WITH THE INCREASING scarcity of natural wood and homeowner demands for lower maintenance, plastic-based lumber may be the best choice for residential, commercial and industrial building projects nowadays.
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THOUGH feng shui has Taoist roots, the practice may also be utilized to encourage the flow of favorable energy this Christmas season.
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WHY hire architects? Technically, to build any structure, what you need is an engineer.
So why get architects? Most people will agree that architects are necessary since they are professionally trained to design a structure well. Therefore, architects are necessary for good design. However, the concept of "good design" becomes gray at this point, for what qualifies a design's being good? Is it simply the personal tastes and caprices of the client? After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?
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I DON'T really know why but I turn nostalgic as soon as Christmas season ushers in. It must be the cool breeze that gently embraces the child in me. My favorite blankets seem unwilling to part with me at this time and it takes a lot of snooze and snuggles to finally bring me up. My mornings become as languid and assuring as these cloudy days. It must be the air of the auspicious Holidays. The reminiscences of Christmases past when all I ever anticipate is to wake up in the smell of hot chocolate and slowly roused from sleep by the blinking of my mom's old-fashioned Christmas tree.
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WHEN one thinks of a Filipino home, standard images are of a "kubo" with nipa roofing and "sawali" walls. However, isn't it more appropriate to think of a home designed for the Filipino... his needs, his habits, his way of life and even his budget?
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PONDEROSA Leisure Farms recently introduced its demo unit to show its would-be owners the new life awaiting them at this 53-hectare property being developed by Landco Pacific Corp.
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JARDINE Land Inc., with its development subsidiary Jardine Properties Inc., is set to invest P1.5 billion worth of projects located in various parts of Luzon.
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BUT seat of the soul or not, toilets -- and bathrooms -- are considered by practitioners a feng shui liability. According to Zaihong Shen, author of "Feng Shui, Harmonizing Your Inner and Outer Space," the bathroom contains the most yin energy. This is because the bathroom or toilet has the most number of water sources-the toilet bowl, sink and shower or bathtub. Tile and porcelain, the materials most commonly used in building bathrooms and toilets, likewise give off yin energy.
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THERE are many who cling to the belief that whatever is new is better. From clothes, to cars to cell phones, it is the latest design or model that is desirable and appealing to most people.
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STYLISTIC austerity in the arts. This may be the minimal way to define minimalism.
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A FEW years ago, topnotch US-based Klages, Carter Vail & Partners was commissioned by a visionary Filipino real estate company to transform a 16-hectare property in Libis, Quezon City, into a master-planned urban township with all the aspects of city living found within one carefully designed satellite community.
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THE HISTORIC Spanish city of Caceres is known for its fortress-like houses and towers, which were once inhabited by nobility.
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WE do not fuss over it that much, so long as there's a table big enough to accommodate the plates and utensils, the bowls of viands, the drinking glasses, and so long as there are enough chairs to sit the whole family.
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HOMEOWNERS today are seeking communities that offer a balance between privacy and good social interaction among neighbors, according to the planners of Tamarind Cove.
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ONE of the gleaming segments of an otherwise lackluster real estate market is bubbling up in coastal towns, mountain towns and other vacation spots.
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I FIRST met the "kitchen god" through Amy Tan's book "The Kitchen God's Wife." The "kitchen god" is a god sent to each family to take charge of the family's affairs. The family is supposed to win his good side because he reports on what the family has done in the past year to Heaven. Little did I know then that I would again encounter this ancient deity.
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LAST night was a wake-up call for me. I was having this much anticipated dinner with long time friends but in between the laughter and catching up, we found ourselves consulting one another for office concerns, pressures and other deadlines (including this piece I'm writing!) rather than really talking about what we used to-our hearts and its pursuits.
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I AM a diver and have witnessed the perfection of the underwater world teeming with aquatic life. Water covers two-thirds of this world we call home, prodding me to ask my spiritual adviser, Fr. Jim Atchacoso, if this beautiful world we live in is really meant for us and not primarily for the marine life existing in a perfect world of colors and harmony. His response was, "God has so much loved us that He created all these wonderful things for us to cherish and respect."
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ALTHOUGH the Cebu market for hardware and other home accessories remain flat, the Cebu-based company survive the slow pace of the industry by going directly to the retail market.
