Understanding Your Real Estate Investment Objective

Real estate investment involves placing your capital in real property with the expectation of generating favorable rates of return along with the amount invested (i.e., you want your investment back with a return to cover the risk). As a result, many investors are very interested in wealth maximization and therefore are always searching for competitive rates of return, and this is why many turn to real estate investing. To maximize yields consistent with acceptable levels of risk.

Okay, but bear in mind that yields from a real estate investment result from a host of sources that include annual after-tax cash flows, equity buildup through appreciation of the property, and cash flow after tax once the rental property is sold or upon some other form of disposition. Fair enough; so let’s move on and discuss some typical investment objectives you should understand.

Leverage, of course, is paramount to any investment decision. It is always an advantage to an investor to use other people’s money to magnify the rate of return on investment equity at the same time being able to control the investment property. This is made possible when you are able to borrow money against the rental property, and in fact, allows you to control a larger investment than would be possible without borrowed resources. So always approach your decision to invest in real estate seeking to leverage the property and use other people’s money to help get you your rate of return.

Your personal investment objectives are also important. You may want to purchase a rental property in a location that will insure low vacancies. Or perhaps you want ownership and control of a property that will give you a pride of ownership. Maybe you just want to acquire a rental property to insure your financial security upon retirement. Your own particular objective for investing in real estate is very important.

Tax shelter advantages might pose another objective you have that would drive you to make a real estate investment. Investors that own rental property can defer tax on income through depreciation, a variety of tax credits, the conversion of qualified into qualified income sources into capital gain tax treatment, and more.

Finally, you might simply want to diversify your portfolio. Perhaps the role in selection of real estate as an investment is your way of spreading risk management over different types of assets.

Okay, but here’s the bottom line. Regardless what objective drives you to real estate investing, you must not neglect doing your homework and running the numbers on any rental property you consider purchasing. Like the proverbial saying, “measure twice and cut once.” That’s how the most prudent and successful investors do it.

DMCI Homes raises standards of in-city living with Flair Towers

MANILA, Philippines – Living in the city has its charm that most urbanites cannot resist. A city address presents convenient options for access to everyday necessities, important places of work and leisure, plus the prestige that comes with residing in the city.

With the young modern family in mind, DMCI Homes is providing an option to the harried lifestyle of cosmopolitan dwellers. As a triple A builder-developer that brings serviced, themed communities within reach of urban families, the company is again introducing an innovative property development that is set to change the standards of in-city living.

Flair Towers is a two-tower high-rise residential condominium development located in Reliance corner Pines Streets in Mandaluyong City. Nicknamed as the “Tiger City of the Philippines” and located in the heart of Metro Manila, Mandaluyong City is an ideal location for businesses and residential developments alike. It is bordered on the west by the country’s capital, Manila; to the north by San Juan City, to the east by Quezon City and Pasig City; and by Makati City to the south. Being between the two biggest CBDs in the metropolis – Makati and Ortigas – Mandaluyong is a melting pot for businessmen and corporate individuals.

Standing on a 1.4-hectare prime property, approximately 75 percent of land area is allotted for amenities. This advantage presents another first for any DMCI Homes development:

Flair Towers’ tropical resort design offers two activity zones, the active play and pool zone.

The active play area will feature a full-size basketball court, jogging trails, a kiddie playground and several cabanas to cater to the active lifestyle of city dwellers. The pool zone, on the other hand, will feature a lounge pool, a lap pool and a kiddie pool, to allow the residents and their family to get together and relax.

DMCI Homes presents another pioneering concept in high-rise living. Aptly named the Lumiventt advantage, this architectural building design offers the city condo dwellers a unique glimpse of suburban living right within the metropolis.

A combination of several building design features that maximize the natural benefits of “light” (lumen) and air (ventus), the Lumiventt design technology allows light to enter and fresh air to freely circulate among common areas and even in the residents’ individual units.

Employing single-loaded corridors, three-story high sky patios at the front and back of each building, breezeways at the end of each floor and central atriums every five floors, this design technology allows the high-rise buildings to “breathe” and spares the residents from the restrictive effects of living in concrete surroundings.

DMCI Homes strengthens presence in the South

MANILA, Philippines - Moving into a new home is one of the highlights of a starting family’s young life.  It signifies the move towards independence; an upgraded lifestyle that allows them to pursue a new phase as a family and enjoy all the advantages that come with having a place of their own.

Since the norm in urban living is now the condo residence, DMCI Homes, recognized as the residential resort specialist, maintains that the middle-income market of young families also deserve a home where they can live everyday within a nurturing environment – a place where they can feel great joy and inspiration, in a constant state of rhapsody.

Inspired by such a concept is DMCI Homes’ latest project in the south: Rhapsody Residences.  The company’s first residential development to rise in Muntinlupa City, the prime property where Rhapsody Residences is located has been on the market for a long time; a former manufacturing plant owned by a multinational pharmaceutical firm.  DMCI Homes’ esteemed reputation, along with its heritage of more than 55 years in the construction business, clinched the deal to finally acquire the rights for the property. 

