Nuvali, Ayala Land’s latest development in the south, will soon be selling lots in the phase Santierra. With tree-lined roads and master-planned layouts, residents of Santierra will experience an orchestrated interplay between natural and suburban living. Aside from the pride of ownership that comes from owning a beautiful home from a premiere Ayala development, there are five other reasons why you should invest in Santierra Nuvali.

Natural urban refuge

Santierra is the perfect middle ground between urban and country living. Located right beside the residential district and future Nuvali commerical district, you’ll be located very close to shops and restaurants without giving up the natural beauty of the land. Most of Santierra will be wrapped around a contiguous park stretching over 5 kilometers, the longest of its kind among existing Ayala Land Premier communities.

Clustered neigborhood

The neighborhood is small, but seamless and private. Lots will be clustered in groups of 50 and 80 to control the traffic flow so vehicles can only pass within the immediate neighborhood, making life more serene and secure for the residents. With only seven residential lots per hectare, your home at Santierra will provide generous space while maintaining your privacy. Lot sizes range from 600 to 1200 sqm. with modal lot cut of about 700 sqm.

Perfect transition from urban boundaries

As mentioned earlier, residents of Santierra will experience an orchestrated interplay between natural and suburban living. Tree-lined roads will lead the perfect transition between future urban boundaries only minutes away, and exclusive private residences. Trees and plants lining the main road have different blooming seasons as well so that the scenery changes with the passing months. All the flora will be arranged in such a way that the owners will enjoy the views of lush greenery while keeping the clusters invisible from the main road.

Pedestrian and bicycle-oriented development

Living in Santierra will enable you to live a healthier, more eco-friendly lifestyle. All Santierra’s roads will have dedicated continuous circuit of walkways and bike lanes to encourage residents to walk, jog or use bicycles instead of cars within the village. Carriageways, sidewalks, and bike lanes will be canopied by trees to ensure walkers, joggers and bikers enjoy the outdoor experience. Ample safety measures such as warning signs, speed humps, handicap ramps, and sufficient street lighting will be in place to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

Integrated parks and open spaces

Aside from the contiguous parks that envelope the development, the village’s entire perimeter will be buffered from the outside by about ten-meter wide ribbons of greenery. Inter-connected pathways provide easy access to all points in the neighborhood.

Serious buyers and interested parties may ask for more information from Noemi Dado at noemidado at gmail dot com. You may also leave a message at the contact form.

Avida, the affordable housing arm of Ayala Land, offers a choice of five residential condominiums in Metro Manila and a number of residential subdivisions in six provinces. This month, however, Avida just launched a new promo for big discounts to buyers. The “Be ahead, Avina na” promo enables buyers to save as much as P35,000 when they reserve a unit. Aside from that, those who purchase property before December 25 have a chance to win a Manila-Sydney-Manila trip for three, including a two night stay and $1,000 pocket money. Second prize is a Manila-Hongkong-Manila trip for two inclusive of accommodation for two nights. Balikbayans who reserve units are entitled to additional gift cheques from Ayala Malls and still another set of Ayala Malls gift cheques upon signing a contract to purchase a unit. They simply need to present their passports.

For more information, visit avidaland.com.

Is this your first time buying a condo? Unlike a pair of heels or a stylish dress, buying property should never be done on impulse – especially if it’s your first. Of course, the first thing you should consider is the cost of the unit and the payment schemes; the affordable monthly fee is what made me decide to get a one-bedroom unit at Gateway Regency. But other than cost, there are a number of other details to look out for. Here’s what made me decide to choose mine:

For more information, availability, and sample calculations on units at Gateway Regency, contact Robinsons Land Corp Sales Manager Gigette Sia at 0922-8421096. Please mention Lauren Dado as your referral.

With this regard, Urban Institute will be holding a lecture called “Investing in Real Estate: Opportunities, Techniques and What are Needed to be Learned” on November 16, 1:30 – 6:00 pm at the Maximo Function Room, Max’s Restaurant Glorietta, G2 Park, Theater Drive, Ayala Center, Makati City. The four hour lecture will cover the following topics:

In the succeeding weeks, the same venue will also host a series of important real estate topics:

For other details or advance registration, Urban Institute may be reached at 796-8019 or 570-0973 or CP# 0916-426-9174 or 0921-683-9431 or by email at info@urbanet.ph or urbanet.ph@gmail.com or visit www.urban-institute.blogspot.com.

