Real Estate - DLSU condominium: One Archers Place

One Archers Place is a pre-selling De La Salle University condominium, right beside the Andrew Gonzales Hall along Taft Avenue. It is developed by Eton Properties Philippines of Lucio Tan, a relatively new player in the Philippine Market but already a very experienced one in Hong Kong with several projects there since 1986. One Archers Place started selling at P1.4M at Tower 1, but now the cheapest units are already at P1.8M at One Archers West Tower 2, giving property appreciation already to earlier investors.

one archers west tower 2

When the banner says that One Archers Place is an ideal investment opportunity, I honestly believe that it is so because of the rental revenue potential it offers to investors. Aside from DLSU, it is very near to St. Scholastica’s College, College of St. Benilde and University of the Philippines Manila. This gives more potential tenants to the area, which of course also include working professionals who like Taft Avenue and accessibility to the LRT. It also has a commercial mall named Green Podium below it which adds convenience and value to One Archers Place.

As shown in the pictures above, a 22 sqm studio unit can host double deck beds. These pictures are taken from the One Archers model units, found on the site itself. The key here is to have a good interior designer so that space is maximized, just like what they did to the model units above. Here are other features that you should know about it…

Building Features

- Three (3) elevators for each tower
- Air-conditioned Main Lobby
- Administration Office
- Mail room for each tower
- CCTV system for common areas and elevator cars
- 24-hour security
- Fully-automated Fire and Smoke Detection System
- Water reservoir and separate fire reserves
- Stand-by emergency power
- Centralized Garbage Room
- Guest audio annunciator for all units
- Sewage Treatment Plant
- Cable TV provision
- Function Hall and Study Hall / Place
- Fitness Center
- Multi-purpose / Study Deck
- WIFI Enabled Building (Residential Units Only)
- Provision for portable water heater in bathrooms

Amenities

- Hotel Like Lobby
- Courtyard
- Study Hall
- Fitness Center

For more information on One Archers Place and Eton Properties, see the contact info below…

Administrator, the Real Estate Philippines News Blog
Account Manager, Eton Properties
Landline: +632-4258726, Cell: +63920-9124909
Email: Terence.Propertyphil@gmail.com
Yahoo Messenger: ritaku17@yahoo.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/propertyblogger

http://www.realestatephilippinesblog.com/dlsucondominiumonearchersplace/

Real Estate - Updates on the Philippine BPO sector

We all know that the Philippine BPO sector is one of the key drivers of our economy in the recent years. Despite the global economic downturn, there is still evidence of growth in our local BPO industry. However, for this year of 2009, the construction of Business Process Outsouring office spaces have been trimmed down by half, according to a recent report from local stockbroker Citiseconline and Int’l Property Consultant Jones Lang Lasalle Leechiu.

According to Claro Cordero Jr., head of research at Jones Land Lasalle Leechiu, available Philippine BPO spaces have been sliced in half from 200,000 square meters to 100,000 square meters. This means that there is more chance of these spaces being taken up quickly. However, these figures may not represent the whole picture, as major developers Megaworld and Filinvest Land will be putting up 90,000 and 35,602 sqm of BPO space by this year as well. In addition, Colliers International has reported that more BPO spaces are planning to be rolled out by the next two years. In 2010, 132,279 square meters of space should be put up, while in 2011, 304,295 square meters should be additionally available.

What do all these figures mean? It still goes to show that the Philippine BPO sector will continue to experience growth and contribute greatly to our economy. Also, since there will be more spaces available, prices of these spaces will tend to go down due to more supply in the market. Let’s just hope that this trend continues in the long term so that more Filipinos can provide for their families…

http://www.realestatephilippinesblog.com/updates-philippine-bpo-sector/

Real Estate - Luxury property prices in Manila expected to fall back in 2009

High end property prices in the Philippines are expected to suffer a sharp downturn in 2009, especially in Manila, because of the economic downturn, it is claimed.

Industry analysts are expecting demand from foreign property investors and experts to fall and this will have a major impact on the real estate markets.

According to Christian Cruz, senior economist at Global Property Guide, prices of luxury units in Manila could be affected as expats are called back to their countries because of ongoing job cutbacks.

Colliers International research manager Ramon Aguirre said he also believes that there will be downward pressure on luxury unit prices. 'So far, prices are still flat. Developers are still holding on to current high prices. But when demand dries up during the latter part of the year because of the slowing economy, they would have to lower,' he said.

A lot depends on how much developers are willing to budge. According to Clara Cordero, head of research and consultancy at Jones Lang LaSalle Leeched Philippines, some will have anticipated weaker demand.

'As early as the third quarter, developers realized that they could not count on buyers from overseas so what they did was concentrate on the local market. Local buyers can carry the market for the meantime,' he said.

There is potential room for buyers with cash to consider investing in property rather than stocks and shares because of their volatility.

'People with the money to spare are not investing in financial instruments right now. We could see a move back to basics such as property,' Aguirre said.

