Recommend Town Within An Hour Of Manila?

[Methersgate]

Ah okay Methersgate, good to know.

 

Can you recommend an area of Makati then above any others? I don't have an unlimited budget but looking online I could probably stretch to a 1 bed condo in the above mentioned places. Do remember wondering through Makati not so long back and started to like it around Jupiter St.

I am afraid my advice would be out of date. But go for a small flat in a modern block in a very good area, rather than anything larger older or less central.

[canadamale]

A Venue Suites,

[chris49]

Thanks for the detailed info on Paranaque Scott. Interesting stuff after researching.

 

If I'm honest though really can't decide between full on city living or a medium sized town. I'm figuring you may get more of a sense of community and the chance to meet and mix with more people in a town but then again won't get so much of the hustle and bustle of the city, which I actually quite enjoy.

 

I now find myself contemplating Eastwood, Quezon; Salcedo Village and Bel Air in Makati :1 (103):  

 

Condo living in the city against apartment/townhouse living in a town maybe :unsure:

 

Your concept of living in town vs out of town is not accurate. You mentioned Cavite earlier, here you say Eastwood and Salcedo Viilage.

 

Cavite although a separate province is very much connected to Metro Manila. Dasmarinas and Imus Cavite have the worst traffic patterns in the Philippines, Cavite as a province has the highest population density outside of MM, in the entire country. Santa Rosa is a bit further down, but is very much a commuter satellite town, with a nightmare rush hour traffic. It should have a light rail link but it doesn't.

 

I have not been to Salcedo or Bel Air but those places would be highly liveable if affordable. As would Eastwood a truly amazing place and highly desirable residence of 100% condo's. I would live there at the drop of the hat if I could actually afford it. I do have a vague plan to live there in a friend's condo, paying rent, if my kids are in college. Eastwood has everything, a few hundred restuarants, coffee shops, a top level gym, secure underground parking, but there's a caveat with Eastwood.

 

Eastwood is pocketed away near the C5 road. The location almost necessitates a car, so that's a major negative, See on the map it's also between Anonas and Santolan LRT stations but 3.5 and 3.9 km from each. That's a long trek for a daily commute.

 

Search  Victoria Court or Victoria Square on Timog Avenue as an alternative, Timog has a good level of up market night life, which you might like,

 

The cold hard reality is that the places you mention are also very expensive on the upper range of middle, On the other hand an hour doesn't get you even on the outskirts of Manila , there is not such thing because it's all connected. MM and QC has 12M by census and and an estimated 6M squatters, you can't get away from that.

 

Search Ayala and Narra villages of Alabang town to see what I mean.

 

Also search these Tri Cities a bit south of Sta Rosa. Los Banos, Calamba and Sta Thomas, Laguna. And Lipa, Batangas.

Edited May 2, 2015 by chris49

[Adam Lee]

Wow some great info there Chris and plenty for me to research.

 

 

Your concept of living in town vs out of town is not accurate. You mentioned Cavite earlier, here you say Eastwood and Salcedo Viilage

 

I do appreciate that Eastwood and Salcedo aren't out of town, it's just that I keep changing my mind. Probably a bad post title more than anything. Should have maybe read "city condo living vs town apartment living" or something along those lines. Still interested in hearing of places a little outside of Manila though as an alternative so I can weigh up the options.

[Thomas]

Perhaps worth checking East/SouthEast of TayTay. No ocean beach but LAKE beach   :)

[chris49]

Perhaps worth checking East/SouthEast of TayTay. No ocean beach but LAKE beach   :)

 

I second that, Tanay, Rizal, been there, a bit on the rustic side, Cheap living, much, much cheaper than you quote Adam. About 2 hours to Metro.

 

We actually did our triathlon training there on Morong Hill, 2008-9.

 

Excellent tip by Thomas there.

 

Quiet place, but girls will be around. This area favored by Filipino retirees from USA. Less foreigners this area, but you find some. 

 

Cainta, Rizal, on the way to get there. Didn't like it much. 

 

Antipolo, closer to Metro, has bars, nightlife, golf courses x 3.  Good place.

 

Sta Lucia, same area, subjected to heavy flooding, avoid.

 

Marikina, same road but opposite direction going north, some consideration, has a progressive a mayor in terms of environmental issues, bicycle friendly. Catastrophic flooding x  3 in 5 years. Avoid.

Edited May 3, 2015 by chris49

[Adam Lee]

Thanks for the great information guys, especially regarding flooding but on a side note can anyone explain to me the situation with year/6 month long tenancy agreements? What actually happens if you decide you want to leave early? Would it be a case of forfeiting your deposit and no hard feelings or would the landlord actively pursue you for the remaining months rent? I know that some places I've seen advertised offer a reduced monthly rate if you're willing to sign on for longer (and also ask for pre-dated cheques which I guess can be cancelled) so if this were the situation, wouldn't the landlord have more of a right to be upset?

[Thomas]

he landlord have more of a right to be upset?

If you have agreed to 6 months and leave earlier, then you have broken the contract  

=The landlord has right to demand rent for all months.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Thomas

[Adam Lee]

Right okay. Been a while since I've been in that kind of contract. Getting on for 25 years ago. Seem to remember I didn't realise then either and had to advertise my own apartment so someone else could take over the lease so I didn't have to continue paying for a place I was no longer living in :(

[Jollygoodfellow]

Right okay. Been a while since I've been in that kind of contract. Getting on for 25 years ago. Seem to remember I didn't realise then either and had to advertise my own apartment so someone else could take over the lease so I didn't have to continue paying for a place I was no longer living in :(

 

ACCELERATED RENT: All monthly rent for the remainder

of the Lease Term will be accelerated automatically without notice or

demand (before or after acceleration) and will be immediately due

and delinquent if, without LESSOR’s written consent: (1) LESSEE

moves out, removes property preparatory to moving-out, or gives oral

or written notice of intent to move out before the Lease Term ends;

and (2) LESSEE has not paid all the rent for the entire Lease Term.

Such conduct is considered a breach of the lease contract.

Remaining rent also will be accelerated if LESSEE is judicially

evicted or moved-out on demand of the LESSOR due to LESSEE’s

default on his/her obligations. 

 

http://www.dptlaw.asia/forms/LEGAL%20FORMS/Lease%20Contract%20for%20Apartment%20or%20Condominum%20Unit%20Sample.pdf

 

 

Now back on topic  :thumbsup: