Do you have plans of creating your living room differently? Do you have the need currently to make major home decorating or simply to replace some old furniture here and there? In both ways, home decorating is such a task that entails a huge amount of money on the side of the homeowners. That is why before going into the project, it is important to do your little investigation about the numerous ways that would help you save money without compromising your home decorating for your Cagayan de Oro house.

1. Search for home Improvement Guide These beautiful, gorgeous homes surrounding us make us want to decorate our own homes. That’s not bad. In order to be good at it, you need to explore different areas where you can find ideas. For instance, you can check out decorating ideas on the magazines which specialty is Home Improvement guide.

The Internet is another source of valuable information. You can use search engines like Google and Yahoo. However, you need to choosy in opting for this process because not all data found on the internet are valid and make sense. You can also make use of a software that permits you to decorate virtually. The process will prevent costly mistakes.

You can also visit different houses of your friends or if you happen to visit a hotel and you like something, you take pictures and note down the details of the theme. In short, build up your knowledge on home decorating for your Cagayan de Oro house before actually doing the job. In this way, you will minimize and prevent mistakes that will surely cost you.

2. Set your goals The undoubtedly known advantage of setting up objectives and goals before involving one’s self in a project is its guidance and direction as you go along your way. Home decorating is a world of its own so a plan is very important. Narrow down your choices and wants so that you will have your focus, especially when the time comes that you will buy furniture.

3. Creating budget plan. This is the most significant part in home decorating that will save you a huge sum of money. Prior to checking out the furniture stores and buy for furniture, it is significant to have a list of the things that you need to buy. Otherwise, you will be lured away by so many fabulous and beautiful things surrounding you. The budget plan will help you stick to your available money and goal.

4. In with the old Perhaps you have lots of things in your attic. You can use them. Recycle them and make them look brand new again. You can even utilize objects in two different manners. For example, beddings may be converted into curtains or sofa covers to table cloths. This is where your creativity comes into play. Play with your imagination and explore your mind. Instead of buying new items, these old items will help you save up.

5. Never buy on impulse. An impulsive purchase is the best way of killing your budget. Buying on your whim will bring no benefits to you. You will only end up bankrupt and in worst case scenario, your goals of home decorating have not been achieved. It is important to move away from sales representatives that encourage you to purchase things that are not your needs. You only need to purchase the important things that are on your list.

So many department stores in Cagayan de Oro are having excellent sales and discounts, such as SM City – CDO. You can take advantage of this promos so that you will spend few money in home decorating. Do not be misled about the common belief that just because an item is up for sale, it has a poor quality. There are good sale items that have high quality. Just have patience and determination in searching for them. If you really want to save, then you should explore the cheapest alternative in the market. It is also essential that you compare prices from various stores in order to get the best deal. However, the most essential thing that you need to remember is that quality must come first before the price.

7. Minimal design As the well-known line goes, “Less is more.” This also holds significance in home decorating. Placing so much furniture to the point of choking your living room is one of the best ways that defeat the purpose of home decorating. A minimal and completely uncluttered design will garner more adulation in comparison to many expensive things that are cluttered in one area. Few furniture that are placed strategically around the house will do magic to your home.

Owning a beautiful home is every Filipino dream. You can make that dream a happy ending by spending your money wisely.

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2. Biggest mall in Mindanao will rise in Cagayan de Oro Ayala Land Inc. or ALI is set to invest here...

Ayala Land Inc. or ALI is set to invest here in Cagayan de Oro the biggest mall in Mindanao costing at least P4.5 billion, this will boost investor confidence in the city which is part of Northern Mindanao.

The city mayor here Constantino Jaraula said that Ayala land Inc. will build the P4.5 billion shopping and recreation mall in its newly acquired property in the heart of this city’s bustling business district along C.M. Recto national highway this year.

“Once completed, this Ayala mall would make the city the major shopping destination in Mindanao as this will be the biggest mall in the region and will further boost our beloved city as a haven for investment,” Mayor Jaraula said.

The mall will be more bigger than Davao City’s P3 billion Ayala Mall, which is set to open in 2012, as the mayor said.

