# Let me introduce myself...



## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

Hello everyone! My name is Gary and this is my first post on this forum.
I am an American that is married to a Pinoy. Seven years ago I brought my wife to the states from PI and in a few years we plan to do the reverse when I retire.
When I started the process of bringing Luz to the states I joined an immigration forum that really helped me navigate the convoluted US immigration system. I am joining this forum in the hopes I can gain support and information about the details of retiring in the Philippines.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

GaryFromIL said:


> Hello everyone! My name is Gary and this is my first post on this forum.
> I am an American that is married to a Pinoy. Seven years ago I brought my wife to the states from PI and in a few years we plan to do the reverse when I retire.
> When I started the process of bringing Luz to the states I joined an immigration forum that really helped me navigate the convoluted US immigration system. I am joining this forum in the hopes I can gain support and information about the details of retiring in the Philippines.


Hi Gary and welcome,

There are many posts on every conceivable subject that you'll find interesting. Many of us already live here while others like yourself are preparing for the eventual move.
What area of the country are you looking at living in or do you have an idea yet?


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

Jet Lag said:


> Hi Gary and welcome,
> 
> There are many posts on every conceivable subject that you'll find interesting. Many of us already live here while others like yourself are preparing for the eventual move.
> What area of the country are you looking at living in or do you have an idea yet?


We are still deciding on the island we are looking at. I have been there 8 times now and have a good feel for what life will be like there. 
I can tell you what I don't want. I do not want anything near Manila. I also do not want anything crowded. I grew up on a farm and am used to a little more space. I was thinking of something a few miles out of town with some peace and quiet. 
Last year we paid a visit to PI and looked around Antique. (sp?) I saw lots of open farm land with the occasional nice house along side of the road. It looked very nice. I forget the name of the small town close by, I will ask my wife what it was. She has a brother that lives on the island. 
We are not sure if we will buy an existing house or build one ourselves. The budget for buying a house isn't very large, I am leaning towards buying a pre-existing home.


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## colemanlee (Nov 17, 2014)

Gary, first welcome...always to have guys coming on the forum...

I guess we look for the same things, Ive been here for four years and am in the process of building a native house in Leyte...the best advice I can give you is to get here and stay for a while before making decisions...there are many most of us would have made different armed with being here a while...best of luck...Lee


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

colemanlee said:


> Gary, first welcome...always to have guys coming on the forum...
> 
> I guess we look for the same things, Ive been here for four years and am in the process of building a native house in Leyte...the best advice I can give you is to get here and stay for a while before making decisions...there are many most of us would have made different armed with being here a while...best of luck...Lee


Fortunately my wife has family scattered all over PI. I imagine that we will spend time in several places right after we get there. At some point we will decide on an area and rent a small place short term while we find a house. We will only have the resources to do this once so we got to get it right the first time.


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## UltraFJ40 (May 20, 2014)

Welcome to the forum Gary. Plenty of good information and insight here (though not from me ) It's a great place, filled with great people for the most part. I truly wish I had the financing to allow me to spend some significant time in most areas of the PI.

Again, "Mabuhay" 



colemanlee said:


> Gary, first welcome...always to have guys coming on the forum...
> 
> I guess we look for the same things, Ive been here for four years and am in the process of building a native house in Leyte...the best advice I can give you is to get here and stay for a while before making decisions...there are many most of us would have made different armed with being here a while...best of luck...Lee


Absolutely great advice Lee.

:thumb:


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

UltraFJ40 said:


> Welcome to the forum Gary. Plenty of good information and insight here (though not from me ) It's a great place, filled with great people for the most part. I truly wish I had the financing to allow me to spend some significant time in most areas of the PI.
> 
> Again, "Mabuhay"
> 
> :thumb:


Thanks! When Luz and I were dating I was able to come and see her about every 6 months over 3 years. By the time I went for her embassy interview I had been there 7 times!
Each time I stayed with her and her family and I got a real feel for the country. We went back again last year and did a lot of island hopping. 
I am going to retire in about 5 years and am really looking forward to the whole thing. I am sure we will go back in a few years and narrow down where we want to live to a particular island. 
We have a large Pinoy population in the town I live in here in Illinois. I daily eat Filipino food and listen to Tagalog all day long. I like it all!


