What used to be a weekend destination is quickly becoming the place more Filipinos now call home.
Driven by improved infrastructure, rising land values, and the growing appeal of nature-integrated living, South Luzon is seeing a steady migration of homeowners choosing to plant roots outside Metro Manila.
Property developer Avida Land is responding to the shift with a wave of new developments in Nuvali and Tagaytay, offering house-and-lot and mid-rise condo options aimed at practical but forward-thinking buyers.
“For many, this isn’t just a second home anymore,” said Abby Mercado, Avida Land’s manager for Nuvali house-and-lot projects. “We’re seeing end-users who want to settle here, young families looking for their first home, and even those who want to retire or raise their children away from the congestion.”
According to Mercado, Avida’s newest community, Crescela Nuvali, was designed to support that shift.
Located in the southern part of Nuvali and just minutes from the CALAX interchange, the 13-hectare development is intentionally scaled down to 401 units to promote exclusivity and long-term community building.
“We’re really setting up roots here,” she said. “This is no longer just your weekend goal—it’s your next chapter.”
Avida Land’s footprint in the region includes more than 28 developments across Cavite, Batangas, and Laguna.
The company is also introducing Serin Terraces in Tagaytay, its first townhouse project in the city, offering smart-home features, pocket parks, and what executives call a “vacation lifestyle made livable.”
Raizel Matibag, Avida Land’s project development division head for South Luzon, pointed to broader trends fueling the interest.
“Urban fatigue is real,” she said. “People are moving beyond the metro, but they still want access to essentials like good schools, hospitals, and supermarkets. All of that is already here in the South.”
Aside from lifestyle appeal, affordability remains a key factor. For many buyers, the cost of a condo unit in Metro Manila equals the price of a full house and lot in Laguna or Cavite.
“Families are thinking long-term,” said Mercado. “They’re investing not just in property, but in a life they can grow into.”