Mayor Jaraula said ALI officials chose Cagayan de Oro as the site of their biggest investment in Mindanao because of its strategic location and peace-and-order situation. ALI’s move will be Cagayan de Oro city’s entry to the big leagues, the mayor said, adding that the company is known for its high-end projects such as Ayala Alabang, Dasmariñas Village, Forbes Park Makati, Ayala Westgrove Heights, Ayala Greenfield Estates, Amara, Ayala North Point, The Residences at Greenbelt, One Serendra and Anvaya Cove.

Although ALI has yet to submit and complete its papers for this project, the city government has already approved the company’s plan to start construction of its pet project in Mindanao. The Ayala Mall – Cagayan de Oro is the latest project of ALI here.

In 2006, ALI developed its high-end subdivision here called Alegria Hills on a 53-hectare land located 240 meters above sea level and approximately eight kilometers from the city proper that straddles the barangays of Indahag, Macasandig and Camaman-an.

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Your One-Stop Cagayan de Oro Real Estate Information Guide, CDORealEstate.com, won the Best Real Estate Website Award in the recently concluded 3rd DigitalFilipino Web Awards (2009), a project that aims to advocate the use of Internet and e-Commerce for business development, through the identification, promotion and highlighting of best e-Commerce practices from various websites in the Philippines.

We received an email from the event organizers last November 5, 2009 that CDORealEstate.com won the said web awards under the Best Real Estate website category and we need to prepare a powerpoint presentation about best practices in our website to be presented during the awarding ceremony. Unfortunately due to hectic schedules and the short period of time we haven’t got a chance to travel to Manila to receive the award.

The awarding ceremony was successfully held last friday, November 13, 2009 at the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati City, Metro Manila.

On behalf of CDORealEstate.com, we would like to thank Janette Toral who spearheaded this great event for the e-commerce industry in the Philippines, the members of DigitalFilipino Club and all sponsors of DigitalFilipino E-commerce Summit and Web Awards.

Congratulations also to all other winners in their category!

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For our clients guide, Cagayan de Oro has several flights from Manila, Cebu and Davao daily. There are two major airlines that operate here, this is  Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine Airlines. There are about 6 to 8 daily flights from Manila, 4 to 6 daily flights from Cebu and 1 flight from Davao. Please check the respective airlines website for an updated schedules of flights and to book your flight online as well.

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The most important thing that you should remember before buying your own green home is the significance of having sufficient knowledge regarding quality home construction materials. Once you become familiar with these construction materials, you will be able to differentiate one green home from another. You can carefully scrutinize how a specific green home has been able to give the protection of nature more importance than another green home. You will also be able to canvass cheaper materials that could save you lots of money in terms of fuel and maintenance. Lastly, you would also be able to have durable materials in mind once you consider building extensions for your home.

You must carefully consider the geographical materials used in a green home before being able to judge whether it would be durable or not. You must also observe whether these materials used are accessible to the area where the home was built. If the materials used are located near the home, it means that it was able to minimize the negative effects of transportation to nature. Construction materials must also come from renewable sources, and the processing used to prepare the material for construction must be non-toxic and efficient. These materials must also be durable in order to minimize the costs of repairing and replacing certain materials.

The durability of the materials used for construction does not only benefit nature but also the owner. It would be better if the materials used are water resistant in order to avoid the growth of mold and rot that can harm your health. Once you decide to choose eco-friendly materials like wood or stone for your home, you would be guaranteed that these materials are free from toxic and carcinogenic residues. These residues are usually emitted by plastic-based construction materials and asbestos.

Meanwhile, if you are considering the use of recycled or reclaimed materials for construction, you must consider using an air-monitoring device that could effectively check the quality of interior air. For must builders, they believe that it is indispensable to check the quality of interior air since recycled and reclaimed materials are more preferred than traditional houses. Most of these materials are also made easy-to-clean so that there would be no need for its users to use chemical cleaning detergents that can harm people and their surroundings.

