house and lot – Jellybeans in the City

5 signs it’s time to consider buying your own home

For most of us, home ownership is a major milestone.

It is not just the hallmark of the ability to make a significant long-term financial commitment, it is also the start of putting down roots. It involves creating a home and establishing your presence in a community for a long period of time, perhaps even permanently. When you own a home, your family has a place to grow up in, and you have a legacy to pass on to your children.

Home ownership also demands some sacrifice: aside from the major financial investment involved, you also need to maintain the home, keeping it clean and in good condition and ensuring that its facilities – from its furnishings and appliances to its fixtures – are working well.

With all of these important considerations, how can you know if you’re ready to own a home?

Here are some signs:

You have a stable income. Paying off your home mortgage will take a significant portion of your budget over many years. You need to be able to count on a steady job or other revenue streams such as investments or side hustles to afford your monthly mortgage payments.
You have saved – a lot! – for a rainy day. Should an emergency occur while you are making those monthly house payments, you need to be able to handle both without putting yourself in a sticky financial predicament. A good rule of thumb is to have money equivalent to six months of your monthly house payments set aside as savings prior to signing the deed.

You have good credit. How you handle small debts – such as credit card payments – can be a strong indicator of how you will handle major financial responsibilities such as house payments.
You are comfortable with managing and maintaining a home. Aside from making your monthly payments, home ownership also comes with many responsibilities such as maintaining the property, making repairs and remodeling when needed.
Your life is aligned with home ownership. If you are at a time when you want more space to raise a family, pursue hobbies and interests, or to put down roots in an area you love, then it may be time to set up a home of your own.

So if you think you’re ready to dive into home ownership, be sure to check out your nearest Lumina Homes project!

These projects are available in over 50 key cities and municipalities in the Philippines such as in Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, Isabela, Bataan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Albay, Sorsogon, Iloilo, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Agusan del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, South Cotabato and Davao del Norte.

Each is strategically located close to major thoroughfares, transport hubs, schools, hospitals, and business and leisure centers.

Inside these communities are well-designed and constructed house models for one that will suit your needs from single-story starter home rowhouses to two-storey townhomes and detached units, all built with living and dining areas, provision for bedrooms, service areas, as well as toilet and bath.

Aside from having an affordable yet comfortable abode, living at a Lumina Homes community also affords you with amenities that are conducive to enjoyable times spent out of doors.

These include a basketball court, children’s playground, function hall, and mini gardens enclosed in a perimeter fence with 24/7 security, plus free shuttle service to and from town.

Getting your own Lumina dream home is made even easier, thanks to various financing options, such as:

Pag-Ibig Financing which offers the lowest possible interest rate with a 14-month downpayment term and a 30-year maximum loan term
Bank Financing which has faster loan processing with a 16-month downpayment term and a 20-year maximum loan term
Deferred Financing which involves straight payment of total contract price over 24 month at 0% interest
Spot Cash which involves full payment of total contract price applying a 6% discount if made within 30 days from payment of reservation fee, 8% if made within the reservation month, and 10% if made within 10 days of reservation date

Here’s how to get Php500 off when reserve your own Lumina home online:

Visit Lumina Homes’ website.
Click “E-Services” and “Reserve Online” then fill out your details.
Fill out the project name, phase, block and lot of your preferred Lumina project.
Proceed to payment and use my code JLBLMN500. Payments via GCash or debit/credit cards are accepted.

Prima Casa Land & Houses, Inc., known through its “LUMINA” brand, has evolved to be the practical choice of everyone in realizing their dream of home ownership. Lumina is the leading mass housing developer in the country with its roster of value-priced homes in affordable and self-sustaining communities.

For more information and announcements, follow @luminahomesofficial on Facebook or visit Lumina Homes’ official website at www.lumina.com.ph.

Why Rizal is the perfect setting for your dream home

If you’re tired of the constant traffic, heat and pollution of the metro, but still want to have the option to venture into its cities every once in a while, then investing in your own house and lot in Rizal may be your best option.

