'Vacation homes' drive condo demand in Baguio City

Tourist arrivals in Baguio City continue to surge and so is the demand for condominiums in the "Summer Capital of the Philippines."

Data from the Baguio City website showed there were over 1.5 million documented foreign and local tourist arrivals last year, 17.52 percent higher than the 1.3 million recorded tourist arrivals in 2016.

The upward trend of tourist arrivals in the city, in turn, has fueled a strong demand for condo "vacation homes", further stimulating the property boom in the area.

Buyers of Bristle Ridge, DMCI Homes' second successful residential condominium venture in the city, for one, listed "investment" and "vacation homes" as their primary reason for purchasing a unit at the 1.276-hectare development along Pacdal Road.

Businesswoman Yvette Palaylay, who hails from Dagupan, Pangasinan, said they purchased a two-bedroom unit in Bristle Ridge so they could have a place to stay in whenever their family goes on a weekend break in the "City of Pines."

"From my experience whenever we go to Baguio, we have difficulty booking a place in a hotel especially during peak season," Palaylay said.

"So I encouraged my husband to buy a unit here in Bristle Ridge, so we could have our own place whenever we go here for vacation," she disclosed.

But since her eldest son already goes to college in Baguio City, Palaylay said they plan to utilize their unit as their second home in the mountain-resort city.

"Good thing we already have a place to stay in when we visit our son every weekend," said the 43-year-old mother of three.

Retired couple Cesar and Ellen Domingo from Laguna province, on the other hand, plan to enroll their unit only on a short-term lease since Baguio is also one of their favorite holiday destinations.

"We are planning to enroll our unit on a short-term lease so it's more flexible. We don't want a long-term lease because we also want to enjoy the cool weather and the breathtaking sceneries of Baguio from time to time," the couple shared in an interview.

Mrs. Palaylay and the Domingos were among the first batch of unit owners who accepted their units when DMCI Homes turned over Bristle Ridge's Oakhill building last August, nine months earlier than the original May 2019 target occupancy schedule.

Built atop a ridge along Pacdal Road, Bristle Ridge is a three-building mid-rise development offering an exclusive, secure, and relaxed living environment and the convenience of residing near commercial centers, schools, medical institutions and tourist spots in Baguio City.

The modern country-themed development's country club elegance and quaint laid-back charm is complemented by outdoor amenities like the roof garden, viewing deck, fire pit, play area, and gazebo.

First-rate resort-inspired amenities such as lounge area, coffee shop, fireplace, fitness gym, audio-visual room, game area, function hall, alfresco area, meanwhile, are available to make the stay in Bristle Ridge an endless vacation experience.

Bristle Ridge is one of the developments of DMCI Homes, known for building quality resort-inspired communities in Mega Manila, Baguio, Boracay and Davao City. Each of its properties is built with world-standard craftsmanship borne from D.M. Consunji Inc.'s over 60 years of expertise in the construction and development industry.

To learn more about Bristle Ridge and other DMCI Homes projects, call (632) 324-8888.  News and other updates are also posted on the company's official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.