Investing in real estate in the time of COVID

As a real estate researcher, I've read and navigated through a lot of information and data to analyze and provide insights to our company leaders about industry trends.  Off work, many of my friends also ask me for advise when it comes to decisions about real estate.  To buy or not to buy this property, to sell or not to sell at this price, to rent out long or short term, house and lot or condo, and other related queries about what to do with their money and property.  I almost always suggest to keep it simple and logical.  If it does not add up and you have an inch of a doubt about it, then don't do it.  However, there are also signals that should not be ignored.  This is especially true in periods when demand presets supply.  The worst case scenario for a buyer/investor is to see a property be sold out just when you've decided to buy it and then see it appreciate exponentially over a short period of time. This is why a lot of people is asking me this age old question:  "Is it right to invest now?"  "Even during the pandemic?".
My simple answer to that is a YES!
In the course of my career as a researcher, I've had the opportunity to speak to a lot of people from all walks of life.  Recently, one of our studies involved affluent respondents and investors.  And to cut to the chase, they all told me that during this time (COVID) is when they are most willing to buy properties.  Some would consider themselves as opportunistic investors but others would say that they belong to the conservative pack.  But nonetheless, there was almost zero apprehension about investing during this time.  In fact, one of them said that it would be a total waste if he would not buy a single property in the next 3 months or before the vaccine for COVID is released to the public.  Each one of them is anticipating a big rebound after this period once the issue boils over.  You'd probably ask "Why would they invest during this uncertain times?"
My quick answer: "They know something most of us don't - Investing".
One respondent tells me that after buying 5 condo properties and seeing all of them liquidate themselves in due time condo properties for him seemed to become a "free buy".   It means that one only needs to invest a small portion (20%) and wait for it to be turned over to you.  About the time the unit is ready for you to use, you would have already earned back that 20% on value appreciation.
His example was a property he bought in 2015 at preselling, priced at P5M.  He forked out 20% (P1M), even deferred payment in 2 years and wait another 3 years for the turn over.  When the developer informed him how much his RFO property is now, he almost jumped for joy as he noted that it was already priced at P7M, 40% more than the original price!  For him it was like lending his money for 5 years and the return was more than what banks and even mutual funds are ready to offer. What's more is that after turn over, investors can rent it out for almost the same price as a low-interest bank loan amortization.   It literally pays for itself.
But why now, why during COVID?  It is in this opportune moment that developers are offering the most aggressive payment schemes especially with the lower and middle priced properties.  Discounts and stretched payments that you have not and may not ever see again are now being offered to buyers. Banks are also cooperative from their end since they also have quotas to manage.  Consumer Confidence Index maybe at an all time low but it is bound to recover as the trauma of the pandemic begins to subside.  People are no longer afraid to go out.  A lot of establishments are already opening and the economy is about to pick up again.  As the old adage goes, there is really no way to go but up from the slump that we have been through in the last 3 months.
If I were to assess the real consumer confidence at least from an investor standpoint, I would say that recovery is really in the offing. And a lot of people (affluent people and investors mostly) are excited about it.   Because they know that people belonging to that segment of the population who shares the wealth of the country (middle to upper income class) are able to save during the pandemic.  Most of them have postponed and even cancelled their domestic and international travels.  A significant amount of food and leisure expenses were saved for the past 6 months.  And of course the purchase of non-essentials and luxury items has been put on indefinite hold at least in the last 6 months.
So people, certain people at least have money - extra money that is waiting to be spent.  What better way to spend it than in real estate, where your money works for you.
  As a wise man once said "It's the time to invest and  it's also the best time to sell.  Because you need to be very pessimistic if you think that this pandemic issue would go beyond 2021."  I could not agree more.

CoHo by Vista Land is present in Las Pinas, Taguig, Cavite, Davao and CDO