sq ft (2 bedrooms), B to B3 at 1,410 to 1,572 sq ft (3 bedrooms), C at 1,690 sq ft (3+1), D1 and D2 at 2,454 sq ft (4+1) and E1 and E2 at 3,186 sq ft (5+1).
Parking Grows With the Unit
A types come with two or three car parks, B and C types with three or four, and D and E types with four. Every unit also has one locker for storage.
Linked to the Waterfront
The project has its own lobby with a link to the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre and The Waterfront Shoppes, and residents get direct access to the waterfront promenade.
Facilities on Levels 6 and 25
Level 6 has the main, private and wading pools, a gym, a multipurpose hall, playgrounds, music and media rooms and gardens; Level 25 has a sky lounge, private dining, a sauna and a jacuzzi.
Smart Features and Upkeep
EV charging stations, a residents' app and QR-code visitor management are included. The maintenance fee is estimated at RM0.53 psf plus a 10% sinking fund.
Lightwater Residences Layout Plans
The Light City, Gelugor waterfront
Ask About Lightwater Residences
What Lightwater Residences @ The Light City, Gelugor, Penang costs to own
Worked from the published figures on this page.
| Starting price | RM2,055,000 |
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| Roughly per square foot, at the smallest layout | RM1,784 |
| Stamp duty on the transfer, Malaysian buyer | RM66,200 |
| Stamp duty on the transfer, foreign buyer (flat 8%) | RM164,400 |
| Stamp duty on the loan agreement | 0.5% of your loan amount |
Transfer stamp duty for a Malaysian buyer is 1% on the first RM100,000, 2% on the next RM400,000, 3% on the next RM500,000 and 4% above RM1 million. Foreign individuals and companies pay a flat 8% from 1 January 2026.
How dense it is
| Units per floor | 5 |
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Who it suits
- Buyers who need more room. The larger layouts reach 3,186 sq ft.
- Buyers who can wait. Completion is expected in 2029 (targeted Q1 2029), so budget for rent until then.
- Foreign buyers. The starting price clears Penang's RM1,000,000 minimum for a foreign buyer of a strata home on Penang island; each purchase needs State Authority approval, applied for through a lawyer.
Who it may not suit
- You need to move in before 2029. Completion is expected in 2029, about 3 years after signing this year, so plan to rent or stay where you are until then.
- You want a compact first home. The smallest layout here is 1,152 sq ft.
What to confirm before you sign
- The service charge per square foot. It is the cost you carry every month for as long as you own, and it varies several times over between buildings.
- Car park allocation in writing. Some city projects allocate none; you rent a bay monthly instead.
- The delivery date in the sale and purchase agreement, not the one in the brochure.
Prices are gross and change with unit and floor. Last checked .
Holding Lightwater Residences month to month
For the starting-price unit of Lightwater Residences, at RM2,055,000, a 90% loan of RM1,849,500 repaid over 35 years at 4% a year, my example rate, costs about RM8,189 a month. The entry unit here, 1,152 sq ft, carries a service charge of about RM611 a month, and the sinking fund adds RM61. Budget roughly RM8,861 a month, not yet counting assessment tax or quit rent.
Tell me which unit you are considering on WhatsApp, +60 17-880 2526, and I will work it out for that unit.
The 4% is an example rate rather than a quote, and what you sign for is priced unit by unit and floor by floor. For a different loan, scale it up or down with the table below.
Your monthly bill in parts
| Part | Each month | Where it comes from |
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| Instalment on a 90% loan of RM1,849,500 | RM8,189 | 90% of RM2,055,000, 35 years at 4% a year |
| Service charge | RM611 | RM0.53 on each of 1,152 square feet |
| Sinking fund | RM61 | 10% of the service charge, the legal minimum |
| Assessment tax | Two bills a year | Your local council sets it on the annual value |
| Quit rent | One bill a year | Due every 1 January |
| Total a month | RM8,861 | Instalment, service charge and sinking fund |
Work out your own instalment
The bank's formula is monthly payment = P × r ÷ [1 − (1 + r)−n]. P is the amount borrowed, r is the yearly rate ÷ 12, and n is the number of monthly payments: 420 over 35 years.
Most new home loans float. The rate is the Standardised Base Rate (SBR) plus a spread the bank sets for you, and the SBR tracks the Overnight Policy Rate, which Bank Negara has held at 2.75% from 9 July 2025. At 4.5% instead of 4%, that RM1,849,500 loan costs about RM564 more a month, and a 30-year term instead of 35 adds about RM641. If this would be your third or later home loan, the bank can lend at most 70% of the property's value.
| For each RM100,000, at a rate of | Repaid over 35 years | Repaid over 30 years |
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| 4.0% a year | RM443 a month | RM477 a month |
| 4.5% a year | RM473 a month | RM507 a month |
| 5.0% a year | RM505 a month | RM537 a month |
For a RM650,000 loan at 4% over 35 years, take 6.5 × RM443: about RM2,880 a month.
Service charge and sinking fund
The service charge at Lightwater Residences is expected to be RM0.53 a month for each square foot, and the sinking fund is billed on top of it. Under the Strata Management Act 2013, the sinking fund is at least 10% of the service charge and is kept for major repairs.
Across the 125 high-rise projects I track, the middle figure is RM0.40 per sq ft (sinking fund added before comparing). Lightwater Residences is above it, about RM211 a month more on the smallest unit than a building charging the middle figure.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Lightwater Residences?
Lightwater Residences is in The Light City, 11700 Gelugor, Penang island.
Is Lightwater Residences freehold or leasehold?
Lightwater Residences is freehold. Land title: Residential title under the Housing Development Act.
How much does a unit at Lightwater Residences cost?
Prices start from RM2,055,000 (gross) and vary with the unit type, floor and facing.
What layouts are available at Lightwater Residences?
Sizes range from 1,152 to 3,186 sq ft, with 2 to 5+1 bedrooms.
How many units are there at Lightwater Residences?
262 units, 34 storeys.
Who is the developer of Lightwater Residences?
Lightwater Residences is developed by Jaringan Simfoni Sdn Bhd (IJM Perennial Development).
When will Lightwater Residences be completed?
Completion is expected in 2029 (targeted Q1 2029).
Can a foreigner buy at Lightwater Residences?
Yes. Penang sets RM1,000,000 as the minimum price for a foreign buyer of a strata home on Penang island, and Lightwater Residences starts at RM2,055,000, above that line. The purchase is applied for through a lawyer and needs approval by the State Authority. The application fee is RM10,000 per title (residential title). The levy is 3% of the price, payable within 30 days of approval, and a foreign owner may not sell within 3 years of the sale and purchase agreement. Every state's minimum price for foreign buyers →
Where to look next
Other projects I would put beside this one before deciding: similar budget, size or area.