Of course, much is to be done for the ambitious 30-storey tower envisioned by Jaraula near the Amphitheater. But with Emano’s blessing, the tower will hopefully start construction during Emano’s expected nine-year term.

Emano welcomes two members of his political family – neophyte Councilor Nadya, his daughter and his newly-wed groom, the veteran Councilor President Elipe. These two kind folks will inherit the Emano name in Cagayan de Oro. Of course, there is still the son – Rep. Yevgeny Vincente Emano – and the uncle – Tagoloan Mayor Paulino Emano – who are his minions in the original home province of the Emanos, neighboring Misamis Oriental. Of course, the Misamis Oriental ground has an addition, Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Heckert Emano.

The Emanos can also cover a lot of ground in Misamis Oriental. Admittedly, Hanjin has turned its back away completely. But what we have lost from Hanjin, we will definitely recover through the launching of the Laguindingan airport late this year which will blow up real estate value in this part of Misamis Oriental. Development will surely speed up here.

Limketkai Center on the other hand continues undergoing a facelift. There are many boutiques you now can enjoy at Limketkai Center. SM City Cagayan de Oro on the other hand will offer starting late this year a 3D cinema here. This will definitely be a boost to tourism as a lot of tourists from Iligan, Valencia, Zamboanga and even Tawi-tawi will come here to look at a glimpse on what 3D cinema is really all about.

The new City Hall enclosure looks like a college building and it is exactly meant to be that by the contractor, UKC Builders. After all, Emano has planned that enclosure to be converted into a city college while the City Hall bureaucracy transfers to the city landfill in Carmen.

And many more infrastructure projects are in the offing. There is already talk of a bridge that would connect Macasandig to Balulang. That would be great to ease traffic all the more. And then the development of Agora market and terminal for eastbound public transport is in full swing. This is being undertaken by Mega Farms, the same company which oversees the Ororama chain of stores.

Speaking of Ororama, the private sector in the city is equally bustling. Ororama alone is expected to repair Megacenter, which was damaged by fire earlier. The concepts being presented at their Ororama are kinda innovative such as organizing a fashion show to attract their ongoing lingerie promo. Jeez, that is really cool.

Of course, the whole Oro Chamber is behind the new Emano administration. Expect another nine years in the city to cherish in full bloom. Subdivisions that have sprouted up such as Alegria Hills are admittedly hard to sell because of the narrow roads leading to it but there are other subdivisions which are in the offing such as Fil Estate for instance.

The food here in the city has never been so diverse with the introduction of various restaurants. There’s Bourbon for that Cajun cuisine, there’s La Vetta for Italian palates, there’s Rio for Brazilian food. Ah there are lots more.

According to Benaldo, it is ripe for the sprawling old Lumbia airport to be converted into an economic zone once the whole airport facilities be transferred to nearby Laguindingan in western Misamis Oriental. In fact, the area around the airport itself has already been booked by Rockwell as a state-of-the-art shopping center. The shopping mall is expected to rise in the next ten years or so. Development of the Gokongwei-owned Robinson’s Land Subdivision across the old Lumbia airport is in full swing as we speak.

On the city’s eastern hemisphere, construction is starting at the first skyscraper in Mindanao, the 21-storey Limketkai Hotel. Right near the hotel will rise a branch of Starbucks, the first of its kind in Cagayan de Oro City. Never has CDO look good with Benaldo’s winning as congressman.

First, the very first bill that Benaldo will file into law once assuming his post as congressman come July 1 will be to convert the old Lumbia airport into an economic zone. It was learned that the airport will be rendered irrelevant by 2012 when the more state-of-the-art and safer Laguindingan international airport starts operating. Laguindingan international airport is easily navigable by pilots through even using the naked eye because and despite a thick overcast because the airport runway is the only prominent paved structure which stands out in itself and is clearly visible miles away. It is also close to the seaboard that pilots do not have to worry accidentally colliding their planes in the mountainsides.

