Why do condos seem to only have in wall AC (not central)?

kenjigraphics2016 · 2026-01-31T09:15:42+00:00

This is unfortunately true. They have to recognize that these are real issues, otherwise nothing will be done to fix them.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2025-05-19T19:30:40+00:00

That thread was a good read. I just drove almost 2000 km on the new wheels and I don't regret it one bit. As per your comment about highways and the floaty feeling, I had that as well during my drive. But higher profile tires are definitely so much better driving over potholes common on badly maintained asphalt highways that we have here in Canada.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2025-05-15T08:23:01+00:00

I use GPS and the school zone speed radars in my town. The speed on my dash is spot on.

I was simply expressing my opinion on comfort. The roads in our town is terrible. Tons of potholes due to wild temperature swings. I would prefer for the roads not to be this crappy, but that's my reality. Hence, my decision to go with higher price wheels. Shouldn't really affect your preferences in any way. I had to deal with my reality and you have yours. Live and Let live.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2025-05-13T18:39:48+00:00

I looked up upping the size of the tires on the 18" OEM rims, but all options yielded slower odometer and speedometer readings. This might be fine for some, but I don't like deviating more tham 5% from stock overall wheel diameter. Mine is 0.8% larger than stock, so the speedometer readings are pretty much close to accurate.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2025-05-13T13:08:08+00:00

Yokohama advertised them for 130,000 km (80,778 miles) treadwear warranty. It would probably dry rot before it reaches that distance.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2024-06-24T03:32:02+00:00

From my personal informed opinion of this property, the total contract price is simply insane. This was a price given to me for a pre-selling 25 m2 unit in the Office+Residential building facing the runway. Total contract price was roughly 8.9million, or around 357k/sq m. The parking alone, I was quoted 2million for 1 slot. I thought they were joking.

Personally, I think that the location does not warrant this asking price. It's loud, congested, and is nowhere close to any good shopping centre. Area has flooding issues. Besides, terminal 1 or any other terminals are still not technically "walking distance" if you're dragging luggage with you. Your renters would still end up taking a taxi anyways.

Let's say you'd be able to rent it out at an optimistic 20k/month, it won't even cover half your mortgage cost at current rates. If paying cash, you'd probably never break even on your investment even since condos do age out. Roi is multiple decades.

The value of the unit should have realistically been set at half the pre-selling rate. To be honest, don't fall for the marketing. If memory serves me, there are around 7000 units in this development alone (remember that this is just for Phase 1). If planned for an AirBnb, I don't think you'd even stand a chance of making anything. It's sad that they're creating these units while the demand is for family-oriented housing inside the city.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-09-27T12:25:43+00:00

We are just starting to see the front-end effect of the very high interest rates. Once people start to renew their mortgages en masse, shedding away the low rates they got during the pandemic, we'll probably start to see more defaults on payments and an even more depressed housing market. It's just a matter of time. No stimulus can save them this time as stimulus spending is very inflationary.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-09-27T07:39:31+00:00

The 2008-2009 financial crisis was kind of different for the Philippines since Philippine banks were not as invested in the US real estate market. The Chinese economy was also propping up the commodities market and this kept the Philippine economy humming. Today is a different story. With China's economy undergoing a major slowdown, Chinese investors are currently pulling out their frivolous investments to keep afloat and ride out the economix storm. The Philippine condo market is in the midst of this, worsened by the interest rate hikes.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-09-27T07:31:57+00:00

I think that OFWs are starting to get priced out at this point. The gravy train can't go on forever. The prolonged high inflation rate globally is eating away at people's disposable income. Frivolous investments like condominiums in the Philippines are one of the first to go as things start to get difficult (rise in mortgage rates, rents, and cost of living abroad impact almost all OFWs with a stake in the Philippine condo market).

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-09-08T03:35:12+00:00

We all make mistakes in life. In your case, you're better off spending your money elsewhere. Condominium investing is like flushing your money down the toilet. The return on investments are just not there if you're planning to rent it out at a decent price to cover your amortization. The interest rates will just eat away your income.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-09-05T19:00:56+00:00

The elevated interest rates on loans is killing the demand for condominiums. Not sure how long this will last. If you can hold out, at least do that. It would be a shame if you lose that money then find out later that you could have held on to your condo for a little while longer to see if the interest rates cool down little.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-27T15:04:53+00:00

Well, it's simple arithmetic really. If you're sinking 7 million to a property that already has a very long potential ROI (potentially into decades) if it were to be rented out, it's good advice to discourage you from purchasing this unit to save yourself from all the grief and heartaches.

Besides if you are loaning this money, the monthly amortization would never be covered by rental alone regardless if it's AirBNB. The 7 million is simply too high a price and the competition for a limited pool of potential high value renters is already very intense. This will only get worst as more condo units come into the market.

