Work-life balance goals spur property dev’t outside Manila

The last few years has seen an increasing demand for residential and commercial spaces outside of Metro Manila. Practical property acquisition from would-be homeowners and thriving communities outside of business districts are the key factors causing this shift in preference among consumers.

A study conducted by Property24, the real estate portal of the OLX Group, found that five cities are getting increased attention from property-hunting demographics: Angeles, Antipolo, Tagaytay, Sta. Rosa, and Cavite.

The study is based on the search results of Property24 users during the first quarter of 2018. Among the five, Angeles City has shown to have the highest search for properties in the house and lot category at 79 percent and five percent in the apartment category.

Meanwhile, Antipolo City got 78 percent of searches for house and lots and because of its agricultural land, search for farm-like properties here is also high at three percent. Searches for house and lots are also high in Tagaytay City (37 percent) and Sta. Rosa in Laguna (67 percent).

In the province of Cavite, major cit- ies that sit just outside the borders of Manila are also enjoying consideration. Among these are Dasmarinas City, Gen. Trias and Imus are being eyed by property hunters looking for houses and lots.

Residential and commercial spaces within Metro Manila are becoming crowded and prices of what remains are going up—prompting more people to find other options outside of the city.

“Employees and entrepreneurs, especially those with families, want to have a healthy work-life balance. They don’t mind living a bit further away from work if it means being in a community that’s conducive to raising a family and being able to disconnect from their work grind like during weekends,” said Tina Bautista, Property24’s head of real estate.

She reiterates that it does not mean Metro Manila is no longer the prime spot for residential property searches.

For instance, condominiums take up over 90 percent of all searches for properties in Pasay City, Taguig City and Mandaluyong City, all of which are experiencing a boom in residential and commercial development.

“There are now a variety of property acquisition from the various needs of FIlipinos. Property24 sees this as an opportunity not just for real estate developers to expand their offers but also helps homeowners and businessmen to identify communities they wish to live in,” Bautista added.