Removed from the chaos of the metro but still highly accessible

Being located just outside Metro Manila, the province of Rizal offers you an alternative way of life compared to the busier conditions of living in the metro.

However, with new developing infrastructure such as the Metro Manila Expressway, as well as established public transport systems between Metro Manila and Rizal, you’re only a short ride away from where you want to go.

The site for sights, culture and leisure

With its location at the foot of Sierra Madre, with Laguna de Bay to the south, the province of Rizal also affords easy access to incredible sights. These include the awesome views from atop limestone formations at the Masungi Georeserve, waterfalls surrounded by lush forests such as Daranak Falls and Batlag Falls, and the dramatic sight of giant windmills against the azure sky at the Pililla Wind Farm.

Pililla Wind Farm 1 — Pililla Wind Farm, Pililla

Pililla Wind Farm 2 — Pililla Wind Farm, Pililla

Known as “The Cradle of Philippine Art,” Rizal houses notable museums such as Pinto Art Museum, which showcases contemporary artworks, and Casa Santa, which houses what is considered to be the most extensive private collection of Santa Claus items in the world.

Pinto Art Museum 2 — Pinto Art Museum, Antipolo

Pinto Art Museum 1 — Pinto Art Museum, Antipolo

Many leisure resorts capitalize on Rizal’s relaxing atmosphere. Aside from scenic vistas and refreshing swimming pools, resorts like Bahay Bakasyunan also provide adventure-themed activities that make the most of its natural surroundings such as ziplining, wall-climbing, ATV rides and more.

bahay bakasyunan 1 — Bahay Bakasyunan, Tanay

bahay bakasyunan 2 — Bahay Bakasyunan, Tanay

Gastronomic pleasures in beautiful surroundings

Taking advantage of the province’s rich culinary heritage, abundance of fresh ingredients and naturally stunning environments, restaurateurs are setting up their destination eateries in Rizal.

Sammy’s in Cainta serves Indonesian-inspired food in a cozy and intimate setting, while the Burrow Cafe in Taytay features a seasonal menu made with locally sourced ingredients in a underground cafe surrounded by a verdant forest. Tahanan Bistro in Antipolo, on the other hand, showcases Filipino food served against a breathtaking view of Metro Manila cityscape.

A progressive province

Being so near Metro Manila, Rizal is among the most progressive provinces in the country.

In an April 2013 study, the National Statistics Coordination Board (NCSB) reported that Rizal is the third least poor province in poverty incidence after Cavite and Laguna, indicating its thriving economy that makes it a desirable place to live.

Affordable housing within easy reach

The province also offers affordable house options, particularly in Lumina Baras.

Located in Brgy. Concepcion in Baras, Rizal this newest housing development is just three minutes away from the National Road. Its location affords its residents with easy access to these establishments:

Marketplaces and Malls: Baras New Market, Savemore Tanay, Puregold Tanay
School, Colleges & Universities: Baras Elementary School, URS Morong, STI College
Hospitals and Clinic: Rizal Provincial Hospital System Tanay Annex, Ospital ng Baras, Tanay General Hospital
Places of Worship: St. Joseph Parish Church, Inglesia Ni Cristo Baras, St. Jerome Parish Church

Lumina Baras has an array of house models to suit the different needs of homeowners.

Anna Rowhouse. A single-storey dwelling with a 24 square meter floor area and a 36 square meter lot area. Its features include a living area, dining and kitchen with provisions for one bedroom, a service area and toilet and bath, quite suitable as a starter home. Price starts at Php583,000.

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Angelique Duplex. A two-storey duplex home with a 35 square meter floor area and a 54 square meter lot area. Its features include a living area, dining and kitchen with provisions for two bedrooms, a service area, toilet and bath, and a carport. It’s quite well-suited for a small family. Price starts at Php1,450,000.

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Angeli Single Firewall. A two-storey single firewall home with a 42 square meter floor area and a 54 square meter lot area. Its features include a living area, dining and kitchen with provisions for three bedrooms, a service area, toilet and bath, and a carport, perfect for a growing household. Price starts at Php1,704,000.

