I Think I’ve Always Been a Land Person

I’ve always loved real estate, particularly land.

This isn't something that started when I began buying foreclosed properties.

I was already interested in land long before I got married, long before I became a mom, and 😂 long before I understood how much paperwork could come with owning one.

I don't know exactly where the fascination came from.

I just like land.

The Funny Thing Is, I Never Had a Lot of Money to Buy It

Real estate can be expensive.

And I certainly didn't have hundreds of thousands-or millions-sitting around waiting to be invested.

Even now, large upfront payments are something I have to think carefully about.

That's why installment arrangements have always appealed to me.

One of the residential lots I bought ages ago started with only a ₱10,000 down payment.

The rest?

Around ₱1,500 a month for five years.

That I could manage.

So I paid.

Month after month.

Nothing exciting.

Just another ₱1,500 that needed to be set aside.

Today, similar lots in the area are valued at around ₱800,000 per lot.

Of course, that took years.

I didn't put in ₱10,000 and magically wake up with an ₱800,000 property. If only real estate worked like that. 😂 But looking back, it reminds me that I didn't necessarily need a huge amount of money to begin.

I needed a way to get in that I could actually afford.

Maybe That’s Why Buying Property Feels Different to Me

There's nothing wrong with inheriting property.

If your parents or grandparents leave you land, that's a blessing.

Hopefully, complete with clean documents. 😂 But there's a different feeling when you buy something using money you've earned yourself.

You remember working for it.

You remember saving the down payment.

You remember the monthly payments.

You remember the times that money could have gone somewhere else, but you paid the property instead.

That's what I feel when I look at some of the properties I've acquired over the years.

It's not only:

How much is this worth now?

There's also:

I worked for this.

For an ordinary working mom, I think that matters.

So much of our salary disappears into things we need right now.

Food.

School.

Utilities.

Transportation.

Family expenses.

Emergencies.

Then the next payday comes and we do it all over again.

So there's something satisfying when some of those years of working eventually turn into an asset that's still there.

And Yes, I’ve Been Scammed Too

I wish I could say all my property experiences turned out well.

Nope. 😂 I've been scammed before.

I've encountered questionable transactions.

I've learned that documents need to be checked and that sometimes what you're being told and what the paperwork actually says can be two different things.

It didn't make me stop buying property.

It made me more careful.

Now I ask more questions.

I check.

And when something is beyond what I understand, I ask someone who knows better.

My current foreclosed-property situation is a perfect example. I've already spoken with PAG-IBIG's legal team and a private lawyer because there are things I simply don't know.

I'm learning as I go.

My Own Situation Isn’t Completely Straightforward Either

I also have my own legal circumstances to consider when acquiring property.

I'm aware of them.

Ideally, I could wait until everything is completely settled before buying anything.

Realistically?

That could take ages.

And I don't want to put everything I want to build on hold while waiting for every part of life to become perfectly arranged.

So I try to understand what I'm legally allowed to do, work within those limits, and seek professional advice when necessary.

It isn't always simple.

But it hasn't stopped me from pursuing property.

Why Do I Keep Choosing Land?

Partly because it's tangible.

I can see it.

I can stand on it.

I can potentially build something on it.

Land doesn't perish.

And unlike jewellery, nobody can put my 400-square-metre lot inside their handbag and disappear with it. 😂 But that doesn't mean land is automatically a great investment.

There are plenty of downsides.

Taxes.

Paperwork.

Questions about ownership.

Repairs if there's a structure.

Tenants if you rent it out.

And if it's financed, monthly payments that don't care whether you're having a good month or a bad one.

There's another disadvantage that I've become more conscious of lately.

Owning an ₱800,000 Lot Doesn’t Mean I Have ₱800,000

There's a financial word for this: liquidity.

But in ordinary language, it simply means:

How easily can I turn what I own into cash?

Suppose my land is worth ₱800,000.

Then suddenly I need ₱200,000.

I can't withdraw ₱200,000 from one corner of the lot. 😂 I need to find a buyer.

That could take weeks.

Months.

Maybe longer.

That's very different from money sitting in the bank. It's also one reason I've recently started thinking about stocks again, because those can generally be sold much faster than a property.

So yes, I can own valuable properties and still not have much cash available.

That's something I'm trying to become more mindful of.

I still love real estate.

I just don't want to pretend it has no disadvantages.

And I Still Have One Big Land Dream

Despite everything I've learned-and despite the occasional property headache-I still dream about owning more land.

Not necessarily another house in the city.

What I really want someday is a farm.

Maybe around one hectare.

Somewhere with a cooler climate.

Nothing overly fancy.

A tiny house would be enough.

Lots of trees.

Open space.

And enough room for my four Aspins to run around freely without me worrying about where they've disappeared to. 😂 And if the land is big enough, I'd love to dedicate part of it to rescued dogs.

I don't know when that will happen.

I certainly don't have the money sitting around today to buy a one-hectare farm in cash.

But then again, many of the properties I own today didn't begin with me having all the money either.

Some started with a down payment.

Some with monthly installments.

Some with loans.

And one started with just ₱10,000 down and ₱1,500 a month.

So I'm keeping the farm dream.

I'm not putting a deadline on it.

For now, I'll keep working, building and watching for opportunities.

Because apparently, after all these years, I'm still very much a land person.

And somewhere in the future, I'm hoping there's one hectare waiting for me-and four very happy Aspins. 😂