Dubbed Signature Series by SM Residences, the move completes SM Prime’s lineup of projects, which includes malls, offices, and middle-income housing condominium towers.
“If we study the residential market in the Philippines, we see that the space for premium primary residential has not yet been addressed to its best capacity,” said executive vice president and Signature Series Group head Jose Juan Jugo.
Investors welcomed the news on Wednesday, as SM Prime shares rose 4.46 percent to P24.60 each.
Big picture
The pivot into high-end real estate follows current market trends, as the middle-income segment takes a hit amid high interest rates and inflation that continue to erode spending power.
By contrast, premium and luxury properties remain resilient, as buyers view real estate as a long-term investment and a reliable store of value.
Setting aside buying trends, SM Prime brings another major advantage to the table: a ready landbank of about 400 hectares.
This allows it to unlock value in idle assets and also attracts strategic partners to complement the premium branding it has yet to fully establish.
How deep is this market?
Data from the Private Wealth Migration Report in 2025 indicated there were 69,000 high-net-worth individuals or those worth $1 million (P56.5 million) or more.
Notably, the data also tracks the rise of 1.4 million emerging high-net-worth individuals or those with household incomes of $100,000 (P5.6 million) or more.
Jugo said Signature Series prices will start at P15 million, the entry point for premium, moving higher to upscale (P25 million and above), and to luxury and ultra-luxury (P65 million and above).
“In the future, your Signature Series property will certainly appreciate. It’s also intended to be future-proof and can be passed onto the next generation. Moreover, it’s about delivering the best possible quality,” he said.
Focus on Susana Heights
SM Prime’s vast 284-hectare Susana Heights estate in Muntinlupa, which counts the upscale Ayala Alabang community as a neighbor, will be the site of its first project.
Signature Series will invest P25 billion to build “residential clusters, neighborhood retail, civic spaces, and pocket parks” in Susana Heights.
“We’re looking at entry levels for residential lots of P100 million,” Jugo said, adding that lot sizes will be at least 750 square meters.
Property expert sees opportunity for SM Prime
“The one who could not afford Ayala Alabang or Alabang Hills before will spill over here [in Susana Heights],” David Leechiu, the CEO and co-founder at Leechiu Property Consultants Inc., told InsiderPH.
“It’s a very big market, and land is so finite. There are only 25,000 individual properties. The last time anyone built an [upscale] village was Portofino, that was 20 years ago, and Alabang West, that was 15 years ago,” he added.
Joint venture in Makati City
SM Residences is also in talks with a strategic partner for a 6,000-square-meter property in a luxury enclave in Makati City.
Jugo said an announcement could be made in the coming months.
“Signature Series, in partnership with a key player in the luxury residential space, is set to deliver on the premium living requirements that these discerning individuals are looking for,” he said.
What’s next?
Over the next several years, Signature Series expects to launch new projects in “exceptional residential enclaves” in Parañaque, Pasay, Taguig, Cebu, Cavite, Tagaytay, Batangas, and the City of Manila.
“One very promising aspect in the organization is the raw material is there, the land is there, nationwide,” Jugo said.
“It’s just a matter of us selecting the best properties available in our portfolio to develop into high-end primary residential communities,” he added.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
