Location Mya Kan Thar House complex, Hlaing township Price K290million, sales Contact (Mya) Pann Tha Khin real estate agency Phone : 229360, 09 514 868

CONTRARY to what some people will tell you, what’s on the outside does indeed count. And it’s something the owners of this two-storey house in Hlaing township’s Mya Kan Thar housing complex seem to understand.

Inside, it has all the “modern” facilities you’d expect of a house built in Yangon within the past five years – whitewashed walls, wooden trim, parquet flooring and a mediocre kitchen.

But the exterior is another story. The house takes up about half the 4800-foot compound, significantly less than you expect to find among nouveau riche mansions. The owners have done away with the stock-standard pillared portico and opted for a verandah-style extended roof, which provides a shaded area perfect for sipping a coffee and reading a newspaper on the weekend.

Granted, you’ll be looking out at a concrete compound but the owners have made an admirable effort to green this up with some well-placed potplants.

Even inside, there are some unique touches. A waist-high partition, inset with opaque, art-deco style glass, separates the central passageway from the dining room.

Downstairs also features a master bedroom and an ensuite bedroom.

As mentioned, there’s only a small cooking area inside but a larger kitchen is located outside the main building – this could certainly be handy for when someone decides to fry up some nga pi or prawn paste.

A teak staircase leads up to a large living area, which opens out onto a small balcony. Two bedrooms – one master and one single – and a shrine room come off this central space. All rooms feature parquet floors and the two master bedrooms have air-conditioners.

One electricity meter, one government mains water connection and one telephone line are also included in the sale price.

This house’s location, on a quiet residential laneway, will surely add to its appeal.