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The Philippine Condominium Act (Republic Act No. 4726, section 5) stipulates a quota of 40% foreign-ownership per building. As foreigner-owners ourselves we may sell our units to other foreigners without changing the building quota. In other properties, foreigners may be ineligible to buy Filipino-owned units if the building quota is fully allocated. 

There are a number of foreign-buyer profiles that you might identify with. You might be a top-flight manager or executive posted to the Philippines on longer-term assignment. Not your first overseas assignment, you are tired of what once seemed like a glamourous hotel life-style. You want your own space this time. Or you might be thinking about retirement in Asia and want to see what living in the Philippines is like before making a greater commitment. A condo gives you a personal space without the need for tons of stuff. Or maybe you've been living in the Philippines for a while, but left alone you cannot own the land on which your house stands; whereas you can own a condo. 

People primarily buy a condo either to live in it or to rent it out to generate a second income. Renting property is an active investment, meaning you have to be involved with its maintenance and upkeep. Whether you choose to rent out or not, owning real property is generally considered lower risk than owning stocks and shares, and has the potential for a greater return than passive income such as investment funds. According to DotProperty in June 2019, the average condo price across Makati was Php196,848/sqm, higher in CBD; and according to DotProperty in August 2025, the average price for a 1BR in Salcedo/Legaspi is just over Php250,000/sqm. Certain articles claim Makati is a bouyant property market. But in in real terms the Makati condo market is presently less active; so that now would be a good time to buy a condo as an investment rather than waiting until after the real property market becomes more dynamic and prices increase. And of course, unlike other investments, you can always live in a condo or rent it out regardless of economic factors (like stock market fluctuation or fund returns) that you can't control. 

As a buyer Capital Gains Tax (CGT) does not necessarily concern you - it is the sellers who must pay it on a property sale. However, CGT will be factored into the asking price. In most countries CGT is the tax to be paid on the difference between the selling price and the original purchase price. For example, if we bought a condo at 6M and later sell it for 8M then CGT would due on 8-6=2M. However, in the Philippines the CGT narrative differs, and in actually it is a flat Sales Tax of 6% on the selling price. Extending our example this would mean Philippine CGT (Sales Tax) of 6% would be due on 8M. But, all is not quite so straight-forward. Zonal Adjustment is a tool which empowers local governments to value your property for you. Arrived at "in consultation", Zonal Values for a region are not the actual market values of properties, rather they are reference figures set by the government to facilitate the assessment of tax obligations. For example, using Zonal Adjustment, Makati local government might fix our 8M priced condo with a revenue-raising assessed value of 9M. Consequently, Sales Tax of 6% will be due on the Assessed Value of 9M, irrespective of the Real Selling Price. So, local government re-tax the same money each time a property sale is executed, thereby re-interpreting the concept of a gains tax. And the astute will realise they can leverage this differentiating value (Instant Added Value (IAV)) as a tool. 

Ayala properties commonly serve as a reference in order to view the 'standing' of a Condominium building. Ayala has three branded tiers. Avida is the starter brand; these buildings are well-made with basic amenities and will tend to be in more built-up locations. They typically attract young professionals and starter families who value affordable quality, convenience and accessible locations. Alveo is the upward brand, with buildings include additional amenities such as swimming pools and mini-malls. With locations typically in quieter or central business districts, they attract professionals and urban achievers seeking upscale living. Our units in Eton and Three Central stand on a par with Alveo. Premier is the more exclusive brand, to be found in prime town locations. They attract individuals and families seeking an aspirational city lifestyle, with access to top-notch amenities with a strong sense of community. 

You can find archived original developer promotional material of our condo buildings on slideshare. Follow this link for Three Central. There are not many differences in this projection to the built reality. And follow this link for Eton Tower. In particular, note that the retail area floor plans differ for Eton, and the planned managed units have evolved into the Mini-Suites. 

