... or to put it bluntly, don't be too greedy at the expense of the people buying your over-hype products. To these developers, buy some moral values and conscience if you have to....
Good topic today, Jay and Jenny! It’s a straight up, unfiltered, honest assessment of the terrible workmanship of some builders and developers in the Philippines. Coming from my own experience who used to work as an Engineer in the Philippines and now a contractor in Canada, who also owns properties on both countries.. I can see the big difference and the lack of quality of some developer and contractors’ workmanship. This has been a topic for some online forum like Skyscrapercity before, if you buy a Megaworld condo expect for a leak. A few repairs and nail pops during the first year are expected, but their response time is also frustrating to say the least.
Wow I'm so glad you addressed this issue. You're right these developers are charging an arm and a leg for their units and only to find that all the materials used are cheap. These developers have to be exposed otherwise this will continue to happen. And Yes we may be paying for the surroundings but if the building isnt up to standard then unit owners will end up spending more for improvements. Thank you I enjoyed your vlog
Yup, if more and more people become vocal about it, change has to happen. The asking price for these new units keeps rising by the day but to date, many of the materials, build quality, etc. aren't keeping up the pace. This is unacceptable and for the amount of dough being shelled out, homeowners & investors deserve much better.
You're right. The quality of the condos built should justify their high prices. This is an excellent video for viewers who plan to buy a condo unit. Thank you for being very vocal.
Really appreciate the frankness in this vid, I was currently evaluating purchasing a BGC condo but concerned about the quality of craftsmanship issues when it comes to electric, plumbing, fire and earthquake provisions. Even if you get your unit up to US "code" your neighbor's likely are not. Love BGC but buying a condo really not worth the risk IMO. If a developer can better emphasis the quality of the build as a selling differentiator, even for a premium, Im sure you will attract more Western prospects
Cant agree enough. Own a condo myself in the Philippines and it's all headache fr0m day one. From a leaky ceiling to clog toilets that requires heavy duty auger to unclog it, in fact I just got it unclog yesterday ,4th time this year alone. We owned a 1978 house here in the US we bought 10 yrs ago and never have any major issues like the ones we owned in the Philippines. They use cheap, I mean really cheap plumbing and electrical, poor tile installation etc. I would never buy another condo in the Philippines. The developers don't stand on their product and theres no accountability on it. Maybe a lot and Ill have our own house build . If you are an OFW,Foreigner,or anybody who's thinking about buying a condo in the Philippines, think it a million Times .
WE BOUGHT SINGLE TITLED HOME IN METRO MANILA INSTEAD OF BUYING CONDOS NEVER GOING TO BUY CONDOS ----- BUY CONDOS IF I CAN BUY A TITLED SINGLE PROPERTY HOUSE N LOT ..!!!!!!!!!!! :) CONDOS IS FOR FOREIGNERS ONLY & FILIPINOS WHO ARE NOT THINKING OF MANY PROBLEMS OUT IN LIVING OF CONDOS
If you like losing money then buy a condo in the Philippines. The appreciation is only on paper. Renting is cheaper than buying. You’re just basically paying for the label “i own a condo” kinda thing which means feeding your ego.
The rate of return is pathetic. Lots of creative financing and pre-selling with investors flipping their positions. Few are owner occupied with all just saturated rentals on airbnb or bookings
Thanks Amalia! Not an easy on to talk about but just hoping it will open some eyes and prompt good discussion... and hopefully changes for the better 🙏
Thanks for this video. I own a condo in Peninsula SF Bay Area and was SERIOUSLY already this close of putting reservation to a 1 bedroom loft of Uptown Arts. But after seeing this, I now have my doubts 😢 You guys are right that yes, we will be paying for the area. But since I won’t be living in the unit and was thinking of having it rented out, it stresses me out just thinking about these issues
Great topic since many Filipinos abroad are eager to buy properties without looking at other aspect of investments. Profit wise U.S. still has good prospect of owning properties instead of Philippines based on my experience . ROI Philippines overall has challenges due to weather the wear and tear are inevitable . Every time I come home for the house and lot I bought I always spend on the wear and tear or repairs there’s always something. With condo it is not as bad compared to house and lots. Also, rate of return from rent isn’t too promising . Remember not too many Filipinos can afford to buy or rent at affluent places. Another issue is the market appraisal guidelines are ludicrous.
