Taichung, Taipei: A Country Worthy Checking for Investments

One thing that separates most countries as far as economy and maintenance of their society solely lies on the nature of the people who make up the population. Such can be seen in such places as Taipei, where pollution is no where to be found, all owed to the people who show their love for their country. A person’s love for his country will not be appreciated through mere expression. It is through their practices and traditions that make them different from the usual cultural heritages of each country.

People will be surprised that after such efforts, it is their homeland that will surely be the benefactor as well as the tourists like me who will be awed by how a country can be so beautiful and clean. Taipei has what it takes to be among the top tourist sites, but one thing that I have noticed is that the universal language, English, is not practiced that much here. While the people are courteous and stand proud, a little bit of awareness as far as being tourist friendly would help boost the publicity and ratings of this country that has a lot of promise.

Rarely would you hear noise pollutions like honking cars, accidents, and dirty sidewalks here. One thing that has caught my interest is the fact that most people use moped and scooters for travel. And yes, they ride them in the streets 24/7 without much danger to be concerned about. The store hours such as the CarrieFour operates 24/7 as well as most restaurants that put premium in service to customers locally and abroad.

While shopping may not be ideal here, people can expect to see a lot, ranging from food to electronic items. The highways are something to look forward to since they are masterfully structured and rarely would you see traffic as a main problem here.

One shocking thing here is the fact that people even go out on the streets naked just to be able to sell things from gums to cigarettes. This was something that really caught my surprise. Girls aged from 18 to 20 are either wearing silk tops, bikinis or nothing at all and they are all legal, all without malice of course. Again, it all depends on the culture of the people who reside here and how they express their love towards the country and where it should be properly going.

Blog Adviser Officially Opens!

Blogs are alternative methods of writing wherein most people can compose anything they want and in the manner they would want the mood to be set. A combination of a website with rich content in the manner and design that any person would want to be known, blogs have become a good source of therapy and income for the chosen. The latter of which may draw conflicting inputs since focusing on income generating content would sometime take out the true essence and meaning of the entire post. Notable here is the focus of people on the use of keywords, repeating them at will so that search engines can easily find them once queries for particular words are being sought.

Blogs are familiarly known as online diaries where people share their experiences and stored knowledge in the manner they want to express them. Nobody knew that blogs would eventually become a money-making practice for sites which want to expound on various topics and genres that their website is to be known for. Today, social networking services such as Friendster, Multiply, Hi5 and MySpace, have not only offered a chance for people to expand their network of contacts but also to hold online diaries for their colleagues and friends to see. Usually, life experiences, business knowledge, setbacks, accomplishments and photo images are the main contents of the blogs that these people make. Such a practice also allows people to hone their grammar and typing skills and further enrich their vocabulary.

The Blog Adviser, created in November 30, 2006 is a project that Orble made possible. The site is hosted by the Orble Network and its main purpose is to be able to provide information, actual experiences and business related content to share with Orble bloggers and other people seeking rich content information. Unlike most blog marketing sites, the purpose is to provide useful and colorful insights and expound them in the best possible way, not only through properly termed topics but also through actual experiences as witnessed and dealt with by the person who will be handling all the posts on a daily basis.

The Blog Adviser aims to focus on business related issues and information based on actual research work and strategic management practices from real life business management issues. With the actual hands-on experience of handling a local trading company and business consultation services to various local and foreign companies, the Blog Adviser is expected to be among the top sought after sites for information and explanations with regards to varying issues on the business and management side for professionals of today and tomorrow. Links and images will be used to coincide with the posts, not just to optimize the site but also to serve as supporting proofs with regards to the validity of the posts to be made.

On the side, The Blog Adviser will also provide some freestyle writing content from personal experiences that combine poetry and stories into one. While these posts are mainly for adding some counseling and advise to online people who want some pastime reading, especially the romantically inclined individuals, the freestyle writing section promises to give worthy and reliable actual experiences for people who seek answers from life.

Hence the Blog Adviser has commenced and started its part in contributing towards the blogging era and each visitor is expected to be satisfied in both the business and personal aspect. For more information, the Blog Adviser can be visited today at http://www.blogadviser.com .

Floor and Room Number Please?

