What OFWs Should Know Before Buying a Condo

Most of my clients are OFWs. They've worked hard for the savings they're about to commit, they're often making the decision across an eight-hour time difference, and they're being shown beautiful renderings of buildings that don't exist yet.

There's nothing wrong with buying from abroad. It's how much of the Philippine condo market actually moves. But there are a few things I wish every OFW knew before they made the decision.

What you're actually buying

When you sign a pre-selling reservation, you're buying a contract to deliver a specific unit at a specific time at a specific price. You're not buying the unit yet. The developer matters more than the brochure — because the brochure can be reproduced by anyone, but only some developers actually deliver what they promised, on time, with the finishes they showed.

DMCI Homes' track record on delivery and quality is one of the reasons I work with their portfolio. Not because every building is perfect, but because the baseline is consistent.

How to vet from abroad

Ask for video walkthroughs from the actual unit floor — not from a model unit. Ask to see the floor plan with measurements. Ask what the assessment dues will be at turnover, not just today. Ask about the parking allocation. Ask about the corridor ventilation. Ask which side of the building your unit faces and what the view will be in five years when the next lot gets developed.

If your agent gets defensive on these questions, that tells you something. If they answer them clearly, that tells you something else.

What I do for clients abroad

I treat my OFW clients the way I'd want my own family treated. I visit the units. I record honest video — not marketing video. I tell them what's good, what's compromised, and what they should think twice about. I give them the months — not the days — to decide.

Buying from abroad shouldn't be a leap of faith. It should be a series of small, verified decisions. That's what makes it work.