Another important thing to remember is the authenticity of the materials that would be used. Since green homes have become widely supported by consumers, some manufacturers try to deceive consumers. They start to make false claims that all of their products are eco-friendly. Therefore, you must carefully analyze whether a certain material is really eco-friendly or not. You may also hire another person to oversee the manufacturing of the materials up to the arrival of the materials in the store.

You could look into buying or having eco-friendly materials in your home. The following are some popular materials used in green homes: bamboo, coco lumber, and other woods for hardwood floors and wall paneling, cork for flooring and substitute for wool carpeting, recycled tiles made of aluminum, brass or glass, solar panels, roofing materials made from aluminum, copper or fiber cement. Once you become exposed to different kinds of eco-friendly materials, you will eventually recognize attractive alternatives that can be used in the construction of your home. Examples of these materials are regular cedar or stone, and flexible but durable bamboo or cork which can be an effective alternative for other insulating materials. Linoleum and terracotta tiling can also be a wise choice in finishing the floors of your home. And lastly, you could even look out for some self-help guides in using recyclables and natural resources for redecorating your home like recycled wine bottles as candle holders or rattan baskets for container gardening. You even exercise your hidden skills in creative arts and crafts.

Once these materials are used in the construction of your home, you would be able to contribute in saving the environment while also satisfying yourself and your family. A home that is cost-effective and contemporary will surely please you as a homeowner. Try using these eco-friendly materials and see the difference.

For more information, tricks and tips when it comes to home improvement and real estate as a whole, simply visit Flower Mound Homes and Real Estate in Flower Mound. Article by EzineArticles.com

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1. Formerly unsurveyed property owned by amicable neighbors passes into the hands of an outsider who orders a survey and discovers the boundary lines are in different places than previously thought.

2. Formerly amicable neighbors who did not care about a discrepancy in boundary lines suddenly care when for example oil or gas is discovered under the land, or the property becomes so valuable that it is being sold by the square meter rather than by the hectare.

3. Advances in surveying technology would have placed a property corner in a different location than the original surveyor placed it, and when this is discovered, the neighbors go to court.

4. Someone mistakenly builds a house or other improvement within a portion located on a neighbor’s land. Words are exchanged regarding tearing down the trespassing improvement, and the parties resort to the court system to solve their differences.

There are very specific rules for resolving boundary line disputes:

1. Advances in technology make no difference because the property corners are where the original surveyor placed them according to his or her own state-of-the-art technology at that time, not at the absolutely accurate location according to today’s technology.

2. If there are mistakes in the description, the court follows a hierarchy of things to consider and things to ignore if there is a conflict among descriptions within a deed.

3. If someone innocently builds an improvement that encroaches on another’s land, most courts will figure out a way to either give the property to the encroacher or it will order the other person to sell a minimal amount of land to the encroacher.

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Congressman Gunigundo the chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment, is the author of House Bill 5602 which aims to repeal Title III, Chapter 1, Section 84 to 97 of Republic Act 8424, or the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

In an article on the House of Representative website (www.congress.gov.ph), Gunigundo said “it is high time to repeal the excise tax that unfairly punishes frugality, undermines economic growth, reduces real wages and raises little, if any revenue.”

“Consider the impact of estate tax on an entrepreneur who has struggled to build a small business into a larger enterprise, who may wonder why he should keep working so hard to grow his business if the government will take half of all the added wealth that he creates,” he said.

An estate tax is a tax on the right of the deceased person to transmit his property to his lawful heirs and beneficiaries. This, according to Gunigundo, can result in the heirs liquidating or selling family business just to be able to pay the said tax. Gunigundo said, such businesses or inheritance are often asset-rich but cash-poor.

Because of this, the effect of the estate tax damages the economy since in destroys ongoing, job-producing businesses just to be able to fund added government consumption. “The estate tax penalizes savers and investors who attain wealth, while rewarding dissipation through private and government consumption,” Gunigundo added.

With House Bill 5602, repealing the estate tax would be of great benefit to the average workers who would gain from a larger capital stock and entrepreneur’s greater job creation efforts. Let’s just hope this will be approve soon since it is still pending after it was filed last December of 2008.