You bet! Hope things work out for the best in your situation Jeremy 😊 The toughest part will be figuring out what's really going on behind the walls...
I’ve traveled all over SE Asia and the workmanship, materials and overall value for money in condos there was the worst by a country mile. I love visiting and might even live there when I leave Canada this winter but I would never buy a condo there. Your video erased any second thoughts I had about not buying. I subscribed.
Thanks Jay and Jenny for your honesty! My wife and I watch all of your videos to gain a better prospective on BGC. We brought a unit in Park McKinley West and our turnover is in 2026, so we took it upon ourselves to gain as much knowledge as we can on the area and the different condo's development. Within this video you made a good point, we are purchasing these units in the BGC area for the living experiences. I do hope that some of these developers see this video to learn that as buyers we expect higher workmanship standards to reflect these high unit cost.
You're very welcome and thank you guys so much for following along with our other vlogs 🥰❤ Yup, although it's quite disappointing to see (not to mention experience first-hand) we really hope that by bringing more visibility to the topic that future developments will improve many-fold and be light years ahead of what we're seeing today. For example, with Park McKinley West and its upcoming turnover, tbh nothing would make us feel better than for them to massively improve the piping, electrical, air con drainage, etc. so that new unit owners won't have to go through all the frustration, pain, $$$, etc. that a lot of us are dealing with now. We don't have any ax to grind, just wanna see progress at the end of the day. All the best and more Power to you guys! 💪💪💪💪
Your video has lot of facts it's true. It doesn't matter if the worker's don't live in a luxury apartments. It's the supervision & engineering team to see that it's properly executed. In Dubai the buildings are amazing well built but the worker's are poor Asian expats. Your developers are fatted. They don't care. You just pay the name. Work is substandard. Their presentation are so inviting & awesome. In reality it's not. Nice video guys, watching you for the first time. ❤
Great advice. I hope yours and your relatives issues are resolved for the better. If you can pass along quality contractors or builders who take pride in their workmanship, please share! Thank you!
Thank you po! If we come across any really high quality contractors and people who take pride in their work, we'll definitely share the details to our viewers. Stay tuned!
I am sorry to hear what you guys are facing right now. Thank you for showing the reality. It is sad to know that they don’t really take care of buyers. Buying properties are not a small purchase!
Exactly! For a lot of people it's their life savings or taking out huge loans to pay off... For the hefty price tags and constant ostentatious ads bragging about being "ultra high end" and "ultra luxurious" some of these developers really ought to show people what's going on inside of the walls... 😆
Amazing video. I would have liked to hear what the purchase process is like. I guess they don't have a final inspection and walk through before you make your final payment...
it's because I'm the Philippines, there's no sense of quality control and mindset of excellence. blame it on the developer. craftsmen are also have no formal vocational training and certification. most of them probably have no high school diploma. ineffeciency and incompetence in the Philippines are common rather than rarity. sadly.
@@BGCDreams Thanks my bro, but either way I think you guys made some good points, and we have to remind ourselves that life is not perfect, but you make the best of your experiences and aim for positiveness and happiness. 💚 I think most times when we come accross problems, we forget how lucky we are and some things are just petty worries compared to much bigger and better things that we often forget about... Life is good.
On one hand , outside investing if for other reason like you want to live there for good or at least to have a place to stay then I guess just bear with it after all it’s still fun to hang out in the Philippines both people and enjoying its beautiful places and the food
Can you talk about condo liquidity and price discrepancy within the market? You claim the market has had significant price appreciation, but I see condos marked 30% off on the secondary market. I see Uptown Parksuites being offered by the developer for 14M for 1BR/Studio when secondary market has it for 7-8M. I hear a lot of people are underwater and cannot sell without incurring huge losses. Thanks.
I'm in the USA and saw your video because I was exploring the option of buying a condo there. I have had purchased 2 homes here and prior to finalizing the sale, I always have a certified home inspector go over the property to verify that it meets all the required codes and are built to standards. Are there certified home inspection outfits in the Philippines that can check a property before finalizing the sale?
