They say Christmas is all about family. It’s about commemorating the birth of Christ, spending some quality time, and rekindling ties with your loved ones.
For many Filipinos, the season for merrymaking and yuletide adventures starts as soon as the so-called “-ber” months set in. For some, the onset of September already signals the time for planning gifts, parties, and reunions.
There are those as well who see Christmas as a significant event when they expect their dreams and promises to be fulfilled, accomplished and delivered. It is a season filled with hope for the endless possibilities that may happen along the way.
For instance, some Filipino families see Christmas as a time when they could finally invest in a much-awaited, big-ticket item such as a home, a time when they can only hope to transfer to their newly purchased enclave from a trusted property developer.
And in this case, home developers often play a crucial role in making the Yuletide celebration more memorable.
Aware of such aspirations, local property developers, on their part, have long sought to provide the best value-for-money deals that would allow one to realize such a dream.
Although this isn’t the only time of the year when local real estate players strive to help fulfill one’s wish of moving into his or her new home, developers are well aware that extra work should be given during this time of the year to satisfy the needs of the market.
Inquirer Property has cited here some of the country’s top property developers who have been working non-stop to allow many homebuyers to have access to a well-planned, high quality home development.
Here are three of the country’s trusted developers, each of which catering to a different market segment, but all having a single mission, which is to provide a decent home and uplift the quality of lives of many Filipinos.
Megaworld Prime RFO
Megaworld Corp., the country’s largest residential condominium developer, has further enhanced its after-sales service for its most sophisticated, discerning buyers sans the extra high costs.
“The greatest gift that we offer to the market is our first-in-the-industry after-sales services for the ready-for-occupancy (RFO) market. We offer added services to those who buy RFO condo units. These include complimentary services for interior design as well as leasing and resale management,” said Megaworld Prime RFO VP for sales and marketing Donna Racho.
Through its marketing division, Prime Properties Group, Megaworld is giving buyers units that are “ready for occupancy” (RFO)—a move that is set to spark changes in this particular segment of the real estate industry.
The Prime Properties Group was created to cater to the specific needs of the sophisticated and meticulous segment of the market. It was the vision of businessman Andrew Tan to better address the needs of the market and ensure the buyers’ satisfaction, knowing that each investment is an individual’s hard-earned money.
More specifically, the PPG was created to exclusively handle all the completed and RFO units of Megaworld. Aside from the usual after-sales services provided to prospective unit owners, the PPG is also offering more value-added services, including free interior design.
Megaworld is hoping that through this division, it will be able to provide its clientele unparalleled after-sales service.
“Our mission is to live up to the trust and expectations of our clients, through a consistent and outstanding performance geared to deliver earnings and growth for our stockholders; to ensure utmost satisfaction through high quality products conceived in the spirit of innovation and born out of continuous research and development for our customers in the Ready-For-Occupancy market segment, and to be a company where the employees can build a long-term and fulfilling career,” Racho shared.
“If you buy an RFO unit from Megaworld, we can assist you to have it leased—from documentation and making sure that the unit is in perfect rental condition up to searching for a lessee. Should you decide to sell your unit later on, we can also assist you again in looking for buyers while we make sure that the unit is in good, proper condition necessary for resale,” Racho said.
According to Racho, they have already reached their goal of becoming the best in the RFO segment in the local real estate development. But this doesn’t mean that the group will be resting on its laurels. The group is bent to continue doing and providing such a steller service despite what the company has so far accomplished.
“Self-fulfillment. That would be the best thing about being a part of the communities that we have created. We have a number of Ready-For-Occupancy, prime units within our townships that have already been occupied by thousands of residents, and to know that their lives became better and to see that it has already become a settlement. This is the humble legacy that we would like to be known for,” Racho related.
“We have been in the real estate industry for almost three decades, not to mention, the number one in the RFO segment. Our vision has always been to give our customers the very best value for their real estate investment, that they will embrace as their home. Our Prime RFO units will make sure to meet, if not exceed, the expectations of our customers,” Racho further explained.
