Farm Life: Why This Airy Tiny House For P1 Million Is Worth It | Unique Homes | OG - YouTube

Welcome to Rancho Oco!

Hi! I am Alexis, 41 years old.

I’m Johanna (Honey), 37 years old.

We acquired the property around October 2020.

We saw it through a post.

We went there.

It was a sugarcane field.

The area was not clear.

We made a downpayment.

And then we paid it in full in January 2021.

The first thing that we constructed in the property was a water well pump for the water source.

Construction started in February 2021.

The house was completed by the first week of May 2021.

It was fully furnished, including a mini pool, around September.

My inspiration was my childhood memories.

Back then, at our provincial house, our grandfather had a “bahay kubo” (nipa hut) built.

We spent most of our time there—just playing.

Family bondings developed there.

Although we have a house made of concrete, the bahay kubo became more memorable.

So I thought of doing it now with my kids.

It is also for our kids to experience living in the province and a bahay kubo.

At first, things felt different at this place.

We woke up early, around 4:30 to 5:30 AM

as there are many alarm clocks

—cows mooing,

birds humming,

chickens are crowing.

We take advantage of these.

We witness the sunrise and do gardening after.

These are the first experiences we had in our place.

This is our dining room.

This is where we eat,

hang out, feel the air.

This is our kitchen—where we cook our food.

This is our mini pool for the kids.

They can swim with the mountain view, or stargaze while swimming.

This is where they usually enjoy swimming.

The unique feature of this house for me is the bathroom.

It presents the modern touch of the bahay kubo.

This is my favorite spot during my “me time.”

When I am just in the bathtub, the plants are around, and I can do stargazing

—it is very relaxing.

Another unique feature of this house is the mini pool in front.

This is made for the kids since they like swimming.

Even if we're inside the house, we can see them.

So we feel secure that our kids will be safe.

Our favorite spot in the farm is the recreational activity area.

We can do a lot of things here.

One of our favorite activities is the bonfire.

It feels special to have a bonfire at night.

This is our bedroom with a queen-size bed

You can see the view outside,

the sunrise, and more.

You'll feel relaxed.

Mahogany is the primary material used in the house.

It is customized from our local supplier.

We used mahogany from the floor to the walls.

It is a bit pricey but worth it in the long run.

We invested our money in the use of mahogany.

We did the labor, such as floor sanding and wall varnishing.

I hope that the amateur work isn’t evident.

It is our DIY project which we like.

Our second room is loft-type.

You’ll have to get used to going up, but this is sturdy and safe.

We did not have any professional help,

such as an architect for the plan and costing.

We estimated the cost to be ₱500,000.

But as the construction progressed, we added other things we wanted.

The total cost is around ₱1,000,000

—including the mini pool, water system, and all furnishings.

For the design, my idea is traditional bahay kubo.

Then we incorporated the modern fixtures so it became an “upgraded modern bahay kubo”.

Upstairs, we have a double-size bed.

You can see the view outside.

There is also a balcony.

You can feel the wind in this area, and the kids can also play.

It is also safe and sturdy.

“Rancho Oco” is derived from our surname ‘Oco.’

We looked for a word that rhymes with Oco.

Our eldest daughter repeated, “Rancho Oco,” and so we decided to use this to name our property.

Rancho Oco also has a sense of ownership.

The floor area of the house is around 5.5 meters by 6 meters,

including the deck and dining area.

For the lot area, we initially had 1000 square meters.

Then we acquired a second property resulting in 2000 square meters.

We decided to make our place available for rent through Airbnb.

Our friends saw this place, asked to visit, and offered to rent.

We also want to share the experience of living in our bahay kubo, so we decided to lease our property.

It is also a source of additional income for us.

We also have another bahay kubo for our personal use.

When guests are here, they will have their privacy.

So, we have our villa.

An advice that we can give to others is to think thoroughly.

It does not mean when we see people moving out from Manila, building a property, and living in the province

we will be impulsive.

We have to be prepared emotionally and financially.

We have to know where to jump.

We have to test the waters first to have no regrets.

When you decide to do it, do it wholeheartedly.

Trust the process.

Along the way, there will be doubts.

Since we are inexperienced in building a house from scratch, doubts will arise.

I’m thankful for the support of my husband as he reassured me that we were doing well.

If you want something, you have to work on it to achieve it.

It is also our teamwork that led to this beautiful resort.

If you have an interesting or inspiring story that you want to share,

e-mail us at [email protected]

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