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

GaryFromIL said:


> Thanks! When Luz and I were dating I was able to come and see her about every 6 months over 3 years. By the time I went for her embassy interview I had been there 7 times!
> Each time I stayed with her and her family and I got a real feel for the country. We went back again last year and did a lot of island hopping.
> I am going to retire in about 5 years and am really looking forward to the whole thing. I am sure we will go back in a few years and narrow down where we want to live to a particular island.
> We have a large Pinoy population in the town I live in here in Illinois. I daily eat Filipino food and listen to Tagalog all day long. I like it all!


Hello Gary and welcome
You must be fairly close to the windy city. I'm farm kid from ohio many yrs ago. No matter what you think you know about pinas ;take it slow and careful....living here is much different than visiting temporarily. Again welcome...hope our experience helps in some little way.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

GaryFromIL said:


> Hello everyone! My name is Gary and this is my first post on this forum.
> I am an American that is married to a Pinoy. Seven years ago I brought my wife to the states from PI and in a few years we plan to do the reverse when I retire.
> When I started the process of bringing Luz to the states I joined an immigration forum that really helped me navigate the convoluted US immigration system. I am joining this forum in the hopes I can gain support and information about the details of retiring in the Philippines.


Gary can u share the immigration forum you used?


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Welcome Gary, Last year we did what you are contemplating. We sold out in Arizona and have settled on Panay Island, although on the east side in Iloilo. She grew up in Iloilo but lived for several years in Culasi, Antique as she raised her family till her Husband died (we were both Widowed and searching when we met). 

Lots of good people and good info on most any subject can be found here.

Fred


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

lefties43332 said:


> Gary can u share the immigration forum you used?


Sure, it was VisaJourney - Your US Immigration Community


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

GaryFromIL said:


> Sure, it was VisaJourney - Your US Immigration Community


Thx guy!


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Welcome to the forum!

Don't hesitate to ask about anything. There is always someone that has been thru whatever you have questions or concerns about.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Labor is cheap*



GaryFromIL said:


> We are still deciding on the island we are looking at. I have been there 8 times now and have a good feel for what life will be like there.
> I can tell you what I don't want. I do not want anything near Manila. I also do not want anything crowded. I grew up on a farm and am used to a little more space. I was thinking of something a few miles out of town with some peace and quiet.
> Last year we paid a visit to PI and looked around Antique. (sp?) I saw lots of open farm land with the occasional nice house along side of the road. It looked very nice. I forget the name of the small town close by, I will ask my wife what it was. She has a brother that lives on the island.
> We are not sure if we will buy an existing house or build one ourselves. The budget for buying a house isn't very large, I am leaning towards buying a pre-existing home.


Hi Larry, Labor is cheap and so if you do decide to build you can make the house your way like Burger King, if you do decide to make it an up and down house don't forget that you'll have to walk up those stairs day in day out, I have no choice because in my area it floods, not every year but more like every 3 years. 

I live out in the provincial area, it gives us some peace but real peace would be a private room for yourself, visitors have kids, in-laws have kids everyone has kids, motorcycles, dogs, roosters and Karaoke machines are loud...lol I'm okay with that but this is just something you'll notice.

Form of transportation, you might need a used car, it's gonna get old using jeepeny's and those shoe/form fitting tricycles back and forth to the city to take care of bank and grocery items, it's also costly, those boys call us "Jackpot", it seems cheap at first but it's not, squashed in a jeepeny gets old too.

Do you have your Immigrant Visa package yet? Philippine Consulate that services your state there's 5 in the US.


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

Welcome also Gary...as mentioned before, we are glad to have you here.

You mentioned that *"We will only have the resources to do this once so we got to get it right the first time", *and for that reason alone, I would try to take the advice that was mentioned in an earlier post from colemanlee and the very same thing I am currently doing myself. Arrive here first and rent a place for a year while you are searching for the "right" place to settle.

I had one additional advantage...I am here to retire but I am also helping to set up an International Nonprofit Humanitarian Office in Manila. So, I was in a position to buy a condo unit in Paranaque City and will live there for about a year while I travel around and search for that perfect, (or near perfect), retirement spot. It is so pleasant to be able to take all the stress and rush out of the equation and spend more time relaxing while you search...knowing that you are not under any pressure. Then and only then can you be more certain that you will spend your retirement budget accordingly. If you have only one shot at it, you do not want to make a hasty decision...(and later regret it).