The values of properties around Laguindingan international airport continues to rise and even multinational developers are quite interested to put up various businesses in the area – from hotels to shopping malls to residential estates. Factories are also expected to sprout the area as well as world-class resorts.

There are lots of cozy homes available especially in middle-class subdivisions. The quality of these homes are roughly equal to those homes found in United States suburbs such as in the New Jersey and Virginia areas but the difference is in the price. Because of the very low cost of living here, the price of a middle-class abode in the Philippines and especially here in Cagayan de Oro is equal to the price of a socialized housing for welfare persons in the US. But the quality is definitely high. Real estate companies in the Philippines particularly in Cagayan de Oro are one of the most reliable in the world in terms of quality. They really walk what they talk.

Cagayan de Oro is being groomed as a retirement home for Westerners. The city is the most peaceful place in Mindanao. It is shaped like a basin so it is immune from typhoons. It is not located to a faultline. It has a very active expat community. You will not be alone nor lost in translation here in short. So what are you waiting for? Visit Cagayan de Oro today and feel the difference for yourself.

The next thing to consider in living in uptown Cagayan de Oro is the view. The view from any subdivision in uptown Cagayan de Oro is really awesome and you can see the Macajalar Bay on the horizon. You can also experience the sun slowly rising or slowly setting depending on which vantage point your subdivision is located, be on the eastern or the western side.

And then of course, consider too the serenity of the place. With lush greenery all around you, you will never be deprived of clean oxygen all year round. You will never worry about pollution. That’s the beauty of the subdivisions in uptown Cagayan de Oro whether you are planning to stay in Pueblo de oro, Alegria or Teakwood.

This development really poses a serious threat to the Gaisanos, with Gaisano City Mall located only a stone’s throw away. As everybody knows, the Gaisanos along with local Chinese entrepreneurs here, have strongly opposed to SM putting up a mall in the said property because of this obvious threat.

But the Ayala Group wasn’t to be intimidated and pushed for its plan to put up the mall. They enlisted Creba (who enjoys support from realty bigwig Sen. Manuel Villar) to lobby for an Ayala mall entry here exactly in front of Gaisano City Mall.

The mall is expected to cost P4.5 billion which means it will cost more than the currently-constructed AyalaDavao’s P3 billion worth of mall. See, the Ayalas were really challenged with the situation in Cagayan de Oro City because they felt that the local Chinese businessmen here such as the Gaisanos have monopolized this kind of business for a long time and even succeeded in stopping SM from putting up their own business in downtown Cagayan de Oro.

It was revealed that the Phase 5 development at Xavier Estates located along Masterson highway in going to the airport in uptown Cagayan de Oro yielded Huluga archaeological artifacts. And because of the new discovery, the CEO of A. Brown Company, Walter Brown himself, ordered that all earthworks at the site be stopped so that all artifacts could be unearthed and claimed by the National Museum.

And because logistics and funding for the diggings are not yet in place, the actual digging will be held at the later part of this year. Because of this development, Walter Brown has to recalendar the Xavier Estates Phase 5 development to next year. This is indeed one company worth emulating.

Creba holding its national convention in Cagayan de Oro every now and then has indeed its advantages aside from the expenses the delegates incur during their stay in hotels and loitering. Mayor Constantino Jaraula revealed that when the national convention was held here in 1994, one of the developers bought the Roa party in the western side of Masterson road. This is now what is known as Pueblo de Oro Township.

There’s nothing in life like the thrill of the first!Like our time at The Courtyards.

A unique development designed to always give you the thrill of the first. A horizontal condominium concept offering world class amenities inspired from the best residential condo communities in the world, but with a space to move, space to work and play, space to bond and grow, with enough surprises and places for the first time.

