Retiree finds a ‘home’ in a condo community
One of the misconceptions about condominium living is the perceived lack of social interaction because of some unit owners’ tendency to just live in their own bubble.
Young retiree Richard Dumlao is thankful he never had this feeling living in DMCI Homes’ Tivoli Garden Residences which he has embraced as his home for the past four years.
“The community here is really something like what you call a fellowship. They’re all friendly. It’s easy to make friends here,” he shared.
Apart from the 2.7-hectare property’s ideal location in Coronado Street, Barangay Hulo, Mandaluyong City, it was the community-style of living in DMCI Homes projects which convinced him to buy a studio unit from the country’s first Quadruple A developer.
“I don’t want the mall concept. I don’t want the high-end concept. I prefer more of this one – community living, landscapes, and the amenities not only here but also outside the property. We have everything here in Tivoli Garden Residences,” he said.
“I also like that there’s a professional group handling all the needs of residents. I don’t like the ‘homeowners organization concept’ of managing the property. It’s good that we have a professional group in the Property Management Office to ensure that the project will not deteriorate,” Dumlao added.
After leaving the corporate world eight years ago, the retired customer service trainer in a telecommunications firm has been busy “enjoying life leisurely with friends” while staying at the modern tropical five-tower community near the boundary of the cities of Mandaluyong and Makati.
“One thing that attracted me here actually is the location because it is strategically located. It’s accessible to churches, schools, hospitals and especially malls because I love shopping,” he said.
“And of course, I also like the resort-inspired amenities which DMCI Homes is known for. The swimming pools, the deck, among others. And most of all what I like is the property’s one-stop shop concept because we have the amenities not only for show but also for the conveniences,” he explained.
An accountant by profession, Dumlao has been spending his post corporate life reconnecting with old friends as well as making new ones at Tivoli Garden Residences.
“I’m an early retiree. I retired eight years ago. Retirement has been more of getting reconnected with friends I’ve built through the years,” he disclosed.
“I have also made many friends from my fellow residents here. We have masses here so I have a group for that. We also have a group for sports activities like, for example, we have a yoga group. Now I’m into tai-chi,” he added.
Tivoli Garden Residences is the first property to feature DMCI Homes’ pioneering Lumiventt technology which is an architectural innovation that involves the strategic placement of open-air landscaped Sky Patios to maximize natural light and allow better air circulation.
With its lush Asian tropical gardens and patios set amidst the sky, it is a perfect venue for mind and body exercises such as tai-chi and yoga.
“We do our tai-chi in the deck where the air is really good at night. Before tai-chi, we used to do yoga. We do tai-chi every Thursday. All my classmates are professionals,” he shared.
With the property’s ideal location, resort-inspired amenities, and welcoming community, Dumlao is convinced he made the right decision in investing his retirement money in this project.
“I call it a home because there is a community. There is interaction. I can interact with anybody. The community is family to me,” he said. “I’ve been a resident for four and a half years, going five. I’ve been here since 2013 and still enjoying my stay up to this day.”