tips to look for in a condo before buying

**jusipus** · June 7th, 2007 04:39 PM

guys, tanong ko lang kung ano yung mga dapat i-check bago bumili ng condo.. also, alam nyo ba yung cambridge village sa may pasig? im planning to get one, any tips or advice? ty =)

**_Qwerty_** · June 7th, 2007 04:54 PM

una.. check mo yung track record nung developer.. marami na ba silang projects?? ok ba naman ang itsura?? try to visit one of their previous projects para makita mo kung ano itsura.. nadeliver ba nila on time yung past projects nila??

kung sa actual condo naman na bibilhin mo.. check mo yung location.. malapit ba sa public transport?? binabaha ba?? may mga squatters ba sa palibot?? may malapit bang grocery? palengke? school?

**torque2006** · June 7th, 2007 05:21 PM

camrbidge village pros and cons

pros:
- cheap
- accessible: to a park, to ortigas cbd, supermarkets, pasig palengke, eastwood.

cons:
- binabaha ang harap
- floodway area is full of squatters

**Lemon** · June 7th, 2007 05:38 PM

First to check talaga is your developer. I will stick with big developers like Ayala(not sure about Avida), Robinsons, DMCI etc. Kasi these developers ay proven na. Hindi nila pababayaan mga bldgs nila because they have an image to protect. Kaya you won't see any bldg from these developers na panget or napabayaan. Turnover is always on time. You should also check their existing projects. I was really impressed with the projects of DMCI. Well planned lahat and hindi crowded. And madami din space na ina-lot para sa gardens and greeneries. Kaya before you decide, sabihin mo sa agent i-tour ka nya sa previous projects nila. Especially, check mo yun mga 5yrs and older na mga projects nila. Kasi this is how the property your eyeing will probably look like in the future.

Second is location. No need to explain this one.

Third for me is the price. Dami condos na overprice just because prime ang location nya. Pero you should check and compare prices. Try looking at those condos na mura pero hindi naman ganun kalayo sa Business district.

Lastly, the project itself. Dapat hindi cramped or crowded yun lugar. Maganda layout ng units. Single loaded corridor is a plus for me. Mataas dapat ceiling heigth(at least 2.4meters). Check mo din mga materials na ginamit. I shy away from expensive condos tapos vinyl lang flooring and cheap looking ang kitchens.

TIP : Kung hindi ka naman nagmamadali, it is better to get one hangat pre-selling pa yun project. Dito makakamura ka talaga, tapos ang haba ng terms kaya hindi mo gaano ma-fe-feel yun hinuhulugan mo. Tumaas na ng 30% yun price nun condo na nabili ko, and expected ng tumaas yun price as it nears turnover(2008).

Hope this helps.

**Galactus** · June 7th, 2007 05:39 PM

One thing about condos kasi, usually after 50 years (or depende sa terms in the Master Deed), revert yung ownership back to the developer.

Kaya hindi rin puwedeng ipamana. That's according to our bank appraiser here. Kaya better investment daw ang townhouse

**Lemon** · June 7th, 2007 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Galactus

One thing about condos kasi, usually after 50 years (or depende sa terms in the Master Deed), revert yung ownership back to the developer.

Kaya hindi rin puwedeng ipamana. That's according to our bank appraiser here. Kaya better investment daw ang townhouse

Dapat Perpetual Ownership ang bibilin mo. Kung hindi P.O., after 50years or so, balik na sa developer yun ownership. Lots of buyers are not aware of this.

**_Qwerty_** · June 7th, 2007 06:43 PM

hindi na uso yang after 50 years balik sa developer.. a condo now is owned by the Condo Corp.. na ang mga members eh yung unit owners.. ang 50 years na sinasabi eh yung lifetime nang isang corporation sa Philippine law.. after 50 years.. you can always make another corporation naman..

Pero iba don sa mga CondoTel.. I think medyo tricky pag condotel ang development.

additional.. sa isang condo.. tingnan mo din yung foot traffic per floor and for the whole building.. ilan ba ang elevators?? may service lift ba?? ilan ang units kada floor?? kung lagpas nang 20 ang units per floor.. eh medyo madami na yan.. so expect na maingay.. at medyo matagal maghintay nang elevator.

Avida naman is a subsidiary of Ayala.. it used to be Laguna Property Holdings.. it caters to the low end project of Ayala. Community Innovations naman is for the mid-income level, tapos yung Ayala land Premiere naman caters to the high-end market.

**ncncn** · June 7th, 2007 08:54 PM

sometime in 2005 i personally visited that cambridge village, one thing na hindi ako sold is the location kaya i backed down from the deal. pero i thing learned from cambridge eh hindi sya leasehold property which is a good thing.

**kedeka** · June 7th, 2007 08:56 PM

thanks sa mga inputs...plano ko rin bumili pero sa Gramercy Makati naman...oks kaya rito?

**_Qwerty_** · June 7th, 2007 09:29 PM

hindi naman lahat nang pre-selling ay risky.. tama na mas mababa ang presyo.. usually a condo takes 3 years minimum bago matapos.. maraming pwedeng mangyari in 3 years. Ngayon if you buy from a reputable developer, sure ka na tatayo yung building, nakakuha sa murang price at nakapili ka pa nang magandang unit.

May mga projects ngayon na you don't pay sa developer straight pag pre-selling. Your payment goes thru a trustee bank at magagalaw lang nang developer yung pera kung para sa project, so sigurado kang yung binabayad mo ay don talaga sa project pumupunta, progressively and based sa construction update ni re release nung banko yung funds don sa developer.

Eto yung mga tinatawag na BTO (build to own) systems, meron nang ganyan sa Fort Boni, you go in pag pre-selling, then all the payment is deposited to the Trustee bank. They usually give 6 months sa pre-selling or 60% units sold, otherwise hindi nila sisimulan yung project, pag hindi nag push through yung project, your payment is returned with corresponding interest.

minsan kasi, kung talagang maganda ang project at reputable ang developer.. if you don't buy sa pre-selling and wait pag natapos na yung project, chances are, wala ka nang mabibiling unit dahil minsan within 1 year sold out na ang project, ofcourse makakabili ka.. pero 2nd owner ka na.. so mataas na yung babayaran mo.

Meron namang mga developers na malalaki, maraming projects, pero delayed parati ang mga turnover.. kasi ni ju juggle nila yung funds.. so nasa 2nd project na.. ni fu fund pa lang yung 1st project.. pano kasi yung funds don sa 1st project nabulsa na.. eto yung dapat iwasan..