Some developers said they are not planning to lower prices. 'We even had a price increase in some of our luxury projects, where demand continues to be strong,' said a spokesman for Eton Properties Philippines.

However some analysts are warning that while local prices remained cheap relative to the region, constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership make neighboring countries more attractive.

Cordero said investors may also choose to invest in other Southeast Asian countries because they have advanced real estate investment trusts, which makes the markets there more transparent.

But foreigners may still be attracted to property in Manila because of its relative low cost of living and political stability.

http://www.propertywire.com/news/asia/property-prices-manila-fall-200902102587.html

Discovery - Newfound Bird Is Bald

Clara Moskowitz
LiveScience Staff Writer
LiveScience.com clara Moskowitz
livescience Staff Writer
livescience.com – Thu Jul 30, 7:25 am ET

Scientists have discovered a rare new bird species with a bald head.

The creature, dubbed the bare-faced bulbul, was found in Laos, and is the only known bald songbird in mainland Asia.

It's also the first time in over 100 years that a new Asian species of bulbul bird has been uncovered.

"To find a new bird species is very rare these days," said Peter Clyne, assistant director for Asia Programs at the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York. "It's not like we're finding new species of birds every year. This is certainly a highly newsworthy event."

The chrome-domed songbird was discovered by Wildlife Conservation Society scientists Will Duckworth and Rob Timmins and Iain Woxvold of the University of Melbourne as part of a project funded by a mining company, Minerals and Metals Group, that operates in the region.

The bare-faced bulbul lives in the sparse trees and sun-bleached karst limestone of the Laos lowlands.

"Its apparent restriction to rather inhospitable habitat helps to explain why such an extraordinary bird with conspicuous habits and a distinctive call has remained unnoticed for so long," Woxvold said.

About the size of a thrush, the new bird has olive green feathers on its back and a light-colored breast. Its large dark eyes dominate its bald pink face.

"Whenever you come across a bird that's bald, it's a prominent characteristic," Clyne told LiveScience. "Usually, but not always, it's thought to play some kind of a role in communication between the sexes."

The researchers describe the bird's call as a "series of whistled, dry bubbling notes."

The researchers describe the new species, whose official name is Passeriformes Pycnonotidae, in the latest issue of the Oriental Bird Club's scientific journal Forktail.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090730/sc_livescience/newfoundbirdisbald

Entertainment - Summit Blames Rachelle's "Lack of Cooperative Spirit" for Eclipse Diss

Blood is starting to boil over in the Twilight zone.

Earlier today, the deposed Rachelle Lefevre revealed that she was "stunned" and "greatly saddened" by Summit Entertainment's decision to recast Bryce Dallas Howard in the role of villainous Victoria in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

And now Summit has fired back, saying the Canadian actress failed to inform the studio until July 20 that she was planning to be in Europe shooting an indie film when the Twilight gang was convening for rehearsals.

"We at Summit Entertainment are disappointed by Rachelle Lefevre's recent comments which attempt to make her career choices the fault of the Studio," reads a statement released by Summit to Access Hollywood late Wednesday.

"Her decision to discuss her version of the scheduling challenges publicly has forced the Studio to set the record straight and correct the facts."

Forget fangs. Those are claws we see.

"It was not until July 20th that Summit was first informed of Ms. Lefevre's commitment to Barney's Version, a commitment we have since been advised she accepted in early June," the statement continued. "Summit had acted in good faith that she would be available to fulfill her obligations both in terms of rehearsals and shooting availability for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. We feel that her choice to withhold her scheduling conflict information from us can be viewed as a lack of cooperative spirit which affected the entire production."

Lefevre, who appears in the second installment of the franchise, New Moon, said today that she only needed 10 days off to work on Barney's Version.

"Never did I fathom I would lose the role over a 10-day overlap," she said.

Believe us, neither did Twilight fans, who, despite Howard's decent thespian pedigree (not to mention her pale visage and fiery red hair) are up in arms over the casting switcheroo. And, sure enough, there's an online petition to get Lefevre reinstated.

But Summit maintains that Lefevre left 'em high and dry in their hour of need. Or was going to, anyway.

"Ms. Lefevre took a role in the other film that places her in Europe during the required rehearsal time, and at least 10 days of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse's principal photography. This period is essential for both rehearsal time with the cast, and for filming at key locations that are only available during the initial part of production," Summit said.

"The fact remains that Ms. Lefevre's commitment to the other project—which she chose to withhold from Summit until the last possible moment—makes her unfortunately unavailable to perform the role of Victoria in [Eclipse]."

Meanwhile, a source told E! News that Summit could save a few (or more) bucks by recasting Lefevre's role, rather than giving her a promised pay raise for the third film.

The plot thickens. So far, Howard has remained mum on her upcoming role, perhaps figuring it's best to keep a low profile until this undead madness dies off, and then just show up for work in Vancouver looking pretty.

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.eonline.com/summit-blames-rachelles-lack-cooperative-spirit-eclipse-diss-20090730