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Armina Single Firewall. A two-storey home with a 42 square meter floor area and a 54 square meter lot area. Its features include a living area, dining and kitchen with provisions for three bedrooms, a service area, toilet and bath, and a carport. It also comes with additional features such as a free ceiling and tiles on the ground floor. Price starts at Php1,900,000.

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Athena Single Firewall. A two-storey single firewall home with a 53 square meter floor area and a 63 square meter lot area. It comes complete with one living area, one dining and kitchen, one toilet and bath, three bedrooms, one family area, a service area and a parking space. It will appeal to families who already want a complete home upon move-in. Price starts at Php2,000,000.

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These Lumina homes are well-built, made from high-quality materials and designed with modern conveniences in mind.

Within these walls, you and your family can rest and recharge, spend time with each other and pursue your various passions from from art, to cooking and more, even setting-up a home gym!

A lot of fun and adventure also await when you venture outside your home into your master-planned Lumina Baras community. You will find a basketball court and a play area where young and old alike can enjoy physical activity, as well as a multi-purpose hall and a gazebo where neighbors can gather for events and celebrations.

Investing in your own Lumina house and lot is made even easier, thanks to various financing options, such as:

Pag-Ibig Financing: offers the lowest possible interest rate with a 14-month downpayment term and a 30-year maximum loan term
Bank Financing: has faster loan processing with a 16-month downpayment term and a 20-year maximum loan term
Deferred Financing: involves straight payment of total contract price over 24 month at 0% interest
Spot Cash: involves full payment of total contract price applying a 6% discount if made within 30 days from payment of reservation fee, 8% if made within the reservation month, and 10% if made within 10 days of reservation date

So explore the possibilities of living so close to Metro Manila but removed from much of its hustle and bustle by residing in Baras, Rizal. Contact Lumina Baras by calling +63 956 6252026 or +63 916 5641903.

For its latest updates, visit the Lumina Homes website, or follow it on Facebook.

Find your dream home in the Land of Dreamweavers: Lumina Polomolok in South Cotabato

Admittedly, I haven’t had the chance to venture too far from Metro Manila when it comes to my domestic travels.

Aside from short stays in the provinces surrounding the metro, and the intermittent tours in the northern part of Luzon during Holy Week breaks together with the family, my jobs have allowed me to visit just some parts of Visayas such as Bohol and Cebu.

However, I haven’t really had the opportunity to explore Mindanao, which is quite a shame, really. After all, the country’s second largest island actually has a lot to offer when it comes to amazing views, captivating culture, appetizing delicacies and more.

Take Polomolok in South Cotabato, for example. This municipality does not just boast of a rich and vibrant culture and scenic vistas, it is also possesses a thriving economy.

The Land of Dreamweavers and Dreamy Sights

Polomolok is home to various indigenous groups whose rich heritage brings a lot of color and interest to the area. One of these groups – the T’boli – are renowned for the T’nalak, a special fabric woven by the women of their community from their dreams.

Various unique and colorful iterations of this fabric come into full display as during local celebrations. The Flomlok Festival held during the Foundation Anniversary of Polomolok in September showcases costumes made with T’nalak worn by the locals for the street dance competitions and other festivities.

Aside from the festivities, its nearby attractions which showcase nature at its best are sure to catch your eye. These include the crater lake of pristine waters surrounded by verdant forests Lake Holon; the woodland and wildlife sanctuary Lake Sebu; the colorful and rustic Strawberry Guyabano Farm; and one of South Cotabato’s most sacred sites, the Our Lady of Mt. Matutum Trappistine Monastery.

These vibrant and colorful aspects of life in Polomolok earned it the moniker Little Brazil of the Philippines.

A Thriving Way of Life

While the festivities and local sights would attract visitors, the high quality of life amidst the relaxed atmosphere will surely draw in people looking to build a life and raise their family somewhere new.

With a thriving local economy driven by agriculture and aquaculture, Polomolok is among the wealthiest municipalities in Mindanao. Despite this, Polomolok also boasts of a lower cost of living. Here, the cost of goods and services are much cheaper than in Metro Manila and most of the other areas in the country.

