Romancing Monet

As one Filipino senator quipped at last Thursday night's hearing on the very controversial National Broadband Network project, 'I will give you a VIP treatment and not a VOIP treatment' and so today I will also give you (another) VIP treatment with our blog entry. We will continue our Italian Romance. And this time, I will be giving out my 3rd to the last installment of the Courtyards of Portofino model homes.

Let us now romance and immerse ourselves with Monet's characteristics. A Monet home offers you an unhampered view of the scenery that surrounds you, rain or shine, on its grand portico (a porch leading to the entrance of the home). Enjoy more of nature downstairs on your scenic courtyard, which then leads you to different areas in the house, every corner exuding an Italian flair (and not an affair). March to the classy casita (see inset picture of the ground floor), a luxurious resting place for your guests. Tend a little garden in the front yard and complete the puzzle of your dream home. Fabuloso!

Raphael's Vital Statistics

Nope - this is not the one who you think is part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This is Brittany Corporation's one of the four model homes for its Courtyards Portofino in Alabang (SoMA) Muntinlupa City.
Home Specifications :
Total Floor Area : 2,679 sq ft
Min Lot Area : 3,292 sq ft
Min Depth : 194 ft
Min Frontage : 183 ft
Total Contract Price range : from $271,000 - $301,000

I am including in this blog entry a typical ground floor plan so you can vividly see yourself enjoying Raphael's handsome Italian (smooth) features. Call me to know more about your payment plans and how it all adds up to your current mortgage payment. US toll free number is 877 250 8274 (from 7am to 7pm PST).

A closer look at Portofino's Courtyards

Brittany's ultra high end Portofino project in Alabang (SoMA) is divided to 3 sub projects. They are; the Masters Collection (lot area range is from 3,229-8,718 sq ft - floor area range is from 2,960-6,727 sq ft), the Courtyards (lot area range is from 2,411-3,595 sq ft - floor area range is from 2,077-2,798 sq ft) and the Amore (lot area range is from 979-2,583 sq ft - floor area range is from 1,636-2,561 sq ft).

Today we will take a closer look at the 'mid-size' lot cuts - the Courtyards of Portofino homes and lots (price range is from $252,000-$400,000 at Php45=$1).

The particular model that we will use is the Rembrandt (see the inset facade picture above). Rembrandt is the biggest model home for this project (there are 3 other model homes you can choose from). It has a minimum lot area of 3,595 sq ft with a floor area of about 2,798 sq ft. Price is about $293,336. You can choose from inner courtyards or side courtyards. Moreover, Courtyards of Portofino configures the courtyard homes within a bigger central courtyard. This courtyards within a courtyard concept is Brittany's distinctive edge.

This Courtyard project has 6 hectares of 98 courtyard home and lot packages - all situated 5 minutes from the bustling Alabang Business and Recreational Center. A sample ground floor plan and second floor plan of the Rembrandt is on the left inset pictures for your careful evaluation. If you want to know more about it, feel free to call me at my US toll free number at 877 250 8274 (from 7am to 7pm PST). More to come about this lovely Italian Romance.

The Big Story in Alabang

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 46.35
Selling : Php 46.90

Unchanged since this Monday's closing ... Let us just continue our peek at one of the biggest and the grandest of Brittany Corporation's prime projects South of Manila (SoMA).

Something big has been happening in Alabang. It's been happening in a property that emerges as one of the country's upper echelon developments, now quickly becoming the core of Metropolitan South. This is Portofino.

A Lifescape from Brittany Corporation, the maverick of the real estate industry, Portofino is a masterpiece development artfully created in the spirit of the Italian Old World.

Portofino's masterplan takes 300 hectares of gently rolling terrain as a canvas for creating its various enclaves. Today, the initial development that spans 100 hectares is 80% sold. The enclaves Portofino Heights and Courtyards 1 are completely sold out and 90% of Portofino South was quickly picked up by customers.

The great demand for Portofino has led to the immediate expansion and developments of new enclaves. This includes Courtyards II, Amore of Portofino and the enclave of its WideLot homes. According to Ms. Jing Serrano, President of Brittany Corporation, "The high demand for Portofino is stoked by the combination of strategic location, the beautiful craftsmanship of its homes and enclaves, and the innovative and comprehensive master plan."

Located in the upscale neighborhood of Alabang (SoMA), Portofino is both strategically located and immediately accessible. The homes project an Old World elegance. The amenities enhance home life. The upcoming commercial development will soon open to cater to residents' lifestyle needs and wants. With Portofino, Brittany creates a masterstroke in property development. And it is all turning into a reality, in a big way, right here, right now in Alabang.

