What Our Clients
Have Found
We let the experience of others speak to what working with lumarila is actually like.
← Back to HomeClient Testimonials
Robert Whittaker
British national · Kota Kinabalu
"I arrived in Kota Kinabalu with a two-week window to sort out accommodation and the administrative side of my relocation. Without Nadia and Sofia, I would have been in a significantly more difficult position. They had temporary housing arranged before I landed, and the apartment we eventually settled on was found within three weeks. More than that, I felt I was dealing with people who understood what the process actually involves for someone arriving from abroad."
January 2026 — Expatriate Transition Package
Amirah Yusoff
Malaysian professional · Sabah
"I was looking for something quite specific — a high-floor apartment with real smart home capability, not just a property that had the word 'smart' in its listing. Daniel's technical assessment was genuinely useful. He found that one of the properties I had shortlisted myself had an outdated system that would have required expensive replacement. The apartment I eventually moved into was exactly what I needed and the technology works as described."
February 2026 — Smart Home Rental Advisory
Marcus Tan
Singapore-based executive · Kota Kinabalu
"Given my professional circumstances, I needed a search that was handled quietly. lumarila arranged everything — viewings, the initial enquiry with the landlord, negotiations — without my name being involved until I was ready. It was the first time I had used a property advisor for a rental, and the difference compared to browsing listings myself was considerable. The only minor note is that two of the early shortlisted options didn't quite match my brief, though this was corrected quickly once I gave clearer feedback."
December 2025 — Privacy-Focused Residence Search
Linh Nguyen
Vietnamese national · Sabah
"Coming from Vietnam to take up a position in Kota Kinabalu, I had no local knowledge and limited time to navigate everything on my own. Sofia was remarkably thorough — she helped me understand which documents were needed and in what order, introduced me to a bank that was familiar with foreign account applications, and connected me with an expat group that turned out to be genuinely useful. The housing search itself was quick given my requirements. I would not have managed this process as smoothly without lumarila's support."
January 2026 — Expatriate Transition Package
Farouk Hassan
Kuala Lumpur professional · Kota Kinabalu
"I relocated from KL and wanted a home that would genuinely function as a smart home — I work from home most days and need reliable automation and connectivity. The level of technical knowledge that lumarila brought to the assessment process was something I had not expected from a property advisor. Daniel actually flagged a wiring issue in one of the properties that the landlord was unaware of. That kind of thoroughness makes a significant difference."
February 2026 — Smart Home Rental Advisory
Siti Rohani
Sabah-based business owner
"After a difficult experience with a previous advisor who seemed more interested in closing a deal than finding the right property, working with lumarila was a relief. Nadia was straightforward about which properties did not match my requirements and did not waste my time with unsuitable viewings. The process took a little longer than I had hoped, but the outcome was worth the patience. I am now in my second year in the same apartment."
November 2025 — Privacy-Focused Residence Search
Situations We Have Navigated
Senior Executive, Arriving Without Notice
A senior executive with a Japanese technology firm was posted to Kota Kinabalu with ten days' notice. He needed housing within two weeks, required high-speed connectivity for daily video calls to Tokyo, and had a strong preference for minimal shared facilities due to a demanding schedule.
We arranged a serviced apartment for the first two weeks to relieve immediate pressure. Simultaneously, we shortlisted four properties against his connectivity and privacy criteria, assessed each for network quality, and coordinated all viewings through his PA. The tenancy for the selected property was ready within twelve days of his arrival.
A fully connected, gated compound apartment confirmed within the client's two-week window. The tenancy has since been renewed twice. The client has referred two colleagues to lumarila for their own relocations.
"The speed and discretion was exactly what the situation required." — Robert W., Jan 2026Smart Home Specification Not Matching Listing
A client working remotely for a European firm had identified two properties independently that described themselves as smart-equipped. Before committing to either, they engaged lumarila to evaluate whether the technology functioned as advertised.
Our technology consultant visited both properties. The first had legacy automation hardware that was no longer supported and would require a full replacement. The second had an outdated router configuration incompatible with the client's remote work requirements. Neither was suitable as described. We broadened the search and found a third property, not originally on the client's radar, that met every specification.
The client moved into a genuinely smart-equipped apartment, avoiding a costly tenancy commitment to a technically unsuitable property. The assessment saved the client significantly more than the advisory fee.
"The assessment saved me from a mistake that would have been expensive to undo." — A.Y., Feb 2026Full Transition for Family Arrival from Vietnam
A Vietnamese professional arrived with her spouse and young child. Beyond housing, they needed to navigate foreign registration, banking, international school information, and general orientation to life in Kota Kinabalu.
Sofia coordinated temporary furnished accommodation for the family's first three weeks. In parallel, we handled housing search, introduced the family to a bank experienced with MM2H and employment pass holders, provided documentation guidance for registration, and connected them with a well-established expat parent network in Sabah.
The family was settled in a permanent home within five weeks of arrival, with banking and registration complete. The client described the process as significantly less stressful than her previous international relocation had been without equivalent support.
"I would not have managed this process as smoothly without lumarila." — L.N., Jan 2026See for Yourself
An initial conversation with an advisor takes around 30 minutes and carries no commitment. We are straightforward about whether we are the right fit for your circumstances.
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