Day: November 13, 2018

What are the must-have features of a luxury property for sale in the Philippines?

1. Exquisite design
2. Exclusivity and privacy
3. Top-notch security systems
4. Smart technology and devices
5. Luxurious amenities

The luxury home market has been experiencing significant growth in the past years. More and more people are now looking to purchase a luxury property for sale in the Philippines. If people aren’t already in the process of buying a luxury property, you can guarantee that many of them are at least working for and towards that dream.

The main driving force behind this resurgence is the people’s desire to live in absolute comfort, ease, and convenience, and this is no secret. Every person working in real estate knows what the people want and this eventually led to regular and slightly up-scaled apartments being marketed as “luxury.” The term is being widely overused in the industry to the point that it’s true meaning has started to melt away.

Nowadays, any property that has a multimillion-peso price tag is put under the luxury category. In the end, people are being led to believe that a steep price is synonymous to absolute comfort and convenience, which isn’t always the case. When it comes to a luxury property, you shouldn’t just look at the price, but the features too. We’ve listed what these features are so simply continue reading to find out more!

Exquisite Design

Most regular homes are built with practicality as a priority with beauty as a distant second. This isn’t to say that they’re a sore to look at, only that they usually don’t capture much attention. Luxury properties, on the other hand, prompt you to look twice, thrice, or even more. You may even catch yourself staring in absolute awe, mostly because of the structure’s overall exquisite design.

When we say overall we really mean it! From the architecture to the landscaping, everything exudes extravagance. It isn’t an understatement to say that luxury properties are amazing spectacles to behold and belong in some kind of architectural and design museum because they truly are masterpieces inside and out!

Exclusivity and Privacy

Exclusivity and privacy are similar but slightly different things. The former refers to the area or neighborhood where the property is located while the latter is a specific feature of the estate.

Luxury properties are often located at exclusive neighborhoods or areas that aren’t easily accessible. More often than not, these places can only be reached with the use of private vehicles, which all luxury property owners usually have. Some may think of it as living away from the commonality of the world and residing where everyone and everything is luxurious.

Privacy is achieved through gated driveways and practical landscaping. Its main purpose is to protect the residents from prying eyes. Think of it this way: privacy is there to ensure that you wouldn’t know what’s happening inside the property even if you stood next to it with your ears pressed to the walls.

Top-Notch Security Systems

A luxury property isn’t complete without a top-notch security system. Expect it to have CCTV cameras, state-of-the-art alarms, and sometimes a control room where someone can monitor every single space in the property.

You can find some of these things in regular homes too, but never at the same level. The level of security found in luxury properties are on the same level as commercial buildings – maybe even more. The inclusion of these security systems makes for an impenetrable fortress where people can live in absolute peace and comfort.

Smart Technology and Devices

Nothing is probably more convenient than technology and smart devices, which is why these things are must-haves in a luxury property. It’s no secret that these technological advancements have made our lives significantly easier. Simply put, convenience translates to ultimate luxury.

Every system in a luxury property can be controlled with the push of a button or the sound of your voice. You can even do this even while you’re away from the place with automation systems now being linked to smartphones and tablets, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Most newly-built luxury estates are integrated with green technology, which means they are environment-friendly. Some feed off of solar power or are fitted with water irrigation systems, while others are equipped with charging stations for electric vehicles.

Luxurious Amenities

A luxury property isn’t complete with extravagant amenities like personal gyms, swimming pools, entertainment centers, home theaters, showroom garages, and wine cellars. Although it’s possible to find these in single property, they aren’t all necessary to be considered luxurious.

Of course, having these lavish amenities also means that the necessary spaces and rooms come furnished with top-of-the-line fixtures and appliances. Fully-equipped kitchens likened to that of a professional’s, bedrooms fit for royalty, and libraries that can house thousands of publications.

All these are necessities for a luxury property. The only thing that could shock a potential buyer at this point would be if there was a helipad or mini-runway included with the property – now that would be above luxurious!

Key Takeaway

The price tag isn’t what defines luxury, it’s the property’s features that do. So don’t be fooled by multimillion-peso property listings that are being marketed as luxurious. Sellers might just be using the word to attract your attention. If you really want to know, have a peek at it and look for these must-have features of luxury property for sale in the Philippines!

What are the top tips for buying a luxury property for sale in the Philippines?

