Confident in the resilience of the luxury horizontal real estate market, Signature Series by SM Residences is set to begin the phased development of Susana Heights Village in Muntinlupa City to strengthen the estate’s long-term value for residents.

In a media briefing on Wednesday, May 6, SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) Executive Vice President and Head of Signature Series Jose Juan Jugo said the enhancements will be rolled out in phases starting in the third quarter of 2026.

The first phase of the estate transformation will focus on the redevelopment of the main clubhouse and the addition of covered tennis courts, an indoor air-conditioned basketball court, a fitness gym, a social hall, and a chapel.

He noted that the relaunch of inventory lots in November 2025 drew strong interest from buyers looking for larger, lot-only properties.

Susana Heights Village offers lot cuts ranging from 500 to 900 square meters (sqm), making it one of the few mature suburban communities where buyers can build custom homes within an established estate.

“We continue to see strong interest in premium, low-density developments despite broader macroeconomic headwinds,” said Jugo.

Amid the weakness in some segments of the real estate market and the adverse impact of the Middle East conflict on the economy, he said, “I would be very confident saying that among all the segments, this is probably going to be one of the more robust ones that will be able to withstand the shocks externally and globally.”

He explained that the high-end segment has consistently remained resilient despite challenges, including the political turmoil during the 1970s under martial law, the assassination of former senator Benigno Aquino Jr., changes in government, natural disasters, and even the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Property has always been an outlet of choice for investors and the high-end market has always been a strong option. What we’re seeing now is just another episode,” Jugo said, citing the strength of the economy and the country’s young population entering the workforce.

Susana Heights’ transformation also includes estate-level improvements. Among them is an 8,000-sqm neighborhood retail hub envisioned as the estate’s central lifestyle destination, with a supermarket, banks, a clinic, salons, dining options, a café, and a multi-purpose park.

Construction of the neighborhood retail strip is targeted to begin in the first quarter of 2027.

“These enhancements, together with the estate’s strategic location, will make Susana Heights a more complete and compelling residential community for discerning buyers,” said Jugo.

Susana Heights has direct access to South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), connecting residents to key business districts in and south of Metro Manila. Improvements to the estate’s main access point are also underway to ease traffic flow and improve accessibility.