And do not be mislead that a year is such a long time...after you do find a place, (which in itself can take a while), you still have to do a ton of paperwork to complete the purchase, (and nothing here in the Philippines happens quickly), then there will most likely be some repairs or remodeling or major clean-up that you will want to complete before you actually move in, (these things are so much easier to accomplish if you are not living in the same space as you are working in), on top of that is the time you will spend moving in and getting settled, purchasing needed appliances and getting them delivered, etc...before you know it, a year is nothing...and maybe not long enough. I am starting with a year and maybe extending beyond that...just take my time, look around, searching, asking questions, checking resources, doing research, comparing opinions and suggestions, sharing ideas with the members of this Forum...no stress, no rush. After all, this is my retirement and this is paradise, right? Good luck on your search...

Mabuhay!


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## esv1226 (Mar 13, 2014)

Mabuhay Gary!


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

GaryFromIL said:


> Hello everyone! My name is Gary and this is my first post on this forum.
> I am an American that is married to a Pinoy. Seven years ago I brought my wife to the states from PI and in a few years we plan to do the reverse when I retire.
> When I started the process of bringing Luz to the states I joined an immigration forum that really helped me navigate the convoluted US immigration system. I am joining this forum in the hopes I can gain support and information about the details of retiring in the Philippines.


Welcome Gary. I'm out of Seattle area on similar track as you, making move in next 1-2 yrs soon as, Julie gets her citizenship here. May do god bit of traveling back and forth meantime. Had been about 18x before, as well as living there at San Miguel and Subic 89-92 in its "hay day" we are looking at Laguna overall area, maybe Batangas, Subic/Olongapo and Baguio as logical retirement locations. Will be very Interested see your input as you move forward. Hit me up on PM if ever coming out to PacNW in meantime and meet up for a beer. (Same to everyone else) Best of luck.


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## GaryFromIL (Mar 24, 2015)

Cebu Citizen said:


> Welcome also Gary...as mentioned before, we are glad to have you here.
> 
> You mentioned that *"We will only have the resources to do this once so we got to get it right the first time", *and for that reason alone, I would try to take the advice that was mentioned in an earlier post from colemanlee and the very same thing I am currently doing myself. Arrive here first and rent a place for a year while you are searching for the "right" place to settle.
> 
> ...


I agree wholeheartedly with you. I will be in no hurry to pull the trigger on a house. There are many things that come to mind that I need to focus on. 
#1 the house cannot be in an area that floods or has land slides.
#2 the house needs to be on the western side of an island with a mountain to the east of it to protect against the full force of a typhoon.
#3 the house needs to be built to acceptable building standards and passed by a reputable inspector.
#4 the house must have a clear title without any liens. 
#6 the house must be in an area with reliable (by PI standards) utilities.
#7 High speed internet is available.
#8 the house needs to be in a less crowded area, I want room all around the house and not be jammed next to the adjacent house. 
#9 the house needs to be close (within an hour) to a decent hospital.

There are other more specific details that we want to fulfill but these are the mandatory points. I will be very picky about what we buy or build. I anticipate renting for at least a year.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Nickleback99 said:


> I'm out of Seattle area on similar track as you, making move in next 1-2 yrs soon as, Julie gets her citizenship here.


Is she then going to be a dual citizen? My wife is a US citizen but not sure we'll go dual citizen route. We're paranoid lol


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

cvgtpc1 said:


> Is she then going to be a dual citizen? My wife is a US citizen but not sure we'll go dual citizen route. We're paranoid lol


That is the plan ...dual citizenship, as we have 5 mo old son born here and want Her to have an escape plan later should it be needed so they both can move back here should things get bad on down the road. Figure I might live about 30 more yrs ...Knock on wood. ;-)


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

GaryFromIL said:


> I agree wholeheartedly with you. I will be in no hurry to pull the trigger on a house. There are many things that come to mind that I need to focus on.
> #1 the house cannot be in an area that floods or has land slides.
> #2 the house needs to be on the western side of an island with a mountain to the east of it to protect against the full force of a typhoon.
> #3 the house needs to be built to acceptable building standards and passed by a reputable inspector.
> ...


Culasi fits your #2. Iloilo Fits your #2(Guimeras Island protects Iloilo) & #9. Some areas in Iloilo flood, others don't. The rest of your requirements would have to be on an individual basis.

Fred


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

Glen is my given name. Retired professional electrician in high voltage and industrial work. I also cook a lot over fire and in the oven. I can't wait to get back to Roxas Street in Davao City. I'm also a real ride em don't hide em motorcycle enthusiast ( aka Biker).


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Welcome.
As usual I talk for Palawan  - voted top 5 island is the world more than once and the only of the main islands without earthquakes.
Much cheap rural land if avoid the tourist partts.


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