1. Know what you want
2. Keep your finances in check
3. Research about the area
4. Physically visit the property
5. Remember to take your time
6. Hire a luxury property specialist

It may come as a surprise to some but the luxury real estate market in the Philippines is actually alive and booming. Although it’s a little harder to find a luxury property for sale in the Philippines, it isn’t without reason. Listings are often kept secret or made highly exclusive because these properties are worth tens and hundreds of millions. Agents don’t want to risk opening their doors to bogus buyers and criminals.

That said, the process of buying a luxury property is more or less the same with purchasing the average real estate, give or take a few differences. The biggest dissimilarity would be the amount of money you need to have in your pockets before you are allowed to even view a single property. There’s also the fact that you risk losing more if you happen to end up with a bad property which is a possibility even in the luxury real estate market.

Luckily, there are ways to avoid disappointments and hit home runs, and that’s through following the top tips for buying a luxury property for sale in the Philippines. We have all the best ones written below so read more to find out!

Know What You Want

Like with any purchase, you first have to know what you want before you go out looking for it. If you start searching without an idea of the kind of property you want to have, then you risk buying the wrong one and wasting your money. On top of that, if your pool of choices is going to be extremely large, it’s going to take a while to go through every single listing just to find one that you like.

You don’t need a specific image of the property in mind, but at least have some sort of criteria in order to narrow down your search. Do you want a six-bedroom mansion or a penthouse condominium for rent? Possibly a vacation house somewhere secluded or a home that’s by-the-beach for you and your family to enjoy? Asking these questions is a good start to buying a luxury property in the Philippines.

Keep Your Finances in Check

With a clear image of the property you want, you can now set a budget! You should know that the amount needed to buy a luxury property is quite a lot. You have to be prepared to spend somewhere around eight to nine figures — maybe even ten — to get your desired property. That doesn’t even include renovations, decorating, tax, and all that stuff, though, so be mindful of that.

Some sellers now also require you to show proof that you have enough money before they even begin negotiations, so make sure you have your bank and financial statements ready. We shouldn’t have to say this but make sure that your statements are legitimate and current to not get into any kind of trouble.

Research About the Area

Every area or neighborhood is different from the other; each of them offers a different set of advantages and disadvantages. Part of your work is to figure out what these things are. Look into the amenities available in the area such as gyms, schools, malls, restaurants and the like. You should also take note of the atmosphere or vibe that the place puts out. Is it calm, cool, and family-friendly or a bit busy and alive?

For fairly new and upcoming neighborhoods, ask about the plans for the area. What kinds of projects are going to be built? How are these changes going to affect the value of your desired property? Is it more likely to depreciate or appreciate? Remember: it’s easy to make changes to your property but impossible to alter the neighborhood itself.

Physically Visit the Property

Picture and videos can only do so much. They won’t always be able to give justice to the prestige and elegance of the luxury property that you have your eye on. In order to properly get a feel for the property and the area, you really have to see it for yourself. If possible, visit the property at different times of the day — with permission, of course.

You’d also benefit from staying in the area for a couple days just to experience what it’s like to live there. Even if you need to travel overseas, visiting the property you want is really going to be worth it because then you get to really know if it’s a good fit or not.

Remember to Take Your Time

Buying a luxury property for sale in the Philippines should never be a snap decision. There’re many good reasons for this but it all boils down to you not wanting to face any kind of disappointment in the end. In this case, however, disappointment also comes with throwing millions of your hard-earned money down the drain, and that’s something you might not be able to stomach.

A good thing to remember when buying a luxury property is that you’re very rarely in competition with someone. As said before, these listings are highly exclusive and only a handful of others is making a serious offer. What this means is that you have all the time in the world to negotiate with the seller and get the best deal possible.

Hire a Luxury Property Specialist

While it’s possible to do all these things on your own, you can’t deny the fact that hiring a luxury property specialist or agent is going to make the process a lot easier. These are agents who have expert knowledge on the luxury real estate and will guide you every step of the way. They might even take care of some things like researching the area or looking for the right listings.

Many aren’t as keen on hiring an agent because they assume that they’re going to be robbed of making the decision but that isn’t what agents do. They simply help you make the most of your money by giving you listing choices. In the end, the final purchasing decision is still yours to make.

