House Hunting

I promised that I will be walking you through our future house adventures. I also mentioned there that we had to consider many things when we were deciding if we are to buy a unit. After all, we didn't want to end up without a home if and when the husband's residency training is over.

The question lies on whether we will be renting, buying a house (if only...) or buying a condominium unit.

Renting is a big possibility. We have already decided on where we will be settling down but we did not have a house on that place that time. We did not want to live in our parents' place. It just not one of our choices.

Buying a property is also good. Whether it is going to be a house or a townhouse or a condominium unit, that, we don't know.

Luckily, an opportunity presented itself. We were just minding our own business, strolling along the mall to take a look at the showroom of our friend's company, and that's it, we saw that buying a unit can be done.

This is to be our first big purchase so we had to consider a lot of things.

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I told you that we already had a location in mind. I am a South kid through and through. Even if I live in the northern part of Manila now, I know I will always go back. Husband is on board as long as he is assured of good medical practice, good internet connection, and good air conditioning unit (don't ask me!). Good thing there are two projects on that place. Are we lucky or what?

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Having kids in the future is definitely part of the plan that time and I am getting worried that kids nowadays don't get to play outside like we did when we were young. So, yes, I need a big running space for our kids if and when we purchase a place.

What made us say yes to this place? The many, many amenities! I can practically work for DMCI as I have always been singing praises to all their projects. I love that they never took the amenities for granted. Good thing they have a Landscape Architecture Department (plugging!) which means every space is well thought of!

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There is this one company that has it all for you, but unfortunately, when I took a look at the properties they are selling, it was very expensive! That or I simply cannot afford them. I'm thinking it's more of the latter. Haha... Anyway, this unit we are buying has really friendly payment terms.

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When I researched (yes, I stalked them!) the company, I learned that they have a good track record. They are also continually improving their projects which means, they learn from their past mistakes.  I trust this company so much that I am thinking of investing on their stocks in the future (another "if only'').

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Do not, and I mean it, do not be lured by a good showroom. I am quite saddened whenever I know that somebody purchased a unit without even taking a look at the blank floor plan, or even imagining what the unit will look like if there are no furniture and appliances in the room.

I also learned this one trick from years of house-hunting and showroom-looking: showrooms should not be trusted. More often than not, they add a couple of inches here and there. What my agent did was she toured us to a finished unit about to be turned over to the owner, made sure that it was a blank room, and had us take a feel of the place. I also took advantage of this opportunity to look at the natural lighting that the room gets and the amount of ventilation it receives.

And that's, it. We were pretty much sold to the idea. That afternoon, we signed the papers. Now, we are just waiting for the building to be done and we will be moving in! :)  

Revisiting our future home's model unit

Who here is tired of hearing me say that I am a frustrated interior designer? Show of hands? None? Good.

Let's get it on with this post then :)

We will be transferring to our future house late this year and I can't wait to design our unit. Yawning now? No? Cool!

I want to walk you through my design process and the first order of business is to let you in the model unit by showing pictures.

But a side story first. How did we decide on getting this condominium unit? It was August 19, 2011, the Quezon City day (think of me as Ted Mosby ala-How-I-Met-Your-Mother), both the husband and I did not have work as it was a holiday. I had to process my visa for China that morning and he accompanied me. We did not have anything to do that afternoon and then I remembered my very good friend April's constant reminder to please, please visit their showroom in Megamall as she was one of the people to design the room. We decided to go there from Makati.

When we got there, we were amazed by the showroom. It was tastefully done and, our agent, convinced that we were buying, entertained all our questions. I want to clarify that we did not have any intention of getting a unit that day. It's just one of our hobbies as a couple to dream and look at model units, hoping that one day, we will have the ability to afford one.

That night, I was not able to sleep. I really, badly, wanted to buy a unit just because I loved the location, the price, and the design (please note that I am not carried away by showrooms. I know how to block out the furniture as I know when the unit is turned over, it will be as blank as a coupon bond).

A week later, the agent we talked to told us that the project we were considering to buy had a promo that month. We can pay for a measly 10% for 23 months. That's it! Now we can afford to buy one.

Still, we had to consider many things. And in the end, we bought one.

Phew! That's too long a story, isn't it? On with the rooms now!

 

 

Can you tell I'm super excited? Anything you're looking forward to this year? Are you just like us who will move from one side of the region to the other?