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AT 27 YEARS old, Gavin Dunne is fast making his mark in the overseas housing market with his first development on Boracay - a tiny, but highly sought-after holiday island in the Philippines - with the softest white sand, fabulous water sports and a very cheap cost of living, writes Mary Wilson.

He's building The Pearl, a collection of 181 luxurious apartments in partnership with Filipino hotelier, Greg Sanson - who built the four-star Pearl of the Pacific hotel in Boracay 18 years ago. The apartments will be the first and, at present, only freehold residential units available on the island which foreigners can buy.