The Best Condominiums in Metro Manila for Any Budget

The market for condominiums in the Philippines remains healthy. In 2016, 38,000 preselling units were sold and another 23,000 units were launched. Condo development is no longer confined to the well-known areas of Makati, Ortigas Center, and Fort Bonifacio; developers are venturing into emerging areas, including the outskirts of Pasig, Diliman, Commonwealth, and Mandaluyong. During the past quarter, the ZipMatch Data Science team ran the numbers on thousands of properties for sale and for rent listed on the site, and was able to determine the best condominiums in Metro Manila to invest in. ZipMatch was able to identify rental yield as a key indicator of a good investment. With this in mind, the data science team calculated how much rental income properties produce each year compared to their total value.

Thanks to the high demand for rental units brought about by an increase in income and an influx of expats setting up shop in the Philippines, the average rental yield for the Philippines (6.13%) is one of the highest in the ASEAN region.

Below are the best investment condominiums in Metro Manila, from the most affordable to the most expensive.

I. Best Condominiums: Affordable

Best Affordable Investment: California Garden Square

Among affordable condominiums, California Garden Square in Mandaluyong leads the pack in terms of rental yield (13.1%). Its location offers residents easy access to Ortigas Center and Greenfield District, while its proximity to EDSA, Metro Manila’s busiest highway connecting the North to the South of Manila. This means that the Makati and Taguig business districts are just an easy commute away via bus or the MRT. As an investment, the rental rate for this property is the second highest among condominiums in its category.

Among the other top affordable condominiums, Cityland Makati Executive Towers offers the second highest rental yield at 11.10% despite the selling price per square meter of Php 71,894. This is because the development is situated along both the South Superhighway and Gil Puyat Avenue, just a short distance from the Makati Financial District.

Hacienda Balai, on the other hand, is a low-risk, high-reward investment given its reasonable selling price of Php 37,000 per square meter and excellent rental yield of 10.80% – its location close to Tandang Sora and Commonwealth Avenues in Quezon City ensure a steady stream of tenants coming from nearby schools and businesses.

Meanwhile, the Palm Towers in Makati and Hampton Gardens in Pasig have slightly higher rents per square meter at Php 500 to Php 563, but their proximity to commercial districts increases potential demand from young professionals.

II. Best Condominiums: Mid-Range

Best Mid-Range Investment: Eton Tower Makati

By far, the best condominium in Metro Manila in the mid-range category is Eton Tower Makati, which has the highest rental yield among all categories at 14%. A SOHO high-rise building, it is conveniently connected to neighboring buildings by elevated walkways. The development lies inside Legazpi Village, a few steps away from some of the top shopping malls in the country and a short walk from the Makati Central Business District. The condominium has a fairly high rental rate per square meter of Php 1,499.

Three of the other four top mid-range condominiums stand in nontraditional locations. For instance, The Levels, located in the southernmost part of Metro Manila, commands the second highest rental yield (11.6%) as it offers easy access to the SLEX and business centers such as Filinvest Corporate City and Westgate. Wynn Plaza, on the other hand, is a popular rental for both students and staff in schools around the Malate area, such as De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines – Manila. The Exchange Regency (Ortigas Center) and Azure Urban Resort Residences (Parañaque) also have excellent rental yields at 9.6% and 9.5%, respectively.

III. Best Condominiums: Expensive

Best High-End Investment: Signa Designer Residences

The top five expensive condominiums in terms of rental yield are predictably located within Metro Manila’s most established central business districts, with four out of the five standing in Makati. There is also little variance between the rental yields of the #1 (Signa Designer Residences) to #5 (One Legaspi Park) as they reflect prevailing rental trends in the area. Signa Designer Residences is located at the corner of Valero and Rufino streets, close to PBCom Plaza and Smart Tower, and has a rental yield of 8%.

The next three, Greenbelt Hamilton, Senta, and Icon Plaza all have identical 7.9% yields, and are located within walking distance of several corporate headquarters, with Senta offering the highest rent per square meter at Php 1,129. One Legazpi Park, with a rental yield of 7.5%, is located at the doorstep of Greenbelt Mall and the Asian Institute of Management, also generating much demand from graduate students and corporate executives.

Disclaimer: Note that these rankings change periodically. The top developer rankings mentioned in this article are results from data gathered in the second quarter of 2017. See realtime rankings at www.zipmatch.com/rankings.