How to Make an Italian Masterpiece

Portofino's homes of the Masters Collection are named after the great Italian artists. Presently, Michaelangelo is available for viewing at the Portofino site. The home features a palatial silhoutte with a stately cupola, archways, and columns. Stone cladding fortifies its regal bearing. Arched windows allow an abundance of natural light. Alongside the architectural artistry, the homes of the Masters Collection take their regal bearing from the physical dimensions. You enjoy the luxury of space. Lot areas are from 5,381 sq ft to 9,687 sq ft. The floor area ranges from 3,552 sq ft to 6,727 sq ft (inset picture was taken from the actual living room). Some of the model homes offer great rooms at the ground level. Others offer ground level casitas or guest rooms. A versatile space, the casita can also be converted into a personal den. Spacious courtyards provide a private place to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors. An atrium, a large open area on the 2nd level, provides additional living space with a splendid view of the outdoors. Ante rooms are a prelude to the generously spaced bedrooms. And each model home has a roomy walk-in-closet as well. With the Masters Collection, you have all the living space you need for a life of luxury.

Brittany's Homes of Distinction, as exemplified by the Portofino Masters Collection, leaves an indelible impression.

Size Matters

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 46.35
Selling : Php 46.80

Hey good news for our bagong bayanis (new generation heroes), buying of dollars here just increased Php1 from last week. Hey hey!

To prove that size matters - Brittany Corporation has for its grandest project so far, the Portofino.
In the gut of Alabang (that also overlaps San Pedro Laguna and a portion of Las Pinas City) we can find the sprawling Portofino Masters Collection. If you want exclusivity to the max, this is the place to be. Price wise, homes are on the $560,000 to $890,000 range. Very much like a beach side property in any Bay Area luxury setting.
With the Portofino Masters Collection (Amore, Courtyards, and Portofino South, Portofino Heights), you have a home that expresses luxury at its most grand. The first of Brittany's Homes of Distinction, the Masters Collection takes the most opulent Italian architectural design - magnificient cupolas (little dome - http://www.cupola.com/html/bldgstru/cupolas/cuppict1.htm), archways and columns - and renders everything in grand dimensions (from 2,152 sq ft to 6,727 sq ft). Live it up with size. On the coming days, we will see how size comes with a prize. More to come!

Georgia Club Sta Rosa

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 45.35
Selling : Php 45.80

At the heart of Brittany's latest Lifescape is the vision of creating a community of relaxing, secluded residential enclaves in acres upon acres of panoramic land, that is just 15 minutes away from the scenic and cool Tagaytay City.

The Georgia Club masterplan spans an impressive scale at 44 acres initially - simply a prelude to 462 acres committed to development by Brittany. You get a fantastic view of Mt. Makiling (at the foot of which is the sprawling University of the Philippines Los Banos), and the proximity of leisure facilities like Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club. The Georgia Club project is a solid undertaking between Brittany Corporation and the prominent Quiros family of Metro South.

Some of the unique characteristics of this project include;

• front porch at every home (see above picture)
• pocket gardens
• Peach tree circuit (jogging trails) and
  
• well appointed barbeque pits

Let us look at one of the models as a sample - The Ashley 240. The total floor area is 2,583 sq ft. Price is about $224,000 (@Php45 - $1). The Ashley 240 is described as an efficiently designed home for the active family - with an attic that can be used as a guestroom or a hobby room.

You can email me or call me for more information regarding the pricing terms and or availability.

Tagaytay Crosswinds - Prime Swiss life

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 45.15
Selling : Php 45.70


If I can only imagine myself living in Swiss inspired homes surrounded with the cool breeze of 8,000 Pine trees (and counting!) with rolling landscapes that matches the fantastic view of the surrounding altitude, then here in the Philippines - it can only be one project that has all those fabulous superlatives. Its Britanny Corporation's (extreme) South of Manila (SOMA) Tagaytay Crosswinds.

There are actually 4 projects within the Crosswinds territory. Let us briefly look at each one of them.

Deux Pointe, its Britanny's answer to the growing demand for Swiss homes. I think the growing nurse ofw's who are working in the alps has just been given some intimate attention by Britanny's developers.

Pine Grove, if you want to build your custom homes then this is where you should buy your space. A Gourment Village is soon to rise at this specific enclave.

