Showing posts with label condo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label condo. Show all posts

Saturday, May 05, 2012

Condo Review: One Cityplace Binondo

There is a new luxurious residential oasis in the middle of chaotic Divisoria. Megaworld Corporation just finished their Binondo project with an upscale mall, a small shopping complex and 2 residential towers. Let us check out Cityplace Binondo...


From Reina Regente Street, going to the entrance of 168 Shopping Mall, you will find a car dropoff driveway for Cityplace Residential Towers and Cityplace Square (the small shopping complex like 168). The exterior of the building is beautifully designed and stands out in the middle of the low-rise structures surrounding it.
residential entrance to the left and mall entrance to the right
Unlike other developments, this one had quality and luxury in mind. A very spacious and contemporary styled reception area welcomes visitors.

ground floor lobby

Going further, a curving short corridor lined with potted plants leads the way to the elevators.

corridor going to the elevators
Parking areas are up to the 6th floor. We rode to the 7th where another wonderfully designed waiting area greeted us.

elevator waiting area at the 7th floor

From there, we needed to pass by security before entering the open-air garden. A roofed walkway separates the two towers' entrances.


Tower A to the right and Tower B to the left.

At the entrance of Tower A are the some of the amenities. One of them is the game room. The other amenities of both towers are day care center, gym, business/conference room. Unit owners can use all the amenities of both towers.



game room at Tower A


The elevators come next.

Tower A elevators

Walking past the elevators, a pair of glass doors opened up to the swimming pool and the clubhouse. I found the pool rather small, and the surrounding views are not that pleasing to the eyes. But, what else can you expect from Binondo/Divisoria other than old and rusty-looking buildings? The view could be better if the pool is located on higher floors, though.



swimming pool

Next, we crossed to Tower B. Smaller units are in Tower B, while 2 or 3 bedroom units are in Tower A.
 
 
 
We rode the elevators to the 25th floor. The beige colored corridors and marble floorings are simple but still with good quality.

hallway
The average size of their one bedroom units is 48 sqm. It is actually quite big, because in some other developments, there are already 2-bedroom units for only 38 sqm. So, this unit can be renovated to have 2 bedrooms.
 
 
 
We entered the wenge-colored wooden doors. And saw this...


living area and bedroom entrance


The whole unit painted in Tiffany Blue, looks fresh and bright with the abundance of windows.
entrance and kitchen area

entrance and living/dining area


One thing I found not ok is the enclosed kitchen. It also has too much cabinets, eating up so much space. If I'm going to live in here, I'll have the kitchen walls knocked down.


kitchen cabinets

Next, the bedroom. It is big enough to accomodate a king-sized bed. One side has floor to ceiling windows with relatively good city views. But these windows are still going to be changed (by Megaworld) to let more air in. I think many have complained because as you can see in the picture below, only the small upper windows can be opened. According to the admin office, the windows in some units were already changed.

bedroom with floor to ceiling windows

Another problem with their 1BR units is the bathroom. It is inside the bedroom. Very inconvenient if you have household help or if you have visitors.


bathroom sink

Bathroom fixtures are nicely designed. Size is average.


bathroom

The ratings:

Location ****

The Cityplace is located in the heart of Binondo. Traffic is heavy especially at this part surrounding 168 Divisoria. Tricycles, jeeps, taxis can be found everywhere (convenient, yes but traffic-causing). But this is still a good location if you have children going to one of the many Chinese schools in this area, or if your businesses are located here. This is also a shopping haven, you can find the most bargain finds in Tutuban or 168, and also branded items from Mango, Payless, Shoe Salon, Bench, Kamiseta, etc in the newly opened Lucky Chinatown Mall. Restaurants are also abundant. Italianni's, California Pizza Kitchen, Pancake House, Starbucks, etc.


Amenities ****

Swimming pool (too small), club house, game room, day care center, business/conference room, garden


Security *****

There are 3 levels of security. Guards in the ground floor reception counter, Another couple at the 7th floor going to the garden. Then another group at the tower entrance.


Others *****

There both doorbells and intercom system.


Construction Quality *****

As in Megaworld's other developments, this one is of good quality. It has a striking exterior, far more luxurious than many recent developments in Metro Manila.


Aesthetics and Design *****

The attention to design and quality is evident in this Megaworld development.