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OWN a limited edition signature bag. Savor a spicy Asian dish. Grab some coffee to go. Work out at the gym. Or just relax amid resort-style amenities. From the comfort of home, a world of fun and convenience is just an elevator ride away. This is the luxury lifestyle that awaits at One Central Park, now rising 38 stories above property giant Megaworld Corp.'s Eastwood City.
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PRIVACY and wide, open spaces -- two contrasting elements that blend seamlessly in one luxury address: Forbeswood Heights. In this exciting enclave, homeowners enjoy the best of both worlds without ever leaving home.
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YEARS of hard work to save for the future makes one doubly careful of where his or her earnings go, especially after retirement.
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BRITTANY Bay, a unique community of neighborhoods with its distinctive neo-Victorian theme inspiration, recently launched the Duetto model home in its Victorianne neighborhood. It is also a novel urban renewal concept offering a different "lifescape" that is redefining standards for metro living.
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AT STA. Rosa Heights, Empire East Suntrust (Empire East Properties, Inc.), developer of affordable energy-saving homes, is building a Spanish-style community in a choice location in Silang, Cavite. Today, middle-income families can experience the beauty of Spain -- and enjoy a complete, modern lifestyle -- in this 23-hectare residential development set to rise along the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay National Road.
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ACAVITE is strategically located at the intermediate zone of the metropolitan Manila area. The urban influence of the metropolis together with easy accessibility, adequate infrastructure and fresh natural setting makes the picturesque province an ideal refuge.
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A COMPLETE, well-connected lifestyle for less for the average Filipino family. Empire East Suntrust (Empire East Properties Inc.), developer of affordable, energy-saving homes, aims to make this dream a reality with its newest development, Sta. Rosa Heights.
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WHAT will the home of the future be like?
For Kunio Nakamura, president of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., it will be one that features state-of-the-art home electronic appliances where a single, unified remote control will be the key interface linking household appliances, audiovisual equipment and home servers.
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WHILE we are given more choices with the influx of subdivisions and housing communities, it is vital for property buyers to assess the land on which they will build their home. Much effort, time and money will be spent on a new property so it is only reasonable for the buyer to scrutinize the location.
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HOW would it feel like living in a place where everything you need is just a few steps away? You need not wake up very early in the morning to get to work. You could have breakfast with your loved ones. Your kids may choose to bike to school. You have a choice of a dozen dishes, or the time to cook one yourself. You can spend more time with your kids and avoid the stress of commuting. You even have time to read a good book or go home for lunch on a weekday!
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A THRILL that never fails to give me a high as a designer is allowing my imagination to run wild as I stare at the details of a designed space-and visualize the new life that can be breathed into that seemingly empty space.
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BREATHE fresh, cool mountain air, stroll gently around the park, take a dip in the swimming pool or enjoy a game of tennis. You might also go to the clubhouse for an energizing workout in the gym or let any lingering stress drip away in the sauna.
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SET right in the thick of the action at the heart of the Makati business district, three luxury residential high-rises by property giant Megaworld Corp. welcome successful urban professionals to luxury living at the top: Paseo Parkview, Greenbelt Radissons and Greenbelt Parkplace.
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WITH CHINA gobbling up much of the world's steel supplies to satisfy the demands of its booming construction sector, steel prices have risen steeply.
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THIS year, countless people will be hospitalized in Metro Manila for illnesses due to unhealthy buildings.
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BREATHE fresh, cool mountain air, stroll gently around the park, take a dip in the swimming pool or enjoy a game of tennis. You might also go to the clubhouse for an energizing workout in the gym or let any lingering stress drip away in the sauna.
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VICE President Noli de Castro is expected to discuss new thrusts in the government's housing program for the country's homeless and forge a closer partnership with the private industry to boost housing production in his keynote address before the joint annual national convention of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Associations (Creba) and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
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INTERNATIONAL quality standards set for cement products have become so stringent that cement companies worldwide have to invest in modern testing and laboratory facilities to keep in pace.
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ARCHITECT Jose Guevarra Casus, 73, is a new resident in upscale subdivision Hillsborough south of Manila.
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MID-SCALE residential condominium Chateau Elysee recently unveiled its new and more affordable two-bedroom model units aimed at buyers looking for affordable, high quality and modern residential development.