Key Takeaway

Buying a luxury property, or any kind of property for that matter, in the Philippines should always be treated as an investment. What this means is that you have to carefully and thoroughly think about it before deciding on anything. You may also want to get help from the experts to make sure that you’re getting your money’s worth. If you do all these as well as the other tips written here, then you’re sure to end up with the luxury property of your dreams!

What are some great tips for moving into your new luxury home?

1. Make an extensive checklist
2. Organize everything early on
3. Inform movers about your plans
4. Prioritize your personal safety
5. Greet your new neighbors

After you’ve chosen from the thousands of luxury homes for sale in the Philippines and finalized the buying process, all that’s left to do is move into your new home! With all the paperwork and payments out of the way, you’d think that you’ve already gotten through the hard part, but moving in might actually be more difficult. If you’ve already experienced transferring from one home to another, triple the difficulty — that’s how it feels to move into a luxury home.

The reason why moving into a luxury home so much harder is mostly that the place is bigger — there’s simply so much more check and inspect! You’re also going to set up larger spaces and put more furniture and appliances. Even if the home comes fully furnished, you may want to move some things around or replace them to fit your personal preference and style. It may take days, maybe even weeks for you to completely settle in and make new memories with your family in your new home.

That said, moving in doesn’t have to be so much of a hassle. There certainly some things you can do to make the whole process less stressful and more fun. We’ve listed these below, so simply continue reading more to find out what they are!

Make an Extensive Checklist

If you really want the whole moving process to progress without a hitch, then you’re going to have to whip up an extensive checklist. The things you’ll bring, stuff you’ll throw or give away, amenities you need to inspect, repairs you need to do – these are just a few of the many aspects of moving that you’d want to write down.

There’s going to be months or weeks in between preparing for the move and the actual moving day, so consider writing down things by order of importance and accomplish them week by week. Your checklist will then serve as your moving guide that you can refer to every time things get a little too overwhelming and you’ve forgotten what needs to be done. Make sure you have it with you at all times when you’re doing stuff for the big move to ensure that you stay on the right track.

Organize Everything Early On

After you’ve written down everything that needs to be done, you should be able to get your stuff packed and organized. Separate each item depending on which room they’re going to be put in and don’t forget to label each box appropriately. Aside from this, identify which items need to be unpacked immediately such as your television, dining table, bed, and sofa as these are the things that you’re going to use straight away.

We recommend that you do this days or weeks in advance to avoid any last minute fiascoes. Even if it means packing your TV early on and living without it for a couple of days, it should be well worth it when the movers come.

Inform Movers About Your Plans

Speaking of movers, you need to keep them in the loop and inform them about your moving plans and strategies. They need to know when you plan on transferring things out of your old home and into your new one. Doing this helps them estimate the move time and cost and also help them prepare the necessary equipment.

Some of the things you need to tell the movers about are the oversized or heavy items such as refrigerators, pianos, and extravagant bed frames. Disassembly or assembly of furniture is also part of their repertoire and you can ask them to do it for you. You should also tell them about access restrictions i.e. narrow driveways and long walk-ups in both your old and new home.

Any detail that can help them properly move your stuff around and help ease the transition is sure to be appreciated so put some effort into communicating with your movers.

Prioritize Your Personal Safety

One of the things you should think about right off the bat after you’ve purchased deluxe homes for sale in the Philippines is safety items. Ensuring you and your family’s safety should be your number one priority because it’s going to help you settle in and enjoy your home.

The safety items you need to check are door locks, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, peepholes, lighting, security systems, gates, and the like. Others like to change their door locks immediately, and we highly advise that you do the same. You also need a fire extinguisher in every floor of your home or in rooms where a fire is a hazard – same with smoke alarms. Gates and peepholes must be in good condition and your lighting and security systems should all be functional.

Greet Your New Neighbors

It is imperative that you meet your new neighbors and make nice with them within the first week of your move. Introduce yourself to the community and ask people about how it’s like living in the area. If you’re living in an exclusive village (which you probably are since luxury homes are often built in such areas) then there’s a high chance that there’s a neighborhood email list or message board that you can and should subscribe to so find out about that, too.

You don’t have to go door-to-door to know everyone in the area. An easy and fun way to get to know your new, wonderful neighbors is to throw a housewarming party and invite them all. They probably won’t all be able to come but even a few guests should make you feel welcome.