Thank you for the Info. We just recently bought a Condo unit which is currently under construction. We will make sure to hire a qualified professional to conduct a full inspection prior to moving in.
You're very welcome! A full inspection sounds prudent and I'll just add from my own experience, it's really what's going on behind the walls that is most important (plumbing, electrical, air con, etc.). Hope they'll have a useful way for testing some of that for you 🙏
If this is any condolences there is a lot of water leaks in south Orange County California not because of the quality of the plumbing but the reason is the water supplied by the water district is corrosive. The water eats away at any copper water pipes. 7:29 We had to repipe the entire house. Repiping water pipes is big business in South Orange County. We replaced the copper water pipes with pex. It costs thousands of dollars to repipe a house. I know how you guys are feeling.
The problem in the Philippines is the lack of government inspectors, or maybe inspectors that are easily incentivized by the builders to look the other way. In more advanced economies they have government inspectors for various parts of the building. They have code building inspectors, electrical inspectors and plumbing inspectors, etc.
That is why i will opt for a house. On a small project you have alot more say. You can ask during negotations for them to have the engineer to be always on site or you pay a qualified person yourself to oversee everything. You can explicitly ask the contractor to use certain methods of building and use of specific materials. You could even put a warranty on that contract, so its up to them to deliver the best job they can do
I appreciate your videos which are very informative. Can you recommend a good real estate broker to represent a investor/buyer for a BGC condo unit (resale) ? Thanks!
Very good topic! Imagine having issues with an expensive unit plus dealing with a crappy building management office. My RLC unit is driving me mad--I wanted to sell it gazillion times but kept hesitating being in CBD and will worth more later.
Oh man, so sorry to hear about the issues over at your unit! We know your pain... so hopefully it's in an awesome location and one that's easy to sell for a nice profit someday. 🙏
Wonder, can you please answer yes or no if my guess is correct, is it the one near the Grand Canal. I'm planning to buy around that area of BGC but having second thoughts to look a little farther due to these problems. Thanks, appreciate your time if you can answer my question.
Usually, consumers organize themselves to get the politicians to enact laws and form agencies to enforce building codes, train inspectors, follow-up complaints, train and license contractors, etc. It'll take years to develop standards and enforcement.
Thankfully I haven't experienced any major issues over a span of about 10 years but then again the likes of no ground or reverse polarity is something that could go un-noticed which could be a cause for concern. 👍
So glad to hear you haven't had any major issues! Yeah, the grounding/reverse polarity stuff can be really hard to miss... A person really needs at least some basic background into electrical circuits, wiring, etc. to have a grasp for what it is.
If one wants to live in BGC and the savings from US to PH is still good (not as good as buying though), should one just rent longer term? Or should one look for older units (5 - 7 years old) and hope the good experience in them (if it can be proven) and buy then?
Ayala Development projects are the most reputable and respected developer in the Philippines. My thinking is that owning a Condo in BGC is fraught with substandard everything. It's supposed to be a luxury address, in reality its buyer beware. All the issues you spoke to is commonplace and just because it has a premiere address don't think it will be all good.
Hi Jay & Jenny, wonder which developer in BGC has complaints about leaked ceilings as you mentioned in this vlog. What developer built your first condo, and your second condo as well? Thanks.
Both condos (from different developers) have had ceiling leaking issues. Unfortunately, I think that's kind of common in BGC and I've heard horror stories from pretty much all the projects... sad to say. All the best!
It’s true what this two honest people are saying, I remember me and my wife in one of the prestigious condo in in McKinley. I payed top money because they say this condos are one of the best to stay in, because its a gated Condominiums. To make my story short the walls has cracks and crumbling, and i remember i forgot to buy mineral water so i drank in the faucet and it tastes like rust. The next day i got sick so bad throwing up. So i think BGC are over hyped, and over priced to be honest.