Did you know that the rainy season is the best time to look for properties in the city or the province? Unpredictable weather reveals a lot of things that you wouldn’t have found out in the dry season, such as damaging floods and landslides. Avoid being a casualty of another typhoon like Ondoy by following these tips on buying a flood-proof house.

Ask for the disclosure statement

A disclosure statement contains all the relevant details about the property – the description of the land, the type of soil, geological and development history (e.g. is it reclaimed land?), etc. Disclosure agreements are a mandatory practice in United States real estate but in the Philippines, you’ll only receive a disclosure statement if you ask for it. Before signing your lease or contract, make sure the seller reads the disclosure statement to you.

Visit the property

If you have time, try visiting the area during a rainy day. This will give you a lot of information about its traffic behavior during inclement weather or any siltation problems on the road. If a road gets muddy during the rain, it’s a telltale sign that the soil where the road is situated is loose. Chances are, the soil underneath the property you’ve been eying may rest on loose soil too.

Talk to residents

Talk to your neighbors or residents and ask them if the area gets flooded during the rainy season. You can also try looking out for these two tell-tale signs of chronic flooding: unusual elevation of homes, or the presence of sandbags.

Inspect the interiors

Look at the ceiling and fixtures of the house. Things to watch out for are watermarks on the ceiling, a telltale sign of a defective roof system. Warped cabinets are also a sign that the walls behind it have a water leak. Other things to look out for are porous walls that are continuously exposed to rain water. If they are not maintained properly, they can manifest moisture and leaks.

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Megaworld Corporation is currently working on a 50-hectare development that will quickly become one of the country’s most highly regarded neighborhood. McKinley Hill is a master-planned community that features a unique mix of residential selections like low-rise garden villas, Mediterranean-style homes, a private estate, and Venetian-style luxury residences. Megaworld also intends to make McKinley Hill a popular commercial destination at Fort Bonifacio with the Venetian Town Center, an extraordinary development that captures the grandeur and romance of Venice. Shop at trendy boutiques and dine at the variety of restaurants and cafe surrounding the country’s very first and only Grand Canal, complete with gondoliers. Better yet, purchase a home at McKinley Hill and live in one of the country’s most exclusive neighborhoods.

McKinley Hill Garden Villas

McKinley Hill Garden Villas are low-rise homes nestled within a gated community to ensure your privacy and protection. There are limited edition, three-bedroom suites with refreshing views of the green McKinley landscape and the stylized homes of the neighboring communities. Turnover date of units will happen on the first quarter of 2010.

Tuscany Private Estates

The design of Tuscany Private Estates is heavily influenced by the artistic heritage that made the Italian region of Tuscany unforgettable and romantic. It’s a 1.5-hectare village with seven Mediterranean-style residential clusters. Each home features meticulous stone detailing, elegant arches, and diverse facades in festive colors. One-fifth of the development will be made of a gardens and verdant parks as a tribute to nature’s beauty. Available units include one bedroom with loft, two bedroom with loft, 2 bedroom flat, and 3 bedroom flat. Turnover date for clusters 1, 2, and 3 is on June 2011 and December 2011 for cluster 4, 5, 6, and 7.

Venice Luxury Residences

You don’t need to book a plane ticket to Italy to see the romantic canals of Venice, because soon we’ll have our own replica of the city at McKinley Hill’s Venice Luxury Residences. Let gondolas and gondoliers take you around the community through the series of canals; afterwards, you can enjoy the shops and dining places at the community center. It’s a nice place to visit, but wouldn’t you rather live there? Choose from studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom units available.

For more information, visit http://megaworldfortboni.multiply.com or contact Jeraldine Tan. Please mention that you were referred by Lauren Dado.

Mobile Number: 0917-8992486 or 0922-4115323
Landline Number: (02) 5024014
Email: tanjeraldine@yahoo.com

1) The amount on the Deed of Absolute Sale is less than the approved loan. The amount on the deed should never be less than the approved loan.

2) Applying for a loan to buy a property that has an encumbrance like mortgages, recorded abstracts of judgment, deeds of trust, unpaid real property taxes, easements, mechanic’s liens, and water or timber rights. All encumbrances are on record with the Recorder of Deeds or County Recorder. Before you execute the contract, verify with the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) if the property is acceptable to Pag-Ibig.