Investment ***
If you plan to buy a unit and have it rented, save yourself the trouble as this area does not produce ideal rent income as in other places like the DLSU/Vito Cruz or Robinson's Ermita area. A 1-BR unit of 48 sqm costs 3.6M at pre-selling, (current price has gone up, as of writing it is around P88,000-P100,000 per sqm) and can only ask for a maximum of 15-18k rent. Better buy your investment unit elsewhere. Most lessees would be the Chinese shop owners at 168. But if you plan to live here yourself, then this is a good investment. As mentioned above, there is a new mall (also by Megaworld) where you can shop, dine, pay your phone bills and do your grocery.

Turn-over Process *
Make sure to check the computation of fee and expenses they send to you. I know a unit owner who was asked to pay an extra of P200,000 for the outstanding balance due to wrong computation. Then another mistake came up in the computation of expenses. They computed it based on the wrong unit size. There was a 10k or 20k difference. This same owner did not get his contract to sell until turnover time. He wasn't aware of this and Megaworld did not contact him either. It was much later when applying for a bank loan that they realized this mistake.
 
 
Imagine 2 wrong computations and 1 documentation problem for just a single unit! What if the unit owner was not careful in checking his outstanding balance. (hmm, I wonder where the money would go...)
 
 
I hope Megaworld will be informed of this and do steps to improve their service.



Thursday, April 05, 2012

My Studio Unit's Overhaul Cost :)

How I turned my studio unit from this:



to this:

dining set from Homeworks the Home Center, wall stickers from Japan Home  Center


Here is the complete list of furnitures and appliances I bought for my studio unit: (Prices in Philippine Peso)

SM:
Bed                                  10,869.19  (Salem Bed w/ pull-out original price 15-16k)
Side Table                            600.00
Closet                                3,995.00
Curtains                                799.30
Bed Sheet                             855.00
Clock                                    199.00
Plate Rack                            199.00
Flowers                                 200.00
LCD TV                            10,605.00
Vase                                     149.75
2 Pillows                               350.00
Mirror                                   400.00


** TIP: When buying things from SM, try to wait for their 3-day sale. You can score really great deals. Plus, the best time to shop during the sale period is the first day (always a Friday) From opening time to 12 noon, everything will get an additional 10% off!

Japan Home Center:
Shower Curtain                        88.00
Hooks                                     88.00
Cushion Sticker                       88.00
Wall Stickers                         440.00
Placemat                                88.00
Clothes Hanger                       88.00
Hooks Small                           66.00

Abenson:
Electrolux Refrigerator        9,995.00

Shopwise:
2 Wooden Shelf 4-layer         599.00   (buy 1 take 1 promo!)
Plates                                  119.00
Spoon & Fork Holder              39.75
                         
From: (Appliance Center in Yuchengco St. Binondo) - name to follow :)
Samsung Aircon                13,900.00
Rice Cooker                           700.00
Floor Fan                             1,098.00
Electric Stove                         820.00

Robinson's Dept. Store
Decorative Cork Board           549.00
Blanket                                 384.00
2 Throw Pillows                     178.00
Wall Painting                         399.75

Homeworks the Home Center
4-Seater Dining Table           3,999.00

From: (Bathroom Accessories Store in T. Alonzo Street, Sta. Cruz)
Heater                                  2,900.00

A&S Lamps
Ceiling Light                            540.00

Handyman
2 DIY Wooden Shelving           739.00

168 Mall, Divisoria
Bedside Lamp                         250.00
Bed Sheet w/ 2 Pillow Cases   140.00
Floor Mat                                100.00
Pen Holder (Decor)                  100.00

Other Costs:
Delivery Costs                        480.00
Key Duplication                       90.00
Carpentry Works                 1,000.00

TOTAL COST:        69,286.74

Friday, February 24, 2012

My Condo Before and After

My Grand Towers condo unit was turned-over late last year. I'm sharing some photos of how the bare studio turned out, and how much I spent on furnishings. :)

The studio unit is 22.37 sqm.
Here are the before photos:


window is facing manila bay. nice view :)



I chose this unit because the view from the window is amazing. I get to enjoy the Manila Bay sunset from the comforts of my own home (yey!) In addition to that, the immediate surroundings are Rizal Memorial Stadium's football field, swimming pool and tennis court. (see photo below)
 



the entrance and the kitchen counter


I find this kitchen counter a bit too big. Anyways, on to the "in the making photos"


During photos (the unit in the making)



the diy shelf and the 4-seater dining table

I bought this 4-seater dining table from Homeworks the Home Center for only P3,999! Their furnitures are super affordable, and quality-wise they're mid-range. Since I plan to have the unit rented out, these suit me just fine. If you're short on budget, try to visit one of their stores. Their branch in Ever Commonwealth has the most complete collections.

