'Something to look forward to after the pandemic,' this yuppie says of her condo investment

Tinay Binos, 31, is a business operations manager at an information technology firm in Eastwood City, Quezon City. Before the pandemic, she would commute from her rented place in Pasig City to her office. While the distance between the two places were just supposedly one 30-minute jeepney ride away, the worsening traffic condition would stretch her travel time to around an hour. Graveyard shift was even worse: traveling at night to the office was manageable, but because she had to go home at around 7 a.m., when people would start coming to work, it could get stressful. 

Then, the pandemic came, and everything in her world—in everyone’s world—shifted courses. 

When the strict lockdowns were implemented, Tinay started working from home. 

Outside, while traffic was not as bad as it was pre-pandemic, she knew she wanted to be in a place that was near her office, and one that was more stable, accessible, and safe. The company she works for also has a site at the U.P. TechnoHub, so the perfect place had to be in the middle of both locations. 

Then, one thing entered her mind: she didn’t want to rent out a place anymore. She wanted one that she could call her own. 

“It's about time to invest on my future,” she says. “I wanted to invest in a house but in the end I chose a condominium because condo-living is more practical here in Metro Manila. Plus, they are more secure and accessible compared to house and lots, which are also more expensive.

Investment in the time of pandemic

One day, while she was browsing through her Instagram stories, she found a sponsored post by Quadruple A developer DMCI Homes. “I inquired with one of the agents,” she recalls. “And she was very accommodating and very patient with me. It took at least a month of negotiations before I finally decided to make the purchase.”

Her choice was The Oriana, DMCI Homes’ newest project in Quezon City. Located along Aurora Boulevard, in-between Katipunan Avenue and Araneta City, the two-tower project offers easy access to the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) and the upcoming Metro Manila Subway System, which runs from Valenzuela to Parañaque City—a big factor that convinced Tinay to reserve a 2-bedroom unit.

Tinay says her decision to invest in The Oriana was also buoyed by her trust and confidence in DMCI Homes.

“Even before, I’ve already known about DMCI Homes,” Tinay explains her choice. “I’ve experienced living at the Acacia Estates when my sister was living there before.  I enjoyed the community and the facilities and services being provided by DMCI. So that’s the reason why I considered the DMCI Homes brand in choosing my unit,” she says in reference to DMCI Homes’ 150-hectare residential township development in Taguig City. 

Before she made the purchase, Tinay attended a virtual tour of The Oriana, which she thought was, “very helpful” specially during the pandemic where everyone is encouraged to stay home.”

Laughing, Tinay admits that aside from The Oriana’s accessibility and DMCI Homes’ outstanding reputation, she also considered one thing: bathroom. “That's the first thing I checked,” she says. “I really checked the design of the sink, of the toilet, and of the bathroom itself. What I love about DMCI is of course, over all, the design. It’s very comfortable, like I've experienced that when I was in Acacia Estates. So I really like the overall design of the unit there, plus the community.”

She adds, “Of course, knowing DMCI, the quality of the communities that they build is very high-end. The brand itself is known by many people here in the Philippines.”

Brighter side

Tinay knows she is lucky to be in a job that allows her to invest in properties despite the pandemic. But she says she went for it because, first, she’s currently working from home, and she wants to have a great environment that is conducive for that.

Plus, the promos are great, she says: “I really encourage everyone to take this opportunity and take advantage of the promos offered by developers. I took the opportunity while the payment term is stretched to as much as five years. Those are the things I considered. Also, I thought that it’s more productive to invest my money instead of just keeping it in the bank.”

Furthermore, having a new home is something to look forward to once the pandemic is over, Tinay adds.

“All of us dream of having our own place to go home to. Aside from that, a new home is really something good to look forward to after this pandemic,” she points out.

“So right now, I'm looking at the bright side of everything. I’m looking forward to seeing my new home in a few years,” Tinay says smiling.

The Oriana is one of the developments of DMCI Homes, the country’s first Quadruple A real estate developer known for building quality resort-inspired communities in Mega Manila, Baguio City, Boracay, and Davao City. Each of its properties is built with world-standard craftsmanship borne from D.M. Consunji Inc.’s over 60 years of expertise in the construction and development industry.

To learn more about The Oriana and other DMCI Homes’ pre-selling and ready for occupancy projects, units for lease, and special promos, call (632) 5324-8888. You can also visit leasing.dmcihomes.com to know more about opportunities in leasing and rent-to-own programs of DMCI Homes. News and other updates are also posted on the company’s official website and its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.