Although the Philippine condo market has been on an upswing since the late 2000s, with so much supply and flexible financing options available to those who want to live the “high” life, it is a given fact that houses still are the most searched property types by Filipinos. In fact, some of the most searched cities in property website Lamudi include Quezon City, Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Muntinlupa, where majority of properties for sale are houses.
Indeed, the old adage “safe as houses” rings true for many Filipinos, for a house not only provides a home buyer the privacy and flexibility his or her family needs, they will be the proud owners of the land on which their house stands. From a business standpoint, this makes so much sense, as land is finite and appreciates in value over time.
But despite Filipinos’ collective preference for houses, it seems that our taste when it comes to style varies greatly. Looking at the Lamudi website one can see that homes for sale in the Philippines come in wide range of designs, so if you are looking for something, whether for end-use or as an investment, you will be pleased to know that there is a design that will suit your taste. These are the most popular ones that can be found in the Philippines.
Bungalow
This house design, which originated in India and comes from the Bengali that roughly translates to “house in the Bengal style,” is perhaps the one that many Filipinos are most familiar with. This particular architectural style has a second floor built into a sloping roof, and is quite common in gated communities or subdivisions in the Philippines. In fact, many old houses in Makati’s exclusive villages, such as Forbes Park and Dasmariñas Village, were built in this style (commonly referred to as sprawling bungalows because of their size), although smaller ones can also be found in mid-end subdivisions, which usually have wide verandas and covered carports.
Townhouse Style or Apartments
More commonly known in the West as terraced houses or row houses, townhouse style is one the most common house designs in the Philippines, especially urban areas where they are commonly referred to (quite inaccurately) as “apartments” or “door apartments.” In fact, apartments are the most searched house type in the Philippines, owing to their affordability and flexibility (indeed, a home builder can squeeze several units within a small land area). This house style is also a popular as rental properties, as starting families opt to purchase or rent townhouse units before moving into larger properties later on.
Mid-century Modern
A blog article published in Zillow describes mid-century modern as not an actual style, but a collection of designs built from roughly 1940 to 1975. According to Zillow, homes that qualify as mid-century modern were “inspired by high-style prairie architecture, which emphasized how people lived while melding buildings with their environment.” Christine Henry of the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation said that what resonates in this design concept is its simplicity and clean look, though it should not be confused with Minimalist. This type of house design, along with the Mediterranean-style homes, has shown an increase in popularity in newly built posh subdivisions and upscale communities, especially those outside Metro Manila.
Minimalist
Inspired by the Japanese Zen philosophy, this design concept may bear some similarities with the mid-century modern, but its distinctive feature is the use of natural and pared-down design elements highlighted by simple silhouettes and lines. This style highlights a clean and organized look, and usually sticks to one color: white, off white, beige, gray, or wheat.
Minimalist houses have gained popularity over the years in the Philippines, as seen in the latest developments in real estate here, perhaps because it fuses perfectly with our traditional architecture with its color palette of earthy tones. In addition to this, this type of design also aims to utilize space so it addresses our problems of clutter and the limits of smaller-than-average spaces especially in Metro Manila.
Mediterranean
Heavily influenced by the region from which the home design was named after, Mediterranean-style home designs have gained popularity over the years in upmarket resorts and beach-side properties; and while this is so, it has been getting quite popular with home builders and architects, too, because of the refreshing vibe this house design exudes especially if it is built in the middle of a busy city. Mediterranean-style houses are commonly seen in upscale neighborhoods and are characterized by wrought-iron balconies, terracotta exteriors, heavy wooden doors, tegola stone roofs, and colorful tiles as accents.
House design in the Philippines reflects the country s history and culture . It also reflects the financial evolution that the Filipinos experienced. Below are some of the most common house designs in the country and how they reflect the living situation here in the Philippines.
Price range po for Mediterranean-style home designs