RLC's house-hunting tips

MANILA, Philippines - Buying a home, especially for first-timers, is a serious matter. Some people will only buy one house in their lifetime and every aspect of the purchase must be considered.

“No matter what type of real estate you are looking into buying, location is key, but there are other factors as well,” said Marilu Alferez, senior vice president and general manager, Robinsons Land Corp.-Housing and Land Development Division.

The Housing and Land Development Division of Robinsons Land Corp. is known for developing quality residential projects not only in Metro Manila but also in other parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Brighton Parkplace in Barangay Araniw, Laoag, Ilocos Norte, one of the company’s projects, recently held the blessing of its 3 model units, which are called Euclid (176.76 sq.m.), Dupont (126.58 sq.m.) and Glasgow (152.11 sq.m.). Other house models offered are Lincoln (168.76 sq.m.) and Belfast (134.41 sq.m.). House models selling prices range from P3.3M to P5.6M. Buyers can avail of lots only with option for housing packages.

Brighton Parkplace is a 5-hectares gated community which will have 24-hour security, a children’s area, clubhouse, multi-purpose court and centralized water distribution.

The development’s drainage system is also nearly completed, said Alferez.

Brighton Parkplace is located within minutes of Northwestern University, Fort Ilocandia, the Laoag Airport, churches and other locations important to day-to-day living.

“Even a picture-perfect dream home can be a mistake if it’s in an undesirable location. It can be a particularly bad choice if you anticipate reselling the home within a few years,” said Alferez.

Robinsons Land Corp. offers other tips to first-time homeowners when making the all-important purchase:

Do some research. In these times, there is no excuse to be uninformed. “Do a lot of research. Surf the Web for any information about the developer of the lot or house that you want to buy. Ask friends about the developer’s reputation and its track record with delivering projects on time and the quality of the finished product,” Alferez suggested.

Look for accessibility. Access to major highways makes your home more valuable when you look to resell it. Consider your daily drive when you choose your home’s location.

Make a list. Ask yourself what you want or need from a home. Zero in on the features you must have, would like to have, definitely don’t want and would prefer not to have.

For more information, contact (632) 6836358, (077) 7714872 and 09228884956, or go to www.robinsonshomes.com.ph.