Reynaldo Salazar, DMCI Homes director for business development, said that they waited for the opportune time to develop the former industrial site into a DMCI Homes residential community.  With DMCI Homes’ eventual goal to establish its presence all over Metro Manila, the completion of Rhapsody Residences will serve as another milestone for the triple-A builder-developer.

“This area in Muntinlupa, like several other sites in Metro Manila, is definitely ready for redevelopment,” Salazar said.  “Basically, when we look for properties, we look for those that are ready for redevelopment.  These places in Metro Manila are too expensive already to be used as warehouses or factories, so either they move out of the country for operations, or they transfer to the suburbs where they can operate more efficiently.”

The immediate vicinity of the property includes other residential developments ranging from small villages to gated prime villages, as well as a few industrial sites, adding a quaint charm on the typically quiet neighborhood.  It can be accessed through the East Service Road via the Sucat Interchange for those coming from Manila, Makati, or Quezon City.  For those coming from the South, they can exit the Alabang Interchange and then drive towards the East Service Road.  Public transport service is likewise available around the area.

Planned as a Neo-Asian development, the project design will convey elements of Japanese culture infused into every aspect of the property, from the building architecture to the amenities and landscaping, said Alma Florendo, DMCI Homes Project Development Head.  Sprawled on 3.8 hectares of prime land, Rhapsody Residences will consist of nine medium-rise, low-density condominium buildings featuring outstanding architectural designs that exude comfort and style, providing the finest residential lifestyle for its residents.

“More than 1 hectare will be allotted to free spaces and amenities that promote health well-being,” Florendo noted.  “The amenities will feature both wellness-inspired recreational activities, such as kiddie, lounge, and lap pools, children’s playground, a jogging path, a picnic area and park, a basketball court and activity lawn, and a fitness gym; and art-inspired pursuits, such as water features, landscaped gardens, cabanas, and indoor amenities such as meeting rooms and lounge rooms with Wi-Fi access; a function hall, gaming and audio-visual rooms, a sky lounge, and a lot more. The buildings themselves will also feature the DMCI Homes trademark of single-loaded corridors and garden atriums, to allow natural light and ventilation to permeate throughout the buildings.”

For inquiries, call 359-3250, 09178973133; email cecille_d_ph@yahoo.com  or visit the website: http://www.dmcihomesphilippines.webs.com/

DMCI's Asian boutique condo rises in QC

MANILA, Philippines – A plush resort with lush landscaping and integrated spaces will define the kind of lifestyle in DMCI Homes’ latest project in Quezon City – Accolade Place.
Dubbed as an exclusive, mid-rise Asian boutique condo, the project is set amidst a serene and intimate environment where the outdoors are brought indoors through courtyards and lush landscapes.
Standing at only 4,000 sqm, the Landscape Department of DMCI Homes has masterplanned the community to maximize space. A tropical landscape in the development’s open spaces will be set up to reduce the constrictive impact of urban living.
Alexis Valiente, DMCI Homes Landscape Manager, said that because of the limitations provided by the site, his team designed the outdoor spaces by overlapping the planes of the different amenities that are usually zoned separately.
“We created a homogenous design solution that offers an integrated complex where the common amenities are linked seamlessly with the residential building, thereby blurring the distinction of spaces. Our previous projects usually have zoned areas for amenities like the swimming pool and clubhouse, but here, we overlapped the zones. Since we don’t have borrowed scenery like in big subdivisions, everything is oriented to be inward looking, and this resulted in a fully-landscaped environment that exudes the same effect of luxury and relaxation,” Valiente said.
He cited the swimming pool as one large pool complex subdivided by a “boardwalk” inspired paving of different levels and shaded by palm trees. Water features are liberally added through water curtains on stone-clad walls that serve as both accents and dividers to provide visual and noise filter/ buffers to the outside environment.
“For our hardscape elements, we used natural materials like stone cladding. Those with concrete components were even altered in such a way that they blend well with the environment to create a tightly-knit, homogenous design,” Valiente added.
Another buffer is the perimeter trees used in tandem with the staggered fence and softscape composition.
The combination of tropical flowering plants like Anthuriums, Alpinias, and Mussaendas, among others, along with brightly-colored foliage will ensure that the landscape will be visually appealing and vibrant throughout the year.
Inside, the softscape was also designed and placed in such a way to become an integral part of the areas – creating an ambience that without the plants, the space would not work or serve the function it is supposed to provide. The expansive courtyards or “outdoor garden rooms” become virtual extensions of the condo units, spread out around the level and enhanced by ambient lighting, seating areas, decorative wall planters and water features like water runnels and bubbler type features.
Accolade Place, located along P. Tuazon Boulevard in Quezon City, is a medium-rise building with only 130 units designed to attract end-users and upgraders from Cubao, New Manila, and San Juan.
The six-level building will offer a mix of two-bedroom and three-bedroom units efficiently spaced from 63 to 126 sqm DMCI Homes is the country’s premier triple A builder-developer that brings serviced, themed communities within reach of urban families.
More information is at http://www.dmcihomescondo8.blogpsot.com/ or call 09178973133; email cecille_d_ph@yahoo.com

Accessible location at East Raya Gardens

MANILA, Philippines - Its proximity to the Ortigas business and commercial district has now established East Raya Gardens by DMCI Homes as a highly preferred address among start up families and upwardly mobile professionals seeking residence within the metro.