The DIY shelf is from Shopwise. They were on sale for a super bargain price of 2 for P699!



big mess hehe


And now, the after photos:




red tiled sticker for my kitchen counter


I added red tiled sticker to brighten up the kitchen/entrance area. Sticker roll bought from Handyman for P599.


bed and window



the dining area

The striped wall design are wall stickers cut into rectangles. I spent a couple of hours struggling with those. (real effort! haha) Wall stickers from Japan Home Center, for P88/roll.


For the whole list of furnitures, items, decors used in this unit, plus their prices and costs, CLICK HERE.

And finally the view from my window:


the view!


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

SM Field Residences Condo Review

My friend recently invited me to her new condo unit at the SM Field Residences in Paranaque. I was quite excited, since for the longest time I have been curious with the quality of condos made by this giant company.

The entrance to the development is right behind SM Sucat. The property is gated and guarded by security. Upon entering, I immediately felt relaxed as if I was on vacation. I think that was what SM had in mind, having alloted a really big land for this development. The mid-rise buildings were built on beautiful landscapes and spaced well enough so as not to give you the "crowded feel" of ordinary Manila condos.



Building No. 8 from the outside
We walked to the lobby entrance of building 8. I'm not sure if each building had specific names, but let's just call it no. 8 :) The lobby is not air-conditioned, but I liked it that way. It reminds me of Tagaytay hotel lobbies.


The lobby
Next, we checked out the parking spaces located on both sides of the lobby. Some parking slots have small rooms behind them, I was told that they were meant as storage spaces not for drivers to sleep in.


Parking slots with small rooms
Then, it was time to see the actual unit. While waiting for the elevator, we saw the undergoing construction of the other buildings and the pool. As of this writing, only Buildings 1 and 8 are ready for occupancy.


2 elevators servicing each building



Pool and building still under construction

My friend's unit was at the second floor. I learned that each floor has 30 units on each side, having a total of 60 units!


The corridor leading to units on side A

What I liked about the second floor was its glass railing you encounter upon exiting from the elevators. This railing overlooks the lobby counter and entrance so you can see your visitors or shout call out instructions to the lobby attendant. Units on this floor are lucky, since there are no intercoms installed in all units. Having lived in a condo for the longest time, I find this lacking feature a big inconvenience. (When I asked about this, the agent just said that it was part of their cost-cutting scheme so as to have more funds in beautifying the development. hmph) 



The door

All units have this beautiful light-colored wooden door. I forgot what material it's made of, but they said its not the very sturdy kind.

The units are quite small, averaging from 24-28 sqm. (correct me if im wrong.) These are one-bedroom units, so those who wanted more space or more rooms, opted for tandem units. That's two adjacent units with their shared wall removed.

TIP: Buying a combined unit is great way to save money when purchasing condos. There is a 12% tax levied on properties bought P2.5M and up. So if you want a bigger home, buy two, three or even more separate small units that cost below P2.5 M each, instead of buying a big one that costs higher. That way, you don't have to pay taxes, while still enjoying the same size of home that you wanted. Imagine how much you saved! 12% of P2.5M is P300,000! That money can be used to fully furnish your home.

Anyway, back to the unit. :)

This is what the entrance looks like:



L-R: Kitchen counter, main entrance, and bathroom door


Toilet and Bath


Living area and bedroom 1



Bedroom 1 has a balcony



Bedroom 1


Bedroom 2 with small space for hanging and drying clothes.

Both bedrooms have sliding doors, which are space-efficient. But there are no door locks. The beds have wheels on them for easy movement. I don't like them because they remind me of hospital beds.. Another thing I do not like with the bedrooms is this:



The gap

The wall dividing the living area and bedroom does not reach the ceiling! Another friend said she likes it coz the living area can benefit from the bedroom's airconditioning. But for me, It doesn't feel like a real room. Any noise from outside the bedroom can be heard clearly.

Moving on, the other side of the tantem is alloted for dining area and kitchen.



Dining area



Kitchen

My friend got a fully-furnished tandem unit but decided not to remove the shared wall, because she has plans to have one half rented out and the other for personal use. The whole space is around 52 or 53 sqm, which is quite big compared to other developments' 2-bedroom units. But since the two units are still divided, (only a door-sized space is alloted for movement from one unit to the other), you may feel that the combined unit is still small.

