Last June 24 and 25, the Villar Group of Companies successfully launched the Philippines’ first and largest virtual property expo. The Villar Group Convention, or the ViCon, gathered industry giants and esteemed experts in the industry while taking advantage of technology to allow attendees to experience a new way of reserving property online.
Not only that, through a series of webinars, the ViCon also granted attendees a deeper and more meaningful insight into the real estate industry. With industry professionals being a mere screen away, and the country’s largest real estate brands ready and eager to accommodate any inquiries, the ViCon’s ended its first iteration with resounding success.
The industry experts
The first day of the two-day event went off without a hitch as different industry experts shared their diverse body of knowledge about the industry to the attendees. Joey Bondoc, research head of Colliers Philippines, gave everyone a brief but informative overview and update on the industry.
CEO of Leechiu Property Consultants, Inc. David Leechiu, on the other hand, made real estate investments more accessible for his audience through his discussion on the economic state of the Philippine market and what this means for the Filipino.
Known as the leading commercial state real estate broker in the Philippines, he was able to deliver a different perspective and a more positive outlook on the Philippines’ market recovery. “The remittance market worked to insulate the country from disaster during COVID-19,” he said, crediting the country’s office market, which continues to be one of the best performing in the world, to be a big factor in the country’s resiliency in the face of the pandemic.
This resiliency, he explained, was supported by two major drivers; namely, through the efforts of the IT-BPM industry and the boom of E-commerce.
Cautiously optimistic, he cites that as the residential market continues to do well, he believes that REIT will be key to the country’s economic recovery. The ongoing vaccine rollout should further increase investor sentiments in the next few months, Leechiu concluded. With the current state of the Philippine real estate industry, he recommends those interested in investing to look into recurring income assets. “The type doesn’t matter, as long as it is able to be rented out.”
Different perspectives
Meanwhile, Doris Dy, the Design Director of AllValue Holdings, gave the audience a glimpse into the mind of an experienced interior designer with more than 10 years in the industry. Her discerning eye and passion for design made for a lively discussion on furnishing modern homes and condo interiors.
Audience members greatly benefitted from her insights on interior design and aesthetics
Biophilic design, she asserted, continues to be popular even halfway through 2021 and is unlikely to be going away anytime soon. Biophilic design is an approach where nature takes a more prominent place in a building’s design and build. Over the past year, many people took to decorating their spaces with plants and incorporated more sunlight into their homes. This, she believed, gave people a feeling of more control in their lives. For people stuck at home, having something to care for and “bringing a piece of what I see in my travels to my home.”
Pam Pastor, an editor for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, rounded out the discussion with her insights on millennials and their take on home investments. Doing away with preconceived notions about millennials, she shattered misconceptions and allowed for a more nuanced insight into this segment of the market.
Previously, millennials weren’t a very valued market. However, she explained, this changed recently as millennials started snapping up property and buying homes–even in the midst of the pandemic. Millennials, she said, understand how important it is to have a good space when our homes have become someplace where we both live and work. A good space, she took care to explain, does not necessarily mean a big space, but a space that is in tune with your needs.
The ViCon was well-rounded and provided a holistic experience for participants as they were given many different perspectives on the industry. The event’s success can only bode good things for future iterations.