January 29, 2014 9:26 pm [
manilatimes.net ]
by Rose De La Cruz
Reputed as the country’s largest
homebuilder, Vista Land and Landscapes Inc. never runs out of classy looking
home projects and aspirational house designs for a growing number of middle
class to upscale markets, without losing sight of its commitment for low-cost
housing.
Vista Land recently invited a select
group of journalists and real estate brokers in the opening of its Giorgio,
MichaelAngelo and Renoir homes at the Portofino Heights, its upscale project in
Alabang.
Even before the journalists were toured
around the Portofino homes, former Senate President Manuel Villar, founder of
Vista Land, had a chat with The Manila Times at the Portofino sales office.
Villar proudly said that Vista Land’s
premier projects— Brittany, Crown Asia, Camella and Lumina—have all been
selling well because “we provide our buyers with the class and comfort lush
landscape in their yhomes, 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.”
Pretty soon, a branch of the
University of Asia and the Pacific will also operate in Portofino, bringing
these institutions a short drive away from residents of these posh
residences—giving them further exclusivity and security to their young
children.
The website of Vista Land and
Landscape mentions only the brands Brittany, Crown Asia, Camella and
Communities Philippines for its prestigious housing brands and for its high
rise condominium brand, the Vista Residences. Apparently this is because Lumina
takes care of socialized housing up to P1.2 million worth of homes, while
Camella is from P1.5 to P3.5 million.
“Our property development is the best.
We are better than Ayala. They have the name but I have the product. We try
harder every time. Ayala is just in land lots. But for housing, we are way
ahead of Ayala,” remarked Villar.
Villar said what Vista Land was able
to bring is gated communities, that used to be confined only in Makati.
“We were able to bring these kinds of
amenities nationwide, when these used to be exclusively available only in
Makati. We are the only property developer and homebuilder nationwide from
Tuguegarao and Laoag up north to Tagum, Osamiz and Pagadian in the south. We
are now in 74 cities and municipalities with more than 200 projects,” he
declared.
Daang hari issue
Villar gets a bit defensive when
talking about the much-maligned Daang Hari project that he finished during his
stint as Senate President, and which became a political tool against him in the
last presidential race in 2010.
“They claimed I built this vital road
link for my housing projects but in reality, almost all the developers from
Cavite to Alabang and Las Pinas are benefiting from it,” he said.
“All the developers are here.
Filinvest, Stateland, FilEstate, Ayala, BF Homes, Cuevasville, Madrigal, SM and
mine. The entire Cavite was able to benefit from this road project. You name it
they are all here,” Villar added.
“This road can be very well be the
Aquino administration’s only legacy after 2016 because the administration is
connecting the South Luzon Expressway to Daang Hari for better access to north
of Metro Manila. I feel very good because it has great benefits to Cavite,” he
further said.
Villar’s eldest son, Paulo, is now in
full control of Vista Land as its chief executive officer.
Vista Land’s Portofino Heights is
about 600 hectares, all in Alabang of which only 60 hectares has been developed
and 500 well-designed homes are fully occupied. The company is now developing
1.5 hectares as a commercial center.
The cuts of the lots are in 400 square
meters or more which used to cost only P10,000 per square meter when first
sold. The current price is P29,500 per square meter.
“Though Vista land also sells lots
with the homeowners building their own homes, the design and exteriors must conform
to our architectural themes per project sites,” explained Trixie Dial, sales
and marketing head of Vista Land.
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