The local government of Davao City, through the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC), has recently partnered with top real estate website Lamudi to train Davao’s homegrown real estate brokers and to gear them up for the digitization of real estate marketing. As going online and the effective use of technology are considered some of the best practices in real estate selling today, Lamudi will spearhead a thought-leadership session for Davao-based real estate brokers, which will detail efficient ways to reach more property-seekers via digital marketing. Dubbed “Real Estate Is at Its Peak,” the brokers activation and seminar was conducted August 10 at the Marco Polo Hotel. Lamudi speakers include Bhavna Suresh Chathambeth, managing director of the Lamudi Group. “Davao City has been in the spotlight as one of the prime centers for investment and tourism in the country today. Tourists and investors visiting Davao City are seeking for areas where they can reside during their stay in the city. With Lamudi opening its doors in Davao City, opportunities for both brokers and buying market are made easier,” said Lemuel Ortonio, officer-in-charge of the DCIPC. “Now that majority of businesses are going online, DCIPC lauds Lamudi’s initiative to create a linkage between Davao City brokers and online property-seekers and shift the city’s real estate landscape in a digital platform,” Ortonio added. “Assisting Davao real estate in going full blast online is a proud feat for Lamudi. We are making history by gradually shifting the industry from its traditional practices toward easier, faster and more convenient real time transactions,” said. Suresh. “Doing this hand in hand with the Davao government signals that the Davao property sector is certainly looking at very bright prospects in the years ahead,” Suresh added. Lamudi analyzed its onsite search data in 2016 and found that the page-views for Davao City properties averaged 48,000 per month, while the monthly average for the first six months of 2017, however, increased to 53,000. In addition, the global real estate website predicts search traffic for Davao City properties to grow 2.41 percent per month over the next 12 months. Both local and international investors remain bullish on the high potential of Davao and Mindanao. A number of real estate developers and workspace solutions providers, who have set up offices in Davao, attested that they are receiving high renewal rates of investors particularly in office space. They also continue to welcome new investors who believe in the fast-rising economy of Davao. Lars Wittig, country manager of Regus Philippines, said in a news briefing that in June 2017 alone, Regus’ Davao City branch signed up seven new clients and 48 workstations. Because of this, Davao is considered one of Regus key offices in the country as it records an 82 percent occupancy rate. Data from the Philippine Statistical Authority also showed that the Davao Region’s economy grew 9.4 percent in 2016, from 8.2 percent in 2015. According to Suresh, this impressive GDP growth and Davao Region’s huge potential will play a vital role in the region’s already flourishing real estate industry.
the Philippine Statistical Authority has partnered with Lamudi, a real estate listing service, to improve the digital skills of local agents in order to better facilitate investment and tourism in the country. Regus has a large presence in the city with 48 workstations currently with 82% occupancy rate.