It’s called co-habitation wherein your family occupies parts of your house and rents out to other people those that you can spare. If you are open to such an arrangement, Fianchetto Homes may be just for you.

I have recently written about Fianchetto Homes. Read about it again by clicking this link.

It is situated on a flood-free real estate in Brgy Toro Hills, Project 8, Quezon City. The barangay is called as such precisely because it is shaped like a bull and is located on an elevated portion of the city. Fianchetto Homes is on the upper left corner of the succeeding frame. Click it to enlarge the map. To see the streets, mouse over Map Type then choose Google Hybrid in the drop down menu.

Unlike a condominium that costs between P80,000 and P100,000 per square meter on average, a unit at Fianchetto Homes, a townhouse development, costs only P29,000 and P32,000 per square meter.

It offers 3 spacious bedrooms and two toilet and bath plus 1 toilet or powder room. The second floor is where the kitchen/dining and living areas are but the living room can be converted into a fourth bedroom and the kitchen/dining into a common area.

Below are the floor plans of Fianchetto Homes with dimensions (I didn’t include the ground floor). Printed in blue are the areas of the kitchen/living area, the two bedrooms on the third floor and the masters bedroom. (Note: the areas were my best approximation and may vary from the actual areas of the units).

Below are pictures of a semi-finished unit. Pardon the pictures of some rooms; my digicam doesn’t have a wide angle lens : (

Below are sample computations for units at Fianchetto Homes.

If you find the 6 monthly payments for the D/P burdensome, let us talk and I will find a way to have it stretched for much longer than 6 months.

Say you have converted your living area into a bedroom, you may probably rent out 2 bedrooms and use the other two for your family. Note that the two bedrooms on the 3rd floor are larger than the masters bedrooms in most condominiums.

By renting out the 2 bedrooms to, say, a newly married couple and to a group of 3 call center agents at P10,000 per room, that will go a long way in helping you pay the monthly amortization.

For many of us, the hope of owning a house will require not just the usual sacrifices but radical ones. The approach I have discussed is meant for those who are willing to go to great lengths to own the house they live in. It’s a case of “if there’s a will, there’s a way.”

The prices of the units at Fianchetto Homes are P3.5 million and P3.8 million. There’s an ongoing promo wherein the next one unit to be sold will be subject to a P200,000 discount. Again if you want a more detailed discussion on the features and pricing of Fianchetto Homes, kindly read my past article about it.

For more questions, please get in touch with me using the Contact Form above or via 447.6328 or through 0929.609.7142.

Thank you so much.

Jun Sanchez
Real Estate Broker
PRC Registration Number 4562

Several years ago, almost daily, a certain company was placing small black and white 3”x4” ads in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. I was impressed by their offerings and, one day, I decided to visit their showroom along Sgt. Rivera, Quezon City.

It was an awful experience! I was shown black and white “pictures” of the items I wanted to look at; they were inserted in very thick clear books. Can you imagine my disappointment? I felt like a kid who went to a toy store. But instead of real toys, I was shown pictures of toys, in black and white: (

The company, Dexterton Corporation, started its humble beginnings in 1962 as a hardware store along Rizal Avenue in Caloocan. It is now among the top 2,000 corporations in the Philippines with more than 200 employees.

Last October, I decided to drop by again at their eight-story showroom in Sgt. Rivera. This time, I was taken away by the experience. Their DIY section alone made me excited. I’m handy around the house and I have a decent-sized workshop in my garage filled with so many tools

The DIY section wasn’t as well-stocked during the shoot; they were replacing old inventories for the coming New Year.

This blog, by the way, is long overdue; I did the photo shoot at Dexterton as early as December 21 last year. I apologize to Ms. Jennifer Sy, Dexterton’s Marketing Executive, for the delay.

I took several pictures, but instead of posting them all here, I will post just one or two for each part of the house. The images in Dexterton’s website are much better than mine. I will just provide links to those images.

Living Room Showcase

Kitchen Showcase

Dining Room Showcase

Bathroom Showcase

Bedroom Showcase

Before spending in other home fashion boutiques, I suggest you try Dexterton first. Their 8-story showroom plus another one beside it gives you an idea on the quantity and variety of their offerings. Their products come mostly from Europe, though; they also source from Hong Kong and other Asian countries, but none from mainland China, as far as I know.

Prices may not be cheap, but if you consider their quality and that many items can only be found at Dexterton, you’ll say they are reasonable.

Below is an item I found so interesting; it’s an executive chair by Inno.

This chair is so ergonomic that you can actually use it as a bed to sleep on. There are two footrests that extend out when you recline the backrest. The one on top is for, well… resting your feet on while lying down. The one underneath is used for anchoring your feet with while you do “sit-ups.” The backrest can be loosened and becomes spring-loaded to support your back while you’re doing sit-ups. There’s a set of rollers attached to the backrest that massage sweet spots on your back while you’re exercising.

I’m not so sure now where this chair belongs: in the office, bedroom or in the gym? : )

Below are links to some of the brands that Dexterton carries:

Brands 1 of 3
Brands 2 of 3
Brands 3 of 3

So, if you want home fashion items and accessories fit for kings and queens, visit Dexterton Corporation.

Thank you so much.

Economic Glossary defines need as a “physiological” or “biological” requirement to maintain life. Whereas want is a “psychological” yearning that makes life more enjoyable but is not necessary to maintain life.

It’s important for you to determine if your decision to own a house is based on what you need or on what you want and what your lifestyle is.

• What’s the point for a family of three to own a 5 or even a 6-bedroom house if the spouses no longer plan on having anymore children?

• What’s the point of buying a house and lot in a subdivision if you already own a lot somewhere (assuming it’s not so far away and relatively decent)?

• What’s the point of buying an expensive lot in an upscale subdivision if you don’t know where to get the money to build a house that will be comparable to the other houses in the neighborhood? (The last time I checked, they don’t allow a tent to be pitched in Ayala Alabang).

• Will your house be a comfortable abode for your family or is it going to be a trophy to announce to the world that you are made? Is it going to be a status symbol?

• What’s the point of yearning for a house if you haven’t saved a single centavo because you spend every paycheck on the latest gadget, the latest fashion and frequently spend under two hundred pesos on frappucino at Starbucks?

For these spendthrifts who live from paycheck to paycheck, their dream house will remain exactly that… a dream.

For them, I will quote from my favorite preacher, Bo Sanchez:  “Some of your dreams are meant to die to tell you that you need to grow up.”

I’d rather see spouses earning modest income, let’s say, as government employees, but force themselves to save a significant portion of it towards owning a modest house. It may take them a little while, but eventually, they will get there.

I’m not forcing anyone to buy a house based solely on what he needs. No one will stop you from owning a house that you want no matter how extravagant or impractical it may appear to some; no matter what your reason is. This is especially true if you belong to the top five percent of the Philippines’ rich and famous. It’s really a matter of personal choice.

But for most of us, owning a house based on what we need is more realistic and achievable especially when combined with a workable plan and a modest lifestyle.

Click this link if you want to be inspired.

Thank you so much.