Living in a condo

[_Qwerty_]

be ready for additional monthly and yearly expenses..

ask magkano association dues.. some condos goes from 50 to 120 per sqm per month.. minsan kasama din yung parking space (12 to 15sqm din to) sa computation nang dues..

some condos also adds 10% sa utilities.. water and electricity.. also some condos not purely residential.. iba ang rate nang water.. mataas compared to residential households..

then you have the yearly building insurance.. ask if this is paid in full or in installment.. mabigat din kasi pag nagkasabay sabay.. tapos may insurance on common areas and mechanical etc..

then yung yearly RPT tax.. iba iba ang rate kada city.. tapos depende din sa zonal value..

also magkano rentals sa parking space.. is it worth to buy one? or just rent? gano kalalim yung basement parking.. pwede ba mag park sa harap or kailangan sa parking mo lang.. minsan kasi hassle aalis ka pa tapos ang parking mo basement 4.. pag walang parking sa taas.. park ka pa sa basement 4.. eh paapaano kung 5x ka umalis that day.. 5x ka babalik balik sa basement 4.. also check kung may available bang visitor parking.. sa ibang condo wala.. or yung iba charges too high.. like 40.00 per hour.. hassle sa mga visitors..

check mo din kung may mga convenience store na malapit.. mas maganda kung 24 hours.. para pag may kailangan ka mabilis makakuha nang supplies.. may malapit bang water refilling station? malapit na laundry? ok ba ang palibot nang condo? yung iba kasing condo.. delikado maglakad sa labas kasi maraming squatters sa palibot..

check mo din kung pwede magpasok nang LPG tank.. may ibang condos bawal ang LPG tanks.. so electric ang gamit pagluto.. medyo mahal yan..

check mo din kung pwede maglagay nang window type aircon.. yung iba walang provision sa ganyan.. puro split type.. so medyo additional expense na naman yan..

ilan ang elevators.. may service lift ba?? malaking issue yang elevators.. expect na malimit masira yan sa dami nang gumagamit.. ilan ang units per floor.. mas madaming units.. mas madaming tao.. tapos kung 2 lang ang elevator... patay ka pag rush hour sa umaga and sa gabi.. tapos sira pa yung isa.. or walang service lift so ginagamit na service lift yung isa..

kailangan consider lahat to..

[shadow]

stayed in a condo for 2 years after I got married dahil ginagawa pa bahay namin. generally masarap naman dahil convenient everything is just around the corner. and the view is spectacular at least doon tinirahan namin since We stayed in the penthouse 36th floor. as for the neighbors doon sa condo namin walang problema dahil foreigners lahat ng condo mate namin so "peaceful" ewan ko lang kung mga filipino rin kapitbahay.

then there's the amenities. baba ka lang pwede mag swimming, gym then meron pang jogging path...convenient talaga.

[Ry_Tower]

Thanks for the tips, GH. We were also fixing on the purchase of a condo to serve as a halfway house during the workweek and for rental later on.

We considered the following:
- proximity to public transpo and the CBDs. This I feel is better than choosing one near a school as it will have better value later on as your kids start working or you want to rent it out. If its centrally located, most good universities should be within striking distance (30 mins to an hour drive/commute)
- proximity to fault line and flood prone areas (of course we would want to avoid these areas)
- developer record
- orientation to the sun (as GH mentioned); i'm choosing a unit facing the northeast and also considered that no other building will be built next to our window and block the view.
- number of elevators in the development
- assurance to be able to purchase a parking slot

Since the development were considering is along EDSA, were finalizing to get one of the upper floor units as well. I also checked out skyscrapercity for developer/development feedback.

Nice nice tips sir. We'll keep this in mind as well. hehe

[vinj]

stayed in a condo for 2 years after I got married dahil ginagawa pa bahay namin. generally masarap naman dahil convenient everything is just around the corner. and the view is spectacular at least doon tinirahan namin since We stayed in the penthouse 36th floor. as for the neighbors doon sa condo namin walang problema dahil foreigners lahat ng condo mate namin so "peaceful" ewan ko lang kung mga filipino rin kapitbahay.

then there's the amenities. baba ka lang pwede mag swimming, gym then meron pang jogging path...convenient talaga.

