Condominium living has been on the rise in the Philippines in recent years. In an interview with The Philippine Star, Emma Amores, a corporate communications executive, states that in Metro Manila alone, more than 15 million people have condos as their homes. As the trend of condo living in the country increases, the size selections of condos available grow in numbers as well.
In the past, living in a small condo in the Philippines was preferred by most people. This was because poverty was rampant in the country during the earlier years. According to an article by Philip Gerson in the International Monetary Fund dated September 1998, the decline of poverty in the Philippines over the past 25 years was slower than in other ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries during the 1990's.
The Philippine economy though, has taken a different turn in the past years of the 21st century. Darwin Amojelar cites in his article in interaksyon.com that the economy in the country has increased to 7.2 % last year; an increase of 6.8 % since 2012. The economic growth that the country has recently been experiencing paved the way for the rising trends of shifting from small to big condo living.
A big condo, of course, provides many benefits that you won’t get from living in a small condo. You need to carefully analyze your needs and resources to find out if big condo living is right for you.
Big living for a big family
Sizes of condominium definitely matter, especially if you are looking forward to having many people live with you. In an article in MSN Real Estate, Melinda Fulmer states that even in the median-sized 2,469 square-foot home, many parents would tell you their stuff can hardly fit into the available space. If you and your partner are planning on raising a large family, better think twice before settling in at a tiny living space.
Future healthy living for your kids is out of reach, if you live in a cramped space where you can hardly move. This is especially true, when you are just starting to raise small kids. Not having enough living space limits the area where young kids can move, crawl and run around. Accidents and injuries are not uncommon in a living space where you can barely breathe.
Attractive look, with an invisible clutter
Big living lets you enjoy living in a space that emanates an attractive look, despite having a lot of stuff scattered all around the area. In an article in MSN Real Estate, Melinda Fulmer states that getting rid of 30% of your home contents will not make you miss the contents you have gotten rid of in the first place. This means that even if you got rid of many clutter around many areas of your condo, such as the living room and bedroom, the remaining clutter will still not be disturbingly visible at your condo, even if they are a lot. This is because a living space that encompasses a big area is so wide that changes in it do not become obvious.
More space means more stuff
One of the most obvious benefits of big condo living is having the privilege to store more of your stuff in several areas. Of course, aside from enjoying a wide array of amenities that a big condo offers, you can enjoy many activities at your condo unit itself, thanks to the additional stuff you can store in your unit. A personal computer, playstation and a wide screen television are just some of the stuff you can put in your big condo. Let your kids enjoy special bonding moments playing playstation games. Or, enjoy a movie night in your condo’s movie room that can seat as many as 5-7 people.
Furniture storage for stuff that matters
Naturally, you’d want to keep your stuff that has sentimental value to you, even if they are outdated already. It may sound weird to other people, but it’s still pretty understandable if you’d place a sentimental value on your antiques and family heirlooms. You’d eventually want to have a stylish condo furniture storage where you can put the stuff that occupies an important place in your heart. Affordable cupboards and bookshelves in artsy designs of various sizes, customized to fit your condo’s size, are available in stores.
Be there for your loved ones
Living in a big condo gives you the advantage of being able to have more rooms. Having additional rooms is something that would pose a challenge to you if you were living in a small condo. Also, having many guest rooms makes you equipped to give additional accommodations to your loved ones in case they would urgently need a place to stay temporarily. Moreover, having additional rooms allows your children to have their own rooms when they grow older. Independence and privacy are some of the things your kids would want as they become more mature.
Fights are avoided
The personal side of the essentials of condo lifestyle is your desire to have the privilege to develop rapport with your loved ones who live with you. A big condo means having more space between yourself and your loved ones. Having more space avoids constant interactions that may lead to quarrels and arguments. Having to endure loud arguments every time you come home is something that you would definitely dread in your condo.
The convenience of intercom
A sizable condo property saves you the hassle of having to look for people at home when you can’t find them! Most big condos have intercoms that let you buzz in your loved ones if you need something from them, instead of having to waste time and effort yelling, just to get their attention. An intercom ensures additional security to your condo as well. Security guards can buzz your condo intercom before allowing visitors to enter your condo. Having said this, rest assured you won’t be having any unwanted visitors.
A big condo for the elderly
A big condo lets your elderly loved ones have more space to walk around, thus, avoiding tripping over stuff lying on the floor. Many elderly people become careless as they age. Because of this, physical injuries and accidents are not new among the elderly. It is best not to put a complete trust in condo units when viewing sample models. Sometimes, sample models can be deceiving by making the unit look larger than it actually is in reality. Viewing the actual units lets you see with your own eyes the real deal itself.
The segregation convenience
Even if you have guests, of course, there would still be times that you want to have some privacy. Big condo lets you enjoy having borders between your residential and guest rooms. These borders let your guests have the heads up on the areas they may not be welcome to access. Living in a condo now also makes it possible for you to get some privacy you want from your guests.
Although living in a big condo provides many advantages, you still need to examine if the benefits of living in a big condo are invaluable before you make your final decision. You need to have your long-term and short-term goals to match the big condo living lifestyle. Getting a big condo is a huge investment on your part, so it’s important for you not to regret your decision in the future.