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WITH the first phase of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 extension, from Baclaran to Bacoor in Cavite, set to start construction this year, Empire East Suntrust (Empire East Properties), a developer of affordable, energy-saving homes, expects to benefit from a surge in market interest in its Cavite-based community housing projects.
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LEADING mid-range housing developer Empire East Land Holdings Inc. has announced the brisk take-up of the third and fourth expansion phases of its Laguna BelAir township project in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Currently home to 2,187 families, Laguna BelAir is the most successful community development in the Calabarzon.
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AN EXCLUSIVE seaside community in Nasugbu, Batangas, has formally opened its second phase of development offering club membership privileges for the 127 lots available to buyers.
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UNLIKE building restaurants where everyone involved in the construction-from carpenters to plumbers-can afford to rush the job because there's just one big space to work on, building a videoke or KTV establishment entails a more tedious construction process. If you've been into a videoke bar lately, you would have noticed the maze of hallways you must have walked through to get to your designated room.
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HOMEBUILDERS affiliated with the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers (OSHD) of the Philippines are upbeat on the business prospects of housing this year, with the recent appointment of Vice President Noli "Kabayan" L. de Castro, as concurrent "housing czar" through his assumption of the chairmanship of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.
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THE CHAMBER of Real Estate and Builders Associations (CREBA) said Monday that despite prevailing difficulties, there is no state of fiscal crisis, but warned that it will certainly develop if government continues in its present direction, particularly in imposing tax measures such as gross income taxation, additional two pesos per liter tax on all petroleum products and an increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 15 percent.
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THE RECENT appointment of Vice President Noli de Castro as chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) was a welcome development and hope this would signal the continuation of the HUDCC's previous course of action that was temporarily halted during the recent national elections.
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TOWERING 38 stories, The Grand Eastwood Palazzo is poised to take its place as another emblem of cosmopolitan living in the imposing Eastwood City skyline. Inspired by Europe's famed architectural landmarks such as London's Buckingham Palace and Madrid's Palacio Real, The Grand Eastwood Palazzo blends European influences with neoclassical themes to create a distinctive residential enclave.
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THE OPENING of Edsa Central Shopping Complex in the '70s marked the beginning of a concept called "midway point" wherein travelers either going to work or back home could go some place halfway their destination to shop, dine or just relax.
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THE ELEVATED entrance looks like the wooden Sanctuary of Truth castle in Pattaya, Thailand. But while the castle in Pattaya is adorned with carvings and sculptures of celestial bodies and supernatural characters of Oriental origins, this one boasts of lithe Malay female statues in a perpetual welcoming gesture to passersby and its dwellers.
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A SPRAWLING landscape of natural beauty, Megaworld's McKinley Hill Village in Fort Bonifacio bears the essence of quality living: grace, style and homey comfort. Nothing embodies this spirit more than its Tuscan-inspired clubhouse, a structure that mirrors McKinley Hill Village's standards for quality living.
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QUESTION: We're a fairly successful real property developer nearing our 10th anniversary. Over the past years, we've launched and sold condominium projects and subdivision development projects mostly in Metro Manila. Outside of Metro Manila, our inventory of land titles is in the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales.
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A NEW community being developed in the province of Laguna may be the country's first to join a US trend toward developing pedestrian-friendly, human-scale neighborhood reminiscent of pre-World War II communities.
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"A FAST-FOOD chain opens a store in a high traffic area. After one year, the management decides to close the store after losing money and sinking a large amount in initial setup costs. Similarly, various competitors now surround a large gasoline station that has been operating profitably for the last five years. Revenues suddenly drop and after another year of operation, the owners finally give up the dealership.
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THE ROOF-DECK has traditionally been the unnoticed, unglamorous part of a building. It seemed that only maintenance workers took any notice of the roof. And for those unfortunate enough not to have a backyard, the roof-deck also becomes the drying area for the laundry.
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REAL estate has become an investment tool for profit. Instead of putting money in the bank or maybe even starting a business, many individuals and families invest in real estate. Many have made their fortune in real estate. There are families who bought real estate many years ago at a few hundred pesos per square meter and the value has skyrocketed a thousand fold.
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SEEING signs of the high-end sector's steady recovery from the doldrums of the late '90s (i.e. the height of the financial crisis), One Asia Development Corp. is now looking at a particular group belonging to this sector as core market for its one-billion-peso townhouse and walk-up condominium project in Diliman, Quezon City.