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There are also house furnitures, heating equipments, construction materials including an artificial stones for house facade that looks very authentic, latest house windows with pvc frames, polycarbonate plastic sheets for roofings and many more. Here are some pictures.

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How often do we hear someone say: My dream is to own a home. I would be happy and contented owning a small house and lot. This is the simple Filipino dream. Concurrently, the measure of one’s success is determined by how many pieces of real estate he owns. Truly, for a Filipino, real estate ownership is the barometer of his achievement. It may also be the cause of his downfall, if he does not buy correctly. The typical Filipino mentality in home buying is that the first home he buys should be his dream home and that is where he is going to stay until the day he dies. If you are looking for the key to money-wise home ownership for the coming decade, keep this rule in mind: When you buy, make sure you buy with an eye to resell, sooner rather than later. This means that if you are a smart consumer, you’ll look at any house you’re buying with a view to its resale-ability at maximum gain, probably within the next five to seven years. Even if you don’t sell within the average time frame, you will find this buy-to-sell perspective will bring you sounder investments. Simply explained, the first home you buy does not necessarily have to be your dream home. You can use this first purchase as a stepping stone to eventually buying your ;castle” The important thing is for you to make that first step into property ownership. buy with the intention of selling later, and then buy again a much bigger one, until you reach your dream. Here are some basic rules to consider to make this principle work for you:

Rule 1: The most important general principle in house-hunting is – location, location, location. Your home’s location within the community will be the most important controller to your resale profit. Good schools, proximity to shopping and transportation, and accessibility to the central employment area are factors that make location favorable. A home purchase is the largest investment most families undertake. When you settle in the community of your choice, you gain a stake in its future, its plans and problems. You will develop a sense of responsibility and pride in home ownership and, with your neighbors, will have a strong influence on the growth of the community. If you choose a home in the heart if the metropolis, you’ll enjoy close proximity to shopping areas and convenient transportation. However, you may want to check on noise and pollution levels. Life in a quite subdivision, which is a little further away from the metropolis, offers a lot more room in peaceful surroundings, but this may require longer travel time into the city. Take time to weigh all the possibilities before you reach a decision to purchase a home in a particular location.

Rule 2: After you have determined the best location for you, the next important factor to check when buying a house in a development project, is to check out the reputation of the builder or developer. Don’t take other people’s words on builder excellence. Check for yourself. See as many houses he has built or projects he has developed. Look around for sloppy workmanship, such as rough edges, unfinished carpentry areas, poor plumbing facilities. If you are buying in a development, talk to other homeowners in that development and ask if they have any problems in their houses and community. Are their houses basically sound? Do they have ample watersupply? How is the security in the area?

Rule 3: Choose a house whose architectural style places it safely within the mainstream of your area and price range. Highly personalized and dramatic architectural structures may take more time to re-sell later on as you may have to find a buyer with the same personality and

Rule 4: If you are buying an older house, be certain that your house has, or will when you’ve finished renovating it, the value added features considered essential for your location and price bracket. Among these may be an additional bathroom, bedrooms, a carport for at least one car.

Rule 5: Avoid the big value losers. A swimming pool may be a status symbol for you but for a maintenance-conscious individual, this may become a liability for resale rather than an asset.

Rule 6: Another consideration you should take is how you are going to finance the purchase. For those who are going to pay the whole amount in cash, then there is usually no problem because they will buy or build up to the amount of money they have set aside for the purchase. On the other hand, for those who intend to finance their purchase, the most important thing to remember is – do not over-extend yourselves. In simpler words, do not borrow more than you can afford to pay in monthly amortization. The saddest thing to see is losing ones’ home to foreclosure.

The rule of thumb in financing is your monthly amortization payments should not exceed 30% of your family income per month. Of course, each lending institution will have their qualifying requirements, so I suggest that you visit your bank and get yourselves pre-qualified first before you start your home search. If you know your qualifying limit, then you will stick to viewing only the homes in your price range. The wise and prudent buyer will pick the best looking house in his price range, and then move up to a better one later using the equity build-up and appreciation from the re-sale of the old house.

