Building My Dream House

How Lovely is the Silence of Growing Things

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 05:10:00 +0000

I was having a migraine yesterday which wouldn't go away. I was nursing it the whole day but it still wouldn't leave so I did what my elementary Home ED teacher used to tell us: get your hands dirty! I took a big knife and a trash can and a stool, and just cleared my front garden to make it looking like that! I also trimmed the guava tree, took out lots of growing ipil trees and hacked off (very sadly) another tree. I just left a mango tree and papaya tree and the guava tree of course. Now it looked a lot better, and it will be much better once I bought some more plants!

I really love gardening, too bad i don't have much time for it as much as I want too. But it is an ongoing project in our new house now and I will get to it soon once I have the time.

A New Dream House

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 00:35:00 +0000

Dream House!

It can now finally be told! I was successfully able to get this house through Pag-Ibig's acquired assets and you can see how to do it here. The documents were signed and delivered yesterday. It will be a new adventure, making this house livable, as it is currently in a bad shape. But I welcome the challenge, and will try to do document how I am doing it!

If you want to know how I did it, just message leave a comment here!

How to Buy a House Thru Pag-ibig's Acquired Assets in 6 Easy Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 08:35:00 +0000

I am now in the process of applying for our second Pag-ibig Housing Loan, and the property was under Acquired Assets. It is in the area that I like, and is currently unoccupied, and hopefully, within my budget. I am now waiting for the approval and I am praying that it will be approved. I will write more about the house once I receive a Notice of Loan Approval from Pag-ibig.

Anyway, here are the six easy steps in buying a house thru Pag-ibig's Acquired Assets:

Search for your preferred property at Property Finder of the Pag-ibig Website. (Click the images to enlarge).
Inspect the property. Acquired assets will be sold on an as-is, where-is basis, meaning you are buying the property, regardless of the condition it is in. You are buying it at your own risk. Again, if the property is occupied, just walk away and choose something else. It's just not worth the headache.
Go to Pag-ibig and pay the non-refundable reservation fee of P1,000. Bring a valid ID and proof of income. You will be filling-up some forms. After paying the reservation fee, you have 30 days to submit the requirements

2 copies Buyer's info sheet with 1x1 colored ID picture
approved membership status verification slip (get from Pag-ibig)
copy of 2 valid IDs with 3 specimen signatures
notarized certificate of employment with compensation, one-month payslip
copy of payment for reservation fee
copy of signed FAQ's form
you also choose your mode of payment. You get 30% discount for cash payment, 20% for installment (payable in 12 months) and 10% if thru Pag-ibig housing loan.

Once you receive the Notice of Loan Approval, pay the 1 year insurance premium within 30 days.
Submit notarized Deed of Conditional sale and other mortgage documents
Start paying the monthly amortization 30 days from loan take out.

Per my own experience, I paid the reservation fee without inspecting the property. But I made sure that it was unoccupied. The property that I liked was under bidding when I first saw it, so when I saw it again under negotiated sale, I paid the reservation fee the following morning and just checked the place out the following weekend. And I liked it at first glance. So now, I am waiting for the approval which may take up to 2 months.

I will update this blog on what happens next so keep coming back!

A Roof Fell Over our Roof!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 08:32:00 +0000

Last August 14, a tornado hit the areas of Manila and a huge roof, frame and all, fell over our roof. Good thing (is it a good thing) that it got lodged over electric wires and didn't do much damage to our own roof. But of course, power was cut-off and was the internet and cable connections. The power was cut off not because of the picture above but because 2 huge electric posts were uprooted due to the same tornado. Whoever owns the roof, I feel sorry for the damage this has caused them and I just hope no one was hurt.

Thankfully, nobody got hurt and power was restored after maybe 12 hours after. But the internet and cable (no thanks to Skycable) was not working until after more than 4 days!

Bring Your Own Sunshine!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 09:36:00 +0000

Our house is yellow! I find it too yellow, as though we have our own sun inside, but it is a witness to such happiness in my life, that I am starting to love it! Well, that is until my hands itch again for a paint brush and a new can of paint! hahaha!

I will keep you updated on my next color scheme, one of these weekends!