The Grand Quartier. They didn't call it Grand for no reason at all. It is your prime, top of the foodchain mid rise condominum nestled on the crest of Crosswinds' rolling hills. If you want a perfect view of the 3 other projects, then a unit at this condo is best suited for you. (by the way, as of this writing - units are selling like crazy. They have also built the building already which means that the hand over date is just around the corner)

The Swiss Quadrilles. Its Britanny's version of a back to back duplex. Value for your money at one of Tagaytay's most exclusive masterplanned communities.

On my next posts we will take a more closer look (I am sure my readers want some pricing details too) at each of these 4 projects within the Crosswinds project.

26 Best Developments to Live in the Philippines (3rd of a 4 part series)

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 45.45
Selling : Php 46.00

Take a tip - your $ has been steadily increasing in its value again. After the election and SONA of GMA - it looks like things are beginning to become 'normal' again. And don't look where the stock market is headed...

Now to continue our list of the 26 Best Developments to Live in the Philippines.

17. La Posada (Loc : Sucat Paranaque, Theme : Neo Victorian - like San Fran homes, Pricing :$178,000 - $345,000). Notes... A clubhouse with a full view of Laguna Lake. This is one of Brittany's flagship projects.

18. Courtyards of Portofino (Loc : Las Pinas - Cavite - Laguna - Muntinlupa link road, Theme : Italian Community, Pricing : $206,700 - $600,000) Yup its not a typo error, homes are pricey. This is the place to be if you want elegance and exclusivity. I will be posting some pictures in my upcoming posts. Portofino is conveniently located South of Manila (SOMA), it is also a flagship project of Britanny Corporation's high end communities.

19. Pelham Quadruplexes at The Legacy, Montgomery (Loc : E Rodriguez Sr. Ave Quezon City, Pricing : $238,000 - $272,000) This project by Ayala has units designed for big families. Each 3 storey unit has at least 1,937 sq ft. With 4 bedrooms, a maid's area 3 t & b's. It is only 15 minutes to Greenhills Shopping Area - one of the best places to shop in Manila.

20. Victorianne (Loc : Sucat Paranaque City, View : Laguna Bay, Pricing : $138,000 - $149,000). Inpired by the infamous SF 'postcard row.' It is strategically located between Makati and Alabang and have the Laguna Bay as its backdrop. Conveniently located South of Manila (SOMA), and is another flagship project of Britanny Corporation.

My dear readers, on the last part of this series (# 20-26 of the list) you will get to know the best places to live in Cavite, Batangas and all the way up to Bataan. Now you have the idea and certainly you can make a well informed decision where to invest your hard earned buck here in the Philippines with the help of your lens to the Philippine Real Estate - your South of Manila Real Estate Blogger (SOMAREB).

Vista Land up by 5

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 45.40
Selling : Php 45.95


From the SONA we jump over to Manny Villar. Nope I won't say that he just won convincingly the Senate presidency (huh) but his holding firm Vista Land has just experienced its first increase in share value by 5cents. (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0727&282007/headlines02.html).

Hey good news for your $ today. Buying was up by .65 cents! Hurry up on those remittances to Juan dela Cruz.

To continue on with my 26 Best Developments in the Philippine Real Estate

13. Mayfield Park Residences (Loc : Rosario, Pasig City. View : Pasig and Ortigas skyline, Pricing :$49,000 - $98,000). Notes... They have a koi pond. Here is a link to a sample koi pond (for lack of words to describe it) http://images.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shooterdog.com/pondbridge3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shooterdog.com/pond.htm&h=536&w=800&sz=100&tbnid=MaGqI0YyTziRiM:&tbnh=96&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkoi%2Bpond%2Bpicture%26um%3D1&start=2&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=2

14. Woodsville Viverde Mansions (Loc : Merville, Paranaque City, Pricing : $23,000 - $56,000) Available units : studio, 1 br and 2 br. Designed for start up families and conveniently located South of Makati (SOMA). www.robinsonsproperties.com.ph

15. One Serendra and Two Serendra (Loc : Bonifacio Global City, View : Makati skyline, Pricing : $138,000 - $435,000).

16. Ayala Westgrove Heights (Loc : Silang Cavite, lots start at $89,000). Hey these guys have a 6 hectare park with lagoon. www.ayalalandpremier.com

Next week I will be bringing more of these list of the 26 Best Developments to live in the Philippines.

Special thanks to Eric Newman (www.ericnewman.com) for his picture of a koi pond, cheers!

SOMA on SONA

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 44.75
Selling : Php 45.30

Sona lasted 56 minutes. 48 hours later, a massive brownout hit Luzon - lasting for 3 hours. The speech for the State of the Nation (SONA) It was more like, stating the names. It was a 4,600 word text with half of it being names. Enough of that.

