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Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Foreigners, OFWs prop up real estate sector
By Barbara Carla R. Quiero
Cub Reporter
Real estate in Davao City is at a its best performance this year compared to previous years, this according to brokers. Brokers credit the city's flourishing of the real estate industry to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and foreigners who marry Filipinas, particulary Dabawenyas.
They say most of their sales come from other countries such as Japan, United States, London and other European countries. In Villa de Mercedes, a high-end project, Andrew P. Bautista, sales and marketing director of the company said 60-65 percent of their market are foreigners married to Dabawenyas, 25 percent are OFWs and the rest are rich businessmen.
Brenda Dadula, who has been a real estate broker for 15 years said because of her retired OFW clients and Dabwenyas who are married to foreigners, she is able to sell as much as P3 million worth of house or/and lots a month.
"Before, P3 million a month is difficult to achieve. This year, it's easier," said Dadula in an interview, who is a real estate broker of the Villa de Mercedes of Uraya Land Development Incorporated. According to her, an agency or group of private real brokers headed by an agency manager, unit manager and property consultant has an average closed deal of house and/or lot worth P20 million a month. Villa de Mercedes has 20 agencies, Bautista said.
Bautista said when Villa de Mercedes started operating last year, they started selling lots at P3,630 per square meter but, this year they have increased it by selling it at a minimum of P4,950 and maximum of P5,250 per square meter or a 36 percent increase.
"Try to imagine the difference. We increase it by 36 percent for only one year and there are still takers," he said.
Despite the said increase, Bautista said they have more clients this year compared to last year. "We started last year, compared to last year and this year, we definitely have more clients. We have more than a thousand clients a day," said Bautista in a separate interview.
To this, Bautista said they had to hire additional brokers to empower their sales force. This year, Bautista said the number of their brokers increased by 50 percent. As of the moment, Bautista said they have more than 1,000 brokers with barely two years of operation. Of the 1,000 brokers, 360 of which are active, he said.
 Woodridge Clubhouse |
Bautista said since the number of clients have tripled this year as compared to last year thus, their income this year also tripled as compared to last year. Bautista adds that electronic commerce or e-commerce also helps their company a lot. E-commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services on the internet. He said through the internet, their brokers and clients get into the web page system since brokers have their own webpage.
"Definitely, most of our sales came from abroad, that is our market, Europe, US, Japan. Those foreigners are married to Filipina, because definitely foreigners cannot invest here on their own," he said. However, no matter how plenty the takers or clients are, the real estate industry is also hounded with problems. Subdivision and Housing Developers Association, Inc. (SHDA) Southern Mindanao Chapter president Salvador T. Valbuena said Mindanao still has that image abroad as a war-torn island of the country.
"The problem is how to counter that image of Davao as a still not peaceful city," Valbuena said. Valbuena said foreigners get their feedback in the country from news updates. "You cannot blame naman this people because when there is a dateline news, some of my customers in the web, they always tell me to convince them why they should invest in Davao City when in fact, it's not a peaceful city," he said.
Valbuena said he is coming out with a plan on how to counter that image of the city and sell it to potential buyers. He, however, did not specify on the plan. Bautista said the real estate industry has greatly contributed to the economy of the country, paying millions of money as tax.
City Treasurer Rodrigo R. Riola, in an interview last January, said the city government was able to collect a total of P349 million from real property tax in 2005. "We believe that they are also the partners of the city government," Riola said.
Acting City Planning and Development Office assistant coordinator Cesar M. Dataya said the 25-year Comprehensive Development Plan of the city government rely on the payment of real property tax. The 25-year Comprehensive Development Plan that covers years 1996 to 2021 will enhance health and manpower facilities, health and nutrition, food security, environmental sanitation, sports and recreation, social welfare, housing, infrastructure and facilities and transportation.
Dataya, who is also the City Housing Division chief, said the plan will also make sure that the zoning ordinance is also implemented strictly. The zoning ordinance is a regulatoy measure which is enacted to identify the various land use districts or zones, designate the allowable uses. It also prescribes physical and performance standards based on the approved general and urban land use plans as reflected in the Comprehensive Development Paln of the city in order to achieve the development goals, obejctives and policies as contained in the said plan.
"The zoning ordinance has an important component of our Comprehensive Development Plan. If we don't have the zoning ordinance, much of this projected developments under the said plan cannot take off without the zoning ordinance especially in the infrastructure aspect," he said. The city government needs to identify where the planned infrastructure of the city is suitable to be placed, he said.
"We cannot afford to have a trial and error of the implementation, so we need the zoning ordinance to guide us in the proper placement of the projects that we have envisioned," he added.
However, though the importance of the zoning ordinance is recognized, City Councilor Emmanuel D. Galicia who chaired the Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on housing, rural and urban development from July 12, 2005 to June 13, 2006 said there is a need to review and amend the zoning ordinance today with its approval and implementation last 1996.
"There is a need to update the ordinance with the city's growth, increasing number of investors and population. If we look at our zoning map, it will no longer be reliable with the current situation," Galicia said.
According to him, there are considerable number of lots nowadays that have been reclasified, from agri-lands to commercial, industrial, residential or the other way around.
Dataya said the zoning ordinance itself says that it has to be reviewed every 5 years. "But, it has not been done with its 10 years of implementation from 1996 up to 2006," he said.
Dataya said a team should be formed that will review the zoning ordinance to make the ordinance abreast of the current time. "I do not who should make the first move, should it be City Council or the executive dept, it was not clear," he said.