This is Still Home

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 09:08:00 +0000

Tokyo Skyline

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 01:47:00 +0000

I was fortunate enough to travel to Japan last week for work and I was amazed at how efficient and modern the city looks. I stayed at Shangri-La Tokyo and this was the view, during the day and at night!

Magnificent, isn't it!

Hello, Tokyo!

Lessor Lessons #3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 01:43:00 +0000

Leasing a property is really not for the faint of heart. And I think I am becoming a bad person because of my tenants. I have resorted to cajoling, teasing and threatening, in any order. My tenants are 2 months late again in paying their dues, and I just another go with both of them, the husband and the wife! It is just impossible to reason with them! Their excuses run from being lame to totally being unbelievable. Its's either they are paying for a motorcycle, they are selling a piece of land in the province, or the boss forgot that his salary was due! And they had the nerve to ignore my calls. They only paid when I threatened them to look for another place to stay!

Hay, I don't see this relationship going anywhere nice in the future.

Can You Ask Rebates for your Skybroad Subscription When There is No Signal?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 02:13:00 +0000

Can you ask for rebates on your Skybroadband when there is intermittent or no signal? The short and simple answer is yes, based on my experience. Last month, we had very poor or no signal at all for a whole week. When I called the service hotline at 381-000, I heard this announcement that there is an ongoing repair or something in our area. When I talked to the customer service representative, I said I want it put on record that I called because we were having this difficulty, and that I will call again in a week that I would ask for a rebate because of this. When I called again the following week, I checked if may earlier call was logged, and was advised that it was, and then I asked for a rebate. I was told that a week would be deducted from my bill. When I received my bill, I was still billed for the full amount so I called again. I was advised that based on their record, the full week was deducted from my bill, but was not reflected on the bill because it was printed already when I called. So I will just pay the lesser amount come my due date on the 5th of the month.

So, the moral of the story is to document your complaints, and be vigilant about your bill. If I have forgotten about it, or just let it go, then I would have to pay the full amount.

Pag-Ibig Calamity Loan for Typhoon Mario

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 07:22:00 +0000

Some of you may be wondering how to avail of the Calamity Loan from Pag-Ibig, especially after Typhoon Mario, so here is how:

Who are eligible?
The calamity loan program is open to any Pag-IBIG member who:
Has made at least 24 monthly savings;
Is an active member with at least 5 monthly savings for the last 6 months as of month prior to the date of loan application; and
Resides in an area which is declared by the Office of the President or the Local Sanggunian concerned as under a state of calamity. If the member has an existing Housing Loan, Multi-Purpose Loan (MPL) and/or Calamity Loan, the account must not be in default as of date of loan application.
If the member has an existing Housing Loan, Multi-Purpose Loan (MPL) and/or Calamity Loan, the account must not be in default as of the date of the loan application.
How much can one loan?
An eligible member may borrow up to a maximum of 80% of his Total Accumulated Value (TAV) subject to the terms and conditions of the program.
The current interest rate for the Calamity Loan is 5.95% per annum.
What is the payment period?
The Calamity Loan is amortized over a period of 24 months with a grace period of 3 months. Said member shall start paying his loan on the 4th month following the date of his DV/Check date.

Can a member still avail of a Calamity Loan even if he has an outstanding MPL/Calamity Loan?
Yes, said member may still avail of a Calamity Loan subject to certain conditions. In no case, however, will the aggregate short-term loan (MPL and Calamity Loan) exceed 80% of the borrower’s TAV.
If, in addition to an outstanding MPL, the member also has an outstanding calamity loan in the amount of P2,000, in the example above, the member is still granted a new calamity loan of P3,000 but will only receive P1,000 because the P2,000 will pay off the existing calamity loan balance. This means that at any given time, a member can have both MPL and calamity loan, but only one calamity loan.
Until when can an eligible member avail of the loan?
Eligible borrowers must avail of the Calamity Loan within a period of 90 days from the declaration of a state of calamity.
What are the documentary requirements for the loan application?
Completely filled-up Calamity Loan Application Form (download here)
Photocopy of at least 2 valid IDs
Proof of Income
For formally employed members, duly accomplished Declaration of Being Affected by Calamity (download here)
Where can one apply for a loan?
The borrower may submit his requirements to any Pag-IBIG Office nationwide. For inquiries, Pag-IBIG Fund’s hotline is open 24/7 – (02) 724-4244. E-mails can be sent to publicaffairs@pagibigfund.gov.ph.