For most aspiring condominium investors and owners, the dilemma of determining the best floor to where their would-be unit will be situated in is something that most people will have a hard time thinking of. While most people couldn’t care less, issues that include where its location is on the building are really more important, especially for superstitious people. Some parties may even go for the corner rooms since it covers a larger portion, not to mention adjacent views from their end. The price for these locations will surely vary, but considering the benefits from such acquisitions, the price variance will surely be worth every penny.

For real estate developing giants like Ayala Land and Century Properties, these are just some of the unheard issues that most people would encounter in the model unit bargaining and negotiation suites. For top honchos who want the best and can afford the best, the race is on for the first-come first-served units, usually the first ones to be run out. Like for example in Ayala Land’s Serendra project, practically all the good places have been signed, sealed and to be delivered. For the agents, filling up the left out space allocations is their nightmare, and this is something that will surely be an issue to resolve. But then again, for business owners who put premium in investing towards property asset management, they can always lease these areas out, especially to foreigners who seem to be leaning towards these accommodations rather than staying in hotels where the daily rates are really outrageous!

Dream Houses and Ambiance in a Person’s Mind

Each person has their own ideal home in mind, the components of which are important. Of course, the standard composition of areas in a house include the room, kitchen and the toilets but for some, expanding them as far as dreaming of having a den, living room, audio room, guest rooms and a recreational area will be among the usual add-ons that most people would dream of.

So why do people want these add-ons when owning their own home is the only purpose for retreat at times where everyday rigors and wear and tear will be its main agenda? The answer is that there are various ways of relaxation and therapy to soothe battered minds and bodies, owing to the fact that it professions carry most of the load of people who live everyday. Homes and properties are more than just investments but a base where people can recollect their thoughts and recharge for their daily chores.

Real estate and properties offer a wide variety of options. The number of bedrooms or even compact studio designed pads provides some of the available and usual investments that most people can choose from. While the prices may be commanded in large amounts, the options for down payments and flexible installment plans are given to help people afford the said prices which would usually cost millions, depending on the currency rate governing the said area. One thing that is for sure, any investment in property and assets is something that is a good investment, although the matter of getting real about assessing on whether they can afford to be tied down to such investments for a given period is also something that should be taken into consideration.

Cramped Land, Residential Building Investments

At the rate that housing has been a given demand, the available areas to which people can be able to invest and select the security of their future is slowly becoming nil. Fact of the matter is that most of the real estate developing companies have been beating the gun on most would be investors who dream of putting up their own homes and residential areas where they may find retirement at the twilight of their careers. While in a sense, real estate developers have a keen purpose for these underdeveloped areas, sole ownership and space allocation is slowly becoming rare for the people who put emphasis on privacy and retreat.

Most real estate developing companies have been putting up high rise condominiums one after another, leaving behind limited selection proceedings as well as modern style of living. While some countries have turned to condominium housing as a means of future investment, the battle on the modern design and availability is what leading companies such as Ayala Land, Robinsons Land and Century Properties has been employing as of late. Showrooms that reveal the planned infrastructure and latest design of most home seeking people have widened the possibilities, but unfortunately, they will only own a portion of the property and this does not include the land itself, a tactic that most real estate developers had surely drawn up beforehand.

With limited possibilities, the jump for actually investing in land and placing improvements have been limited towards the suburbs and provinces, areas which have not yet been resorted to since most of the land properties located in the metropolis is the preference by practically everyone. Most people still lean towards the urban standards of living and this is the opportunity that allows most people to look forward to. Suburb areas are peaceful in a sense, but considering the fact that most potential investors would still need to earn a living, most of which are situated in the urban areas, the ease and convenience of such factors which include transportation, waiting time and work schedule are still contributing factors to which most people should ponder upon prior to such investments. No doubt about it, the choices for investing in the big cities have been severely trimmed down to mere portions or sections of an improvement that has been put up in purchased lands catered towards the masses.

Property Investment For The Filipino Future

One of the more common properties offered today includes that of small condominium units catered to bachelors or people who have been living independently today. While some people who can spare the necessary investment would get their own lofts for a manageable investment fee, these are deemed as not long term investments to which they shall be staying on and actually living on them. Rather, they are investments that can be offered for rent or lease in the future for students or business yuppies that want to take an independent route towards maturity, or probably a convenient place where they can be able temporarily stay in for easy access to nearby institutions such as universities or office location.