Polomolok also offers affordable housing options through Lumina Polomolok.

Find your dream home here

On the lookout for a house and lot for sale in Polomolok that won’t break the bank?

At this newest project of affordable house and lot developer Lumina Homes located in an 11.4 hectare area in Brgy. Cannery Site, Polomolok, South Cotabato, you can choose from over 1,400 well-designed and constructed house models for one that will suit your needs.

Looking for something fuss-free and low maintenance for your starter home? The Anna Rowhouse should be right up your alley. It is a single-storey dwelling with a 24 square meter floor area and a 37 square meter lot area, built with living and dining areas with provisions for one to two bedrooms, a service area and toilet and bath. Price starts at Php552,000.

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If you have a small family, you would find your perfect fit with the Angeli Townhouse. It is a two-storey home with a 42 square meter floor area and a 36 square meter lot area, built with living and dining areas with provision for three bedrooms , a service area, toilet and bath and carport. Price starts at Php1,109,000.

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If you’re looking for a little more space, you will surely gravitate towards the Armina Single Firewall Home which is a single detached two-storey home with a 42 square meter floor area and a 54 square meter lot area, built with living and dining areas with provision for three bedrooms , a service area, toilet and bath and carport. Price starts at Php1,527,000.

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Aside from having an affordable yet comfortable abode, living in a Lumina Homes community also affords you with amenities that make for great times spent out of doors!

These include a basketball court, children’s playground, function hall, and mini gardens enclosed in a perimeter fence with 24/7 security, plus free shuttle service to and from town.

Living in Lumina Polomolok also lets you stay close to the action with these establishments within easy reach:

Marketplaces and Malls: Gaisano Mall, Friendly Mart, TLG Shoppers Mart and Price Mart Super Store
School, Colleges & Universities: Christian School of Polomolok, B.E.S.T College of Polomolok Inc., General Santos Academy, Polomolok National High School, SDA Dolefil Elementary School, and Notre Dame-Siena College of Polomolok
Hospitals and Clinic: Polomolok Municipal Hospital Inc., Bontuyan Medical Hospital Inc., Heramil Hospital, and JGR Medical Clinic and Services
Places of Worship: Our Lady Of Lourdes Parish, Central Polomolok Baptist Church and Southern Baptist Church

Getting your own Lumina dream home is made even easier, thanks to various financing options, such as:

Pag-Ibig Financing which offers the lowest possible interest rate with a 14-month downpayment term and a 30-year maximum loan term
Bank Financing which has faster loan processing with a 16-month downpayment term and a 20-year maximum loan term
Deferred Financing which involves straight payment of total contract price over 24 month at 0% interest
Spot Cash which involves full payment of total contract price applying a 6% discount if made within 30 days from payment of reservation fee, 8% if made within the reservation month, and 10% if made within 10 days of reservation date

So open yourself and your family up to fresh possibilities that living in Polomolok, South Cotabato has to offer! Contact Lumina Polomolok by calling +63 917 6296523, or drop by its sales office at Unit 4, 2F RCMIR Building, National Highways, Polomolok South Cotabato.

For its latest updates, visit the Lumina Homes website, or follow it on Facebook.

Photo Credit: Polomolok Field Photo by Julienne M on Unsplash

Have fun in the great outdoors with your Lumina Rosario community

While we do spend most of our leisure time, safe and cozy, inside our home, it is the community just outside its doors that make it the ideal abode.

When we take our family on a sojourn beyond the walls of our house and explore our immediate vicinity, we are able to take part in the local scene. Our interactions with our neighbors and local merchants during our time out of doors help shape our total experience in our particular locale.

Take living in Lumina Rosario, for example.

This newest project of mass housing community developer Lumina Homes is located in a 46-hectare property in Barangay Quilib in Rosario, Batangas.

Lumina Rosario House Models

In this location, would-be homeowners on the lookout for a house and lot for sale in Batangas, can find their dream home among the Lumina Homes’ well-designed and constructed house models, regardless of their stage in life.