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SPACE is no problem. As long as you have sunlight -- direct or ambient -- you can take care of plants.
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ALTHOUGH the construction industry generally remains soft, the high demand for residential projects has resulted in a growing market for building materials.
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BIG companies set aside funds for miscellaneous expenses that include structural repairs and maintenance. But a middle-class homeowner who spends practically his life savings building a dream home will surely feel the pain of paying a significant amount for termite control alone.
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PLANTS and trees not only have something to do with the air you breathe, they also have a say over the value of your property.
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SUSTAINABLE development means that the present needs of the current generation is responsibly being met without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. In housing development, it is the environment-friendly home that has become the symbol of responsible building.
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PONDEROSA Leisure Farms recently celebrated the unveiling of its El Refugio themed garden, the first of three meditation gardens to be set up in this 53-hectare development located in Silang, Cavite.
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WHEN the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began its New Millennium program in the early '90s, it trumpeted a new slogan: "Faster, Better, Cheaper," an approach that simply means decreasing the time of designing, building and launching new spacecraft while holding down the typically staggering costs.
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THE RESPONSE to last week's article was great, as I have received a lot of e-mail from our readers recounting their experiences with their real estate broker. Most of them were treated properly but some of them were treated badly and felt cheated during the home buying stage. Even home sellers felt that they could have sold their home faster and at a higher price if only they had a competent broker.
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SOME Filipino architects have minds that have turned really green. They may voice out radical ideas, but there is an entirely "earthly" reason for it.
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THE MATERIAL looks like an ordinary cylindrical marble rod wrapped with sand-like skin. Yet, it may reveal something else upon closer inspection.
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METRO Manila's first modular steel bridge in almost 60 years will soon rise on the boundary of Mandaluyong and Makati cities.
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MOST real estate transactions involve the services of a real estate broker. Try calling the real estate classified ads in your daily newspaper and magazines and more than half of the time, you will be talking to a real estate broker.
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FOR DECADES, Tagaytay City has been successfully attracting mass tourism because of its year-round cool climate, laid back atmosphere and proximity to Metro Manila.
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BEAUTIFUL at any time of the day. Serene and mysterious like a lady who captivates her beholder with a quiet dignity. From a 17th century map of Murillo Velarde, prominently etched is Laeuna de Taal, the ancient name of Taal Lake. Its mystique and allure has been the inspiration of visitors who have been spellbound by its magnificence.
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"A NEWLY married couple had just moved in to their new home. They started house hunting from January of this year and had spent almost every weekend searching for the perfect home. They finally found their dream home in April and have moved in early May to settle the family before the start of classes this June."
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A DEVELOPER has a choice to either completely transform the land to conform with the master plan (like a golf course over a former desert land) or work around the land's topography and make the most of it to enhance the project's character.
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MAMPLASAN is one of the 24 barangays of Biñan, Laguna. Its proximity to the Laguna's industrial hubs -- the Laguna Technopark, Laguna International Industrial Park and Mamplasan development zone -- makes the area very attractive to various property planners who consider Mamplasan the next urban growth destination.
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REAL estate is vital for any business. Companies need office space, warehouses, manufacturing plants and the like. Some companies, which are not real estate developers, continuously buy or lease real estate property in order for their businesses to operate. A few examples are gas companies that would need prime locations to build their stations, warehousing companies that would need large land areas to warehouse the goods that they handle, bus companies for their terminals and even churches that continually look for areas to expand their congregation.
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PIPED-IN gas is a common feature in housing projects in the industrialized world, particularly the United States and Japan.
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BIG opportunities to tap the growing market of the immediate south are now being made available to businessmen, homeowners, entrepreneurs and various professionals by Bellazona, an 11-hectare residential subdivision being developed by Masaito Development Corp. in Bacoor, Cavite.
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SHOPPING for a condo unit in the country these days has never been more exciting. With all the great options being developed, selecting the best condo to fit your needs and your budget may seem like a daunting task. You could easily get lost in the hype and the labyrinth of details. So, how can one proceed with caution in the condo investment game?
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FOCUSING on one region rather than a country in terms of interior design and style proves to be more attractive and flexible.
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THE "SUBDUED" Rockwell Center never feels crowded. Despite being in the country's business capital, Rockwell has managed to limit itself to a self-contained community with "manageable" human traffic.