GSC: The dark horse in real estate race
WITH its 536.06 square kilometer land area and population of 324,128, General Santos City could easily be overshadowed by its giant neighbor, Davao City. In fact, in both area and population, General Santos is just about a fourth of Davao.
But that is only in terms of size, because this southern city in the Socsksargen Region will not suffer in comparison, for one, it has the undisputed title of being th Tuna Capital of the Country. Big fishes being hauled into your ports mean dollar earnings, huge dollar earnings in both fresh and canned products.
Add to that asparagus export, cattle farming, and tin can manufacturing, then you have a city that may not have enough people to spur a lush residential real estate sector, but have a huge multi-billion prospect for agri-industrial real estate development.
General Santos has in fact topped much-touted Asian Institute Management and Department of Trade and Industry survey on most competitive cities in the Philippines. Davao topped the mega-cities, General Santos topped the small city categories.
Of its total land area, only around ten percent is built up with a total of 5,843.81 hectares. Built-up residential area accounts fo 3,894.01 hectares, commercial got 369.07 hectares, institutional with 612.8 hectares, industrial with 313.84 hectares and livestock with 654.09 hectares.
Other land uses are: agro-industrial 405.12 has, parks and recreation 271.20 has, special use 56.16 has, pastureland 16,903.82 has, vacant land 6,009.95 has, agriculture 15,437.76 has, aquaculture 194.77 has, tree farms 183.29 has, urban forest 52.59 has, agro-forest 7,910.07 has, and rivers/creeks, etc. 1,040.82 has.
In researching about real estate development in the city, not much is mentioned about housing developments and trends. After all, there's not much to hoot about. What's being pushed is agri-industrial developments in terms of landholdings for plantations and livestock farming, processing centers and canneries.
Thus, the city is taking care of its infrastructure requirements that can make the city more enticing for agro-industrial investments.
This year alone, the city has already put in place its traffic signalization project, has further widened its already wide roads, and put in place the drainage system in major roads.
After all, the city does not intend to just cash in on their tuna and agri exports, it also takes pride in the fact that their city ranks high in being an investment haven in terms of cost of doing business, linkages and accessibility, infrastructure and the responsiveness of the Local Government Unit.
Alsons Properties: Davao's Prime Real Estate Developer
 Ladislawa Country Club |
WITH more than a decade of trailblazing experience in the Davao real estate industry, Alsons Properties has established itself as the leading developer of trend-setting, high-end subdivision projects in the city: Ladislawa Garden Village, Woodridge Park, and Las Terrazas.
What sets Alsons Properties apart?
The generous landscaped open spaces and family-oriented amenities have consistently raised the standards of the industry in Davao City. Its recent project, Las Terrazas, is unmatched in QUALITY and LOCATION.
With Northcrest as its new project, Alsons Properties continues to push the boundaries of quality and community living.
Alsons Properties opens Las Terrazas Phase 2
 Las Terrazas Clubhouse |
After completing Las Terrazas Phase 1, Davao's most exclusive affluent residential community, Alsons Properties unveils the second phase of the posh village with some choice cuts up for grabs.
With additional lots for sale, buyers with discriminating taste can now avail of this chance to own a piece of this prime property. Lots are limited, so you must hurry and visit the place and choose your lots now!
Las Terrazas boasts of world class and first rate amenities. You have there The Las Terrazas Clubhouse, a frequent venue for those who know how to party with style. With its charming ambience coupled with a breath-taking view of the city, every celebration at the clubhouse is definitely special.
Then there's the Las Terrazas Recreation Center complete with a competition -- size swimming pool, basketball court, badminton court, covered tennis court, and a playground. Family activities are surely limitless at the recreation center.
Las Terrazas is located IN Maa, Davao City. It is accessible to major shopping centers and its ten minutes away from downtown, and it’s a quick drive to Davao International Airport via Diversion Road. For more information, you may call Alsons Properties.
NorthCrest on the rise
 Proposed entrance gate of Northcrest |
Alsons Properties believes that a residential community and the preservation of the community can go hand in hand. At Northcrest, residents will be provided with most amenities that would support a healthy and environmentally sound place to live and establish one's roots in.
Northcrest is envisioned to carry the elements that have made Ladislawa Garden Village, Woodridge Park, and Las Terraza successful.
These elements are:
LOCATION. Northcrest is located in Cabantian, part of Buhangin’s District. It is 20-minutes away from Davao International Airport and near to other prime residential communities and commercial centers.
COMPLETION and DELIVERY. All three (3) projects -- Ladislawa Garden Village, Woodridge Park, and Las Terrazas -- have been delivered and completed and all these projects have the highest rate of homebuilding in the entire city.
NATURE SETTING. Alsons Properties are known for its beautiful gardens and tree-lined streets. You will find parks and jogging trails in the open spaces.
AMENITIES. The sports and recreation facilities foster family togetherness, healthy lifestyle and fellowship among the homeowners.
This is one of the reasons why many choose to build their homes in Alsons Properties because of the amenities available for the whole family to use. Northcrest is a 40-hectare themed development. Typical lot sizes are 150 and 250 sq. M. Its main entrance is located along Cabantian Road. Live life to the fullest at Norchest. At home with colors of nature.
A quality project of Alsons Properties 329 Bonifacio St. Davao City 8000. For more information, please contact these numbers: +6382-2223281, +6382-2279609, +6382-2272152 locals 203 and 207. Visit our website www.alsonsproperties.com |
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