The Anna Rowhouse, for instance, is a bungalow type dwelling with a 24 square meter floor area and a 36 square meter minimum lot area, perfect for those who want a starter home. Already built with living and dining areas, kitchen, toilet and bath, as well as a provision for one bedroom and service area, it is ideal for those who want something low-maintenance for their first abode.

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On the other hand, home buyers with small families would gravitate towards the Adriana Townhouse. A two-storey home with a 44 square meter floor area and a 36 square meter minimum lot area, it is built with living and dining areas, kitchen, toilet and bath, provision for two bedrooms, service area and a garage.

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Lastly, home buyers with larger families would find either the Angeli Duplex or the Angeli Single Firewall well-suited to their needs. Both feature a floor area of 53 square meters and a minimum lot area of 63 square meters, and are built with living and dining areas, kitchen, toilet and bath, 3 bedrooms with partitions, family area and garage. The difference between the two models is that the duplex is one of two adjacent units while the single firewall is detached from other units by a space of approximately 3 meters. These house models definitely provide families with more room to grow!

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These housing options are made even more accessible to would-be home buyers thanks to various financing options, such as:

Pag-Ibig Financing which has an interest rate of just 6.5% over a payment period ranging from 5 to 30 years
Bank Financing which has faster loan processing payable between 5 to 20 years
Deferred Financing which involves straight payment of total contract price over 24 month at 0% interest
Spot Cash Total Contract Price which involves full payment of total contract price within 30 days after reservation applying a 6% discount.

The Amenities.

Aside from a wonderful structure that they can furnish according to their taste and mold into a home for their family, Lumina homeowners also get to enjoy a sprawling outdoor area where they can hold fun activities together with their neighbors and establish their own community.

Kids can have fun playtime with their friends at the parks and playground area while the more sports-minded residents can make full use of the covered basketball court for sports and fitness activities.

Public events and private functions may also be held at the shared commercial area to help foster a community spirit.

The friendly guards at the guard house help to ensure the safety and security of the community while the shuttle service enables residents to easily venture out and enjoy more of what the locale has to offer by way of culture and entertainment.

The Local Flavors.

Rosario, Batangas is the home of the Sinukmani Festival, a feast held every year on the 9th day of June since 2005. It celebrates the local delicacy Sinukmani, more widely known as Biko, which is made with the area’s top local produce: rice, coconut and sugar cane.

Other must-try gustatory delights in the area include the Goto Batangas which is a soup made with tripe, intestines, liver, and beef shank in a broth flavored with onions, ginger, and annato powder and served with steamed rice, as well as the Lomi Batangas, a Chinese-inspired noodle soup made even heartier by the Batanguenos with the addition of pork meat, tripe, crispy skin and other sundry ingredients.

Places to Visit and Enjoy.

Residing in Lumina Rosario makes the region’s breathtaking tourist attractions all the more accessible to those with a little bit of wanderlust.

Villa Crisanta Garden Resort, for instance, is a perfect destination to escape the metro’s hustle and bustle with its verdant gardens and leisure spa facilities.

An hour’s ride away from Lumina Rosario would get the traveller to popular beach destination Laiya in San Juan, Batangas.

Those seeking serenity can enjoy the sun, sand and sea of beachfront resort Playa Laiya while those seeking thrills can enjoy the adrenaline-pumping activities at Laiya Adventure Park such as a 630-meter zipline, wall climbing, rapelling, freefall, aerial walk and downhill tubing.

Indeed, there’s no shortage of things to enjoy out-of-doors if you reside at Lumina Rosario. And the best part is that after all your outdoor fun, you can always come home to your vibrant community and your comfortable Lumina Homes abode.

So inquire now for a Lumina Rosario house and lot for sale in Batangas by calling +63 919 0812972 or +63 917 8342349 or by visiting the sales office at Lumina Lipa Site in Brgy. Tibig, Lipa City, Batangas and be on your way towards becoming a #CertifiedKabarangayLumina.

Other #LuminaHomes projects in the province are located in Lipa, Bauan, Tanauan and Sto. Tomas.

For more details, follow Lumina Rosario on Facebook or visit the Lumina Homes webpage.