Key Takeaway

The process of buying luxury homes for sale in the Philippines is definitely quite the hassle — moving in even more so, especially if you go in it without a plan or strategy in mind. In order to avoid getting headaches from preparing everything, stick to the tips we’ve written here. These are sure to make the process a lot easier and hassle-free. In a few days or weeks, you and your family are going to be able to blissfully settle into your new luxury home and create unforgettable memories for a long time!

How can you prepare your luxury home for an open house?

1. Beautify your home exterior
2. Clean and air out the interiors
3. Resolve all maintenance issues
4. Remove all personal items
5. Add a little extra flair to your home

An open house is a scheduled time interval when a residential property is made available for viewing by sellers, either through agents or the owners themselves, for the benefit of potential buyers. The entire affair is pretty similar across every modest and luxury home for sale in the Philippines albeit with a slight difference in terms of difficulty. It is much harder to be able to view a luxury property because interested parties must first show proof that they have the financial capabilities to push through with the purchase.

All the paperwork and requirements may make it tough on the buyers but it’s actually twice as tough, maybe even more, on the sellers. Having a luxury open house means showcasing your home to high-net-worth clients that are going to be extremely nitpicky. They’re going to inspect every little aspect of your home and decide for themselves whether the price you set is too high or just right. If they think it’s the former, then you can expect them to haggle and for you to not get enough return on your investments.

In order for this not to happen, all deluxe homes for sale in the Philippines are duly prepped for these events, and you should do the same for your luxury home. There are many ways to prepare your property for an open house, and we have them all listed below, so simply continue reading to find out more!

Beautify Your Home Exterior

One of the most important things that you’re going to have to do is make sure that the exterior of your home is beautiful, attractive, and inviting. Otherwise, potential buyers are never going to want to see the interior because they’d easily assume that it’d just be the same – nothing spectacular.

Some examples of what you can do are mow your lawns, trim your hedges, plant some flowers, and wash your windows. You may also want to hire a contractor to pressure wash the walls or have them repainted. These things are going to allow your home to make a good first impression to buyers and they’d be more likely to view the rest of the property instead of just leaving immediately.

Clean and Air Out the Interiors

After you’ve gone over the exterior and have made it beautiful and enticing, it’s time to move on to the interiors. Both these spaces should be as appealing as the other without any of them falling behind in terms of allure.

The things you can do to your interior is clear out any clutter and excess furnishings that make your home look smaller and tighter. You can store these things in your garage or rent a storage unit to keep them completely out of sight. You should also neutralize any unpleasant and strong odors that can drive away buyers by airing out your home, running an air diffuser or, better yet, baking some fresh cookies.

Resolve All Maintenance Issues

Whether they want to admit it or not, buyers are always on the lookout for imperfections so they can haggle better and purchase the property for a lot cheaper. As a seller, you should never give them any reason to do so which means your home is going to have to be spotless and everything thing in it should be in perfect working condition.

Resolve all maintenance issues way before the buyers arrive. Replace burned-out bulbs, fix leaking faucets, and repair broken appliances. These things may seem small, but they mean the world to a buyer looking for a steal. If you don’t want to deal with these problems yourself, then you can easily hire outside help and have them do the hard work for you. It doesn’t matter really how you solve these issues as long as they get fixed.

Remove All Personal Items

Although not at all necessary, real estate experts recommend removing personal items from your luxury home for sale in the Philippines. These include family pictures, personal collections, refrigerator art, and anything else that you have a personal connection to but doesn’t really help in increasing the appeal of the house.

The reason experts suggest this is that buyers want to envision themselves actually living in your home. They want to be able to paint a picture of them and their family residing in your property and that may be a little hard to do with your family photos and personal collections in the way. This may be a tall order, especially for those who hang up or frame every family picture, but we assure you that it’s all going to pay off in the end.

Add a Little Extra Flair to Your Home

We’ve already mentioned removing items from your home and keeping them out of sight, so it might surprise you when we say that you need to add some furniture and items in your interior. This is particularly important if your home is completely bare. In this case, try renting a few key pieces of furniture so that buyers can see what it’s like to have the home decorated and don’t have to imagine it in their minds.

Additional flairs and inviting items such as fresh flower arrangements, platters of fruits, and the like could also make your home a little more beautiful, so try to invest in those. You can also illuminate the porch and front walkway with pretty lights to help show off the house during an evening open house which, by the way, is also a thing.