3) Improvements outside the house are not part of financing. Consult Pag-Ibig before you pursue the construction.

4) Loans get rejected if part of the bills of materials were reduced (e.g. the flooring and ceiling were deleted) just so it will fit the loan granted for construction. Simply follow the bill of materials evaluated by the HDMF.

5) When borrowers who are separated from their spouse apply for the loan without the signature of the husband or wife, the loan will get rejected. The spouse or wife should present legal separation papers before Pag-Ibig can accept the loan application.

Other than Pag-Ibig Fund, there are other institutions that offer home financing like the Social Security System, the Government Service Insurance System, and the Land Bank of the Philippines. For further inquiries on Pag-Ibig housing loans, call the Pag-Ibig hotline at 724-4244.

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Aside from sending their children to school, owning a house in the Philippines is one of the main reasons Filipinos choose to work overseas. However, many of our OFWs have faced bad experiences trying to buy property in the Philippines because of unscrupulous land developers who try to cheat them.

To prevent this from happening, a team of real estate experts from Ayala Land will be flying to Saudi Arabia this week to provide assistance to OFWs who are looking to buy their own homes in the Philippines. The Ayala Land team, made up of Edgar Malibay, Bob Bayona, Ryan Data, Alex Encarnacion, and Leejay Gonzalez, will be at Riyadh from August 9 to August 18, and in Jeddah from August 18 to September 14.

This Friday, August 7, the team will be speaking to the Filipino community at the Mohamed Dossary Hospital auditorium. On August 14, Rex Ma. Mendoza, Ayala Land’s Senior Vice President for Corporate Sales and Marketing will be speaking at the Dajen Restaurant along Khurais Road near exit 26. Topics include wealth management so OFWs can protect their hard-earned money and make it grow through investing in real estate. The same talk will also be held on August 21 at the Ramada Hotel in Jeddah.

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The Philippine real estate market is being kept afloat by OFWs and Filipinos abroad, but can natural-born Filipinos who lost their citizenship, or balikbayans, own real estate property in the Philippines?

The Philipipne Law says yes, but there are several limitations to this:

1) The land may be acquired through donation, sale, tax sale, execution sale, or foreclosure.
2) The land can only be used for residential or business purposes.
3) If the land will be used for residential purposes, one can only own 1,000 sq meters maximum of urban land, or 1 hectare of rural land.
4) If the land will be used for business purposes, one can only own 5,000 sq meters maximum of urban land or 3 hectares of rural land.
5) A maximum of two lots that do not exceed the maximum limit in the total combined areas is allowed. The lots must be located in different municipalities or cities.
6) Either urban or rural lots can be acquired – not both.
7) For married former Filipinos, either one or both spouses may avail of this within the limitations above. This means that if both avail of property, the total area acquired by the couple must not exceed the maximum.
Transfeeres who already own urban or rural property for business or other purposes are entitled to be a transferee, so long as when added to those already owned, the property must not exceed the maximum.

Dual citizenship holders, however, are allowed full rights of real estate possession in the Philippines.

Despite rising oil and commodity prices and the ongoing crisis in the US economy, now is still the best time to invest in real estate in the Philippines to safeguard your savings or your liquid financial resources. Real estate investment is the a good way to stay safe from inflation. Right now, the best kinds of property to invest in are high-rise condominium units located in prime areas like Makati, since the values continue to appreciate. With so many developments being built in the area, buyers also have the luxury to choose among the condominium developments available.

So what exactly should you look for in a high-rise condo?

First: location, location, loaction! Choose a condo situated in a premiere city center as the property values here will continuously appreciate. Makati is your best bet, as well as Fort Bonifacio and Ortigas. Condominiums in these areas are within walking distance of corporate, entertainment, and leisure facilities, as well as hotels, schools, and banks.

Make sure the condominium is developed by a reputable real estate firm. Only choose a developer who has experience, a proven track record, and a premiere roster of projects.

Fully fitted and furnished units are ideal, as it will lessen move-in stress caused by hiring designers or shopping furniture and appliances.

A condo that allows you to expand your living experience beyond your unit and caters to your lifestyle is the best investment you could ever find. Look for amenities such as a swimming pool, gym, spa, and childcare facilities.

Finally, a condo that is well-designed will increase your pride of ownership and will guarantee that ever single peso you invested in it is well worth the price.