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"A YOUNG couple, prior to their house hunting, had a specific budget at hand. When they finally found a home that matched their requirements and their budget, they signed a reservation agreement with the seller in order to purchase the home. When the time came for them to fully pay the property, they were surprised to find out that they still needed a lot of money to be able to complete the transaction. The additional amount that they needed was about 15 percent of the total amount of their home. Obviously, they were not prepared for the additional expenses."
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THEIR task may sound rather simple: create a home interior that would best cater to couples belonging to the upper-middle class (probably in their late 40s to early 50s), having three children -- one enrolled in college while the other two, in high school.
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MANY thanks to our readers! Your questions and inquiries have been a learning experience for all of us. Looking at the e-mail I have received from many of our readers, it seems to me that the time it takes for a construction-related activity is one of the major concerns of many homebuyers. These include buying a lot, designing a house to actual construction.
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CALLED "Hiyas ng Bulacan," the village supposedly intended for low-income families offers would-be homeowners the chance to live right next to Bulacan's premier tourist attraction -- the historic Biak-na-Bato national park.
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IN ITS desire to provide affordable homes to more families, Las Villas de Manila announces a number of flexible options to buyers. CBS Designer Homes Inc., the marketing arm of Las Villas de Manila, announced that its 300 square-meter lot-only package is now available at 1.8 million pesos while its house-and-lot package starts at four million pesos.
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THINK of this situation: If it would cost you 20,000 pesos to hire a professional or a team of professionals to thoroughly inspect a house that is worth five million pesos, would it be worth the money? Take note that this amount is even less that 1 percent of the total value of the house.
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IT is quite obvious that before buying anything of high value, one should have a thorough inspection of the product. Remember when you bought your car? You made sure that everything was well made and that there were no leaks in the engine. Perhaps, you may have even slammed the door to the ire of the car salesman at the showroom. So when you buy your home that is many times the cost of your car, it is then more important that you inspect it thoroughly.
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CREATING a community that will cater to start-up families is no easy task for upstart developer Community Innovations Inc.

"It's their hard-earned money or their life's savings so they really scrutinize: Is the location convenient enough? Are the amenities sufficient to satisfy each of their family member? Is the price affordable? We must deal with these things if we are to attract them," explained Jonathan Umali, project development head of Community Innovations Inc.
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EYES of the giant flies, huge rib cages, kinetic forms of a human eye, vertebrae forms, twisting human torsos, spiraling spider webs, and replica of a durian fruit. These forms are seemingly unrelated, but in the world of construction and architecture, they have the ability to harness energy to the human advantage.
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FOR A FAMILY who spent eight years living amid the bustling metropolis, moving to Ayala Westgrove Heights proved to be more than just a change of environment. It also meant embracing a new lifestyle.
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EXCESS in anything can lead to difficulties. And we all know that the greater the excess, the more problems ensue. In real estate investing, overbuying is one of the major causes of financial disaster. When a real estate investor overbuys, things can become difficult in the future since the financial demands of the property can easily overtake the financial capacity of the investor.
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THE PRESTIGIOUS office address that is 6750 Ayala Avenue bagged runner-up honors at the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Energy Awards, second only to Royal Plaza in Singapore in the Retrofitted Building Category.
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BECAUSE of the soothing effect of greenery, gardens have long been focal points of the most celebrated homes. At Tamarind Cove, the last phase of the successful Ayala Alabang development, a lush strip of green has been designed to be an integral part of the lot owner's lifestyle.
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THE COUNTRY'S largest organization of real estate developers has asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to clarify an earlier memorandum that requires, among others, residential buildings and subdivisions to set up sewage treatment facilities as a condition to the granting of an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).
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FLORENTINO S. Dulalia Jr., immediate past national president of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Associations (CREBA), leads a CREBA delegation of industry leaders and professionals to the 2004 World Congress of the International Real Estate Federation (Fiabci) slated in Houston, Texas from May 24 to 29.
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IT is natural that we would want to have free things in life. In our real estate transactions, we sometimes associate free advice with good advice. While this may be true if we are talking to an expert, most of the time we get advice from the wrong persons.
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WITH the elections over, the memorial estate industry is poised for growth, a real estate executive said.
