"This is really ideal for a startup family"

MANILA, Philippines - After more than half a year of living in a two-bedroom condominium unit at The Redwoods in Fairview, Quezon City, Kristine Layaoen already finds the new home of her young family sentimental.

Last October, she and her three-year-old daughter Anissa, along with their helper, moved into the unit at the Neo-Asian-themed, resort-style community built by triple-A property developer, DMCI Homes. Her husband has yet to see and live in their new home because he had to fly back to Abu Dhabi, where he works as a radiologic technician, right after the couple bought one of the last few units at The Redwoods.

“This is really ideal for a startup family,” Kristine says of The Redwoods.

When the couple started looking for a place of their own in 2011, they initially thought of acquiring either a house or a condo. Upon seeing a flyer of The Redwoods in a mall, they took a look at the place and found it to their liking. And with a price better than other condo communities they checked, the Layaoens settled for a unit at The Redwoods.

“This is what we need because we still have a small family. It’s hard to maintain a big house,” she explains.

DMCI Homes’ trademark architectural design for its existing and under construction mid-rise condo communities also appeals to Layaoen because it creates a cross between a house and a condo. “It’s like living in a house, but it’s not a house,” she added.

Unlike the traditional condo, where the corridors are narrow and unit doors face each other, The Redwoods has single–loaded hallways and central garden atriums that improve aesthetics and give residents a wide open feel to the building interior.

Although there is no yard where their daughter can play unlike in a house, The Redwoods has children’s play areas and a kiddie swimming pool, where she can have fun with kids of other homeowners. Lush landscapes also give residents the feeling of living in a house with a backyard.

The location suits the Layaoens. It is near the SM Fairview, another mall under construction, a church, a hospital, a future MRT station, and an OB Montessori school, where Anissa is enrolled in their pre-school program this June.

So far, the mother and her daughter are having a pleasant time at The Redwoods. With her hobby of interior designing, she gave her unit a modern-industrial touch highlighted by mirror and glass elements that made the dining area look roomy.Inspired by the experience of styling her own home, she is now setting up a home styling business specifically catering to condo dwellers. If not with clients outside as part of her business consulting and market research work, she does her other hobbies of painting and crafting at home.

For Anissa, Kristine cooks her meals and spends one or two hours of study time with her. Together, they watch cartoons in the living area, go to a nail spa at the mall and attend a private zumba dance class held thrice a week at the badminton court of The Redwoods. Through the class, Kristine got acquainted with other homeowners. One homeowner, who owns a bakeshop, prepared the cake for the pirate-themed party that Kristine held at a function room in the clubhouse to celebrate Anissa’s birthday.

Kristine cites the security guards and the Project Management Office (PMO) staff, who assists homeowners and maintain amenities and facilities of The Redwoods. “We like the service of the guards; they are very courteous and strict,” she says. “The PMO personnel are part of the experience living in a DMCI Homes community because through them you know you are taken care of.”

She worked overseas once like her husband. They once settled in Abu Dhabi, where Anissa was born. With a child, they contemplated of living in Abu Dhabi to be together.

“When we decided to have a home, we felt that it’s better here in the Philippines than in Abu Dhabi because the climate here allows kids to experience a wider range of activities for fun and learning throughout the year.” she says.

Kristine looks forward to the day she and her husband would have earned enough to secure the family’s future so they can live together for good. As it is now, her husband is the only one lacking in their home. But when he returns home for a vacation this year, there will be more joy seeing the wife and daughter he misses so much. It will be their first reunion in their first own home. It will be different from what he saw the last time.

“By the time he comes home, it will be beautiful,” Kristine promises.

For information, call 324-8888 or visit  https://www.dmcihomes.com.