Key Takeaway

Since we’re in the age of social media, a lot of people wrongly believe that open houses have lost their purpose and that buyers are content with seeing pictures of properties. While images and visual advertisements are important, they won’t be enough to push someone to buy your luxury home for sale in the Philippines.

On the other hand, if your home is bare, rent a few key pieces of furniture to show buyers what it’s like to have the home decorated without having to imagine it in their minds. Every potential home buyer wants to physically see and tour these properties because it’s the only way to feel whether it’s right for them or not. They want to be able to envision living happily and conveniently in the luxury home.

For this reason, it’s important that you allow them to view the entire fantasy and set up your home accordingly. It may take time, effort, and a bit of money, but all of that is sure to pay off once you’ve successfully sold of your home!

What amenities should you have in your luxury home in the Philippines?

1. Swimming pool
2. Personal gym
3. Sports facility
4. Home theater
5. Game room

There are countless characteristics that define luxury homes in the Philippines — location, price, size, furnishings, neighborhood, layout, security.

Certain conditions are placed on these aspects and all of them must be met in order for a property to be associated with the term. People often look at these distinctive features whenever they’re searching for a luxury property, whether that be a home or a condominium. However, these are not the only ones involved in placing properties into categories.

Amenities have become one of the most important defining features of luxury homes. In the past, these were merely additions that showed off the buyer’s wealth or the architect’s capabilities. Now, they’ve become more of a necessity. They now offer plenty of conveniences that luxury home buyers want and look for when shopping for their new (humble) abode.

The best part about these amenities is that you can easily have them installed into your chosen luxury home property. That said, though, it doesn’t mean you have to overload your home with amenities. You should only go with ones that are extraordinary but not too outlandish; those that can provide many advantages and barely depreciate. We’ve listed exactly what these are below so read more to find out!

Swimming Pool

A swimming pool or two is an absolute must in any luxury home that adds a subtle grandeur to the property. It’s great to for relaxing and fun activities that the whole family can take part in. Every moment spent in or by the swimming pool is guaranteed to be a valuable experience.

Since swimming pools are pretty common even in modest homes, luxury home designers make sure that the ones in luxury homes standout by adding features such as automatic temperature control and landscaped waterfall fixtures.

Personal Gym

Health and fitness are important aspects of your well-being that you need to take care of every single day. This is why you should have a personal gym at your own luxury home. Having your very own gym at home makes it much easier for you to maintain good health.

Moreover, you can personalize your home gym and make it so that it suits your workout requirements. You can put in whatever type of machine or equipment that you fancy and no one would be there to stop you. You can even fashion it with some extra things such as a wide-screen TV or a surround-sound system.

Sports Facility

Before we explain this any further, we’d like you to know that sports facilities are very much different from home gyms. A gym is built specifically for working out and exercise while facilities are made specifically for you and your family and friends to enjoy, well, sports.

The decision on what type of facility to add is completely yours to make. You can have a cricket pitch, a baseball field, basketball court, or bowling alley. If you’re into it, you can even add an ice rink or an actual football field. Just make sure that these facilities are going to be in use because you wouldn’t want for them to be covered in dust.

Home Theater

Home theaters gained popularity because the availability of high-speed internet connections have allowed people to stream any kind of content they want, whether that be movies or televisions series. Advancement in technologies has already contributed to its rise because now homes can be fitted with big-screen TVs and impressive sound systems that almost replicate the cinemas.

Much like with any amenity, there are ways to make your home theater more extravagant such as the addition of reclining seats, mini bar, mood lighting, candy corner, and your very own popcorn machine! These should take the experience into a completely different level.

Game Room

The urge to play games comes around now and then, but it’s inconvenient to go to your favorite game corner every time it does. Instead of being troubled by this, you’re better off bringing the place to your home by adding a game room to your luxury home.

When we say game room, we aren’t talking solely about console and PC gaming. We mean an actual arcade complete with a foosball table, arcade games, ping pong table, billiards table, and whatever gaming device you want. If you’re a fan, you can also add a section for tabletop games which are also making a comeback in this day and age.

Key Takeaway

These are but five of the many amenities you can find in or add to luxury homes in the Philippines. Some of these are built into a deluxe property for sale in the Philippines, while some you’re going to build from the ground up. Either way, they are sure to add a bit more convenience, fun, and luxury to your new home. As said before, you don’t need all of these in your home, but we can tell you that the more of these incredible amenities you have, the less you’re going to want to leave the comforts of your own home!