For one, transportation is not only becoming a hassle today in the Philippines, but also time consuming. The rising cost of fuel has tampered as far as the fare hikes of public transportation, not to mention that of fuel for privately owned vehicles that have become astronomically outrageous. The feasible way is to find a fairly priced boarding house or room to be able to save on daily expenses, usually for the weekdays only. Such has been the route of most Filipino citizens, especially for people that are situated in the provinces but choose to work in the metropolis, particularly metro manila. Vice versa, this is also what urban workers do when they are assigned to provincial areas, needing to find nearby lodging to save on cost and energy that travel time allocation will surely eat up.

Such has been the strategy for such real estate brokering giants such as Ayala Land and Century Properties Inc. These two real estate developing firms have geared up and strategically found places that cater to Class A and B markets, offering a luxurious array of designed units that are open for investing parties who may share the vision for the need of temporary lodging for most up and coming individuals. While the investment opportunity may seem steep and enormous at first, the rate of return from such investments should also be taken into consideration and should be considered as future assets on their behalf. This way, their hard earned wealth once asset declaration is in tow, can show a number of assets where properties owned will surely be the main focal point. Immediate purchase may not be a feasible thing to see for now, but thanks to the flexibility of actual investors and practices, payment schemes that cover as much as a 25 year deal can be made, a good investment considering properties by this time will have reached a more expensive amount.

Manila Prince Hotel For Sale

A unique opportunity to own and invest in a newly renovated and fully furnished Manila hotel in the Philippines, ready for operation.

Manila Prince Hotel epitomizes uncompromising luxury within a complete hotel experience. Lavishly furnished and equipped with all-new furnishings and fixtures, it offers business and leisure travellers only the choicest accommodations and finest amenities.

A total of 350 rooms and suites include 5 residential Suites, 32 Superior De Luxe Suites, 245 De Luxe and Single Rooms, and a 3-level Penthouse with its own spacious view deck and conference room. Richly appointed Chinese and Japanese Restaurants, a Coffee Shop & Restaurant, and a hip Disco Bar provide superb dining and nightlife at Manila Prince Hotel.

The Hotel is being offered for sale at $50 million. 2% Commission is to be given.

For interested parties, you can drop me a line at byalung@gmail.com

Thanks!

GA Towers Mandaluyong City For Sale

GA Towers, a just recently finished condominium unit, strategically located near EDSA and with easy access to the MRT is being offered for sale for Php 3Million. It has 3 bedrooms and is located at the 7th floor. It is still bare and has been just turned over.

For interested parties, you can drop me a line at byalung@gmail.com

Thanks!

Admiral Hotel in the Philippines For Sale

The Admiral Hotel, a significant hotel that houses most incoming tourists along Roxas Boulevard, some meters away from the Ninoy Aquiono International Airport is being offered for sale for $15 million.

For interested parties, you can drop me a line at byalung@gmail.com

Thanks!

Makati Condominium Cityland Tower For Sale

A posh residential area in the heart of the Central Business District is up for grabs. A 116 Square Meter 3-Bedroom Unit located on the 25th Floor is being offered for sale at Php 4.8 Million. Commission is provided.

For interested parties, you can drop me a line at byalung@gmail.com

Thanks!

Places in the Philippines: Promenade Greenhills, Manila

Formerly known as the Crossroads Arcade in the 90’s, the new Promenade strip along the Greenhills area has provided nearby and local town folks another place to check out. The concept of the Promenade strip is not that different from the usual places that famous shopping and restaurant places in Glorietta, Greenbelt Center and Rockwell have conceptualized for the past years. Transformed from the plain and outdated arcade in its maiden years, this new strip has signaled the entry of a new dawn in the posh classy area of Greenhills, the place known to house pirated cd’s and videos as well as the cheap items as fake clothes and shoes and second hand cellular phones for the electronically addicted Filipinos.

