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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Under the Batangas sun

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Living in the city can be exhilarating: the fast-paced life, the close proximity to commerce, leisure, and entertainment, and the everyday hustle and bustle. But it’s not for everyone.

More and more buildings sprout like mushrooms around the Metro, the traffic quickly builds up, malls get more congested, and parks and patches of greenery are sparse – one tends to feel boxed in.

As more urban denizens seek out alternatives to city living, modern cities in South Luzon are offering a more laid back atmosphere with all the convenience offered by an up to date metropolis. Often dismissed by many as provincial, the recent boom in development in the region comprising Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon provinces is proving that you can still have all the convenience and access you get in the congested city, but with a more balanced atmosphere.

SOUTHERN COMFORT.  Avida Settings Lipa targets growing families looking for a quiet, secure community that is accessible to major points of interest.

Mid-income residential developer Avida Land is one outfit which is putting serious money where its mouth as it entices Filipino families based in Metro Manila to buy weekend homes away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

Strengthening South Luzon lead

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Avida launched the first phase of Avida Settings Lipa in the fourth quarter last year. It is launching the second phase of its 21-hectare residential development in Batangas, its seventh in the province, this year.

With 20 projects across Batangas, Cavite and Laguna spanning 690 hectares in area, Avida has become one of the largest property developers in South Luzon.

Avida Settings Lipa features house and lot packages of 52sqm to 82sqm ranging from PHP4.8 million to PHP7.2 million, and lots only at 125sqm for PHP1.6 million up to 300sqm for PHP4.6 million. Land value at launch was at PHP14,600 per sqm, and has risen to PHP15,800 per sqm in just three months.

The development  offers three modern-contemporary design house models. The exterior was designed to bring in more natural light and ventilation while the interior spaces were carefully planned to have more livable spaces.  As with all Avida residences, the community features landscaped parks and open spaces, multipurpose hall, adult and children’s swimming pools, basketball court and other sensible amenities and facilities.

SENSIBLE LAYOUT. House and lot packages range from P4.8 million to P7.2 million. Shown here is the 82 sqm Trista unit.

For the second phase, house and lot and lot only offerings are located adjacent to the community’s linear park and 1.4-hectare amenity area. Avida is confident the premium location of these second phase offerings will help sell out its inventory worth PHP604 million. Avida Settings Lipa sold out 70 per cent of its first phase in just one month.

 “We encourage more buyers to consider house and lot packages,” said  Herbert Herrero, Avida AVP for project & strategic management group. “In the long run, they come out as more convenient investments than just lots. They also gain more flexibility in customizing or expanding their properties in the future with less hassle.”

High demand

Ayala Land, Inc.’s (ALI) mid-range housing unit is looking to generate P3.6 billion in sales from projects  in South Luzon, such as Avida Settings Lipa, this year, citing high demand for mid-scale housing in the area.

“We continue to see a good increase in population in the Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas area,” Herrero acknowledged. 

Phase 1 of Avida Settings Lipa, which is located along JP Laurel Highway, Barangay Tambo, Lipa City,  generated P260 million in sales since its launch last year. Herrero  said they are aiming to sell out the property by the third quarter of 2017, before launching the third of four phases in 2018.

Herrero said the target market are families with an average monthly income of P150,000 to P200,000, newly wed couples starting a family, or established families who are looking for a good place to retire.

“We seem to be attracting established families already, those whose children are already working but still live with parents,” Hererro observed. “By and large, most house and lot clients are growing families with discerning taste seeking living spaces that can accommodate every family member. 

Better than building your own?

House and lot offerings have a consistent demand in South Luzon, Herrero claimed. “This option saves time in house planning, supervision and construction,“ he explained. “Financing is also made more convenient as it can be done for both house and lot.”

Avida has long been growing its South Luzon portfolio. Aside from Batangas, the developer has eight projects in Laguna, as well as five in Cavite.

“South Luzon represents the largest area contributing to Avida’s overall house and lot sales today,” said Herrero. “We see how these areas’ growth potential has driven high demand for residences.” 

 Overseas buyers also comprise 40% of the take-up, with Herrero saying that Filipinos originally from Lipa who are now working abroad want to have “even a lot or a piece in their locality.”

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