Being located more than 5 kms away from Ortigas affords residents a manageable drive or commute to and from their condo dwelling. This enables them to avoid traffic congestion and allot valuable time for more important matters like quality bonding moments with the family.

East Raya Gardens’ residents who are urban professionals can get to the office with time to spare, not just in Ortigas but also to the Eastwood City business district. Meanwhile, students can enjoy easy access to schools like University of Asia & the Pacific, St. Paul College, La Consolacion College Pasig, and Pasig Catholic College, which are all within five kilometers’ distance from the development.

Hospitals, which are an important requisite for families, are just a short drive away, among them The Medical City, Rizal Medical Center, Pasig City General Hospital, and St. Therese Hospital. And for their leisure and entertainment needs, a variety of recreational and commercial hubs are available all within easy travel distance: Tiendesitas, SM Pasig Hypermart, Robinson’s Galleria, and SM Megamall; plus Pasig Rainforest Park, Avalon Zoo, Fun Ranch, and The Big Red Barn.

DMCI Homes is the country’s premier triple A builder-developer that brings serviced, themed communities within reach of urban families who once had limited residential options, but still aspire to achieve a comfortable, enriching quality of life proximate to their place of interest. For inquiries on East Raya Gardens and other DMCI Homes projects, call 3593250; 09178973133, email cecille_d_ph@yahoo.com or visit the website: www.dmcihomescondo8.blogspot.com. Clubhouse and model units are ready for viewing.

Home for the holidays

Magnolia Place’s unit owners have the freedom to create inspired interiors for their home.| Zoom

MANILA, Philippines - It’s the “ber” months again and the cold weather seems to make everything gloomy and cold. This calls for some home improvements to brighten up the place and create that “spring” feeling.

DMCI Homes shares tips on sprucing up and revitalizing your condo unit.

• Add white to your present color scheme. If your room color is yellow, brown or red, opt for ecru or ivory as accent. If it’s green or blue, choose the brighter, cleaner whites.

• Paint your focal wall in a brighter or lighter shade of your current wall color. It will add lightness to the room without drastically changing the design or look.

• De-clutter. Clear out most of the items and accessories in your room, and just keep a few larger, simpler pieces. Place fresh flowers at the center of the room to remind you of the outdoors all year long.

• Take down the curtains. Use the mini blinds instead. This will let fresh air and sunlight into your home. Air circulation and natural lighting are important in promoting health and wellness.

• Place potted plants or flowers instead of artificial ones for that homey feel.

All these design ideas are geared towards creating a natural home setting for you and your family. That’s exactly what DMCI Homes had in mind when they conceptualized a community right in the heart of QC.

Magnolia Place, a residential community of mid-rise condominium buildings set amid themed pocket gardens and a landscaped central curvilinear park, is DMCI Homes’ answer to the needs of the young urban family.

Twelve five-story buildings, laid out in single and double rows, will be spread out on a more than three-hectare property. Approximately 1.5 hectares or 50 percent of the land area of Magnolia Place will be allotted for amenities and open spaces. Such is DMCI Homes’ commitment to providing a quality home where today’s young family can freely grow and get away from the fast-paced urban jungle.

Bright colors create that “spring” feeling in the room.

The residential buildings also feature the DMCI Homes trademark of single-loaded corridors and landscaped atriums with central skylight for natural lighting and fresh ventilation.

A utility area for the residents’ use is located on the roof deck as well as covered parking at the lower ground floor. There’s also a clubhouse, which features a swimming pool, a gym, game room, entertainment room and function rooms.

“We cater to end-users who represent 90 percent of our buyers,” says Flor Ofrecio, DMCI Homes director for sales. “They are looking for a place away from the pressures and chaos of the city yet near enough to their place of work as well as the schools of their children.”

Located along Tandang Sora Ave. in QC, Magnolia Place offers a safe and secure community setting for growing families.

Unit owners have the freedom to create inspired interiors for their own condo home. But with the Lumiventt advantage and the overall efficient configuration of the building layout, it doesn’t take much to brighten up their home, and yes, even their everyday life.

DMCI Homes is the country’s premier triple-A builder-developer that brings serviced, themed communities within reach of urban families. For inquiries and site viewing : Cecille Dignadice @ 0917-8973133 / 3593250  or email cecille_d_ph@yahoo.com. Also  visit http://www.dmcihomescondo8.blogspot.com/. Clubhouse and model units are ready for viewing.