Month: December 2017

Here are some of the best reasons for a home upgrade.

Perhaps you’ve outgrown your current living space or your home is simply not the right fit anymore, and you’re suddenly considering moving into a bigger space. Here, we help you dissect the reasons why a bigger home may be the best option.

1. You need more wall space.

Wall space is often taken for granted, but studies show that ceiling height can influence and impact you in more ways than you think. Higher ceilings have been shown to make you think, feel, and act more freely. SkyVillas at One Balete prioritizes space by offering a ceiling height of 3.1 meters, compared to the industry standard of 2.8 meters. Art collectors will find comfort in SkyVillas’ generous ceiling heights that are perfect for showcasing paintings, sculptures, and other art pieces. Making use of the height, each SkyVillas unit is equipped with glass and steel windows that strikingly spread out natural light.

2. Your children require room for play and your pets require floor space.

This is enough of a reason to upgrade your current living space to a much larger and suitable floor area. From SkyVillas’ one-bedroom units to its grand penthouse, there is plenty of space for children to play and pets to roam. The luxury apartment prioritizes floor space along with security and privacy by keeping units to a two-to-eight range for each floor. In fact, SkyVillas’ Grand Penthouse Lanai Villa features a 28-square-meter veranda that pets will enjoy.

3. You want your household helpers to have the same degree of space.

It’s no question that every family wants the best for their household helpers, too. It can be tricky to know where to place living quarters, but SkyVillas has managed to create a separate maid’s and driver’s space, which is considerably a unit on its own. It also has its own service entrance. Each SkyVillas unit comes with a spacious maid’s room with bathroom, while the Junior Penthouse Veranda Villa and Grand Penthouse Lanai Villa come with driver’s rooms.

4. Your priorities have changed.

It’s likely that you bought your current home in a different time and place in your life. Either you need a bigger space for a growing family or for convenience. Consider SkyVillas at One Balete, New Manila, which allows easy access to notable landmarks and recreational spaces such as malls, schools, churches, and restaurants. The gated residential property is also conveniently located near major thoroughfares which translates to quicker travel time and more leisure time.

5. You need more parking spaces.

Limited parking spaces are the bane of many homeowners’ existence, especially in the city, where spaces have become rare commodities. This is why each SkyVillas suite comes with assigned parking slots to save you from parking woes. With the Grand Penthouse, for instance, comes five allotted parking spaces. The basement parking lots are protected by the building’s security control center’s CCTV systems and RFID access to the parking entrance and main gate. Three high-speed passenger elevators also transport you from point A to B in mere seconds.

6. You lack space for the extras.

Not all homes have the space to accommodate gyms, libraries, or swimming pools. Maintaining these spaces may also be demanding and inconvenient. SkyVillas offers many amenities such as a gym, a meeting room, a clubhouse, and a swimming pool where you can enjoy and avoid worrying about the upkeep. Aside from the various amenities, SkyVillas’ penthouses have guest rooms that are perfect for when you have family and friends over.

A good neighbor goes beyond the curt smile and the welcome gift.

Remember: Living in a high-rise doesn’t exempt you from the rules that govern big neighborhoods. Here, we share our top tips on being a congenial member of your vertical community.

1. Be more than polite.

Sure, a wave and smile is fine, but a verbal recognition of your neighbor’s existence is infinitely better. Also, make it a point to know the names of the employees in your high-rise, even if they’re technically not your neighbors. The concierge, security, maintenance staff, and parking attendants are part of your community, too.

2. But do respect boundaries.

Two things to remember: walls and floors. What sounds fine inside your apartment can be obnoxious beyond your walls and underneath your floors. Yes, daytime tolerates the melody of life’s activities. But after eight in the evening, when your neighbors are starting to unwind, please keep sounds to a pleasant murmur.

3. Keep shared spaces sacred.

Apply the same fastidiousness at the lobby, the pool area, the hallways, and other communal spaces as you would in your own home. That means keeping public places spick-and-span every time you use them. Keep in mind, too, that you share spaces, so never engage in behavior best left behind closed doors. That means: Mind your manners.

4. Mind your little ones.

‘Little ones’ can refer to your darlings: children and pets. It is the duty of good neighbors to teach the golden rules of discipline to their kids. As for pets, keep them on a leash and clean up after them if they make a mess. That way, they always leave a good impression and seem friendly to other neighbors.

5. Socialize, socialize, socialize!

It would be a shame to stay cooped up in your plush abode when surely there are friendships waiting to be built out there. You’ll never know whom you have similar interests with if you don’t talk to anyone. And they may never know that beneath your mask of confidence is a soft heart that lives for the romance in Victoria.

6. Go above and beyond when needed.

The thrill of life is in the unexpected moments. When your neighbor knocks on your door to ask you a favor, see how you can help. It’s the kindest thing to do, after all. Who knows, it’d be over before you know it.

7. Be present in your vertical community.

Playing a role in your building’s property board or condo corp shows that you care about being part of your exclusive community. It’s not as hard as you think. Just carve out time to attend social events, add your voice during a meeting, and remember to vote on the important issues. Also, being part of the group can help solve community issues quicker and more amicably.