Rule 7: I do not subscribe to the buying or investing in projects or developments being pre-sold. For me, buying real estate during the pre-selling stage is like investing in an idea. And an intangible, just like anything that cannot be appreciated using the five senses, may just evaporate into thin air. In a normal market, property appreciation is based on supply and demand. In a boom market, speculating in pre-selling may seem attractive because one thinks he is buying at a lower value. But more often than not, this is an artificial property value because it is based on appreciation dictated at whim by the developers. The real estate market will always seek it’s normal levels, and when this happens, investments made based on artificial value will crash. I do not want to see you in the middle of the debris. Don’t get me wrong. I am not telling you not to make aggressive investments in real estate. I believe that real estate is still one of the most dependable hedges against inflation in a normal market, and it does a whole lot more in a brisk market. Let me illustrate further. If the rate of inflation today is 7%, it is more than likely that the rate of appreciation of your real estate property will go up at least 7% annually. As we’ve witnessed over the past 3 ½ years, it is not usual to find a 10% to 20% increase in value of properties… but, that now is past. I do not want to sound like a doomsayer – I actually refuse to be one. All I want is to see a stable and normal real estate market here in the Philippines where our well-earned money will be put to best use, and enjoy the best and highest returns.

Rule 8: Determining if the price is right cannot really be formally documented by research unless you hire a licensed real estate broker or appraiser. But you can do some scouting around and find out what the going rate per square meter is in the area, and then determine if the property you are buying is at least within its fair market value range. A word of caution: It is always good to seek professional advice on this matter, you wouldn’t want to rely on guess-timates, would you?

Rule 9: An educated consumer will realize the value of working with a licensed real estate professional – a formally trained and qualified agent to help him through the process of finding the property, handling the legal paperwork and details, getting the best financing option possible, and eventually closing the transaction. I have been with the CENTURY 21 Real Estate Organization both here in the Philippines and in the United States for years, training sales associates to give the best possible service to all those consumers who come to us for assistance. Thus, I know there is value to the peace of mind generated from using the services of a real estate professional. Commissioning a knowledgeable agent will save you time, provide a greater selection of properties to choose from and will make the buying process less stressful. 

Rule 10: Although I have taught you prudence in the home search, please use your heart too. Remember that the home is where the heart is. No matter how well planned your purchase is, but if you’re not happy with your choice, all your preparations will have been in vain.

Written by Yvette C. Poe

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For Pag-ibig Financing:

A. Private/Government Employee
[ ] Latest 24 months HDMF Premium
[ ] Certificate of Net Take Home Pay
[ ] Certificate of MPL repayments (if applicable)
[ ] Payslip/Payroll Voucher (lates 1 month)
[ ] Lates ITR/W2

B. Overseas Contract Workers
[ ] Latest Job Contract (original or if photocopy must be certified from employer)
[ ] Health Statement/Medical Health Result (original or certified photocopy)
[ ] Special Power of Attorney (SPA) (Notarized from the Philippine Embassy/Consul)
[ ] Passport (photocopy)

C. Self-Employed
[ ] Latest 2 years original copy of ITR w/ audited Financial Statement
[ ] Business Permit (photocopy)

For In-House Financing

Based on buyers income (please see above requirements if applicable)
Note: To issue Post Dated Checks of the following:
- Post-Dated checks for PF/Equity amortization
- Post-Dated checks for In-house amortization

Other Documents:

[ ] Latest Residence Certificate (photocopy)
[ ] Birth Certificate (photocopy)
[ ] Marriage Contract if applicable (photocopy)
[ ] Death Certificate if applicable (photocopy)
[ ] Court Order (if legally separated)
[ ] Tax Identification Number – TIN Card (photocopy)
[ ] 2 pcs. 1×1 I.D. Picture with signature at the back (if applicable)
[ ] 2 pcs. Valid ID’s if applicable (photocopy)
[ ] Proof of Billing if applicable (photocopy)

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