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CEBU CITY--Better days are here again for real estate developers that suffered from low prices and oversupply for years since the 1997 Asian currency crisis. And Aboitiz Land Inc. is taking advantage of the market turnaround.
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AFTER PROFITABLY building a chain of shopping malls around the country, Henry Sy's SM Group is now trying to replicate its success this time in developing residential housing projects.
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FOLLOWING the upsurge in the public auction of used cars, acquired assets by financial institutions are now being sold off at auction venues. Many of our readers have asked for advice on how to go about buying real estate at these auctions.
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WOULD-BE owners of La Finca Country and Resort are getting closer to finally enjoying their dream vacation homes as developments in this 18-hectare property recently shifted to full blast.
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SOME Bulacan folk, particularly those in the sleepy barangay of Bangkal in Norzagaray town, however, have other things in mind aside from the outcome of the May 10 polls.
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A FEW minutes away from the South Luzon Expressway's Carmona exit in Cavite lies an oasis of affordable home units and a well-thought-out and functional clubhouse, promising its future owners a refreshing respite from busy life of the metropolis.
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AS far as I know, there is no specific college level course that gives one a college degree in real estate. Most schools offer a real estate course mainly as an elective or at the most, as a short course. So it is but natural that new graduates do not directly seek a career in real estate. The real estate field varies and one just has to look at the unlimited career possibilities.
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OWNERS and developers nowadays find it more convenient to have their property handled by another property management company rather than their own in-house team.
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AFTER A SUBDIVISION is fully developed and the developer turns over the management of the subdivision, the homeowners association has the big responsibility of making sure that the area is properly maintained. If the homeowners association is weak and mismanaged, this can become the start of problems for the entire subdivision.
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MALOLOS CITY--The development and construction of the controversial Bulacan Housing and Agro-Industrial Inc. (Buhai) project can now resume after the regional Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) conditionally lifted on April 19 the suspension order imposed on the project.
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LEISURE Farms has officially welcomed complementing infrastructure to the already existing Demo Farms within this 123.5-hectare development of Landco Pacific Corp. in Lemery, Batangas. The Village Store is the latest addition to this ongoing development touted as "the country's first and leading agro-tourism village."
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LAND that is available for housing inside Metro Manila is getting scarce. Houses are continuously being constructed and the remaining land available for housing gets less and less. Large tracts of land that can be developed for housing are now usually found in Laguna, Cavite, Antipolo and the farther areas.
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DESPITE the uncertainties of the political exercise come May and the absence of statistics to support last year's growth of 4 percent, property developer One Asia Development Corp. is optimistic that this growth rate will be maintained this year and will continue to benefit the property sector.
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THE BUHAI mass housing project of the Bulacan provincial government and the real estate firm Alto Projekt Asia is in one big fix.
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IT'S not your plain subdivision with a clubhouse. Rising from a 55-hectare property on the Batangas towns of Sto. Tomas, Tanauan and Malvar is a subdivision that features a river spa to complement the clubhouse. The clubhouse -- situated beside the San Juan River -- will even have a meditation area amid lush gardens for that complete "nature retreat" atmosphere.
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MY previous columns detailed a 10-step process in finding the right home for you. The most time-consuming part of the process is visiting the pieces of property and assessing whether they would fit your needs and budget. Having an efficient and effective property assessment system would save you a lot of time and energy.
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IT'S been a little over two years since Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), the largest property developer in the country, launched a wholly owned subsidiary to focus on the affordable, mid-market segment.
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BRIDGES are said to transform the local economies of the areas where they are located (from subsistence to having thriving market economies), improve farm-to-market access and provide more services and opportunities to local communities.
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Let the weekend house-hunting trips begin. Once you have decided on the home that you need and can afford, you may now start to look at the locations that you may want to live in. Do not reject a location outright just because you have heard of bad publicity about it. Go there and confirm the facts for yourself. Many people prioritize a location based on its proximity to schools, malls, offices and public infrastructure. Others want to be far from urban centers to be free of noise and air pollution. It is only you who can decide based on the order of your priorities. If you want your children to be near their schools, then you may have to travel more to go to your place of work.
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BAD news for the thousands of would-be homeowners at the Buhai mass housing project of the Bulacan provincial government and the real estate firm Alto Projekt Asia. Buhai is indeed sitting on "unstable ground," making its site not safe, and not ideal, for a project of such magnitude.
