CEBU CITY — Anthony "Tonton" Leuterio has built the largest real estate network in the Philippines, but he insists the foundation was never scale. It was trust. In a recent episode of the RJ Ledesma Podcast, the founder of Filipino Homes and 2024 International Realtor of the Year unveiled his most ambitious venture yet: Homes.ph, a platform designed to unite the country's 33,901 registered brokers under one trusted, technology-driven ecosystem.
A Brand Built on Trust, Not Size
Leuterio's first foray into real estate was Filipinohomes, a Cebu-based company focused on project selling for large developers. Today, the network encompasses approximately 700 brokerages with a salesforce estimated at 14,000 to 16,000 brokers. Yet he says scale was never the goal.
"The pain point of Filipinohomes is the brand," he told host RJ Ledesma, himself a licensed broker and serial entrepreneur. "Who are the people? Who's the brand that we can put in the Philippines? So, we built a brand, Filipinohomes, to be the trusted real estate company — not to be the biggest — that they can trust."
That trust-first philosophy proved transformative. During the pandemic, Filipino Homes generated P8 billion in sales, a period Leuterio describes as critical growth. The strategy of serving overseas Filipino workers — the primary market for Philippine real estate — made him the largest taxpayer in Cebu City and earned international recognition from the National Association of Realtors.
Building a network, he added, is essential for any broker's success. "Here in the Philippines, it's so costly building a network," he said. "And building a network is very important for the success of a broker." Filipino Homes solved this by creating a globe-spanning network that connects brokers to buyers wherever they are.
Spotting the Resale Opportunity Before Anyone Else
Twelve years after founding Filipino Homes, Leuterio saw a gap no one else was addressing. "I saw something coming, which is the resale market," he recounted. "Because in the resale market, nobody was serious on making a system. So I already talked to the best brokers in the Philippines and they were so happy because they found a light at the end of the tunnel that can connect the missing link."
That insight became Rent.ph, the country's number one rental property marketplace. The problem it solved was straightforward: property owners who bought units had no reliable system for managing tenants or eventually selling. "Who will take care of the units that I bought?" Leuterio asked. "The biggest question is, what if I'm tired of rental and I want to unload and sell some of my properties, who will take care of the property?"
Rent.ph answered that question by empowering brokers with a scalable system that serves property owners throughout the asset lifecycle. It was built for scale, built for networking, and built for everyone.
The Three Pillars of Homes.ph
Leuterio's newest venture represents a decade-long project to grow the entire real estate industry from the grassroots. Homes.ph operates on three core pillars: software, media, and network.
The software component alone took five years to build. "You're going to use this software that supports your business," Leuterio explained. "Because if you are a brokerage company, you need software for lead generation. Zonal value that will impress your seller. And we have also the YouTube generator, Reels generator." These tools professionalize individual brokers, giving them capabilities once reserved for large firms.
The second pillar is media. "We will advertise their brand because we have now our media company," he said. "So, the beauty with Homes is we have our newspaper. So that's unique in the world. We're the only realty company in the world that has media." That media arm is now open to 30 cities nationwide, amplifying broker visibility across the country.
The third pillar expands networks by connecting brokers to buyers globally. "When you have these leads, it will be shown globally," Leuterio said. "So we'll market it in our offices in Dubai. We'll market it in America. We'll market it nationwide."
A Mission of Unity and Giving Back
Leuterio dismissed any suggestion that Homes.ph competes with Filipino Homes. Instead, he framed it as a mission-driven endeavor rooted in gratitude. "I'm not in a level now of making so much money," he said. "I'm in a level of giving back because I love real estate."
He emphasized that the fragmented nature of the Philippine market has long prevented brokers from reaching their potential. "When we are united, then you'll be making so much money because your property will be sold right away," he said. Homes.ph addresses this by giving every broker — solo agent or large brokerage — access to tools and networks previously available only to the biggest players.
Leuterio described Homes.ph as "a simple company" driven by "a mission of helping every individual broker." He acknowledged the many issues facing brokers today and expressed willingness to create solutions. "This is the time that we have to unite," he said. "We have to help each other."
A Platform for Every Honest Broker
The vision ultimately extends beyond business. "We have to help the country to create opportunity and income for anybody who is honest," Leuterio said. For the 33,901 registered brokers across the Philippines — and the aspiring ones who will follow — Homes.ph offers a unified platform where trust, technology, and collaboration converge.
His advice to those building their own real estate empires is simple: start with trust. Build a brand people believe in. Create systems that serve others. And never stop looking for the gaps that no one else has noticed. From Filipino Homes to Rent.ph to Homes.ph, that formula has proven remarkably effective.
The full episode of the RJ Ledesma Podcast featuring Anthony Leuterio is available on Facebook, Spotify, Google, and Apple Podcasts.