December 31, 2009

TGR - Our Starter Home




Year 2009

If 2008 was the wander year for the Garcias, 2009 was all about settling down. After five years of marriage, Riki and I finally took the plunge - invest on real estate that is (well in our specific case, an expensive box of air).

After coming back home to Manila in mid-December of '08, we began the quest for the perfect home for us. Given our budget considerations, the choices were narrowed down to either a house & lot property way far from Makati (our place of work and school) or a condominium unit a few miles drive away from it. Since we were never morning persons, we finally decided on the latter. Our dream house will have to wait.

After almost a month of checking out all our condo options, we were ready to commit to THE ONE! :). Now the whirlwind affair begins!

January - made reservation and later on, signed Contract to Sell
February - paid the required down payment (no turning back now!)
March - hired Interior Designer #1. big mistake. after disagreements, fired ID #1.
April - hired another Architect+Interior Designer team. was finally happy with proposal, service and relationship. Condo unit was turned over by the developer to us, interior fit-out project commenced.
May and June - interior construction on-going. shopped for furniture, fixtures and appliances. Enter all the stress and financial drain.

July - it was a Wednesday, the 22nd (a new moon), we finally moved in to our new (first-ever owned) starter home. Happiness! :)
August - Fr. Robert performed the House Blessing.

Sept - originally planned Housewarming Party. Invites had been sent out, but Evan got sick and was hospitalized a few days before the event. Party cancelled.

December - finally pushed thru with the housewarming party, combined with our joint birthday party this time. http://purplepinay.multiply.com/photos/album/106/1st_Holiday_Dinner_Party

What a year indeed huh? Whew!
Now, to a simpler, peaceful and better life in 2010! :)

14 comments:

Chris & Jo Santos said...

anong floor ito mare?

Chris & Jo Santos said...

ganda ng view mo ha...or should i say ang ganda ng view nila :P

Chris & Jo Santos said...

im so happy for you mare :) dream ko rin magkaron ng box ko (haha mahirap mag dream ng house dito :P). pakisabi kay pare, i will require his interior services when it's my time--FOC, libre ko na lang pamasahe nya :P

Mayella Layag said...

nice crib!

Emi Garcia said...

27th floor :)

Emi Garcia said...

hahaha! thank God for blackout curtains ;)

Emi Garcia said...

hahaha! thanks mare! yey, dream come true talaga although grabe ang stress in the process. Lisa said mas smooth-sailing ang interior fitout dyan sa SG, they do the work offsite, then just fit it in the unit afterwards. to your future box! :D

Emi Garcia said...

thanks ella! :)

Dhonna Charron said...

Hi Emi,
Congratulations on your new place! Very nice! Also, belated happy birthday to you and Riki. I tried to do that thing in facebook for Riki's b-day but I guess I was too dumb, didn't know how to do it :-)
Happy New Year, too. Hugs and kisses to Evan.
Take care,
Dhonna

Eileen Asuncion said...

Welcome home!!! =D Ang ganda naman ng house. =D

Emi Garcia said...

no worries Dhonna, it's the thought that counts. :)
thanks and happy new year too to you and your lovely growing family!

Emi Garcia said...

hehe. thanks Eileen, next year kayo naman!

Jen Alarcon said...

Congrats and well done on your new home! I can't wait to take the tour (assuming na iimbitahan) to your lovely home in April! See you soon!

Emi Garcia said...

thanks Jen. wow, you're going home in april! sige kitakits (di pa rin kami nagkikita nina grace and cil. nasa akin pa xmas gifts nila..hehe!) dinner/inuman at my house! ;)