Promenade Greenhills offers more than just a simple shopping resort for the local population. It also offers 4 classically maintained cinema theaters, a bookstore (Fully Booked), a recreational area for video games and kids playtime area (Timezone), and a whole number of restaurants of all cuisines. Among the most sought after restaurants here range from Class A to C, providing all people a variety of dishes and affordability to choose from. The usual places include, Penang Hil, Teriyaki Boy, Gerry’s, Grilla, Little Asia, Burgoo and Mexicali. While there are a whole lot more restaurants there, the competitive nature of luring the customers to try them out is simply endless.

For the coffee lovers, there is the Coffee Leaf and Starbucks to hang around. Promenade is usually packed in the evenings, but especially during the weekends. The concept for the strip is a success since this dull portion of the Greenhills Shopping Area was once the dullest place to be in. Thanks to the developers, it has not become one of the places to go to, and a clear sign of how popular this place has become is the problems in parking and traffic that it causes due to the large influx of people who visit the place.

Philippine Investing: Searching for Home

With the large demand for home and shelter today, real estate has tried to cater to various markets and put up buildings, small scale houses, townhouses and land development today. True enough, it is the success of any person to be able to own their sole properties and fixtures, all coming from hard work.

Real estate has had its own share of difficulties. Identifying the key areas to put these residential zones has been the forefront of most aggressively seeking real estate companies, each catering towards a specific class. The high scale houses are naturally worth millions to billions, and the lower scales are lucky enough to be below a million, depending on the location and development of the area.

In the Philippines, this has been the cry of most people, housing and development of areas that people can call home. With the political and inflationary issues that it has been experiencing, the medium of exchange and valuation of the Peso is without a doubt a crucial factor for attainment of the basic needs of a person.

There are a lot of areas that are underdeveloped, such as Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac in the Philippines. They do offer various properties at a manageable level, but location is the inconvenience that they will experience since these are far from the commercial zones where most people work.

Areas in the National Capital Region or Manila, offer the same, but will definitely cost. Most people need millions to invest in them. The trend is for people abroad to invest in these properties for their relatives, or as a security precaution in case they decide to retire in their homelands. Another venture that they follow is invest in these properties and use them as businesses like having them rented or buying the properties being built and selling them at their fair market price once they are opened to the public. The time invested is actually the interest earned from initial investments, and this is something people based outside the Philippines such as Canada, Europe and the United States of America should look into especially with the strength of the dollar, far more dominant than the Philippine Peso.

Investing in Empty Lots in the Business Area

When a person talks about real estate investment, the immediate thing that comes into mind is that of buildings, townhouses, condominiums and large scale offices that will house the bigger corporate names of today. Business sectors will always have the space to offer for a new building to be put up, an investment that will certainly cost millions.

In the Philippines, wiser people buy land and do not really put up anything. It remains an empty lot without any improvements standing on it. So the question is, how does such an investment reap dividends?

The answer is think as an employee in a congested area. One business that may seem funny is that of converting the lot into a parking lot. It is not secret that parking spaces in this country has been slowly diminishing, and the main culprit is the continuous development of structures to house businesses. But hey, one after another, businesses are disintegrating due to losses and inability to continue. The result, a lot with a structure yes, but no occupants. What makes it worse, real estate taxes will eat up most of the profits, and unless a person would sell the property, he ends up paying for taxes for a useless asset every year.

Parking spaces require minimal effort. Cement it, paint some parking guides and put up a fence and have a person or two man the lot and walah, instant business. Imagine a parking lot that can house a total of 100 cars which pay a steady rate of Php40.00 a day for 20 days in a month, you have P80,000.00 or roughly in dollars, $1,500.00 a month. Not bad considering this is an assumption that all cars will just stay there for a couple of hours.

Basing it on experience, the need for parking is slowly deteriorating and if there is any good investment that will return a favorable return, this is one investment that needs consideration. The best way is to find lots that are in the business area. Trust it from someone who has a hard time looking for a good parking slot since 1996!

Searching for Empty Lots and Classy Residential Zones in the Philippines

Just like any other country, the Philippines is made up of residential zones that cater to all classes of the masses. Along with the classification of lots comes the land value that is usually determined as to how the development of that certain zone is at the moment. Most often, the more commercialized and privatized areas bring back a higher land value, usually in millions due to proper development and exposure. This is why initial public offerings (IPO) are given to target clients, usually to provide introductory offerings for places that are being developed by the local developers. Immediate assessment on the part of the consumers will be made for sure, and they will be varied in nature. It will all depend on how good people are at analyzing a given situation and how they project the environment to grow, probably in a given span of years.