For a fully furnished unit, my friend shelled out an additional of P100,000 to P150,000 (not sure of this amount though, she already forgot the exact amount hehe).

I estimated the worth of these furnitures and fixtures, they are more or less around a P100,000. If I am the unit owner, I will prefer to buy these myself. Of course, those who want less hassle can choose to avail of the fully furnished promo.


The package for tandem unit includes:

2 LCD TV's (TCL)
2 DVD players (Coby)
2 airconditioners
2 beds with mattress, pillows and covers
1 sofa bed
1 refrigerator (Samsung)
1 dining set (4 or 6 seater)
2 bedroom closets
1 set built in electric stove and range hood
1 microwave oven (American Home)


Before heading home, we checked out the clubhouse and its pool.



The club house



The pool

Only this pool is ready for use. The others are still under construction.


The ratings:

Location ****

SM Field Residences is located behind SM Sucat. Living beside a mall, needless to say, solves all your basic needs. It is also quite near the airport, very convenient for those always on the go.

Amenities ***

Swimming pools, club house, playground, jogging path

Security ***

The entire development is gated and guarded by security. Cars that enter are being checked. Each building also has lobby guards. The only thing I find not ok is that each building has two entrances. One front entrance (lobby) and the other is from the back (there is a small entrance from the shared pools that leads directly to the elevators) It is very possible for someone to skip the lobby security and just wander into the building through this passage. Visitors or even unit owners from other buildings can do this! Ok, maybe I'm thinking too much ^_^

Others ***

There is no doorbell and intercom system. Very inconvenient if you have visitors.

Construction Quality ***

Quality-wise, SM's Field Residences is so-so. I'm not generalizing all SM properties, but I am not impressed with the quality of this one. The doors and cabinets are made of not sturdy wood, which will need repairs or replacement in 5 years. The units are not very sound-proof either. We stayed over one night and was requested to tone down our voices. While standing in the corridors, you can hear sounds and laughters from units that are a few doors away. Some of the walls are pre-fabricated and just installed (this is according to SM's sales agent) to hasten the building process. That is why most SM condos have shorter turnover dates.

Aesthetics and Design *****

What they lack in quality, they made up for it through design. Two thumbs up for the landscape, spaciousness, recreation area, the lobby. They really spent a lot to make everything pleasing to the eyes.

Investment ***

Overall, this is still a relatively good investment. The price is affordable, around P1.3 for preselling units and P1.5M-P1.8M for ready for occupancy ones. The perfect starter home for working people who has a few hundred thousand savings. With this affordable price, many can now own a condo.

Friday, January 27, 2012

CONDO REVIEW: The Grand Towers Manila


The Grand Towers Manila is a 47-level twin tower development by Moldex Realty, Inc.


Location  *****

Located in Pablo Ocampo Street (formerly Vito Cruz Street), TGT is conveniently near to several schools and universities in the area. (St. Scholastica, De La Salle University, St. Benilde, etc.) Vito Cruz LRT Station is literally a few steps away, and coffee shops, restaurants, laundry shops, convenience stores are all within walking distance.

Amenities ****

Outdoor Swimming Pool, Kid's Pool, Jacuzzi, Gazebo, Jogging Path, Fitness CEnter, Game Room, Wifi-enabled Study Area

Investment ****

This is a great investment since the area is surrounded by students. Rent income is continuous. In my case, a fully furnished studio unit has an asking price of P18,000 monthly rent. (I posted online ads, and receive an average of 1-2 inquiries a week.) The area is also flood-free.

Security ****

Each tower's lobby has guards and would require visitors to log in. Occupants are mostly students and working people. Area is relatively safe.

Others **

There are no intercom system and doorbells in the units. Quite inconvenient if you need to contact the guard.

Construction Quality ****

The overall quality of construction is good. Tower seems sturdy enough. All units are covered with ordinary 12x12 tiles.

Aesthetics and Design ***

Lobby and amenities area are high-end looking, but the corridors which are painted with pale yellow color, lacks the wow factor. The development alloted an ample space for the amenities area, making it spacious and relaxing.

Units with windows facing Pablo Ocampo Street are blessed with great views of Rizal Memorial Stadium's olympic-sized pool, tennis courts, football field and also the Manila Bay sunset.

Photos:


lobby area

 
3 high speed elevators per tower

fitness room


outdoor pool and the building exterior
 
wifi-enabled study area


the corridor


kitchen counter and main entrance

 

my small studio unit

view from the window. very nice :)

To see how my bare studio unit turned out, click here.