Source

#MarioPH

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 07:10:00 +0000

Last September 19 felt almost like Ondoy in 2009, but thankfully, we were spared this time! The flood water also rose, but did not reach inside the house despite the incessant rain. Even our house in Montalban was spared but my tenant had to evacuate just to be sure. Thank God that everybody was okay.

Because One Can Always Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 06:53:00 +0000

My dream house. Either one will do!

DIY Queen

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 01:48:00 +0000

Gleaming Green Cabinets!

Last Wednesday was Pasig Day and I had a day off from work. Instead of just lie around the house and watch TV like I would very much like to do, I had the sudden itch to paint our kitchen cabinets. So off I went to the hardware store, bought wood paints and a brush and I spent the whole day painting both kitchen cabinets. And the result was beautiful! I just love how it turned out! I wanted to finish painting the whole kitchen but it was almost 5pm and the kids will be arriving from school. And Inay and I had to put everything back again and discard a lot of junk! Spring cleaning in the middle of the week!

So how did I do it, I just take out all the stuff in the cabinet, clean it all of dirt with a broom and started painting until I was done! It was so easy I can do it everyday, hahahaha! It's just the putting the stuff back and the cleaning that gets to me. Good thing my Inay was as excited as I was.

It was very tiring indeed, but it was very rewarding! I will buy a lighter shade of green for the kitchen walls that I will paint over the weekend. Yep, I am a office girl by day, and a DIY queen at heart!

My First "Tombstone"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 00:48:00 +0000

Apologies, I can't seem to rotate the image!

This is my first "tombstone" or deal toy for a transaction I helped with at work. A deal toy, or "tombstone" in the finance and investment banking world, is a customized lucite trinket which is intended to mark and commemorate the closing of a business deal, according to Wikipedia.

It is now much, but I still feel thrilled finally have one of these on my desk.

Should I Take Out A Bank Loan to Pre-Pay My Pag-Ibig Loan?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 03:16:00 +0000

image source

I have a Pag-Ibig housing loan payable for 15 years. We are now on our 10th year, and I am seriously thinking of taking out a bank loan to pre-pay the balance. I can get a very good rate for the bank loan since it will be on an affiliate of my employer. Since the amount being deducted from the principal of the loan is only 1/8 of the monthly amortization, then I think I can save a lot. The only problem is if I can afford the deduction from my monthly take home pay. Hmm, I will have to create a spreadsheet with this and I will tell you how much I can save if I do this. I will update this post soon.

Lessor Lessons #2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 May 2014 01:38:00 +0000

As mentioned in my earlier post, we are now on our second lessee who I had hoped was better than the previous one. I learned before not be too gullible because we lost some money on our first lessee. For the next one, I asked for the 2 months deposit, and they requested not to have any more advance payment as they promised to pay right away in a month, and I agreed. This is where lesson #2 comes in: Do Not Be Too Lenient. They are now on their 6th month, and all their payments except for one has been delayed. As of this writing, I have only a promise of payment for the month of April this Monday, and for the month of May, on June 1. I had a heavy texting session with the lessee yesterday and I told them to look for another house if they can't pay on time. I also checked, and their utility bills for April have not been paid. I will stand to lose more than P5K if they will just up and leave, since I will have to pay those bills but I would rather do it now than later. Anyway, I will wait until Monday (did I say not to be too lenient???) and see how this goes.

This is really not turning out to be as easy as I thought it would be :(

What Food to Bring for Summer Outing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Food for Summer Outing!

We love summer outings!I don't know how to swim but you can't keep me off the water especially during summer. Okay, I hate the crowd but I love my kids more so we have 2-3 outings per summer. Anyway, as much as I love it, I hate the hassle of preparing food for swimming so we mostly just go for grilled food. The picture above show what we prepared last Saturday for our overnight swimming at 1489 Cableway Resort. Actually, the macaroni and the Bopis were cooked by my brother-in-law. Not in the picture are the barbecue and Tilapia and Bangus for grilling, and the salted egg with tomatoes. I usually prepare easy to cook food and those that will not spoil easily.

