The Role of Health and Wellness in Property Consideration

Choosing a home should be beyond aesthetics, and more towards its contribution to one’s overall being

The Philippines’ high-end residential market is dynamic. If there is anything that has changed, it is that the pandemic situation has massively affected the buyer’s choice and portfolio. Health and wellbeing are now in the front seat in purchase considerations and I believe the health and wellbeing factor is here to stay for a long period of time. For instance, there is an increase in appetite for green and open spaces, suburban homes, and beach homes miles away from Metro Manila, as reflected in the global and Asia-Pacific market at large. There is now a heightened need for open spaces, improved infrastructure, and sustainable architecture built around the “perfect conditions”.

Now, I would like to share these “perfect conditions” that should be in your consideration when purchasing your new home:

• Clean and green. Consider a home where you have a place to actually breathe in fresh, clean air when you take a walk outside and jog. It is the free prescription for a healthy, COVID-free respiratory system.
• Connectivity. Stay connected even when you and your family are physically secluded. Make sure that your prospect home area is not located in a “dead spot” so you can easily be in touch with colleagues, other family members, important stakeholders, and emergency contacts in town.
• The 15-minute city. It is much more important now to have easy and fast access to essential facilities such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, drug stores, supermarkets, and places of worship. This increased realization is no longer for the middle-aged or the elderly, but for younger people even. Cities outside of Metro Manila have been emulating master planned city complexes where everything they need can be reached within a 15-minute drive. Examples in the South are some cities in Batangas; Bulacan and Rizal in the North East.
• Sustainable design. Bring the “outside to inside” bahay kubo vibe in terms of having excellent ventilation indoors that encourages inside circulation. Make it a simple habit to open your windows in areas of your home to replenish indoor air. Consider bigger glass windows, neutral and lighter color palettes, and energy-efficient lighting fixtures for a fresher interior atmosphere.

Advice for buyers and investors

Summarizing this comes down to one word: better. Better living, better circumstances, better timing that starts now. The demand for well-conditioned properties has grown significantly because of the pandemic. If you already have the capacity and the desire, consider your options now while landlords and developers are still flexible with their terms, and infrastructures and thoroughfare are fairly new.

Get to know the potential of a location of your next or second home. Does it carry those perfect conditions? It could be being located by beautiful beach, delightful views, and the exclusivity it gives them and their family.

Consider also the development potential of the area. Think three to five years from now. If you are located in a semi-remote area, will it give rise to essential commercial and recreational facilities? And if you are in a busy area, will future developments pave the way for better accessibility?

Ultimately, the home you should consider now is a place where you can have the best of both worlds; where business and pleasure can coexist harmoniously.