For instance, the Greenhills area in San Juan, Philippines is totally dominated by the Chinese community as far as residential property ownership is concerned. The availability of houses and lots for sale in this area is rare to find, and unless people are content with living in high rise condominiums, looking forward to a built house in the suburbs of the Greenhills area may be close to impossible.

Who wouldn’t want to live in the Greenhills area, considering that they cover all the needs a person would have. A supermarket, (Unimart and Cherry Shaw Blvd.), the shopping malls, dining and restaurant outlets, movie houses, hospitals (Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital), churches (Mary the Queen and Santuario de San Jose), and easy access to convenience stores all around, what more can a person ask for? There are many empty lots, but they are pre owned.

Curiosly, there is an empty lot that is close to the Greenhills West Clubhouse. This is a good space to put up a dream house but the details have yet to be given. For sure this shall be the eye of many brokers in the Philippines. Perhaps the foreign investors who view this site may be interested in such a place. If I had the money to buy such an investment opportunity, then I would not think twice.

If there are any interested people in this area, you can drop me an email at byalung@gmail.com or just post a comment. I will get the specifics once needed and requested.

Blog Herald Feature: How I Blog-Brian Yalung, MBA

My sincerest gratitude to Matt of Blog Media for making this happen. Please check out this feature:

How I Blog: Brian Yalung, MBA

Buy and Sell: Real Estate Buying and Leasing in the Philippines

Real estate, as said time and again, has been slowly picking up from where it left off in 1996, that is, aggressive buying by local bred people who are now residing in various parts of the world, particularly the United States of America and Canada regions. Filipinos who have opted to take their talents for better paying jobs abroad have allowed them to consider making investments in local properties, known to be among the affordable and feasible manners of investing for their future and their dependents. There is of course the difference between high-end and low-end sectors, but regardless, the bottom line is one of our basic hierarchy of needs according to Maslow’s hierarchy, that of which is shelter.

But wait, it is not all about security but more on studying the opportunities of being able to establish a medium of investment and income from outside the usual profession that most people practice everyday. Visitors, with emphasis on foreigners from other countries look for the cheapest means of lodging, especially when they want to make the most out of their trips. The Philippines is known to be among the top spots for foreigners to go to, especially once vacation time comes for them. Cost is definitely competitive, and compared to their normal neighboring countries of tourist attraction spots, people want something different. The belief that the world offers a lot is usually one of the reasons why foreigners immediately look towards the Philippine tourist spots, especially the beaches and resorts like Boracay and Palawan areas, have been the forefront of the aggressive investment of the country towards tourism. Come the summer time, even the local inhabitants crowd these places, and despite the inconveniences, they will go at nothing to be able to satisfy their hunger for a well-deserved break from reality.

With this in mind, foreigners see it as an opportunity to be able to make advanced bookings by being situated here locally before the expected boom and overcrowding of reservations and accommodations set in during the second quarter of the year. Finding alternative places to live in outside hotels which cost as high as $50.00 per day, depending on the type of hotel they are looking at, can be saved if they can find locally available condominium units for rent. Places that are usually the landing spot for most temporarily staying foreigner include the high class Rockwell Power Plant in Makati, Eastwood Condominiums in Quezon City, and The Fort at the Fort Bonifactio Area. Condominiums are being strategically constructed here, and there are also units that are being rented or sold at a fair price.

Among the offerings is located at the Rizal Condominiums, located beside the Professional Graduate School of Ateneo. Rizal Condominium is largely dominated in terms of occupancy by foreigners.

Current Properties for Sale

There is one unit being offered at the moment for sale at P30,000,000.00 and fully furnished. What surprises me the most is that this same price is close to the actual offering before the entire property was allowed for occupancy and is certainly a good buy! I have yet to get the details from my sister-in-law who works in a bank, and I know the sale is really needed as soon as possible.

