Bigger Dreams

One of the very first things that Tatay and I did as soon as we got engaged back in 2010 was to plan for our future home. We were both so idealistic that we wanted to have one even before we get married. But because we were only on our fifth year in the corporate world at that time, and we did not heed to calls of higher salaries overseas, our younger idealistic selves did not get it done as initially planned. While planning for a wedding, we went to different locations, mostly in the southern parts of Manila, in search of a house. With fatigue kicking in, we decided to focus first on the wedding, and my parents generously welcomed us to their home when we got married in 2011. 

The house-hunting continued right after our wedding. We didn’t realize that there are a lot of factors to consider in buying a house. Boyet and I both work in Manila, and although houses in the South are relatively more affordable, we had to think of our daily commute. It didn’t help that I always get nauseated in long trips. Luck was on our side when we stumbled upon a pre-selling townhouse in Manila back in 2012. Although the price of our unit is the same as a bigger single detached house with a small garden in Laguna, we settled with it because we were still building a career in Manila. We had to settle the down payment for three years which honestly is already a good deal. By 2015, while I was pregnant with Zayne, we finally moved in to our house.

There are times when we go to Laguna or Cavite, and we wonder what life would have been for us had we opted to settle there. And then the pandemic in 2020 happened, and it somehow gave us validation that we made the right choice. Because our house is just a five-minute walk from my parents’ house, we have been getting all the support we needed. Our parents could still go to the house to see us even during the strictest lockdowns. When the three of us went to quarantine because we got COVID-19, my parents helped us by giving us food and buying us supplies. There are still days when we daydream of how nice it would have been to work from home surrounded by trees and fresh air in the province, but nothing beats being closer to our families, especially after the pandemic reaffirmed what we already know - that life is short.

But then again, the pandemic also opened our eyes to dream of bigger dreams. My husband and I have always wanted to have a second home. We want a farm house where my plantita skills can be of use. Hihi! Being forced to stay in our little bubble because of the pandemic made us appreciate slow living. It might still be because of being stuck at home for more than two years or maybe because we are nearing our 40s which make us frown at the idea of going back to the hustle and bustle of our old lives. We are still three years away from finishing our mortgage, and that is the biggest reason why we are hesitating a bit in making the big jump. Although the pandemic made us save more, Zayne will be starting grade school this year, and that would be an added expense to us on top of our monthly amortization. Plus, not going on travels for two years made us miss going to new places. And with the restrictions being lifted, traveling will probably be another of our priorities. But that doesn’t mean that we’re scrapping our dream of owning a second home! As a matter of fact, I can always see Tatay looking at farm lots and even sketching plans for a house. Little by little, we are reassessing our finances by diversifying our investments and looking for side hustles to increase our income. We’re also looking at how “heavy” it will be to pay for a second home. We’ve tried to estimate monthly payments and affordability in case there will be an overlap with our existing mortgage. And lastly, we have been spending a lot of time reading and learning about the ins and outs of owning a farm. I understand that it’s way different from taking care of a garden, so we really need all the help we can get.

Our Future Farm
by Zayne :)

I know that we still have a very long way to go before we realize this dream, but we will definitely work harder to make it come true!

2 comments :

  1. I can sense it, one day you'll look back on this post while living in your second home. :) I remember, if hindi dito, baka sa IG, you posted a deposit slip yata of your last major payment for your house in Manila. One day, it will happen, kapit lang

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    1. Yesss! That was 2014. Wala pa si Zayne, last down payment for our house. Then we went into a 10-year mortgage the year after. Gapang pa to 2025! Hehe. :)

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