What do you usually look for in buying a condo?

[aranses]

density - ayaw namin ni hubby crowded hirap maghintay sa elevator lalo na kapag rush hour

location - as much as possible hanap namin location center ng metro manila para access namin sa iba area madali lang

Safe and Sound Structure - since we have knowledge in construction dito talaga focus namin mag-asawa. We want to live in a condo na kahit dumating pa ang "big one" hindi magkakaroon ng building fatigue or stress at hindi babagsak. Gusto namin kampante kami nakatira. Lagi namin check size ng post,beam and corewall. Some tips na din double check ninyo kung may mga cracks sa condo nyo sa basement parking and other areas. We call the attention of one of the shopping center in Manila kasi grabe cracks sa wall ng basement parking nila plus there are visible cracks sa column and knowing na malambot ang lupa sa manila it's quite alarming.

home owner and admin - may mga condo kasi na mga HO hindi nagbabayad ng dues kaya nangyayari wala maintenance. Kaya minsan may condo kayo makikita na 3 out of 4 elevator lang gumagana, garden and pool wala maintenance.

I really don't focus on amenities, I live in a condo for more than ten years now. Madalang ko gamitin pool and garden kasi dami mata nakatingin not unless magswimming relative ko.

[lilyscapes]

amenities - we need this for my son, i want to have, a nice sort of "playground" for him.

we also prefer a community without loud neighbors, tipong may privacy parin even you share a common place.

proximity - people were commenting that we should've just bought a house&lot but i think your money is worth it naman in purchasing a condo knowing that you can go home early everyday. may house&lot ka nga somewhere, but it takes 3 hours for you to go home. sayang ang family time.

[AvadaKedavra]

I need a reference to this thread that's why I'm posting. Another is, I want to thank sisses @khriseeee (units per floor), @leynathan ("community", type of home owners) @coldsiren (sample computation is something one should really ask for), @carlavinoya (bumabaha ba diyan) and @catnip.deleon (really love that fault line issue!) plus the nice summary of @Girltalker2! (laundry area, floor level, preselling, window facing, sound-proofing)

I think no one mentioned about Perpetual & Freehold? Which do you prefer? Do you check this?

[hisana]

I agree din with what sis Girltalker2 listed. Yun din ang mga concerns ko.

The absolute #1 for me is the design/layout/condition/upkeep of the building and of course the unit itself. There are a lot of new condos nowadays na sa totoo lang mukhang tinipid naman yung pagkakagawa. I have seen units na two years old pa lang, but the cabinets are already peeling, the windows are damaged, minsan may tenting na ng tiles, etc. Brand new yun ha, hindi pa natirahan. Meron din yung sablay ang soundproofing. Meron yung naririnig mo nag-uusap yung neighbors or naririnig mo kapag nagbubukas sila ng faucet sa sink (LOL). Meron naman na dorm type ang dating, it's basically like living in a large concrete shoebox. I mean, condos are not meant to be as spacious and well-designed as a house, pero sana naman pinag-isipan yung needs, comfort and mood nung titira. I agree na importante kung ilang units sa isang floor, how many floors, etc. Also, meron pa yung pangit ang maintenance or security. Unfortunately magkakaalamanan lang kapag nakatira na.

A close second of course is location.

[airish_2]

Ask ko lang, napupuno ba talaga ang isang floor ng mga tenants? Kasi minsan pag titignan ko parang hindi naman puno ang isang condo sa isang floor may lima lang na nakatira pero nasa 30 yung units.
Concern mo din yung tahimik na community na kahit may nakatira sa kabilang unit hindi sila squatter sorry for the term kasi now okay naman subd. namin yun nga lang may mga neighbor kami na hindi nagbabayad ng dues, tapos karaoke to the max kaya naisip ko na tumira sa condo.

[hisana]

^
Feeling ko umaabot naman. Sa mga natirahan ko, average of 1/2 to 2/3 ang nao-occupy. Minsan 1-2 months lang vacant, tapos may tenant na. Right now at the floor I'm in, parang 3-4 units lang yung walang nakatira.

Regarding potential neighbors, ako kasi I believe na swertihan yan, but I would just like to say na mahirap maging kapitbahay ang students, which is uso na ngayon kasi ang dami nang condos being built near universities. I mean, meron din naman well-mannered at behaved na mga teenagers dyan, but from my years of living in the katipunan area, maingay at hindi masyado considerate sa neighbors ang mga group of students renting, lalo na kung wala silang kasamang adult na nakitira sa unit. Para bang nagiging itong constant get-together place of friends for them. Ang lalakas ng boses even sa hallway, music way past midnight, pounding on the walls, manghuhulog ng mga mabibigat na gamit lagi sa floor, at kung ano pa. Kawawa yung mga katabi at yung unit below. Ang masama dyan eh sa dorm pwede pa bigyan ng warning, but in condos, they just basically let these students do what they want, from what I observe. I  know may adults din na ganito, but I feel it's fairly common in these "university" condos. Just my 2 cents.

[LilaFowler]

^ If for your own use, mahirap talaga bumili ng unit sa university area. Pero if you are renting it out, maganda sya dahil di ka mauubusan ng tenant.

I think pinaka important is location. Needs to be close to transport and supermarkets etc. I prefer masterplanned communities as opposed to standalone buildings kaya so far, we've only bought Ayala. We have 2 in Vertis North and 1 in Cloverleaf. We liked Vertis North due to proximity to MRT and malls. Cloverleaf will be more of a transport hub with the construction of the Skyway and close to Balintawak MRT sana lang maayos yung Balintawak market.

I think yung quality of fixtures sa units is secondary lang kasi cabinets, floors, tiles etc can be redone, pero if you have a beautiful unit in the middle of nowhere, you can't move it in a better location.

I also look at the number of units per floor. I think denser developments is likely to have more issues kasi there are more occupants. Madami gumagamit ng amenities, elevators, mas mataas ang possibility ng nuisance neighbors. Saka dense developments mukhang tenement housing kasi ang liit ng units and ang dami.

[airish_2]

^Nagagandahan din ako sa Vertis North, ang ganda ng location since balak gawin na Quezon City Business District yung area na yan in the future.

[hisana]

Yes of course, I'm not going to pick an inaccessible/poorly located condo, but the quality of the building/unit itself is my biggest concern, kung ako lang talaga, and then the location. I mean, the SMDC condos cannot be beat in terms of location right, pero naman ang units nila minsan. But yeah, if it's not for personal use, you can just overlook those little details.

[eischied_21]

good for me that I was able to ask about fault line, flood free, etc. Location, developer, unit size and amenities are on top of my list.

[be_Jenuine]

I'm looking for a condo na medyo mababa lang. As in, 4 to 5 floors, nakakatakot kapag masyadong mataas.

[LilaFowler]

Meron din mid-rise na developments. Kaya lang mas madami talaga high rise.

San area hanap mo?

I'm looking for a condo na medyo mababa lang. As in, 4 to 5 floors, nakakatakot kapag masyadong mataas.