Let us go back to Real Estate news, the National Statistical Coordination Board just revealed that the property sector has recorded one of the fastest growth among monitored industries in recent months. So high are the expectations that this coming July 26 to 29 2007, a Real Estate Festival will be held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

26 Best Developments to Live in the Philippines - part 3

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 44.55
Selling : Php 45.10

A brief moment to thank the growing reader base of this blog www.somareb.blogspot.com
Surely, I will continue to serve as your best lense for SOMA projects here in Manila by providing you with the freshest updates everytime. I have also added (as you may notice for the past week now) the key buying / selling indicative rates for your buck to the peso. That way, you get straight clean information - less the advertisement.

I will be bringing you the 9th to 12th spot (again not in any preferred order or ranking) of the 26 Best Developments to Live in the Philippines - thanks to Real Living publications.

9. One Orchard Road (Loc : Eastwood City Libis, View : Antipolo Mountain Range and Ortigas skyline, Pricing :$55,600 - $197,777)

10. The Residences at Greenbelt (Loc : Greenbelt Ayala Center Makati City, View : Makati skyline, San Lorenzo Vill and Manila Bay, Pricing : $111,200 - $667,000)

11. St. Francis Towers (Loc : Near EDSA Shang Plaza Hotel, Ortigas Center, View : Ortigas skyline, Pricing : $72,000 - $334,000)

12. WH Taft Residences (Loc : Taft Ave., Malate Manila, View : Roxas Blvd and Manila Bay, Pricing : $41,000 - 76,000)

Footnote : State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the Philippine President will be on Monday July 23, 2007 (Philippine time). Is it just coincidence or what? 1.) Kidnapped Italian priest Fr Bossi rescued today and Philippines' Human Security Act / enacted today. You tell me.

Happy weekend to all my kababayans...

26 Best Developments to Live in the Philippines - part 2

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 44.85
Selling : Php 45.35

Take note my OFW readers, your $ is going down in value for the past 2 months now excluding the pre-election months.

Getting back now to our list ...
5. Makati Executive Tower 2 (Loc : Dela Rosa St cor P. Medina St, Makati City, View : Makati skyline, Pricing :$19,200 - $24,900 for studio type units only. 1 to 3 br available too)

6. Grand Soho Makati (Loc : Buendia Ave, near Jupiter St, View : Makati skyline, Pricing : $43,000 - $280,000) www.gsmcondo.com

7. Lee Gardens (Loc : Lee St cor Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City, View : North Tower, Greenhills Shopping Center, Wack Wack Golf and country club, Ortigas skyline, Manila Bay, Makati skyline, Pricing : $41,000 - $84,500 for studio type units only, 1 to 3 br available also)

8. Mezza Residences (Loc : 1475 Aurora Blvd. corner Araneta Ave., View : Sta. Mesa area, Pricing : $22,300 to $111,112. With Zen garden and meditation area and reflexology path)

take note that Mezza Residences although quite lacking in the panoramic scheme of things, makes up for its unique Zen feature area. Wow.

Well I will stop here so that you can have time to compare these projects. Again as your lens here in the Philippines, feel free to drop me an email or comment and I will gladly send you more info as much as I can. Till then !

Vista Land beefs up in the North too

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 45.05
Selling : Php 45.55

Camella Homes (now known as Camella Homes and Communities) now has the following roster of master planned communities north of Metro Manila;

1. Grande Vita - Mediterranean (or seaside like villas, prominent in California and Florida since these are coastal regions) style homes located in Valenzuela City (right after Novaliches).
2. Siena Villa - carefully laid out townhomes with bigger lay outs of 3 bedrooms and 1 toilet and bath (t&b). Same location - in Valenzuela City.
3. Nova Romania - another Mediterranean inspired community, 2 storey homes located in Deparo - in the gut of Caloocan City.
4. El Paseo - if you want to live around tall palm trees and lush landscaping, this is the place to be. Its near SM Novaliches and the 2 top schools - UP and Ateneo.
5. Tierra del Sueno - Spanish inspired community (most exclusive project in the vicinity). Price range is from $17,000 to $36,000.00. Located in San Jose del Monte Bulacan.

This is just a view from South to North - till then ...

