This Atenean surely knows where to best invest his money

Edgie Guevarra, 36, likes to dabble in different kinds of investments, including stocks, mutual funds, and even cryptocurrency.

“I do my research on where and when to invest,” he says of his choices. “There are risks involved, but those are acceptable risks. I believe it’s important, if you have disposable income, to invest rather than just keep your money in the bank.”

He was satisfied with his investments, until, in 2020, the pandemic came, and the whole world changed.

Luckily for him, he found his savings growing even more since he didn’t spend so much while working from home in Bacolod City as chief technology officer for a start-up software company.

“Actually, my work is related sa health industry din, so ’yong demand for our job is really high,” he shares. “Bottomline, I did have that sustained disposable income.”

With his luck, he thought of putting his extra savings into another form of investment—real estate.

His first real estate investment? DMCI Homes’ The Erin Heights along Commonwealth Ave. corner Tandang Sora Ave., Quezon City.

Why The Erin Heights

Choosing The Erin Heights was a no-brainer since he was very familiar with its location. A graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, Edgie lived around Quezon City for a big part of his adult life. He also worked at the TechnoHub in Quezon City which is in the same neighborhood as The Erin Heights’ project site.

“Based on my experience, I know the area, I know the location. I think it’s a very good location for a condo,” he says.

Whether he’d use it as his future home or as an investment, Edgie says, he has no doubt he made the right decision in choosing The Erin Heights: “What made me excited is not only the design and the architecture but its proximity to upcoming projects, like MRT7, the subway project.”

“I think these are very important. I have a car, but as we all know, having a car in Metro Manila is not necessarily convenient: driving through traffic, finding parking, if you can find one. I think it is very important, even if you have a car, to have access to mass transport.”

He also loved the fact that the place offers big spaces which he considers important for anyone’s mental health.

“Our pandemic experience has just emphasized how important these features are for a property. You know you’re living in the heart of the city and having these spaces where you can just relax and have a piece of nature is very important not just for pleasure, but also for mental health,” he adds.

Edgie was one of the first investors who reserved a unit at The Erin Heights.

Reputable developer

His trust and confidence in its developer also buoyed his decision to invest in The Erin Heights.

“Way back in 2009, I was renting a condo pa in Riverfront Residences in Pasig City. It’s a DMCI property. ’Yong experience ko of the brand, ang ganda-ganda ng experience ko,” he reveals.

Edgie says he is confident of the property’s safety and security because of his personal experience living at Riverfront Residences. He was in that mid-rise DMCI Homes property when Typhoon Ondoy happened in 2009.

While the surrounding areas of the property were inundated, Riverfront Residences residents remained safe and secure inside the compound. That’s when Edgie thought, “DMCI, hindi lang siya basta gumagawa ng property; pinag-isipan din.”

Convenient homebuying

It was also a good sign for Edgie when the whole transaction of buying a studio unit at The Erin Heights was very smooth.

The registration was done through the website. After which, a property advisor called him to settle his documents, which were submitted online. He only had to go back to Manila when he needed to sign a few papers.

The sales pitch was also presented to him online, and the presentation got him even more excited.

Edgie says familiarity with the project’s location played a big part in his decision to choose The Erin Heights as his first real estate investment. (Artist’s illustration)

Why invest in real estate now

“’Yong impression ko before ang real estate investment is not cheap,” he says. “Sobrang mahal. Pero when you look at the financials of how much it is, what you need to invest in, kaya naman pala siya even if you’re just middle-income class.”

It was also during that time that discounts were given and prices of real estate investments were pretty low compared to their usual prices pre-pandemic.

“I think investing in real estate is considered lower risk than stocks and bonds,” he says, although he humbly admits he’s not an expert in all forms of investments.

He adds, “Kasi ’yong real estate, local demand ’yong ina-address, meaning, people here in the Philippines, for example. Then, the investment is tangible. It’s a condo unit, for example. As compared to stocks or crypto, these are heavily influenced by the global state or situation.”

The Erin Heights is scheduled for turnover in October 2027, a long way ahead. Edgie says, wherever he is in life when that time comes, and whether he’d stay in his unit or not, “I would still get the value for the money that I pay.”

He was also impressed with the property’s big open spaces which he says are important for anyone’s mental health. (Artist’s illustration of the amenity core)

The Erin Heights is one of the developments of DMCI Homes, the country’s first Quadruple A real estate developer known for building quality resort-inspired communities in Mega Manila, Baguio City, Boracay, and Davao City. Each of its

properties is built with world-standard craftsmanship borne from D.M. Consunji Inc.’s over 60 years of expertise in the construction and development industry.

To learn more about The Erin Heights and other DMCI Homes’ pre-selling and ready for occupancy projects, units for lease, and special promos, call (632) 5324-8888. You can also visit leasing.dmcihomes.com to know more about opportunities in leasing and rent-to-own programs of DMCI Homes. News and other updates are also posted on the company’s official website and its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.