2025 Philippines real estate outlook, plus additional news reports

For PropertyGuru’s real estate news roundup, the next 12 months will provide vast opportunities for developers in the Philippines to reassess their strategies. In other news, Cambodian real estate experts say that a 2025 exemption on property transfer taxes will help to drive increased activity. Lastly, The Thai government aims to attract more investments in five core “future industries,” namely data centres, artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles, precision agriculture, and food technology.

2025 real estate outlook for the Philippines: What to watch for

BusinessWorld reports that the past twelve months have produced mixed results for Philippine property. Office vacancies remain elevated while a sizable condominium inventory has yet to be absorbed by the Metro Manila market. The retail sector has been recording sustained mall space take-up despite new supply while rebounding consumer spending has also been benefiting the leisure sector. Industrial parks continue to expand. Meanwhile, the next 12 months provide vast opportunities for developers to reassess their strategies. They should identify growth opportunities and know how to recalibrate. 2025 is a year where we will likely see the full impacts of policy changes implemented in 2024. Property firms should thoroughly evaluate headwinds in the market but should be quick in maximizing tailwinds. Only those who pivot will stay afloat.

Property tax exemptions key to boosting Cambodia’s real estate market, say insiders

Several Cambodian real estate experts have shared their opinion that a 2025 exemption on property transfer taxes – for first-time home buyers and those transferring ownership rights for the first time – will help to drive increased activity, particularly in the residential sector. The real estate and construction market in Cambodia recorded notable growth from the late 1990s to 2008, before it was temporarily affected by the global financial crisis. After global economic conditions improved, the sector began to see strong growth in early 2010, but this was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of the pandemic, which began in 2020, are continuing to be felt in the market. On 31st December 2024, the Ministry of Economy and Finance issued a notification regarding the exemptions. According to The Phnom Penh Post, the notice explained that the exemptions, which will be effective from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, aim to encourage increased purchases from development companies, including residential complexes or condominiums, and further support the real estate sector.

Thailand promotes investment in five “future industries”

The Thai government aims to attract more investments in five core “future industries” by improving the ease of doing business through amended laws and regulations, according to Jirayu Houngsub, spokesman for Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s Office. The investment promotion plan is expected to help Thailand achieve economic growth of more than 3 percent, he said in VietnamPlus. Data centres, artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles, precision agriculture, and food technology are the five industries. The government estimates at least THB800 billion (USD23.2 billion) from local and international investors will be invested in the five industries this year alone.

The Property Report editors wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].