26 Best Developments to Live in the Philippines

As I was sipping hot choco this morning I found this article that proves very interesting for investors and homebuyers alike - enjoy!
This list by the way was compiled by Real Living Philippines (the list is not in any order of beauty or pricing)
1. One Rockwell (Loc : Rockwell Center in Makati, View: Makati, Ortigas and Fort Bonifacio, Pricing: $80,000 - $333,333)
2. A. Venue Residences (Loc : Makati Ave, View: Makati skyline, Pricing: $65,000)
3. Avida Towers (Loc : Col Boni Serrano Ave, New Manila QC, View: Ortigas, Greenhills, New Manila, Pricing : $25,000-$75,000)
4. Bay Gardens (Loc : Diosdado Macapagal Blvd Pasay City, View : Manila Bay, Makati Skyline, Pricing :$113,000 - $355,555)

Watch out for the continuation of this list in the coming days...

Buying Real Estate in the Philippines? Take this warning.

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 45.75
Selling : Php 46.25


Early this week, VP Kabayan Noli de Castro together with the Dept of Justice broke news that they were putting up a 'watchdog' task force that: (read carefully) will receive and evaluate complaints against erring subdivision and condominium owners, developers, operators and sellers engaging in unsound, criminal and unlawful practices in the real estate condominium and subdivision business. It's about time!

According to my grapevine, properties and structures being offered by these erring developers are often left unfinished and the buyers are NOT refunded their downpayment when they reject the units or when they complain to the developers.

Your lens will give you fresh updates on this task force as things develop here on my end.

Abangan ang susunod na kabanata ...

Top Philippine Schools converging in Sta. Rosa

US$ Peso exchange rate today: (Indicative rates)
Buying: Php 45.70
Selling : Php 46.20

As we speak, Sta. Rosa Laguna is getting to be a heavyweight location as each day passes. Fast gaining prominence as the 'land of opportunity and enterprise' (Phil star, RE section Jun 22, 2007), Sta. Rosa is attracting the top schools in the Philippines. A stone throw away from the 3rd phase of Brittany Corporation's Georgia Club, a 340 plus hectare University of Sto. Tomas (college of Medicine http://www.ust.edu.ph/) will be built and (take note) operational by year 2011. About a 5 mile radius from Georgia Club you will also find the Ateneo Graduate School (Business courses http://www.admu.edu.ph/), St. Scholastica's College (an exlusive girl school), Brent International School (that big complex one can see while traversing the South Luzon Expressway), the De La Salle University (http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/)and in the future - Xavier School, Lourdes School.

Major points to consider why you should make that investment in Sta. Rosa;

1. Top schools available
2. A myriad of career opportunities (major car, telecoms, healthcare industries abound)
3. Accessibility to Premier recreational destinations (theme park, golf courses, retreat houses, scenic spots, beaches and picnic groves)
4. And - relatively affordable residential land pricing.

Before you react to my number 4 point, consider this: Georgia Club is selling its phase 1 (total of 3 phases) lots and homes and lots. Before they conclude and sell of about 90% of phase 1, expect to see another round of land value appreciation.

Lots (about 3,078 sq ft) are selling for about $21 per sq ft. House and lots (about 1,915 sq ft of floor area) fetch for $93 per sq ft. (the rate I used was $1 - Php45). And with suitable payment option plans available, this certainly is quite an investment.

OH by the way, UPLB (http://www.uplb.edu.ph/)is about 45 minutes away (about 12 miles) from Georgia Club. Its where I burned my kilays.

As your lens, feel free to comment or contact me for a more fine tuned information. Till then.

Single Property Website updates

You can now check out the updated Mosaic condominium listing website (www.somaremosaic.realivent.com). Feel free to use the email to a friend feature as well as the request more information features. As always, feel free to post or get in touch with me for your comments. Enjoy!

Brittany Corporation flexes its financial muscles

It's the 4th of july weekend over in US and everybody is on a travel mode once again. The Feds have decided to maintain federal funds rate (the rate that banks charge each other) at 5.25%, where it has been pegged for the last year.

Over here in our backyard, a mutiny leader has been proclaimed as 1 of the country's senator, not once but TWICE! And the 12th spot is been hotly contested between a son of a current senator and a congressman from Bukidnon in Mindanao.

For those watching how your hard earned dollars will fare at the exchange for the last 6 months of the 2007, our Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has estimated that the range would be around Php47-Php48 to a dollar. As I write this post, we are doing Php46.20 to a dollar, meaning things will be better for you (and our exporters) by a peso and fifty centavos by the time I hear kids sing Christmas carols in front of my home.