It would be generally more "peaceful" and organized if you have foreigners and upper middle class neighbors (of course you cannot avoid association politics). If you go for high-volume, low budget developments expect more problem neighbors.

BTW, parking slots are a gold mine. Developers charge anywhere between 500K to 800K for these.

[_Qwerty_]

maganda din kung may katabing commercial establishment ang condo para may parking space na available... para hindi mahirapan mga visitors..

may friend kami dito sa Tivoli Garden by DMCI.. walang slots for visitors.. ang ginagawa.. don pina park sa Caltex sa labas.. tapos lalakad na lang.. medyo malayo layo din yung Caltex.. kakahiya sa mga bisita..

[foresterx]

I live in a condo right now and it is very convinient for me since i travel a lot and everything i need is near me. Restaurants, mall, grocery store, repair shops, car wash, banks. Also maganda pa mga facility ng condo namin, gym with sauna, pool, playground, mini restaurants, 7/11. Biggest advantage for me is the security since like i said i travel a lot, when im abroad i dont have to worry about my house getting broken into. Also mamili ka ng condo na medyo highend at di kaya bilin ng mga OFW, kasi kung mura lang like my old condo yung crowd iba, lalo na mga kamag anak ng OFW and iranian/korean students ang magiging crowd mo. Pag ganon ang mga kapitbahay mo dudumi yung building nyo, tapon ng tapon ng basura sa bintana at hallway nag yoyosi, dura kung sansan. Sa old condo ko meron ako kapitbahay kala mo kung sino sobra yabang kung umasta pa kala mo sya may ari ng building pati tapon ng tapong ng basura kung sansan lang pati nag yoyosi sa hallway, taxi driver lang pala at bigay lang ng kapatid nyang OFW yung condo niya. Kaya ngayon lumipat na ko ng ibang condo na sigurado maganda ang crowd at never mag kakaron ng mga taong ganon ang ugali.

[vinj]

Actually I am also contemplating between a small house or a condo for my son when he goes to college. This has been helpful.

BTW, my experience with some friends who had condos near the schools... nagiging scene of the crime yung place :naughty2: :rave: :cheers:

[shadow]

I agree na huge factor yun magiging condomate niyo. maganda mga foreigners na expat dito with family. pag mga students. bukod sa maingay, magulo sigro yun floor niyo.

[foresterx]

I agree na huge factor yun magiging condomate niyo. maganda mga foreigners na expat dito with family. pag mga students. bukod sa maingay, magulo sigro yun floor niyo.

Yup, yon ang isa sa pinaka important sa akin nung nag hanap ako ng bagong condo. Kasi pag students magulo lalo na pag nag iinuman minsan nag aaway pa kaya natatakot si misis, pag kamag anak naman ng ofw madumi naman sa building and magulo din kasi kung sansan tumatambay.

[12vdc]

Get 3 condos near u-belt. yung dalawa pa rent mo, yung isa pang emergency halfway home. Solve na problema mo sa maintenance ng 3condos.

Maganda investment ang condo near ubelts, hindi ka mawawalan ng lessee.

And its true kahit hindi mo occupied, hindi titigil ang gastos. Nandyan yung assoc dues, taxes, meralco, insurance..

Kung bawal ang lpg, inverter type stove and hood range ok na.

Check also kung operational ang backup generator, one way of knowing kung nag fluctuate ang commercial power dapat mag activate yung starter ng motor and switch ang ATS. Kung hindi, palpak yan parusa kung may bagyo wlang ilaw at tubig.

Avoid units near the center or elevator shaft, yan yung poorly ventilated and lit kaya dependent ka sa lights & aircon.
Check also for garbage chute or proper ang waste disposal. Mahirap na pag natapat sa basurahan na napabayaan.

See to it also na may conceirge wag lang basta basta guwardya..minsan maliligaw yung mails mo sa ibang pigeon hole nilagay ng guwardya.

Tama sila, importante yung may good breeding mga kapitbahay. Nakakairita yung maingay, may alagang aso kung san san nag poops sa corridor, yung basura iniiwan lang sa doorstep, at dumudura sa elevator..

Swerte ka kung may magandang chix na kapitbahay at tanaw mo sa viewfinder ng peep hole ang doors nya.