A Look Into The Growing Movement for Small Home Living

SO, YOU THINK CONDOS ARE SMALL?

This video talks about the growing movement for smaller, simpler, more practical living in small homes. It gave me a new perspective on the mindset of why an increasing number of people now want to live in small homes.

TV producer and Internet-video personality Kirsten Dirksen invites us on her journey into the tiny homes of people searching for simplicity, self-sufficiency, minimalism and happiness by creating shelter in caves, converted garages, trailers, tool sheds, river boats and former pigeon coops.

Watch:

Tell me what you think! Comments are welcome. :)

Sy-Led SMDC To Target OFW, Students With P1-M Condo Units

Looking to address the need for lower-cost urban residences, SMDC has announced that it will soon be launching projects that will be priced for those in the lower income bracket. These new projects will still have features and amenities such as lounges, swimming pools, gyms, etc.

Article: Sy-led SMDC to target OFW, students with P1-M condo units
by Aya Lowe, Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Sy-led property firm SM Developmemnt Corp. (SMDC) will launch a low-cost development in 2013 to meet the demands of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and those studying in schools in the metro.

According to Henry Sy Jr, CEO of SMDC, the property developer will launch their new low-cost brand for units that will sell for P1 million to P1.5 million each.

SMDC topped condo market in 2nd half of 2011

By staying true to our slogan: "Five Star Homes in Prime Locations, Made Affordable"; SMDC has managed to stay on top in terms of condominium sales in the Philippines. This Philippine Daily Inquirer article also mentions the strength of the condominium buyers' market, with a number of developers getting into the scene.

This is fueled by the growth of the Philippine economy under the current administration, and the confidence of people in a better future for the country.

Without further ado, here's the article from PDI, with link at the bottom:

The Sy family-led SM Development Corp. is still Metro Manila’s top residential condominium property developer with a 24-percent market share of all units sold in the second half of 2011, based on a research by property consultant Colliers.



Citing a study done by Colliers International Philippines, SMDC announced Tuesday that it kept the number one rank in this property survey since 2009.

About House Financing and Interest Rates in the Philippines

Hello Guys. Here's a very informative article I consulted regarding Home Loan Rates in the Philippines taken from the website Pinoy Money Talk. Though its dated 2011, it will still teach you the basics about bank home financing. Enjoy!

Housing Loan interest rates in the Philippines

The battle for low housing loan rates in the Philippines is on. In the previous months, I’ve seen a variety of advertisements by local banks aggressively promoting their discounted home loan rates.

Here is a list of housing loan rates offered by Philippine banks.

Home Loan Interest Rates in the Philippines (as of June 2011)

Repricing Period	Allied Bank	BDO	BPI FB*	BPI FB**	EastWest Bank	HSBC	Robinsons Bank*	Security Bank
1 year	8.50%	7.88%	5.50%	8.75%	5.88%	5.75%	5.88%	8.75%
2 years	9.00%					7.49%		9.50%
3 years	9.50%	9.75%	7.75%	9.75%		7.69%		9.50%
5 years	9.75%	10.00%	8.75%	10.00%		8.99%		10.00%
10 years	11.50%	11.00%	10.00%	11.00%
15 years	11.50%	11.25%	11.00%	11.25%
16-25 years		11.50%		11.50%

10 Tips to EQUIPPING YOUR CONDOMINIUM UNIT

- How to Make Your Condo an Urban Getaway You’d Love Going Home To

Condominium units are small, that is a given. So the key to comfortable condo-living is to maximize space and lessen clutter. Here are some tips that will help you with optimizing your condo-home setup:

Tip #1: Furniture – Use space saving ones, like a sofa-bed or a bed with a tuck-away mattress underneath for guest or room-mate. You can also buy folding chairs and table/s which you can set aside when you don’t need them.

Tip #2:  Appliances – With the prices of LCD/LED TVs going down, get yourself one of these for your entertainment system. Couple it with a compact, wall mounted audio system and you’re good to go.

PROPERTY INVESTMENT 101

To kick off my blog here on Condominium Investment Philippines, I would like to present my first article tackling the basics of property investment. Hope you like it!

Are you considering buying real estate with the intent of making money from it? Its not as hard or as unattainable as you may initially think. Property and condominium investment here in the Philippines has been rising in recent years due to the real estate boom. So far, demand for residential units have been very strong, with no signs of slowdown for the near to mid-term future. Real Property Investment is a potentially lucrative and rewarding venture. Here is a simple guide that may be of help to get you started.

1.       Property Evaluation

It goes without saying that for one to make profit out of a business venture, one’s costs should be lower than his/her selling price. So the most basic in making a real estate purchase is to know the pricing of properties in the area and what influences it. Will there be an upcoming development that may substantially increase property values in the near future? Is it near a school, market, business or commercial center?  Does it have nice amenities, which definitely adds to the attractiveness of a property? Is it easily accessible? In short, your first goal is to know if you are getting a good deal for your hard-earned money.

Welcome to Condominium Investments Philippines!

-- Dearest Friends, Please bear with the current condition of my site, web-development is almost akin to giving birth. A lot of blood, sweat and tears. Especially if you want to create a kick-ass site with lots of great content and eye-candy. ;)

A Short Description of this Website/Blog

Condominium Investments Philippines aims to provide critical information on investing in real properties in the Philippines. Our scope includes topics on the best properties available, site features, their location/areas' advantages, legal stuff, industry trends, etc.

I will also include some articles about stuff that may be out-of-the box, but I deem relevant nonetheless. Whatever it is, I believe in keeping content-quality high, so you're sure to find a lot of interesting and relevant stuff inside.

Hope you enjoy your browsing here!

Cheers!

Tony