# Brit retiring to the Philippines



## karlosfandango (Aug 6, 2014)

Okay folks, totally green to this. I am 59 going on 60, want to retire. My fiancé lives in Quezon City and I want to come over but need a step-by-step guide to start the process. I will be staying with her family until we get a place of our own. Where and how do I start?


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

karlosfandango said:


> Okay folks, totally green to this. I am 59 going on 60, want to retire. My fiancé lives in Quezon City and I want to come over but need a step-by-step guide to start the process. I will be staying with her family until we get a place of our own. Where and how do I start?


Qc is ok but pollution big time. I lived in novaliches 3 yrs. Have u ever been in pinas?


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## karlosfandango (Aug 6, 2014)

Not yet but will be doing plenty of touring around before I buy


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

karlosfandango said:


> Not yet but will be doing plenty of touring around before I buy


You dont even know if youll like it.....take it slowwwwww.


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

Hi Karlosfandango, good idea to travel around but all depends on your likes, do you like the city way of life, Suburban or out in the country. I can't afford to live in the city, so I live out in the Provincial area's but I'm only minutes away from large malls, banks, grocery and larger markets.

Living more remote would give you more space to live in I feel and living within the city will stick you in a house or condo, it's can be noisy anywhere but more so in the city and pollution, the roads at times are nothing but parking lots, this includes the highways, I would think the heat factor would be more in a concrete area. 

*Brief visit *to in-laws/family or her friends out of the city and in to the Provincial area's could be an eye opener for location but watch out it could end up being a real drain on the wallet.


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## colemanlee (Nov 17, 2014)

karlosfandango said:


> Okay folks, totally green to this. I am 59 going on 60, want to retire. My fiancé lives in Quezon City and I want to come over but need a step-by-step guide to start the process. I will be staying with her family until we get a place of our own. Where and how do I start?


Quezon City can be expensive...have you ever met your fiance in person? Staying with the family can be more expensive, not all the time but usually...once you get there unless their wealthy, expect to be the one paying for everything...

If you have never met in person and you have never been here
Stay at a hotel, pension house etc..
Go slow and get to know each other
Go slow with the family
Visit other places besides Quezon
Have a budget and stick with it...
Do not let anybody know how much you have

Good luck, I pretty much did the same and it was a disaster, not saying your experience will be the same but lots are...the good news is if it works out cool, if it does not, you learned something...


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## esv1226 (Mar 13, 2014)

I don't know why your gf wants you to stay with them. You need to know each other real well.
Are you expected to pay for your stay? You may not be paying for board and lodging, but you will be expected to pay for other things. Once you start giving or paying, there is no end to it.
If your gf has money, how would you feel being the " freeloader"? 
If it were me, I would stay in a hotel/apartment. I would treat them to a restaurant, but I would not pay for anything else. I would start discussing money matters. It sounds unromantic but I don't like being so naive at this stage.


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

karlosfandango said:


> Not yet but will be doing plenty of touring around before I buy


Unless you've spent bit of time in 3rd world countries (and I don't mean in a NATO, Brit Forces, US Forces compound) you are in for a real culture shock. QC will be dirty, noisy and very crowded, and hot and humid beyond anything in much of West, and you'll see some real grinding poverty beyond comprehension. The humid heat reminds me og being in Key West and Miami one summer yrs ago. But all is not lost. Follow the advice on here and go slow. You really don't Know your gal or family or what their end game goals are. I'd do like Coleman suggested and get a condo or pension house, maybe include staying at family home couple days, but you need 1-1 time to get to know your gal, and as noted, if you are at house or with family, they automatically think you are rich and can pay for everything when there, even if you are not. The money requests for this, that and everything do not end. Better to be away alone with your honey ko and start having some open and frank discussions now than later. If things are asked of you or such, then run it by the forum group for feedback.... Everyone here is "painfully honest " at times....VERY! When I went there, my now wife and I had lived together for a few months in Japan, so I knew her some guess you'd say and we had lot alone time. First visit PI, stayed with family few days, then we stayed in Eastwood City rest of time and break was good. Did it same over 16+ more visits, even after we married 3 yrs after meeting. PRIVACY and alone time cannot be emphasized as Needed enough. Go easy and go slow. If this one does not work out, try, try again. There are some gems out there....just have to get through the mine fields first! Good Luck!


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## karlosfandango (Aug 6, 2014)

I must admit I don't fancy living in QC for good and I am looking for somewhere outside but does have access to shops, etc


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## GOFORTH (Apr 7, 2015)

Happy to see that you chose the Philippines to retire in. Some good advice so far that I have read. Indeed....take things very slow and get to know your surroundings very well before you settle in one place. There are so many places in the Philippines that you could eventually move away with your lady. Hope they are some-what independent (not all in the poor house) so to speak or your money will be like water through a sift. Hope she's the one for you and all works out. If you have never been to the Philippines/// Indeed you will find out what heat and humidity are...just 2 steps off the plane! Best wishes.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

karlosfandango said:


> Okay folks, totally green to this. I am 59 going on 60, want to retire. My fiancé lives in Quezon City and I want to come over but need a step-by-step guide to start the process. I will be staying with her family until we get a place of our own. Where and how do I start?


First step, buy a *return* airline ticket, you can stay for 30-days without a visa. That should be long enough to decide if you are doing the right thing. Come home again and start planning with the new experiences you have gained.

Then come on here and ask many as questions as you can, including the stupid ones as they are all good questions.


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## weereb (Dec 4, 2013)

Do not mention any of your income, bank accounts & how healthy they may be, no mention of pensions or any other investments. You will be seen as rich in their eyes. Perhaps in UK, US or Aus you may be Mr Joe Average in terms of wealth- but to them you are rich. Keep all transactions on banks etc with only you have access to passwords and accounts. 

1. Make sure you are worth more alive than dead.

2. Check to see if she is married- if so be very careful my friend- even if she is separated or he has run off- be aware you could easily find yourself being extorted for money because you may be committing adultery.

3. Enjoy the country and the people -they are mostly genuine


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

karlosfandango said:


> Okay folks, totally green to this. I am 59 going on 60, want to retire. My fiancé lives in Quezon City and I want to come over but need a step-by-step guide to start the process. I will be staying with her family until we get a place of our own. Where and how do I start?




Also, once you can PM, send me a message and I can link you to a management group (and specific lady) there I got lucky with for a good place, that I've rented a decent older condo in Makati at very reasonable rate in past multiple times, right next to Greenbelt Mall and few blocks from Glorietta Mall. <Snip>


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