Vista Land builds up high-end portfolio

MANILA, Philippines - Top homebuilder Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. continues to widen its lineup of upscale property projects as it recently launched the Amore phase in the sprawling Portofino Heights in Alabang.

The Amore phase consists of 33 hectares inside the 600-hectare posh estate featuring model architectural masterpieces in Giorgio, MichaelAngelo and Renoir housing units.

Portofino Heights currently has 60 hectares of fully developed lots with 500 well-designed homes fully occupied. The company is setting aside 1.5 hectares for a commercial center development.

 Lots sizes range from 400 square meters and above which used to cost only P10,000 per square meter when first sold but are now priced at P29,500 per square meter.

Today, the sheer mention of luxury homes worth from P25 million to as much as P75 million in exclusive enclaves makes one wonder if there is really such a market in the country.

But Vista Land said this market has been growing and at the present population of 100 million, three percent of whom are in the upscale category, easily translates to three million potential residential buyers which is simply too big for any of the property developers to address singly, said Trixie Dial, sales and marketing head of Vista Land.

 She said this sector comprises of very successful young professionals, aged 25 to 40,  who mostly came from the middle class and studied in prominent institutions, thereby landing them in good jobs with generous compensations.

 Dial said this sector has been growing and Vista Land keeps trying to reach out to this market segment as they are mostly based abroad with very little time to waste going from one project to another.

Though Vista Land also sells lots with the homeowners building their own homes, the design and exteriors must conform to architectural themes per project sites, Dial pointed out.

Vista Land founder and former Senate President Manuel Villar said their premier projects — Brittany, Crown Asia, Camella and Lumina — have all been selling well because “we provide our buyers with the class and comfort of lush landscape in their homes, a gated community, club house with swimming pools at prices they can afford.”

“We are also adding a commercial center in Portofino, now being developed, called Evia Center.”

 A branch of the prestigious University of Asia and the Pacific will also operate in Portofino, bringing this institution a short drive away from residents — giving them further exclusivity and security to their children.