I think it's a good idea to buy Property here in the Philippines I guess I would just say to make sure the property is well maintained and that everything works well and there are no problems that can't be fixed quickly BGC is an expensive place though so yeah property there needs to be at it's best 🆒🆒👍👍😎😎
Developers in the Philippines should build their projects as if they themselves were going to live in them. The current offerings seem to be excessively priced, and in my opinion, not justified. I am personally working on developing my own subdivision in Bohol, and I envision wider roads and sidewalks similar here in the USA, as I imagine myself residing there. Picture having a narrow road where water and gas tank deliveries are made, leaving insufficient space for oncoming traffic. I hope developers will prioritize understanding the importance of using quality materials and consider the well-being of the future inhabitants, rather than solely focusing on maximizing profits.
If you are planing to live in BGC for good I suggest to buy. We bought back in 2009 as pre selling and we are happy with our decision. I don’t think I will ever feel at home if we are renting. However, buying a condo unit for investment purpose in not the best decision we made.
Thanks for sharing those insights Mary ❤ Yup, if your plan is to live in BGC long-term then it still might make a lot of sense to buy. We're similar that way where we wanted a place to call "home" and didn't want to deal with landlords and the uncertainty of leases, etc. For homeowner, it's definitely a different decision making process than for investing. Cheers and have a great weekend! 😊
If there is a leak in your unit and Kuya's unit, then there must be a larger issue in the building. Note that these plumbing leaks in the bathroom maybe coming from the unit above.
Yeah, in both our instances, the leaks are coming from the unit above. Sometimes it's cracked piping in the bath tub install, sometimes it's something else... like improper sealing of the windows, so rain water comes in from the sides...
We are thinking of purchasing a new condo unit from Federal land at BGC called The Seasons Residences. Does anyone owns a condo constructed by Federal land? I’d like to hear any issues you have with your condo unit. Thank you.
That's galvanized metal pipe that's why it's corroded. It corrodes here in the USA too. There is no ground in the Philippines. They use high voltage and no ground. Two hots don't matter how it's wired. No such thing as reversed polarity. That's only on a 120v wiring where you have a return and a ground. Back in the old days, there was no ground here in the USA too. Back in the 50s and before that is. Ground is no big deal as long as it's wired correctly. Yes, having a ground is safer but it's not a big deal actually. I'm a service technician here in the USA and know what's safe and what's not. I studied construction also so I know about carpentry, plumbing, electrical, handyman, hvac, appliances and so on. That toilet that you showed, was there a hole on the floor other than the plumbing hole?
Yeah, my point is why are they even bothering to use galvanized pipes, fittings in this day and age...? 😅 In regards to grounding in the Philippines, I've always seen it in place in BGC and all the outlets here are 3 prong. Outside of BGC, I can't really comment, but for sure in many provinces I've seen just 2 prong outlets (no ground). As for the voltage here, it's 220 V AC but again within BGC, you're always finding the standard: 1 hot, 1 neutral, 1 ground, same as the states. So, when I say reverse polarity, that means they're wiring the "hot" to the neutral slot of the outlet and the "neutral" to the hot slot of the outlet. For most electrical devices, they'll work just fine and the end user won't notice anything different, but it's still incorrectly wired and can present a safety hazard. Here's a good read for anyone curious to learn more: homeinspectioninsider.com/reverse-polarity/ As for grounding, yeah, it's just another safety thing and always a better idea to have a low impedance path to earth ground to help trip the breaker... instead of having current flow through you... 😊
@BGCDreams Sounds like they got 120v circuits to accommodate American buyers. I should go there and start a business. Do home inspection for new buyers. Give them peace of mind before moving in, or so they know there's no issues with their unit electrically, with plumbing, it's nice and straight and not out of plumb. I will check the ac, appliances, and so on. If there is, have the builder correct it. I stayed in Novotel in Mandaluyong, and I pointed out to the staff about the shower glass bracket that came undone from the wall. I also pointed out the ac was not cooling properly. It is more than likely an issue with the VRF system going to the unit. It wasn't a mini split system. Here in California, I made Lennar, our home builder, redo a lot of things from crooked base board and wall and flexing floor to electrical and plumbing issues. They rushed the build, and it shows.
Jay, if it's 220v, it's not reversed as you got two hots. That device that you got there, is that from here in the USA? If it is, it's meant for USA electricity and not the Philippines. The biggest thing is are you dealing with 120v with a neutral/return or 220v?