The online Lamudi group of websites are an obvious place to start your property search. If you do a general search for condos in Makati there are around 45,000 to choose from at this time of writing. This number is frankly overwhelming. So, you need to narrow your search criteria. In particular focus primarily on your immediate preferred location, and then on number of rooms, floor area, and price range. This link takes you to a search in Bel-Air village Makati for condos in which we our 23 Three Central unit is competing, and narrows the search to 165 at this time of writing. And this link takes you to a search in Legazpi village Makati for condos in which our 34 and 35 Eton Tower units are competing, narrowing the search to 111 at the time of writing. We trust you will find our prices competitive in a like-for-like search.

The prices we indicate for each unit are our best already - we have found the price-hiking negotiation game does not work. Moreover, we are not in a position to accept requests for rent-to-buy, pay-by-installment, or similar. Rather, we will happily collaborate with you in your pursuit of a bank loan if you choose (see Bank Loans and Mortgages item below). If you raise an issue in need of attention and that we have indeed missed, then we can agree a reduction or we can carry out a correction ourselves accordingly. 

The cheapest way to new condo-ownership, the route we followed, is through pre-sales. However, that route can be fraught and will very likely take longer than you were promised. We bought Eton Tower in 2012 and were given a turnover date of 2015. Turnover was actually at the end of 2017, which is five years lock-in until we could even see our unit. Similarly we bought Three Central in 2014 and were given a turnover date of 2016, but we actually took possession towards the end of 2019. And turnover doesn't mean the job is done. Rather, turnover means all the remaining issues that you were not made aware of become yours to sort out. For example, leaking plumbing is very common, to which the property management company can be blind to the source. And the finish might appear more spartan to the pictures on which you were sold way back, so you may well want to re-fit the kitchens and re-do the interior decor. This was our experience. Now having sorted them, we are happy to say our units are truly move-in ready and represent good value.

Everyone can have a 'free' car with a minimal downpayment on a bank loan. And that evidently works well, as commuting is now the national sport of the Philippines. Since cars are not built here selling lots of them doesn't help the Philippine economy, let alone the environment. Whereas, banks could have a much bigger and lucrative role to play in the Philippine economy and in the dreams of home ownership for all. However, we asked our local branch manager about property loans and he didn't know anything about the product, notwithstanding a large home loan advert standing right there in the branch. OMGee. So, let us help you out a bit. Now, in the Philippines there is no such thing as a 'Mortgage (home loan) in principle'. Rather, you need to apply for a home loan after you find a property you like. Your bank will make a creditworthiness check on you and assess your chosen property. (Our units will meet bank requirements for a home loan as we hold the titles, and both Eton and Megaworld are accredited developers.) Your bank would then be able to offer you a loan, especially as our prices fall well below the Zonal Valuations (resulting in a positive Instant Added Value). If you state in your letter of intent to us that your offer to buy one of our condos is dependent on you applying for a bank home loan, then we can work with you on that provided we are kept in the loop. In a nutshell, if you have modest savings and/or a regular income then you too can secure a bank home loan and move upwards in life. 

Rent goes into someone else's bank account and you cannot recoup this money. Long-term tenants remain in the rental-poverty trap. Answers to the question when to buy your first property in this Reddit chat appear to be in your 20s. This is when you have settled into your tenured job and are at your most dynamic. Loan payments go in part to the property and you do get this money back. Owning property demonstrates your ability to make commitments, and consequently furthers your social and professional status. Moreover, certain CEOs and public sector officials aside, the real property you own often ends up being your biggest asset in later years. 

All three of our condos are move-in-ready. They just require you and your personal effects to make it a home. However, all three units have scope for you to make a mark by personalising your new appartment. We describe the 3C unit kitchen as 'adequate'. For a sum in the region of 250K you could rip it out and fit a new designer corner kitchen to your own specification. Just as we did for the Eton units. And similarly as we ripped out the solid partition and replaced it with the glazed partition in the 3C unit so that natural light fills the whole unit. Engaging with your unit in this way is a great way to feel more attached to it.