Reelist8 uses AI to lower barriers to homeownership

REELIST8, a startup with an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered ecosystem, streamlines property transactions and renovations to boost homeownership in the Philippines.

“Our mission is to provide the pathway for more people to own the good life,” Reelist8 Chief Executive Officer Marianne Aubrey S. dela Cruz said in an interview with BusinessWorld on Nov. 14.

“The affordability aspect of the properties, as well as the gap between what you know and what you can do, it’s that expertise gap that we’re trying to solve,” she added.

Backed by the Department of Science and Technology, Reelist8 utilizes an AI-powered marketplace, Property Options, that enables users to discover and bid on low-market and unoccupied properties.

“This is our exclusive, invitation-only marketplace that connects serious buyers with verified sellers. Every bid is tracked. It’s fast, fair, and completely transparent,” Reelist8 Chief Operating Officer Borj de Borja told reporters during the launch of the platform.

“For qualified properties and qualified buyers, this new path to ownership can start at as low as 0.5% equity,” he added.

After securing the property, users can also generate real-time price quoting from floor plans through a project management tool called Buildin.

“Find the deal, fund the purchase, and start the build — this is the new ecosystem for real estate,” Mr. De Borja said.

The Reelist8 executive noted that access to quality property deals and insufficient income are among the main barriers to property ownership.

The 2025 ULI Asia-Pacific Home Attainability Index ranked the Philippines among the most expensive livable cities in the Asia-Pacific region, underscoring the disparity between residential property prices and income.

The report noted that condominium prices in Metro Manila reached 19.8 times the median annual household income, far above the affordable levels. Townhouses remain more unattainable at 33.4 times the average income.

“This is why 90% of Filipinos will never own a property,” Mr. De Borja said. “Not because they don’t want it badly enough, not because they don’t work hard enough, but because the system is broken.”

The Reelist8 seeks to expand its services and provide in-house financing following its venture into property transactions, according to Ms. Dela Cruz.

“We’re really gearing towards becoming a fintech company,” she said. “We want to be the fintech backbone for all Asia-Pacific real estate properties.” — Almira Louise S. Martinez