Developer Problems

Once upon a time, a condo unit was newly turned over to a buyer. The following day, the buyer moved in.

He turned on the lights but realized they weren't working. He tried the electrical sockets and found they, too, weren't working.

He raised the issue to the building admin. The admin told him the electricity was cut off because the developer had unpaid utility bills with Meralco. To reconnect the electricity, the admin advised to advance the payment first and ask for reimbursement from the developer.

End of story.

JPRE: No developer is immune from problems. The way developers address these problems is what sets them apart.

For instance, some developers will repair the construction defect at their expense despite the unit being turned over a decade earlier; while others will claim the expiry of the warranty period for taking no action. Some developers would even go the extra mile and house the owner in a different unit while doing such repairs.

Make sure to ask friends–not brokers–who already own properties from a particular developer and ask about their experience.