@@BGCDreams I just checked your link. That's for USA circuit. That won't work in the Philippines since you are dealing with 220v circuit and not 120v circuit. No neutral and ground unless it was incorporated in the build. There are no 120v appliances in the Philippines. I could be wrong but I haven't seen a 120v outlet in the Philippines.
@@BGCDreams As far as that galvanized nipple. It's called "nipple" here in the states. I would bring that to the builder's attention and have them replace it. They can see why. I don't know what the code is over there but a pvc pipe should work which is what looks like what you guys used.
The corrosion of galvanized steel pipes indicates that the water in the building is acidic and the building should have a water treatment plant. If you're doing an overhaul I suggest MUTILAYER PIPE for water supply. By the way is this a generalization of the whole BGC area? Are all buildings like that?
Yikes! Not something I would expect to have in a relatively new building. In any case, in this day and age, I really can't understand why they would even bother installing using galvanized steel pipes or fittings... No, not a generalization, just a real-world example from a single unit I own. Can't even say the same thing happened to my neighbors... I'm hoping it was just an isolated event.
There is no polarity in PH housing electricity. I think they messed up the line for the lighting and outlets (should be separate). This is a common issue, especially for shared housing units.
When I say reverse polarity, I mean the "hot" wire has been installed in the neutral slot of the outlet, and the "neutral" (non-energized) wire has been installed in the hot slot of the outlet. I can't comment on how the electrical wiring is done throughout the country but at least here in BGC, anyway, there's usually only 1 "hot", 1 "neutral" and 1 "ground" wire per outlet. 😊
@@BGCDreams Houses in the Philippines have no ground. Only electrical posts have ground. hot and neutral can be reversed.I think they use imported outlets with labels that are not really applicable here 😆. There are only two lines and should not be an issue if installed properly. Electrical appliances that have grounds can be connected to any steel parts that touch the earth.
You're absolutely right. Those developers make so much money but they don't care about the quality of their products because they are still able to sell them off. What would you recommend to someone who just bought a new condo to do beyond making sure the initial walkthrough is done thoroughly?
Yeah, it's quite the sales tactic to keep boasting about price increases, which a lot of people would argue is artificial, anyway (when comparing to the secondary market)... Tbh, the way these projects are being built at this point in time, there's a strong emphasis towards making the exteriors eye-catching and shiny... Underneath that is where the source of any major headaches, heartaches, pain, suffering, $$$, etc. is at... If everything is all sealed up, it would be really hard to tell... Also, turning on the air con for 5-10 minutes isn't gonna be enough of a test to peer into any future leak issues you might have... So yeah, it's kind of challenging. In any case, we wish you all the best! 🙏
To be honest my husband he buy land in the Philippines and three properties and one is farm and the second one is started to build the big house soon and that what we should think property in land then house
Filam from Chicago here. I was thinking about purchasing a condo or house in the Philippines for retirement. However. My fear is purchasing a condo in BGC and the condo turns out to be a lemon. Don't they have inspectors who we can trust?
Since this appears to be a hot topic for interested buyers from abroad, maybe starting a business inspecting homes or condos for sale is a good idea? Maybe providing a service for maintaining the homes for overseas buyers?
Yeah, inspection prior to acceptance is really important. For myself, I've learned first-hand how important it is to actually pay attention to the stuff you can't see and is hidden behind the walls... Not sure the best methods, techniques, etc. to check for this stuff is, but it's really the electrical, plumbing, air con, etc. that will cause the most headaches down the line if not done correctly.
It's better to ask around bec some builder in Philippines are very notorious on quality of their Condo one is Megaworld do your research on the complain before taking this burden and also bec mist condo get remodeled once turn over aswell so builder don't put to much effort expecting that
I'm even surprised they ran 3 wires and did not use the ground. Most workers know it is not right but who would challenge the developers on it? there are a dime a dozen of workers looking for work and the city inspector is paid under the table to look 180 deg. Most of the blame here is on the city and county and the inspectors. Not sure if the city has certain standards on what type of piping to use on potable water, electrical gauge wiring, grounding, etc. The developer's job is to make as much money from the buyers and hope will be limited videos like what you're doing posted on YT. I myself was looking into condos in BGC and was hoping to buy a 2-bedroom condo after living here in California (1970) all my life and having never been back since arriving in the US.