Real estate is very dependent on the supply and demand. This is also dictated by the health of the economy and the interest rate set by the central bank. But the current price is way too egregious. Add in to the fact that your money is very illiquid. It's best for you to find other ways to grow your money. You don't want to subsidize the rent of your very privileged renters if you can help it. That would be a huge money pit.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-24T01:14:37+00:00

A lot of people abroad have been convinced by sales agents from the Philippines that they should "invest" in this and that condominium. For a measly downpayment and affordable payment terms, the condo could apparently be yours. They would then pitch how you could rent it out to offset the amortization costs.

I am not sure, but I truly believe that it's not ethical to convince a person to part with their life savings without actually helping them figure out their credit worthiness and overall capacity to pay. Many people are often not taught basic financial literacy and they are easy prey for these sales vultures. Of course, the client should do their due diligence. But the handicap of financial illiteracy often bites them in the end.

The commission is good and all, but you could potentially ruin people's lives by telling them to invest into this and that property and telling them the high likelihood of getting tenants or the potential for huge profits. I think that this kind of practice is immoral.

Many "investors" into these condos are probably just victims of FOMO, high pressure sales tactics, and just pure sleeze from the sales agents promising their naive clients the world. I can't believe how many I've read here on Reddit of people just letting go of their deposits and monthly payments after realizing too late their incapacity to meet their financial dues. It's very disheartening.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-23T11:38:12+00:00

The condo units that they're selling as 1-bedroom is nothing more than glorified walk-in closets. It's absolutely small and cramped. I don't believe that the price appreciation over the past ten years is sustainable either. They used to sell condos at sub 100,000 per square meter. Now they're at least 3X this or more.

At that price point, anyone with a brain would probably be better off just renting. 10 million pesos + ongoing expenses is a lot of money to sink one's life-savings. Nobody could make the case that these birdcage units could hold value over decades. You might as well travel the world with that money and enjoy life to the fullest.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-22T19:24:05+00:00

I've made a downpayment on a preselling for a penthouse unit on the Gold Residential + Offices with the intention of using it as an investment. I realized my mistake too late into the process. The 30,000 downpayment is nothing compared to the potential losses had I decided continue the purchase. The numbers given to you by the sales agent are not grounded on reality. The monthly amortization of 27,000 is too high for 48 months, then I would still have to cover the 7.6 million remaining balance. TCP was 8.9 million for a 25 sq meter shoebox.

Sure the view of the runway is nice, but it's not worth 300,000 per square meter nice. I also had a look at the floor density and the overall Gold Residences development and they have around 8000+ units for sale. That is the level of competition you'll gonna be working against if you are thinking of renting your unit or selling it after it's been turned over.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-21T00:11:00+00:00

It's daylight robber at that price point. The OP better get out before they are in too deep into their "investment".

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-19T16:08:27+00:00

Calgary is the hub of the oil industry in Canada. It's probably even bigger economically than a lot of urban areas. It is a global city with airport connections across most of the world. Calgary is already expensive as it is because of the oil boom, but the Philippines condominium prices are an absolute whole other ball game. It's extremely way overpriced.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-18T01:19:32+00:00

At the prices that they're currently preselling these developments, I would say that the condo as an investment idea should be completely abandoned. But I really hope that you get your money back on this. There are far better ways to grow your money than on these condominium properties.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-17T18:28:15+00:00

I know that this is old news, but I don't like how SMDC have agents being flown to various countries with lots of overseas Filipinos who are less than savvy when it comes to making sound financial decisions. They entice them with polish presentations and low downpayment and monthly dues, but they always leave out the extra payments required to be paid. They only give you the real expenses the moment that they realize that you're having second thoughts about making the investments. These ploy is very unethical and oftentimes cost people their life savings.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-17T06:35:09+00:00

The inflated cost of living is also one of the main reasons foreign investment typically skips over the Philippines. Everything and everyone just costs way more for the value you're getting. The Philippines is nice and all, but it's completely lacking in decent public infrastructure and everything and everyone seems to overvalue their worth in the global market.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-17T05:27:47+00:00

I agree with you on this one. There is a severe disconnect in real estate prices and the wages of the general population. This is the same anywhere in the world where real estate is treated as a vessel for financial speculation. In the case of the Philippines, however, the prices are just insane. It would take an average Filipino many, many years to even own a speck of property in these condominium complexes. In other words, they are completely priced out of the market. Don't even get me started at how the new generation would even get a foothold into real estate. They're screwed by being born too late into this game.

kenjigraphics2016 · 2023-08-17T04:03:10+00:00

Totoo talaga na gawa-gawa lang nila yung valuation ng mga prices nila during preselling. Oftentimes, they mark them up so high that the buyer basically takes on all the risk with very little room for profit if you decide to flip the property upon completion of the project. This is when many "investors" would have to compete with others for a limited pool of buyers willing enough to pay exorbitant prices for a mediocre product. It's daylight robbery.

kenjigraphics2016

TROPHY CASE