"It's not a typical condo. It's like a vacation home."

When owning a house and lot or townhouse seems beyond the budget and a residential building feels less like a home, an alternative city address would be the mid-rise condominium. Such medium-height residences have their own unique appeal since their five or six floors limit the number of units in the neighborhood making it less crowded. And when the choice is the resort-themed mid-rise condominium community of innovative property developer DMCI Homes, it comes with class at a reasonable price.

There is more to the DMCI Homes brand and quality of mid-rise living that breeds first-time mid-rise condo dwellers like Christian Irl Tan. The 29-year-old flight steward was unfamiliar with mid-rise residences until November, when he saw Maricielo Villas, a five-building Spanish Mission-style village at the corner of Quirino and Casimiro Avenues in Zapote, Las Piñas City. The then house-hunting Tan did not hesitate buying a two-bedroom unit in the second floor of Pontevedra, one of the mid-rises comprising the DMCI Homes-built enclave.

“If ever the choice would be a condominium, it should be DMCI Homes because it’s a resort-type community,” Tan says, recalling his thought after seeing the ready-for-occupancy Maricielo Villas in September. “It’s not a typical condo. It’s like a vacation home.”

From the gated entrance, Maricielo Villas opens with a clubhouse, swimming pools and landscaped walkways to the left, a scene common in traditional resorts. The weekday calm of the neighborhood or sound of frolicking children by the pools on weekends heighten the resort ambience even inviting Christian’s vacationing parents and brother from Bacolod to enjoy the swimming pool. They also worked out in the fitness gym, which is one of the indoor amenities. Also at the clubhouse are the function room for parties, entertainment room for videoke fun and game room for billiard and dart enthusiasts.

Christian’s wife Christine Rose says, “The Spanish style architecture is beautiful.”

DMCI Homes gave the Maricielo Villas buildings a modern version of the Spanish Mission architecture to complement the colonial period-designed structures in Las Piñas City, including the nearby St. Joseph Parish Church housing the famous Bamboo Organ. The distinct features include the synthetic adobe blocks and arched entryways of the condominiums, clubhouse, gateway and perimeter wall.

“From the outside, I like the structures because they really feel homey,” says Christian.

The Pontevedra, Almeria, Madrid, Sebastian and Segovia buildings have garden atriums on the ground floor plus single-loaded corridors and breezeways on the upper floors.

Christine says their unit is just right for them as they start a family. When they eventually have kids, they can be accommodated in the second room, says her husband.

Maricielo Villas units range in size from 48.5 square meters to 87.5 sq. m. for space and comfort. All units have a kitchen, toilet and bathroom, dining and living areas and balcony with 3-bedroom units having two balconies. The units have elegant finishing as well as provisions for window-type air-conditioning, cable TV connection and telephone line. Maricielo Villas bears the DMCI Homes quality seal, which represents the company's commitment to deliver homes that are built to last.

As a flight steward, Tan would be away from home every month. But he and his wife are not worried of being home alone because Maricielo Villas is a very secured community, the neighbors are friendly and the Project Management Office staffs are always available to help residents with any concerns. The community is surrounded by an electrified perimeter fence, security guards are on duty 24/7 and CCTV cameras are in strategic areas. Units also have smoke detectors and buildings have a fire alarm system. Elevators, a laundry station, roof deck laundry service area and garbage holding area add convenience to homeowners and household helpers.

Tan used to lived in an apartment in Parañaque City near the airport so he can easily go to work, but the neighborhood seemed to be not conducive for a family to live in. But he is not trading off the convenience of being near the workplace as Maricielo Villas is also accessible to major roads like Quirino or P. Diego Cera Avenue and the C-5 Road, which could get him to the airport in minutes. Going to the market, malls, hospitals, schools, churches, business districts and other places is also easy via Quirino Ave., Casimiro Ave. Alabang-Zapote Road and the Coastal Road. Cavite is accessible via the Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) or just by crossing the boundary under the Zapote flyover.

For the former elementary school classmates and townmates, who reconnected in 2011 via Facebook leading to romance and marriage, they are a perfect match. And both feel that a wonderful home and life at Maricielo Villas also match with their blossoming relationship.

For inquiries on DMCI Homes projects, please call (02) 324-8888 or visit the website: https://www.dmcihomes.com. ###