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CAN I really afford a home?" "What is the right home for me?" "How will I look for one?" "Will I buy through a broker?" These are just the few questions that a jittery homebuyer would ask prior to searching and eventually buying a home. Most of these questions came from friends and readers who would want to start searching for their dream home. To make home buying process easier, I have written a 10-step process to aid the homebuyer in searching for that "perfect" home.
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BONIFACIO Global City is envisioned as the modern and fully master-planned business district in the country.
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THE MOST important marketing word is "free." Many manufacturers of consumable items give away free samples easily. Second to the word "free" is the word "new." Since a house cannot be given away free in order for a user to try it, a "new" home can have a very strong appeal to the homebuyer. Similar to buying a car, there are two routes toward owning a home -- either you buy a new one or a used one.
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THE BIG bosses at the Philippine Constructors Association Inc. (PCA) will do their own survey on their own construction workers.
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THE DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is looking into reports that the controversial Buhai mass housing project in the Bulacan hinterlands is "sitting on loose, watery ground" and "could be a potential Cherry Hills."
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WITH hectares upon hectares of open spaces, themed gardens with fruit orchards, herb and flower patches, courtyards, lush landscaping, canopy trees and wide garden areas surrounding your home, and an underground parking for cars, what do you get?
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THE WINDOW makes the home. This is what most people say. With the abundant choices of construction materials, owners and designers are sometimes confused on the choices that are available. Product manufacturers are sometimes short on detailing the advantages as well as the disadvantages of a certain type of window over another. During the past year, many of our readers have asked about the various options when it comes to choosing windows. I hope that it will guide our homeowners on the type of window to use.
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COME June 30, the country will either be ushering in a new administration or have allowed the incumbent to get another mandate.
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VIGAN-STYLE cobblestones, calesas, wood houses with anahaw and old wooden capiz windows they are not. Nor are there guardia civil in period costumes. Well, at least, the town plaza will look like one. A Filinvest Land Inc. property in Calamba-hometown of national hero Jose Rizal-has been transformed into a "period" satellite city of sorts with Ciudad de Calamba.
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THE REAL estate industry is expected to recover after the so-called "seven-year cycle", but a leading real estate developer thinks that the sector's future greatly depends on the country's situation.
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IN SEARCHING for the perfect home, remember that two critical elements should be present-the right location and the right house. It can be really difficult to search for one and it requires many weekends of searching, a lot of time and most importantly, a lot of patience. One has to physically visit a place to be able to experience the feeling of living in a specific area.
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BATANGAS is a hotbed of real estate development, but most of the projects have been concentrated on the western side of province that covers Nasugbu and Taal, leaving the other towns behind in the race for economic development.
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THE SHORTEST and cheapest way of owning a condominium is still a straight line between two points: you and the architect. Owning a condo at direct cost -- wherein you or your group hire an architect and build a condominium at its actual direct price in a build-to-own (BTO) scheme -- is becoming a more financially viable alternative.
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IT is summertime again and the home building industry is again very busy. I have received a lot of e-mail inquiring about renovating their house during summer. It is generally advantageous to renovate during summer so you may now extend the garage, add a room, redo the landscaping or construct the gazebo that you have always wanted.
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WITH CONSTRUCTION activities expected to peak up this summer, developers are wondering how to go about it amid increasing prices of cement and other building materials.
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I HAVE received a lot of e-mail and inquiries from friends and readers saying that when it is time for them to part with their money and invest in real estate, they tend to retract and not proceed since they feel that they can still get a better deal in the future. Some of them have been looking for pieces of property for years and up to now, they still have not bought the home of their dreams.
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NO electricity. No water system. No transport network. No schools, hospitals, public markets and other mass housing-related facilities. No job opportunities.

Add to that the thought of starting a new life, literally in the middle of nowhere.
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WHETHER you would want your house designed or you are the procurement officer of a large corporation needing design consultancy services, you have to look for a qualified and able designer for your project. Finding one that is knowledgeable about the design work required is already half the battle.
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YOUNG urban professionals, budding executives, entrepreneurs and their families were treated on Sunday to a preview of a new residential development rising in Laguna province.
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NOT a single centavo was spent by the Bulacan provincial government on the ambitious Bulacan Housing and Agro-Industrial project, Governor Josefina de la Cruz has pointed out.