I would suggest the following dishes as we always have them:

Hotdog and or Barbecue
Tilapia or Bangus or Tuna Bangus
Liempo or Pork chop
Adobo
Sinigang
Salted egg and tomatoes
Grilled eggplant and tomatoes
Bagoong

Anyway, these are just some of easy to prepare dishes for summer outing that will not leave you too tired to enjoy swimming!

How to Get A Bikini Body

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 11:18:00 +0000

source

One Reason to Love the Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 09:07:00 +0000

Aside from being away from our office computer and doing stuff for work, one of the reasons why I love weekends is the merienda. We either cook our own, buy bread from the bakeshop or from our kapitbahay. And for this weekend, we had Mango shake after Church, and Karioka and Camote Fries after lunch. Yup, no diet on weekends! And it was worth it, hahahah! Yummy!

Lessor Lessons # 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 05:57:00 +0000

image source

Remember when back in September we had our first lessor in this house? Well, we had our first lesson: Do Not Be Gullible. I had a bad feeling about those tenants when they first moved in because they were in such a hurry. The guy said that he wants to move right away even if our things were still in the house because he has to go to Davao and he wants to leave his family settled at the house first. He paid the 2 months deposit and one month advance that we require right away. Unfortunately, that was the only payment we got from them! He also paid for the balance of the payment for the dining set after deducting the cost to us, but when they left, they took more stuff from us that we left in the house such as the stereo, estante and electric fan. And they left 2 months worth of unpaid utility bills! But whenever I feel bad about what happened, I just think that we are still lucky that the house was still intact (except for 2 broken windows and shower head) because the guy was apparently a con artist! He actually left a host of loans and unfinished paid projects (he was a contractor) and even managed to swindle a construction supply owner some P65K worth of materials. Yes, I am actually thankful that they are gone!

For our current lessee, I hope that this will not happen again. They were actually recommended by the neighbor who looks after the house for us so I hope we will not have any problem this time!

Yolanda and Ondoy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 05:50:00 +0000

After seeing the devastation brought by Typhoon Yolanda in various provinces in the country, particularly in Leyte, I remembered our own experience with the massive flooding brought by Ondoy in 2009. But unlike then, after the flooding, we still had our homes, albeit in not very good condition, but we have food and water and electricity, and help was within our reach. For our kababayans in Leyte, they have no more homes to go back too, and they have lost loved ones. I told my kids to imagine how they felt after Ondoy, and then multiply that a hundred times, then they can imagine how helpless these people feel.

My kids brought canned goods, old clothes, towel and blankets for their school's relief drive today. I just wish and pray that the the little that we can give to the victims will help them re-build their lives.

I Really Really Want Our Own Home

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 03:06:00 +0000

There are problems and then there are problems. And in times like these, I really wish we are in our own home where we can do what we want without having to look over our shoulders! Nakakapagod na din makisama or hindi makisama sa kapitbahay! Hayyy.

Lessor Lessons

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 03:53:00 +0000

Our house is now being leased by a family of 6. I haven't met them, as it was my husband who went there to meet them and get our stuff, have them sign the lease contract. He also sold some of our stuff to them. And now, we are lessors. And I think this early, I already have reservations. I want people to do as they promise, no more and no less. If they promise to pay us for the remainder of the stuff that they bought on this date, I will hold them to that promise. I hate it when I have to follow-up and chase. Good thing its my husband who is talking to them because he has restraints, and I don't. Anyway, I just hope that they pay their rent on time. Otherwise, I would have to let them go!

Dream House No More

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 06:07:00 +0000

My dream house is no more. At least for the meantime. It is now being rented by a new family, and I hope that they will take care of the house, until after we have the money to build our second floor and make it our dream house once more. I am sad because despite the income that it will generate, somebody else will get to live in MY house. Irrational, I know, but I cant help feeling that way. Oh well. Such is life.

For My Future

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 04:02:00 +0000

I can't help but smile when I saw this at home. This is my eldest son's alkansya, and no, it really is not for his future. Rather, it is for his future Ukelele. But I like his idea of having this to motivate himself to save. Part of his allowance immediately goes to this fund, and we also help out by giving him some money. I just wish he will be able to keep this up and buy his Ukelele soon!