Before I eat my sinangag and tuyo with 3 in 1 coffee, I would like to briefly write about how Brittany Corporation plans to solidify its hold on being the largest property developer (at least geographically). First they drummed up news on their impending IPO. Then just last week they announced how their share prices were accepted very warmly by the public. Now, its the 3rd installment of my being the 'lensmaster' for my kababayans there working for Uncle Sam (as well as our relatives working in the Middle East) - Brittany Corporation's holding group, Vista Land has set aside 7B pesos in the next 2 years to fast track all its property developments outside Metro Manila - yes my dear igans, including our blog place of interest the south of Manila Real Estate (Somare). This announcement has been made by no less than Vista Land's CEO, Jing Serrano.

Here are some of the places that will see major property development from Brittany Corporation; Angeles, San Fernando in Pampanga, Baliuag in Bulacan, Batangas City, CDO, Cebu City and Davao.

I will keep you posted as Brittany Corporation flexes its financial muscle in the coming months - now let me go back to my sinangag, tuyo and 3 in 1 coffee. Happy 4th of July!

We are getting there...

Today as I opened my virtual world, a couple of things came to my attention. First, I got an email notifying me that someone actually commented on this blog - I was so ecstatic only to find out that ... the guy's language was totally french (or something). I don't have anything against them actually but some sense of uniformity is already in place here. Surely, my valued audience (that is you my dear) would appreciate reading simple english and or a few tagalogs (since this is a Pinoy site) and not some tongue twisting stuff. So to that fellow writer who posted a comment, I just had to moderate that one and keep it away for good.

The other item that I wanted to inform everyone is actually a modest milestone for this Real estate blogsite. Technorati is a site that has a daily traffic of about ... a million. Its actually a site that monitors blogsites and nothing more. And here is the good news, if you actually type in the search bar Brittany Corporation, this site (www.somareb.blogspot.com) will come out as the 3rd or 4th (its a daily random phenomenon) place in the search engine results (SER). Beautiful. Just shows that we are getting some great online ranking.

Let's not forget though, this blog is for you my fellow homo sapiens and not for these search engine robots.

Cheers. (here is the link where the Somareb blogsite comes up)

http://technorati.com/posts/tag/Brittany+Corporation

Single Property Website now out

Its another great milestone for your local online Real Estate agent Lescab. Today your online listing website is launched.

Click this link www.somaremosaic.realivent.com

True to my mission, this tool is another open and free program that delivers high quality features (like property photos, description and email to a friend). This new website will be up 24 x 7 x 365 for all to see and be informed of the latest updates on their favorite Brittany Corporation projects.

I'd love to hear your comments. Also for other real estate agents who would like the same tools working for them, let me know and I would be glad to give you a lift! Oh and by the way, this website is intended initially for Mosaic Condominium (studio type) project of Brittany Corporation.
Enjoy!

9/10, 90%, nine out of ten

Statistics, we all are. For the last 2 months I have been keenly (and painfully!) observing Filipino agents Real Estate sites and have found out this generalization : all of them ask information from you before you really get some pretty good (fresh) information that you want. Sure they can give you information : information that is fresh a year (maybe even 2years) ago. Its about time we - as Filipino Real estate agents become information search engines and not just information gatekeepers. In the end, let us give our prospects a choice whom they will choose to do business with.

Let us give them facts and fresh updates and give them the chance to make an informed decision.

I'd also like to work with other agents as when my current prospects don't like my listings, i'd be happy to refer them to deserving agents. Working together is good for the industry and yes, we can coexist and still become very profitable in our business.

I'd be happy to hear any comments from agents - or better yet reach me and let us synergize.

Cheers!

Vista Land, largest homebuilder...

Here is another juicy article that I scanned today at one of Philippine's broadsheets; Vista Land is now the biggest homebuilder in Asia. Such a bold and dangerous claim. Let us quickly look why the daring claim. Vista Land being the holding arm of Brittany Corporation, Crown Asia, Camella Homes and Communities Philippines has a total combined area projects of ... 1,077 hectares generously scattered all over the Philippine Real Estate archipelago. The other major reason is how Vista Land has a complete spectrum of projects for the different income classes of your average Juan dela Cruz. Take your pick - 12 master planned Brittany projects, 20 large scale themed projects from Crown Asia, 19 projects from socialized housing developer Camella Homes (which by the way debuted last year in the condominium arena with its Pacific Residences in Taguig) and 23 projects from Communities Philippines scattered over Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Batangas, Iloilo, Cebu, Leyte, CDO and Davao.

The author would become your lens for these projects - let us see how Vista Land combines quality with quantity and come up with the most livable breathing space for every Juan dela Cruz wanting to have some piece of land in his native home land.