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THE WINDOW of the human soul is the eye, while the face of the home is its window. Looking at the regular steel casement windows of many Filipino houses -- with their unsightly clay putties cracking and dropping all around the glass -- is like looking at a person who just woke up, the "morning glories" still stuck at the corners of their eyes. Conventional steel casement windows use grilles with the "I", "T" or "Z" bar, and the glass plates are applied with putty -- a clay-like material that cracks and peels off after a few months. Though the materials and the process are cheap, at 150 pesos per square foot, the overall look is not unlike that of your regular municipal prison cells.
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BEING in the construction business is difficult. More so these days when consumer spending on construction projects is slow and builders compete fiercely for clients. Contractors should also do everything that they can to reduce costs and increase profits. For some organizations, simply surviving and staying in business is their only goal for the year. We have seen many contractors that suddenly close shop. Many have lost money and have been deserted by their clients. If you are a contractor and are struggling to make it in the difficult and risky world of contracting, recognizing the danger signs early can greatly improve your company's performance and hence enhance your profitability.
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A GROUP representing the country's real estate developers is appealing to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resolve the spiraling cost of cement that has already affected not just the housing industry but also other sectors attached to it.
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"THE TIME has come" for Buhai, proclaimed the Bulacan provincial government and Alto Projekt Asia, a Pasig City-based real estate firm.
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A FEW years ago, owning a home near the office in the metropolis was as unimaginable as winning the lotto jackpot. So, you bow to the pressures of your landlord's rental terms of 10,000 pesos and above for years on end. After so many years of backbreaking work, you find yourself making your landlord rich, but you're still a homeless yuppie. Soon you would only just be a "homeless urban professional," since you would be too old to qualify as a "young" urban professional.
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WE hear of value all the time. Marketing slogans talk about value for money. Commodities are labeled as the best value and, in a similar way, real estate is commonly marketed and sold as a valuable investment.
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HUNDREDS of building and construction exhibitors from different countries will gather at the World Trade Center in Pasay City next month to participate in the World Building and Construction Exposition (Worldbex) 2004.
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THE ONSET of the new year has given impetus to most enterprises to examine the prospects and hurdles which are likely to affect business performance in the coming months.
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IF you have a few investments but have never tried real estate, it is best that you know the benefits as well as the possible headaches of this type of investment. Real estate can be a very good investment but depending on your goals and priorities, it may not be as easy as you expect it. It is not as simple as buying low and selling high and there are many factors that may affect its value.
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LIVING stylishly in the city would sometimes mean staying either in posh villages or medium- and high-rise condominiums.
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MOST developing and even industrialized countries enlist the participation of the private sector-including customers -- to build and profitably operate huge infrastructure projects through the "user's pay" principle.
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AS the country prepares to usher in another year -- the Chinese New Year that is --z real estate developers are hopeful that the coming Year of the Monkey will bring stability and growth to their sector. After all, fortunetellers promise a boom in this sector, which according to them favors well with wood and metal -- the two elements that symbolize the coming Chinese year on Thursday.
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A READER says: "I have always been fascinated by professionals in the real estate profession and would want to know further the other options that I can pursue in a real estate career."
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ADMIT it: you croon ooh and ahh every time you come across kitchen showrooms featuring German, French or Italian versions. The European kitchen oozes with that culinary appeal, and you gravitate toward it and dream one day to have your own European-looking kitchen for friends and family. As we would say, the best way to a happy home is through the kitchen. And among the best-looking kitchens have that European touch.
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WE have heard of many stories from our friends about difficult landlords as well as difficult tenants. Perhaps, you may have experienced the same problems. Problems concerning rental property are mainly caused by inadequate knowledge of the process of transaction itself and could have been avoided if only all things were very clear prior to the usage of the property.
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THE 85-HECTARE waste facility is supposed to look and smell like the old Smokey Mountain in Tondo, the Payatas dump in Quezon City or the Montalban, Rizal dumpsite.
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ANOTHER year has passed and we in the real estate industry are looking forward to a project-filled and prosperous New Year. Real estate buyers will again purchase vacant lots for investment and many are expected to move into their new homes. Some will likewise remodel their homes and will consider upgrading into a larger and more expensive one.
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IN TODAY'S fast-paced society marked by increasing costs and aspirational goals, one will find many individuals switching from their comfortable homes to condominium units that offer a totally different lifestyle.
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