Unit Options:

1. Inner Unit Bare
Usable Lot:80.5 square meter
Floor Area: 104 square meter
Total Selling Price : P 2,397,260
Miscellaneous Fee : P 122,778
Total Contract Price : P 2,520,038
Reservation : P 25,000
Bank Financing
20% Down(10mos): 81,696
80% Balance(20yrs): 23, 593

2. End Unit Bare
Usable Lot:103.5 square meter
Floor Area: 106 square meter
Total Selling Price : P 2,802,583
Miscellaneous Fee : P 143,044
Total Contract Price : P 2,981,938
Reservation : P 25,000
Bank Financing
20% Down(10mos): 114,091
80% Balance(20yrs): 30,635

*Spotcash Discount of 5%
*Deferred 0% Interest at 10 months(subject Change)
*20% Down,80% Bank Financing
*PAG-IBIG: 10% Down, 90% Loan Financing

Note: Prices are subject to change without prior notice.

The answer is it didn’t. First-time home buyers start the search long before most even realize it.

Here’s what you can expect from your home shopping experience.

Benefits for a First-Time Home Buyer

You should buy a home. That’s what you’ve been hearing from friends and family, right? So, by now you have likely already weighed the benefits and decided that home ownership was the best decision for you. That’s a major hurdle now passed. You are focused and certain. Good.

Defining Search Parameters for a First-Time Home Buyer
Almost 80% of all home searches today begin on the Internet. With just a few clicks of the mouse, home buyers can search through hundreds of online listings, view virtual tours, and sort through dozens of photographs and aerial shots of neighborhoods and homes. You’ve probably defined your goals and have a pretty good idea of the type of home and neighborhood you want. By the time you reach your real estate agent’s office, you are halfway to home ownership.
How Long Should It Take to Buy Your First Home?
In seller’s markets, often I show only one home. After all, how many homes does one family need? A few buyers will look for years, but buyers who do that aren’t motivated. A motivated buyer will find a home within two weeks. Most of my buyers find a home within two days.

Good real estate agents will listen to your wants and needs and arrange to show only those homes that fit your particular parameters. Your agent should preview homes before showing them to you as well.
How Many Homes Will a Home Buyer See?
Studies show that your memory dramatically improves after consumption of carbs and slows upon consuming sugar. So, lay off the soft drinks and have a hearty meal of carbs before venturing out to tour homes. The average number of homes that I show to a buyer in one day is seven. Any more than that, and the brain is on overload. Therefore, don’t expect to see 20 or 30 homes; although it’s physically possible to do so, you probably will not remember specific details about any of them.
The “Red Shoes” Experience for a Home Buyer
Women will relate to this. Say, you need a new pair of red shoes. You go to the mall. At the first shoe store, you find a fabulous pair of red shoes. You try them on. They fit perfectly. They are glamorous. Priced right, too. Do you buy them? Of course not! You go to every other store in the mall trying on red shoes until you are ready to drop from exhaustion. Then you return to the first store and buy those red shoes. Do not shop for a home this way. When you find the perfect home, buy it.
How a First-Time Home Buyer Can Rate Inventory

* Bring a digital camera and begin each series of photos with a close-up of the house number to identify where each group of home photos start and end.
* Take copious notes of unusual features, colors and design elements.
* Pay attention to the home’s surroundings. What is next door? Do 2-story homes tower over your single story?
* Do you like the location? Is it near a park or a power plant?
* Immediately after leaving, rate each home on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest.

View Top Choices a Second Time Before Buying That First Home
After touring homes for a few days, you will probably instinctively know which one or two homes you would like to buy. Ask to see them again. You will see them with different eyes and notice elements that were overlooked the first go-around.

At this point, your agent should call the listing agents to find out more about the sellers’ motivation and to double-check that an offer hasn’t come in, making sure these homes are still available to purchase.
Making the Selection To Buy a Home
I’ll let you in on a little secret. I generally know which home a buyer is going to choose, and I suspect most other agents operate the same way. It’s an intuition. But I make it a practice not to steer buyers, and I insist that buyers choose the home without interference from me. It’s not my choice to make.

License Real estate agents are required, however, to point out defects and should help buyers feel confident that the home selected meets the buyer’s search parameters.