WHEN the opportunity presented itself to bring together the thought leaders in the real-estate industry in a learning conference, this was as an opportunity that, as an “evangelist of the real estate industry” (as my good friend and real-estate thought leader John Aguilar of Phil Realty TV referred to me), I couldn’t resist.
This desire to bring together the thought leaders coincided with the plans of Lamudi, the leading global real-estate Portal in the world, to recognize and honor the leading drivers in the industry.
Last month, the Results of Lamudi’s 10,000 property-seeker survey were announced at the real-estate web site’s year-end event, dubbed The Outlook.
The nationwide survey was conducted this year in an event that coincided with a coming together of the Philippine real-estate industry’s leaders.
Dubbed The Outlook by Lamudi, the event held on November 29 at the Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City acknowledged the best players and projects in Philippine real estate as cited by the survey’s 10,000 property seekers.
The 10,000 property seekers surveyed by Lamudi included users of the web site and attendees of the company’s events, including those held in Cebu and Davao. The property seekers were asked a series of questions, ranging from the best condo developer and best mixed-use developer, to the developer that provides the best value-for-money properties and real-estate projects with standout amenities.
Lamudi also launched their real-estate advocacy with national icon Robin Padilla’s Tindig Marawi by answering the call of the great unsheltered in Marawi, which is in the process of rehabilitating itself.
Bhavna Suresh Chathambeth, Lamudi Philippines’s CEO and managing director, said the survey is a first in the Philippines. “They say that a survey of 1,000 respondents is good enough but, we said, let’s take it two steps further and ask 10,000 property seekers, which we accomplished in six months.”
According to Suresh, after three years of operating in the Philippines, Lamudi became very good at collecting and analyzing its on-site data and, in 2017, it decided to take this further by asking its users about their opinion of the country’s real-estate players and developments.
Big winners
Ayala Land and its subsidiaries won big, bagging a total of six awards out of 17 nominations. Ayala Land Inc. itself was named the Best Condo Developer, Best Mixed-use Developer for its Laguna project Nuvali and the Developer that Provides the Best Amenities. Meanwhile, its subsidiary Avida Land won the Best Affordable Housing Development category for Avida Settings Cavite, while its luxury arm Ayala Land Premier won awards for Best High-end Housing Development and Housing Development with the Best Design & Architecture for its Ayala Greenfield Estates project.
Manny Villar–led Vista Land is the next big winner, with four awards out of seven nominations: one for Vista Land and three for Camella. The former won an award for the Developer with the Best Customer Service, while Camella won for Best Housing Developer (overall) and Best Housing Developer for the Visayas, and Best Affordable Housing Development for the Visayas for its Cebu City project Camella Riverfront.
Henry Sy’s SM Prime Holdings and residential subsidiary SMDC, meanwhile, won two awards: Best Commercial Developer and Best Affordable Condo Development for Trees Residences.
Other big winners include Cebu Landmasters (Best Condo Developer–Visayas); Megaworld Corp. (Best Mixed-use Developer–Visayas and Condo Development with the Best Design & Architecture); Rockwell Land (Best High-end Condo Development for The Proscenium and 32 Sanson); and Filinvest Land (Best Mid-end Condo Development for 100 West).
Here’s the complete list of winners:
- Best Condo Developer: Ayala Land
- Best Housing Developer: Camella
- Best Commercial Developer: SM Prime Holdings Inc. (MOA Complex)
- Best Mixed-use Developer: Ayala Land (Nuvali)
- Best Condo Developer—Visayas: Cebu Landmasters
- Best Housing Developer—Visayas: Camella
- Best Mixed-use Developer—Visayas: Megaworld Corp. (Mactan Newtown)
- Best High-end Condo Development: The Proscenium at Rockwell (Rockwell Land)
- Best Mid-end Condo Development: 100 West (Filinvest Land)
- Best Affordable Condo Development: Trees Residences (SMDC)
- Best High-end Housing Development: Ayala Greenfield Estates (Ayala Land Premier)
- Best Affordable Housing Development: Avida Settings Cavite (Avida Land)
- Best High-end Condo Development—Visayas: 32 Sanson (Rockwell Land)
- Best Affordable Condo Development—Visayas: Urban Homes Condominium (8990 Holdings)
- Best High-end Housing Development—Visayas: Maria Luisa Estate Park (Maria Luisa Properties)
- Best Affordable Housing Development—Visayas: Camella Riverfront (Camella)
- Condo Development with the Best Design and Architecture: Venice Luxury Residences (Megaworld Corp.)
- Condo Development with the Best Design and Architecture—Visayas: One Oasis (Filinvest Land)
- Housing Development with the Best Design and Architecture: Ayala Greenfield Estates (Ayala Land Premier)
- Housing Development with the Best Design and Architecture—Visayas: Maria Luisa Estate Park (Maria Luisa Properties)
- Developer with the Best Customer Service: Vista Land
- Developer that Offers the Property with the Best Value for Money: DMCI Homes
- Developer that Provides the Best Amenities: Ayala Land
Conference
Aside from the awards, The Outlook by Lamudi also brought together real estate’s leaders to discuss issues concerning the industry. A panel discussion on mixed-use developments and revitalizing city developments were led by Ayala Land and Ortigas & Co., respectively, while representatives from the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association discussed the country’s residential real-estate sector. On the other hand, representatives from the Urban Land Institute Philippines and the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines discussed the importance sustainability in real estate and the housing backlog, respectively.