Yours truly a Featured writer today at Newsvine.com

The world is watching. This is how we are today, no boundaries and virtually no walls. Not even time differences are making a difference now. A funny yet heartwarming thing happened today as I did my morning ritual of sipping herb tea while I scan for news worth reading. I remembered that multi national company (read it from a major daily last night) who had moulds in their powder milk. When I read that news, I just had to bring it to the worldwide stage. I felt sorry for those mother and baby tandems that save all they can just to buy a small can of powder milk. Only to find out that moulds came ahead of them feasting on the powder milk.

Well - I think I got my 15 minutes today. The article I wrote at Newsvine.com (a social networking site seeding realtime news as they come) made me as one of 5 featured writers for the day. - A writer's bliss while doing my share to tell the world socially relevant news.

Feel free to comment on the powder milk ala moulds. Check out the link below to see the article at newsvine.com

http://www.newsvine.com/health

Brittany Corporation gearing up

Now the stage is set, Brittany Corporation officially joins the big boys of Ayala and Megaworld in big bucks business. Recently news articles have been regularly (for the past 1 and a half months) coming out about their holding company that was recently incorporated. This is Vista Land, and this company will take care of managing all of the Villar Group of Companies property projects.
Flagship projects include the 30 storey Mosaic Condominium in the heart of Makati Central Business District (CBD), the 42 storey Avant Condominium project in the skylines of The Fort and the Marfori Condominiums at the famous "B-bay" (Brittany Bay) in Sucat Paranaque. I think Brittany is starting to beef up its ranks and is preparing to do battle in getting a lionshare of the OFW market. Come to think of it, all projects (I've seen it first hand) of Brittany are masterplanned communities. So in effect, the commitment to develop well-planned communities is a by word for Brittany Corporation stalwarts.
Here is a tip: Vista Land will be listing on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on June 25, 2007. With the pace and vision of its major proponents, stocks of it will definitely appreciate sooner than one would expect.
Expect to see more positive news for Brittany and yes, you can be assured you can get the freshest updates here on this blog. Stay tuned...

Ford Sta Rosa wins South African market

As I ate dinner with my mother in law last night at a local food chain here in Sta Rosa, this was the business news headline. Indeed it is worth it. Ford Philippines has just bagged a contract to supply flexible fuel engines to the South African market - a booming 600,000 units a year average. It bested Ford factories in China, Mexico and Spain. Whoa! Now this will definitely trickle down to more jobs (steady jobs at that!) and more economic activity here for the Sta Rosa locals. Make way for the Detroit state of the Philippines! Now this again fortifies Sta Rosa as the in place to be. Brittany's Georgia Club is located at the heart of Sta Rosa - its charming South American home themes surrounded by age old trees will be a perfect home for those who want to be closer to their home with the benefits of a suburban lifestyle. Kudos to Ford Philippines.

Mosaic condominium - built with you in mind.

Here are 3 more best reasons why you should consider checking out Mosaic condominium units;

1. For women, Mosaic offers units that answer your need for space...space for your clothes, your shoes, linens. Space for entertaining your friends. A private space in your bedroom to relax with your own thoughts.
2. For men, Mosaic provides units that accommodate a game room (wtg!), a bar, a private study (perfect for your studying child or if you have graduate schooling plans) or den. And lots of shelf space for all your collectibles. And
   
3. For the family, Mosaic has units designed with a family room, for home entertainment and a study room for the kids.

All by design - its your true blue customer-centric developer thinking of you from the ground up.

Real Estate Lingo

While having my Davidoff coffee (thank you Mylene, my sister in law), I chanced upon this short article at 1 of the leading RE mag. I'd like to share them as I learned some new lingo. Being a new RE consultant (just finished my 2 week intensive training at Brittany and just got my id too :) ), here are some lingo that I (and maybe you too) need to be comfortable with;

1. Duplex - In Filipino context, a house that is divided into two separate residences, but is sharing the same structure.
2. High rise condo - A residential building that is 12 storeys high or more (like that of Brittany's Mosaic in Greenbelt and Avant at the Fort).
   
3. Loft - A condominium unit with a double-height ceiling, occasionally with space for a second level (La Marea, Mosaic and Avant condos usually have loft units)
4. Mixed use condo - A residential building that is mixed with commercial establishments on other floors, these can be shops, restos, office spaces or a combination of all three (again Mosaic and Avant Brittany condos are a great example of this)
5. Model unit - A decorated interior space that approximates the size and shows the amenities of the actual residential unit for sale (Brittany's Portofino, Georgia Club and Crosswinds have some of the best model units ready for viewing at Alabang, Sta Rosa and Tagaytay respectively).

