When Ohmyhome, Singapore’s market leader in property solutions platforms expanded into the Philippines in September, it saw that the demand for residential properties had remained strong amid the pandemic. This means that despite the global health crisis randomly affecting the real estate market, there is still a significant interest in residential properties.
Before the pandemic, Filipino property seekers looked for good design, strategic location, and modern facilities in prospective homes. Now, with quarantine constraints still in place, the priority is for stable and secure bases for learning and working from home.
Race Wong, Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder of Ohmyhome explains the shift in buyer preferences: “While property seekers are still looking at houses located near commercial or urbanized districts, there is an increase in prospective homeowners looking at properties outside Metro Manila, due to the changes and increased flexibility in work and study arrangements,” she says.
Race also observed that clients considering high-rise living are leaning more towards integrated condominium developments that provide access to key locations such as supermarkets and banks. They also perceive condo residences as safer in the event of destructive typhoons and other weather disturbances that often cause disruption in activities due to resulting floods and power outages.
Prospective homeowners can now utilize the Ohmyhome platform to find the exact living space to suit their needs.
“Our key focus has always been to provide a reliable and simple-to-use platform for our customers who want to be able to confidently transact housing-related services,” says Rhonda Wong, Ohmyhome chief executive, and co-founder. “We work directly with developers but our interest lies in serving our buyers, to ensure that their rights are protected and that they get what they are paying for.”
That emphasis on servicing buyers and aiding them in all their interactions is what makes the Ohmyhome platform such a powerful tool. Featuring a unique hybrid model, it offers two options to customers: the DIY platform that empowers users to purchase, sell or rent properties on their own, free-of-charge, and full-fledged agency services for when clients need in-house agents to assist in their transactions.
As an app, Ohmyhome can be downloaded via Google Play for Android phones and the Apple Store for iPhones. Its website may also be accessed through any browser.
Both the application and the website embody a friendly user experience. Ohmyhome’s two main options are readily available through an intuitive dropdown menu and a straightforward home page, with functions such as “find a home,” “post a property,” and “get an agent.”
Race points out features of the application that can help local customers find the ideal home or sell their property. “For buyers, our homepage includes featured listings and the latest properties for sale, taking into account the users’ locations. For sellers who would like to post a property, the process takes less than three minutes, and is absolutely free,” she says.
To post a property, sellers simply need to create an Ohmyhome account through the log-in screen. Users creating a listing can either be the homeowner or an authorized representative, who should post recently taken property photos and mention precise property details.
Rhonda assures users of the platform listings’ quality. “Our quality assurance team makes sure that all listings are exclusive. Also, properties listed on the platform expire after a certain time period, so that only active homes are kept,” she says.
With a convenient and uncomplicated user experience in mind, Ohmyhome developers designed its services to be practical and affordable. “Apart from availing of free listings, clients may engage an in-house agent for assistance in locating an ideal property free of charge. Users may also seek their assistance to help sell or rent out a property—for a fee,” Race explains.
While economic and political landscapes remain fluid, Filipinos are starting to realize the fundamental role that housing plays in their lives. On the other hand, property solutions platform Ohmyhome is here to change the way Filipinos take part in housing deals.
“Ohmyhome is the new way of doing property transactions,” Rhonda says. “The Philippine real estate market has long needed a solution for all parties—from real estate developers to brokers and to consumers. Great service, speed of sale, transparency, reliable data, and an easy-to-use platform—Ohmyhome offers all these and more.”