I will add it's been my experience that you will not get good value for your money anywhere there, and I have been going to the Philippines for well over 30 years. I concur that the people are absolutely the best in all manner of ways. Lack of structural regulations is a major problem driven by Greed.
The developer of your condo and your Kuya did not do a good job. ! May years ago there was a GAS leak at one of the the Serendra apartment because of a GAS leak ( assuming I remember it right). The result was the occupant( vacationing from the US) did not survived the "blast". I saw a RU-vid video and government officials even 'viisited" the site. The liuor store in front across the street suffered some "damages". The developer of Serendra is one of the top developers !
The Chinese community knows the reputation of Andrew Tan of Megaworld even in the 80s. They wouldn’t buy a Megaworld property at any cost. Ayala land HAD a good reputation but became too greedy over time. Their Avida projects look like tenament buildings. I purchased from Federal Land and hopefully I will not have the same nightmare. You’re right, the location is the key. I still prefer to live in “crappy” condo in BGC rather buy a huge mansion in the suburbs. Thank you!
Interested to know what’s wrong with living in the suburbs or the outskirts of BGC? Is it just personal preference or some other pitfalls associated with owning a home there?
@@pharcyde8083 nothing really. But if you live in BGC everything is walking distance away. No need to have a vehicle. Plenty of dining options, recreational facilities, extremely clean surroundings. Even the top notch hospital (St. Luke) is a stone throw away from the Uptown area.
@@pharcyde8083 Nothing wrong with that. As it pertains to foreigners, though, we're not able to own land (at least outright in our own names) but we can purchase air space (condos).
You want regulations? Go back to the land of the fee and the home of the salve. The previous owner probably installed the iron faucet pipe because the plastic one broke. Do a proper inspection and offer what it's worth.
very expensive with crappy materials this is why I will never buy anything in BGC or any new development. i rather have my house build for much cheaper and i get to choose the materials and things I prefer.
It is not worth the land or property buying in the philippines. The prices are gouging the investors. I went there and found the prices was at 300x to 750x the worth of the home or land without the infrastructure, sometimes roads, and things to do. The sellers are now questionable because the base rate are the same on Manila vs the country side. I found better prices and luxury homes in europe compared to land prices in philippines. This is crazy. One guy tried to sell me 450 sqm property when converted was around 440k in us dollars. The same amount i owe with 3 acreas in the united states close to atlanta a major hub. There are no regulations when it comes to property pricing in the philippines. It is almost criminal. I forgot to mention as a foreigner you cannot own the land unlike several countries which are more affordable.
I GOT ONLY ONE QUESTION: PLEASE TELL ME WHICH DEVELOPER/COMPANY YOU BOUGHT YOUR BUILDING DEVELOPER/COMPANY OF YOUR OWN CONDO ???? thank you so so much for letting us know ...!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that's why homegrown rich people in the Philippines leave the country because all know these issues, the quality of life, education, and health. the people are amazing but the quality of life sucks
Whoever wants to invest in a 500.000 euro plus apartment in Manila should go see a psychiatrist, there is no way this property will ever become worth that amount. There’s a handful of local people that can effort this in the country, so who is buying this?
Well, it's a premium price tag, so tbh you would expect a bit better... Definitely not on par with those countries yet (as mentioned in the vlog), but not a bad thing to strive for... someday, hopefully 🙏
My Ayala condo had many defects: the water 💦 issue is most buildings don’t use a filter system so the hard water 💧 is a problem > the quality controls are not a high standard > the builders used my toilet 🚽 and left yellow stains and I pointed this out to the developer on turn over and their solution is we will clean 🧼 it Sir 🤣 I paid big $$$ and I said I want a brand new toilet 🚽 seat with no yellow stains 🫣
@@BGCDreams ✳️ it has taken 12 months to resolve all 12+ defects ✳️ the processes involved to fix a small problem like this was too long > the big developers have too many layers 😤😡🤬
Never own any property in the Philippines, whether it is a condo unit or a house and lot. It's truly not worth it, even if it is "relatively cheaper" compared to the Western market. These businessmen operating in the real estate in the Philippines are some of the greediest in the world
