Owning a home in the Philippines requires hard work and patience. The lengthy process usually begins by seeking the services of a real estate agent or driving around the city in search of the right property. Yes, going thru each property on your list can be time-consuming but is a necessary step before having the confidence to finally say “You are the one.” You might also find yourself asking friends or bank agents for various housing loan options to finance your new home. At first, the abundance of options and the application process may sound intimidating. But there are actually new ways you can cut through the process and purchase a property faster.
Below are some tips on how you can use digital tools to your advantage and speed up your home-buying journey.
1. Find and compare properties on the web.
With a clear budget in mind, head to an online property portal to check listings for properties that catch your attention. One big advantage of searching for properties online is being able to do background research before speaking with any real estate agent.
Listings typically include a brief description about the neighborhood, total square area along with the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, payment conditions, and a few photos to help you visualize the place. Having that information goes a long way in saving time.
If you want to have a deeper understanding of all the available properties in Metro Manila, you may find ZipMatch’s rankings page useful. The best properties are ranked and compared based on price per square meter, neighborhood score, rental yields, and so much more, making it easier for you to trim down your options further.
2. Go on virtual tours.
Ever heard of VR? Yes, that applies to real estate too! A virtual tour gives you a 360º view of a property, which sometimes include narrations as well. It’s essentially the closest thing you can get to on-the-go inspection. The advantage? Using VR allows you to get a more tangible feel of the home you’re interested in. It lets you walk through the corridors, enter the rooms, and inspect every nook and cranny of the space.
More importantly, it saves you time and money, as virtual tours are accessible 24 hours every day of the week. You no longer need to drive around the city, hopping from one property to another.
3. Schedule viewings online.
Even though virtual tours are an interesting and interactive way of discovering properties, nothing still beats actually attending open houses and seeing the homes for yourself. You can do this efficiently by mapping out your choices according to proximity–this way you can check off properties closest to you first.
Before heading out, it’s best to make a list of questions that you’re gonna ask the real estate agent or unit owner. After all, this is your best chance to examine the walls and floors, study the position of the bedrooms, check on the doors and windows, look for the electrical outlets, and visualize if your furnishings will be able to fit every space.
4. Process your loan application online.
These days, many financial institutions offer faster turnaround times and favourable loan amounts with application that can be completed online. Security Bank, for instance, has helped Filipinos purchase the home of their dreams with their online home loan application.
Their intuitive application process eliminates time wasted falling in line and having to personally go back to the bank if you forget any of the required documents. You can even check how much you can borrow with their home loan calculator.
“I was able to apply for my housing loan when I was in Dubai,” says Anthony from Dubai, UAE. He continues to rave about the convenient application process:
“I submitted it all online and didn’t have to print anything!”
With the continuously increasing dependence on the Internet, you’d be surprised how these available online tools can help you get the keys to your dream sooner.
Looking forward to having a home you can call your own? Apply online for a home loan today.