She added: “Megaworld will be very indulgent in every step of the way, from free home-styling assistance, to turnover and maintenance assistance, and to leasing and resale management services. We will continue to grow this segment and continue to pioneer concepts that nurture the live-work-play-learn lifestyle,” she concluded.
PRO-FRIENDS
Much like a loyal servant, PRO-FRIENDS builds houses and creates communities that play a critical role in the quality of life of individuals.
Thus, in every development that the company creates, it always ensures that each will be built in such a way that it could guarantee sustainable living conditions for its residents. For PRO-FRIENDS, it’s all about ensuring that each of its communities could provide buyers only quality homes with first-rate amenities.
“PRO-FRIENDS has continuously provided affordable, yet, innovative homes that are fit for every Filipino family. For over 17 years, PRO-FRIENDS has continued to invest in market studies to determine the changing needs of the Filipino families, and apply these findings in the innovation of homes being provided to them,” the company said.
Meanwhile, PRO-FRIENDS’ mission remains to be a trusted, God-centered partner in building homes and communities that transform lives.
By saying “God-centered,” this meant that in everything that it does, the company strives to be instruments of God’s work.
PRO-FRIENDS’ vision is to be the developer-of-choice and an industry prime mover in property development. Slowly but surely, the company is on track to meeting this vision.
“The best thing about being a part of the communities we build is being able to connect with our homeowners through various community development and family-enriched activities that we sponsor all year round. These activities strengthen the bond between us, as a company, and our stakeholders—who are the homeowners,” the company added.
Each of PRO-FRIENDS’ development implements various activities all year round, and especially during the holiday season.
PRO-FRIENDS has also always involved the homeowners in implementing these activities that further develop family bonding and neighborhood camaraderie.
EMPIRE EAST
Property developer Empire East Land Holdings Inc. has, without a doubt, successfully built a well thought-out portfolio catering largely to the growing and changing requirements of the middle income segment over the past two decades.
But while its success is evident in the number of structures it has built, it would be Empire East Land’s heart and passion that played a key role in filling what was then a gap in the housing sector. This same passion helped more individuals and families realize their dream of owning a home they can call their own.
Empire East was established in 1994. It started as an arm within Megaworld Corp., the purpose of which was to provide homes to a greater number of Filipinos, specifically the untapped middle income sector.
“Perhaps the greatest gift that Empire East has given to the market is a chance to help improve their choice of lifestyle by offering not just homes in key cities but also payment terms that best complement their goals,” said Empire East President Atty. Anthony Charlemagne Yu.
“Everybody has an innate dream to someday live in a better home, better community, for the betterment of their own life and their family’s. It’s usually not much. They simply want to live closer to work, have more access to a variety of shopping delights. Maybe have their friends come over every now and then and find time to do recreational activities. Empire East just so happens to have these kinds of homes,” Yu explained.
By carefully innovating city homes through various concepts such as transit -oriented developments and urban resorts, the company is able to provide quality communities that bring people closer to wherever they need to be in the city such as work and school.
More transportation options are also available for travelers. Yuppies are able to manage their time through the improved proximity of an Empire East home to any other vital city location.
The company’s vision is to be a brand that understands the humanity of its dwellers and crafts a cityscape of lifestyle empowerment.
“Our goal is to build better, more affordable home options for all striving Pinoys who work hard for their dreams. As of now, we aim to expand our reach and we are slowly getting to that dream. However, as the company grows, we also are able to improve on our visions to adapt to the market’s ever-changing needs,” Yu noted.
“The best part really is that we are able to transform land into a beautiful residential home. We are able to provide glamour to the cityscapes. We always love to give to aspiring homeowners especially during Christmas. Last year, we gave away eight loving gifts which aspiring homeowners may choose to enjoy. This year, we have three gifts, 5 percent discount, an option to ‘Reserve now, Pay Next year’ and a 10-10-80 payment scheme,” he concluded.