Looking for a condo in Manila – Concrete + space vs green + proximity

As much as we love our glass palace in the sky, we’re considering moving.

It’s going to be tough giving up the space – 235 sq meters (2500 sq feet), 4 bedroom / 4 1/2 bath + maid’s quarters, the views from 500 feet up, the floor to ceiling windows…

Our new apartment - living room
Our new apartment - cafe corner

However, we’re willing to sacrifice space for greener living. We’re quite literally in the midst of a concrete jungle. Towering skyscrapers, bustling sidewalks, concerete everywhere – which is great if you’re into city living. I think I’ve adjusted well to living in these Asian metropolises – especially considering I was raised in a town of 10,000. But I’m feeling this nagging urge for more green and less driving.

Most of my coworkers are keen to live in houses, and there are some great options out there, (and they’re far far larger for the same price) but after 7 years of a house in Jakarta, we’re still content in the convenience of condos.

We’ll take a serious hit for space – lopping off 2 bedrooms and probably 100 sq meters. And here’s the crazy part – it actually will cost more. But, for this phase in our life this feels like a better fit.

Serendra

Rockwell

We’ve viewed no less than 30 units throughout Makati and Fort Bonifacio in primarily Rockwell (bottom image) and Serendra (top image), in addition to a few homes. We’ve scoured the internet, and have an army of brokers dragging us around. At this point I think I could tell someone exactly which building, unit size, and amenities they could get for a particular budget – I’ve viewed that many.

I’m open to suggestions still (and available units), and if anyone would like to learn from my experiences feel free to ask. After this is said and done, I may be able to recommend some brokers and services. (but let’s see them come through for me first!)

We have yet to secure a condo, so I don’t want to jinx ourselves just yet, but I think (hope?) we’re on the right path to finding something more ideal. Here’s to happy hunting for condos in Manila.