Regardless of how often you meet your neighbors at SkyVillas at One Balete, the New Manila residential tower that boasts of having only two to eight apartments on each floor (read: very private), good conduct is always expected among residents.

So when you step out of your bright abode, with a high ceiling of 3.1 meters and overlarge glass windows, save yourself the trouble and follow this checklist. All it takes is a little graciousness in everyday situations like, say, waiting for the high-speed elevators with your neighbor. A dose of niceness truly enhances social relations. And isn’t that what we all want where we live?

Mention the name “Quezon City,” and various images immediately run through the listener’s mind: government buildings, the Philippines’ leading schools and universities, TV networks and studios, large-scale malls that command a lot of foot traffic, a multi-purpose arena that hosts famous concerts and popular sports events, and a national park named after the country’s former president. All these make the former capital ripe to be one of the most progressive districts in the metro.

To date, Quezon City remains to be the National Capital Region’s largest city, both in terms of geographical space and in population. With a land area of 161.126 square kilometers, it can easily fit Makati City six times over, or have enough space for 14 cities the size of Mandaluyong.

Its three-million-strong population is composed mainly of millennials and minors, the future workforce that will soon have the decision-making prerogative in their companies, and the perks and spending power to enjoy it.

All those advantages are drawing in investors who are converting a city, once perceived to be staid, if not static, into a booming property hub that will soon offer considerable value to building owners, commercial enterprises, their tenants, and market traders, just to name a few.

Carl Dy, property advisor and president of Spectrum Investment, elaborates, “Many business buildings are being built now, and the Quezon City Memorial Circle itself is undergoing a transformation. Well-known names in property development are putting up new hotels, residential areas, and activity places for entertainment.”

These individual pockets of trade and industry will then be linked together by two public transportation facilities that will transport people and products within and even beyond the borders of Quezon City. MRT-7 will start from Bulacan and end near the Tandang Sora area, passing through Novaliches, Fairview, Batasan, and the University of the Philippines. Then, to be completed in a couple of years’ time, the Skyway 3 will literally bridge the length and breadth of North and South, connecting the NLEX to the SLEX. Traffic just might ease up, and a population bogged down by congestion will rediscover the simple joys of living and doing business in the big city.

Dy says that the young and dynamic workforce in Quezon City is key to its progressive and economic boom. He says, “Those three million people comprise a melting pot of an educated workforce and a large consumer base. Forty percent of that population is less than 20 years old, young and energetic. Quezon City becomes a 24/7-running city, which is good for business. Companies will have workers when they open for business, and shops and restaurants will have people in them day and night.

“It’s already starting. Quezon City has the BPO service industries in various areas. It is already a medical and wellness hub with lots of hospitals. Media is strong, due to ABS-CBN and GMA-7.”

Dy points out that Quezon City is at that particular city stage when “it is about to bloom.” The enterprising who want a significant return in investment can buy property at a time when it is affordable, and then sell it years later once the city and its property value reach their peak. Others who want to own their own home can invest in a house now and see it grow in value in the next few years.

“Property is all about buying low and selling high,” says Dy. “For example, take a look at recent history. In 1985, a 500-sqm property in New Manila cost P800,000; but if you sell it today, 30 years later, you can sell it for P40 million.

“The property prices today in Quezon City are not as expensive as those in Makati or Bonifacio Global City. You can still acquire property at a low price. A typical BGC condo may cost you P200,000 per square meter, but you can get the same thing in QC at a cost of P140,000 to P150,000 per square meter.”

Growing families may also find Quezon City an attractive place to invest in, because of the accessibility to hospitals, first-tier schools, and safe but vibrant recreation centers. Some property developers are addressing this increasing market by including family-friendly features in the condominiums and apartments they are putting up.

Alfredo S. Del Rosario Jr., President and CEO of Philippine Realty and Holdings Corporation, gives one example: “Our vertical development, SkyVillas at One Balete in New Manila, celebrates the luxury of space. Staying true to the New Manila heritage means having expansive spaces where one can really grow the family. Our smallest unit, a one-bedroom apartment, measures approximately 65 sqm; our penthouse suites go up to more than 430 sqm.

“All kitchens are fully fitted with SMEG appliances—refrigerator, oven, range hood and hobs—while the bathrooms only use Grohe and Kohler fixtures. The bedrooms are already fitted with cabinets for storage. The apartment is practically ready for move-in—it already has built-in LED lights, multipoint water heaters and air conditioning.”

Dy enthuses, “Quezon City is a real exciting city that one can watch out for, because a lot of things will be changing. It will soon have its own business district. There will be opportunities for a lot of people to prosper.”

Given the numbers, investment in QC appears to be a smart, strategic move. As the city grows and unleashes its potential as an economic powerhouse, its value as a property will rise. The enterprising who likewise place their own stakes in its vision may experience a new level of affluence.

Article from: lifestyle.asiandragonmagazine.