Hopefully, with the items above you have learned some basic RE lingos - go ahead and use them!

SoMaREB

Just spend 5 minutes sifting through Google and Technorati looking for your topic of interest and you will be buried neck deep with all kinds of information - both useful and most often - garbage. It is my dedication to the Philippine Real Estate online community to make my blog site as search engine friendly as possible (isn't that everybody's online responsibility?). And at the same time keep humans in mind when writing - the search engines only a close second.

If you have any suggestions on how to get better SEO, be my guest and comment away. Cheers!

5 Tips on Home Hunting

1. Location counts. Unless your not thinking to spend your retirement years in the home you are looking for, then you got to spend time checking out all the facilities and its accessibility for you.
2. Do your homework (about the developers). Every developer has their forte, so be pick according to your heart, and not your pocket. Remember, this will be your nest. So don't rush it honey.
3. Discuss details. Know the house specifications. Bring in an architect / engineer for second opinion. The professional fee they will charge you is nominal compared to you finding out later that you've bought a lemon.
4. While we are on the second opinion topic, bring also your spouse or a family member on your site visits. 2 heads are better than one.
5. Live big. Always be on the look out for that "extra" space. You will never know when you will need it.

Bottomline is: Never rush to buy that dream home of yours, there are tons of projects to choose from.

For Brittany projects, you have the option to live Itallian, Swiss, Carribean or plain lazy South American. Different strokes for different people.

Pay it forward

Having your own Mission - Vision statement in life can be very difficult to come up with. However, when you are plugged in to what is happening around you, when your inner conscience and awareness is open to life's realities, you will be able to also be connected to what you really want to strive for and be remembered for in your life (vision). Now how you will get to that state in your life by what you continuously do everyday (mission) will come out naturally. Having said that, the economic benefits of the author's Real estate engagements will be 'forwarded' to local families in his community - still in the South of Manila (SoMa). It will also be highly appreciated if you will be able to suggest any deserving community that can benefit from such RE transactions of the author. Rest assured that utmost confidentiality will be strictly observed.
Take a tip - Pay it forward.

Mosaic condominium, here's more.

If you can't get enough of Mosaic, here are its Unit Plans;
1. Studio units (floor area of 366 - 484 sq ft)
2. Loft units (floor area of 549 - 1,054 sq ft)
3. 1 bedroom unit (floor area of 689 - 829 sq ft) and
4. 2 bedroom unit (floor area of 1,087 - 1,485 sq ft).

On the 7th floor, a swimming pool will be placed overlooking the Greenbelt Park. It will have kiddie pools, outdoor heated whirlpool spa and infinity lap pool. Its close to Makati Medical Center and Greenbelt Mall. Heck its wifi connected too...

If you need price quotes or a more detailed presentation, I would be glad to show your way around.

More to come...

What you want, what you need. By Design.

Let us get straight to the strong selling points here;

1. Location - heart of Makati, back of Asian Institute of Management (AIM). Its that part of makati where the street is not that busy. Makes for a peaceful immediate surrounding.
2. Customizable units for the Woman , Man and Family clientele. Its definitely built with you in mind.
3. Beacon light at the top - like Batman, you now have a light to call your own.

Name of Project : Mosaic - another master planned condo development.
Questions? I am always an email away. Comments are always encouraged.

South of Manila Communities

Building communities one after another - that is how I describe Brittany Corporation's mission these times. Itallian? Swiss? American South? Bay area? Caribbean? Its all here. When you visit their sites, you will be awed by the distinct feeling each community project will give you. Next post I will be starting to blog away their Italian community - the Portofino. Watch out for it...

Why Brittany

I totally buy the idea of master planned theme estates. It just shows you the dedication of the developer to put in money where their mouth is. In this "developing" country status, Brittany continues to lead the way (to be a maverick developer), to be innovative and to create the "finer" things in life. Indeed, the author has set his sights on one of the project that Brittany is developing - south of Manila. Where? you will soon know :)

What to Expect

Hello online world! As I sit on my favorite portion of the house, I will be regularly writing with passion and soulful content on topics that will include mainly Real estate and Filipino recipes - nothing more. If you are expecting musings, forget it. If you don't like that combination either, well this blog ain't for your eyeballs. And hey you can even call my attention if I am veering away from this declared mission of mine. You can only expect bite sized postings of all Brittany Real Estate South of Manila Projects sprinkled with posts of rich Filipino recipes. If you couldn't help contributing your own secret Filipino recipe or your version of that delectable sisig - then yes you are welcome to blog away with me.

Lastly, no advertisements on this blog too.