IMPORTANT UPDATE: We were made aware of several longstanding legal issues with Lancaster’s developer, Profriends, after I wrote this post. Cases mostly revolve around unfinished units post-take out date, poorly constructed houses, leaks and grounds on all units, and overall, Profriends not following terms stipulated in the contract and refusing to do appropriate interventions and even refunds on many of these houses despite the issues. To date, my mother has already demanded a refund for her unit due to similar issues – a long and painful process – and I will never recommend doing business with Lancaster and its developing company. At all.
For the first time in her 50-ish existence on Earth, my mother will finally be having her own nest, and she was not gonna waste the Sunday not showing us around. So after a not-so-hearty breakfast at Cafe Arquiza, we sat back as she drove all the way to Lancaster Estates in Cavite.
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| Museum-esque model unit. One of the smaller ones. P1M-ish. |
The trip was surprisingly short; a thirty-minute drive from Ermita via the usually trafficked Coastal Road and we were already at the gates. On the way back via Cavitex, we hit Macapagal Avenue in four minutes flat.
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| That building on the right is the town square mall. Across, on the left is St. Edward Integrated School. |
The entire Lancaster terrain is impressive to say the least. After driving through rice paddies and desolate roads, one would be greeted with a modern church (that kind of resembled St. Andrew’s Parish in Bel-Air) and from across the street, a massive high-ceiling clubhouse – just one of four – where real estate agents and potential clients gather. Each phase has gates on either side of the road, with a guard each to secure the perimeter.
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As my daughter eyed the playpen on one end of the function hall, I was fixated on the cakes that a small coffee kiosk offered on another – a pretty strategic location for Sunday masses. |
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| Two photos above: Smallest unit. Two bedrooms, single toilet. P850,000, if I’m guessing correctly. Would make a nice starter home. Or singleton pad. |
Oh, and did I mention the estate spans three towns in Cavite: Kawit, Trece Martires and Imus? Talk about expansive.
Trippers trickled in every minute; it was nearly impossible to view a unit all by yourself. Marketing must be really good (Mum says this area was probably one of the few ones in Cavite that was not ravaged by Ondoy).
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| Pool adjacent to the clubhouse. Much bigger and prettier in person. |
Much has already been constructed, including a La Salle-run integrated school, a boutique-filled piazza ala-Nuvali, and a terminal by the entrance which will house buses that ply the Cavitex-Lawton direct route. Despite the number of existing and proposed houses, I doubt that traffic would ever be a problem in the subdivision; roads are wide enough to accommodate maybe three, four vehicle lanes.
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| Gabrielle and Alexandra units |
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| Classy chandeliers and ceilings! Woot! |
My jaw dropped every time I stepped inside a dressed model unit. Each of them, from the English-inspired Gabrielle to the 40 square-meter Alice, was tastefully designed. The coffered ceilings; the elegant chandeliers; granite counter tops woven seamlessly into minimalist cabinets and fridge; the porcelain bidet; the Art Deco custom decors; the work on the exteriors.
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| Bigger units have tubs! Inggit! |
(And ya know, this is the first time I encountered all model units to have centralized air conditioning turned on all day for trippers). This is obviously a company that means serious business – one who knows how to capture client desires spot-on. I would’ve said yes instantly if I had P2M.
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| Not sure what unit this is. I think it’s Sophie or Catherine. Sorry. Mind-whirring trip. |
But what’s most interesting to me were the linear parks. Homes were designed like row houses, each column facing a manicured linear lot with benches and open grass spaces where neighbors can commiserate or kids play. It was huuuge and refreshing.
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| Linear park. These two areas are actually contiguous. My camera’s not wide-angled enough to capture the entire area. |
That’s situated at the back of every house, and at the front are separate yards. If I opened my sliding backdoor to that kind of green each morning, I’d be a happier woman.
Never too late to start a new life, they say. I’m glad mi mudra is (re)starting hers here.
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| Aah. Can anything be more overwhelming and exciting than an open space waiting to be brimmed with hope and zany ideas? |
Disclaimer: I am not in any way connected to Lancaster Estates, nor have I been commissioned to create this write up. This is a personal account of a leisurely trip to my mother’s would-be home in the next few months.
Hurrah for open grass spaces! And OMG, ganda nung bath tub!
Haha! Yes! Sobrang inviting nung bath tub. At ng open grass spaces. Sarap higaan!
Dear Butchie, has your Mom got a unit there? Please do your research, this developer delivers poor quality houses. All their buyers are receiving houses with leaks and cracks. I am a buyer of a Profriends house and we backed out last Sept 5 this year because of leaks and cracks. I can forward to you the links to the forums where actual buyers share their experiences. I hope your mom did not push thru buying any. maganda talaga and model house but the actual house delivered is really horrible. Sana di kayo mabiktima.
Waah! unfortunately nakapagdown na sila, I think. Huhu. I read about the complaints online nga. I will put an additional note on the blog. Tsk tsk.