Just recently, another unit located in the classy area of Anapolis, Greenhills is being offered as well. A small pad worth P10,0000,000.00 is up for grabs at the One Beverly Place, one of the posh condominium units that can be seen along the busy streets of Anapolis Street, Greenhills. It is a good place to stay, especially for visitors who are in search of cheap goods and a relaxing place to stay since local folks come in droves to be able to kill their time and get good buys of consumer items such as designer clothes, electronic devices, cellular phones and computer peripherals.

Hence the investment for these type of properties is aimed at high-end markets. But considering the appraisal of land value, for sure, this is the interest gained from initial investments, something that money in the bank cannot even match as far as long term investments are concerned.

For more information, people can drop me a line at byalung@gmail.com for requests as photos, land data, property specifics and pricing per square meter.

Real Estate: A Place We Call Home

Home can be is more of a broad term than what most people would think. The immediate thing that comes into mind is that a home is a place where most of us resign into once a hectic day of doing our daily chores and routines are done. Some would look at it in a different way, referring to it as a place where they can hang out and unwind, some where they can comfortably kill the time and get away from reality or maybe even a place where they can work quietly and maximize their efficiency. In all, home is somewhere we can be at peace with ourselves and forget about the actual reality that life has to offer.

Home is also looked upon as an investment of sorts. Most of us are not blessed with the rags to riches and financial capacities to be able to declare that we live in our own houses due to financial reasons. A home does not have to be big because we make it big as we fit ourselves into it. Size is not an issue. Home is a place of comfort and no matter the monetary exchange value that a home has, the bottom line is that it is where we can retreat and recharge ourselves, both in the physical and mental aspect so that we can sustain the type of lifestyle that we long to have.

Real estate in the same way is tagged in two different ways, a commercial aspect and a private aspect. The commercial aspect looks more on the manner on how to effectively manage a business or venture while at the same time being comfortable with what we see around us to maximize the time and energy we exert into ventures. Often, this is termed as a working place, a business environment to which we can bring out the best we can in the professional sense and attain goals as we deem necessary. In summary, it is a proper mixture of efficiency and relaxation, allowing us to work and be convenient.

The private aspect does not really have to be expounded. Most real estate companies today such as Ayala Land Corporation and Century Properties Inc. try to cater to all classes not really just to earn millions of profit but to also satisfy one need of people that of which is shelter. These are commonly investments that can be later on held as choices on whether to consider them as prized assets or just to retire into once we reach that age where we feel that we can rest and have used up our wits and brains as far as our professional careers are concerned. The question though is where to invest and how much we can afford to invest. We all have different lines of work and affordability is a key factor in determining the amount to which we can be able to set aside money. Especially for the people who have to survive in their daily routine, the level to which we are able to sacrifice is something that needs to give much thought.

Whatever the case may be, there are posh properties out there just waiting for us, and we will eventually land into one soon. The matter of how soon we get them and at what level will entirely depend on how we weigh things out and how we can properly exert sacrifices, especially at the governing rate of expenses and inflation of today.

The Re-Birth of Real Estate Investments in the Philippines

The last real estate boom was evident in 1996 but just like other business entered an age of recession because of hard times that have been plaguing most countries. The Philippines, being among the countries that are drowning with debts, encountered rough sailing for the past 10 years and the rise in demand for real estate was an imminent stand still.

Today, more and more people who look for wise investment opportunities have turned towards investing in real estate properties as the feasible way to put excess earnings, with the belief that such would reap returns at some point in the future. There is no question that the land value will truly appreciate once development has been done for a certain area and initial public offerings prior to project completion will truly be the wise investment today.

The entrepreneur in most people have gotten the best of them, most realizing the need to secure a bright future ahead. In any case, there is no doubt that investing in real estate is similar to putting money in a bank like time deposit to earn interest. But at the rate that people are buying properties these days, the returns may even be more attractive in the sense that properties and assets are more than just pure investments, but something that they can turn to, when times become difficult or when business expansions would need additional cash influx.

Today, real estate buying has become a frenzy. Location is a factor as well, but for places to which they are available, especially the developed and the ones near distinctive and commercially accessed areas, expect cost of investment in such real estate areas to be far more expensive compared to that of under developed areas.