TWO decades ago in Australia, I booked an apartment for my family online: Picked a unit from the photos and prices posted, paid online, signed the house rules sheet and was told where to get the keys. Simple! No middlemen and no unnecessary charges – in fact, I did not even have to meet the owner.

In 2022 in Malaysia, I bought an overpriced small condominium unit in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya. I received the keys months late but thanks to the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, the developer was let off.