# Gated Communities



## natbakinfo (Apr 6, 2014)

Hi
I have seen house/lot for sale in gated communities in ****** OCC, any opinion to them?
I have my visa but not sure how to purchase a house over there, my wife will be with me, she is a Filipina.
Thanks


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## Ram1957 (Oct 14, 2014)

You cannot own property in the Philippines, but your wife can. As for gated communities I currently live in a small one in Dumaguete it's easier to control who goes in and out, but I don't know about the bigger communities.


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## natbakinfo (Apr 6, 2014)

Thank you
The idea is that she owns the property. Can you give me an idea how to find a property, as I am in Australia still.
John


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## Ram1957 (Oct 14, 2014)

John,
The best way is to start looking is when you get here. In Dumaguete the gated communities have their own realtors, but I would just contact a realtor and have them do the finding for you. Most properties are not advertised and the ones you find that are seem to be way overpriced. Good luck.


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## natbakinfo (Apr 6, 2014)

great, thanks a lot, will try and do that.
John


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

As to the Gated & Guarded communities. It seems as if the "Guard" is only there to ask how to get to a particular person's house and to watch people come and go. I have not seen any Guard function performed at any of the Gated Communities. Went in one last, week pulled up to the guardshack and he was shaving himself. Had to wait till he was done to ask how to get to a certain street in the place. LOL

Fred


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

fmartin_gila said:


> As to the Gated & Guarded communities. It seems as if the "Guard" is only there to ask how to get to a particular person's house and to watch people come and go. I have not seen any Guard function performed at any of the Gated Communities. Went in one last, week pulled up to the guardshack and he was shaving himself. Had to wait till he was done to ask how to get to a certain street in the place. LOL
> 
> Fred


For an old lesson about these "guards", just remember it was a Blue **** guard at Subic Bay on the old base that was a co-conspirator in the robbery gone bad of USMC GySgt Fredette in Olongapo in 1990. The guard are good for about one thing....assisting other criminals, in many cases at least. They ARE the "inside threat"


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## UltraFJ40 (May 20, 2014)

Nickleback99 said:


> For an old lesson about these "guards", just remember it was a Blue **** guard at Subic Bay on the old base that was a co-conspirator in the robbery gone bad of USMC GySgt Fredette in Olongapo in 1990. The guard are good for about one thing....assisting other criminals, in many cases at least. They ARE the "inside threat"


Now you've gone and dated yourself.

I guess since I knew that, I kind of dated myself too. 

*I hope Oki is treating you nicely.


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

Ha! Oki is great...Clean and Organized and nobody scamming! Still, we just arrived PI last night...Great fltChina Air and comfy seats, service, etc. I love PI, But not Manila! Took us 3 hrs to drive up to Caloocan City, and we cut through lot of back roads, etc to avoid hwy so got to see the seamy, wet, very dirty side of Manila that really does meet Dante's version of "hell" Anyway, nice see family again and first time they've seen our 1 yr old son...has 10 cousins here ages 2 to 10! So full house mom and dad's up here in thumping bagong silang. Looking forward to going out this afternoon over to another new mall in Fairview area. Should be good. tried watch NFL game on streaming this morn, but what everyone here talks about internet is all too true! Impossible to watch or even Listen to the game on line. No biggie. I'll PM you, as know you are interested in the place, etc. We are just getting into a decent condo there down on Araha Beach....nice area, great food and beer of course. Wife can walk to most stuff she wants to do. We were up temp on Sunabe Seawall area right On the wall with morning views of surfers, etc. Great area w great bars, food, people, etc. "life if good". 

Sorry to go off topic Jet; so, close with This...NO Need for Gated/Guarded community in Oki. Ridiculously Safe, quiet, polite and people more helpful there than I ever remember.


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

Nickleback99 said:


> For an old lesson about these "guards", just remember it was a Blue **** guard at Subic Bay on the old base that was a co-conspirator in the robbery gone bad of USMC GySgt Fredette in Olongapo in 1990. The guard are good for about one thing....assisting other criminals, in many cases at least. They ARE the "inside threat"


And sorry for apparent misspelling on Shirt ! Blue SHIRT! I honestly did not mean for That to happen, but reckon sometimes that shoe fits!


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## Rogdas (Apr 9, 2015)

Nickleback99 said:


> For an old lesson about these "guards", just remember it was a Blue **** guard at Subic Bay on the old base that was a co-conspirator in the robbery gone bad of USMC GySgt Fredette in Olongapo in 1990. The guard are good for about one thing....assisting other criminals, in many cases at least. They ARE the "inside threat"


far as I'm concerned gatted comunites are a joke. there not going to stop anyone from coming in.


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

*Vistors and In-laws*



Rogdas said:


> far as I'm concerned gatted comunites are a joke. there not going to stop anyone from coming in.


Right the visitors and in-laws that visit cause troubles, steal and nobody knows anything, guard doesn't have clue either, main reason to not live in them and make sure the house is Fort Knox. :fingerscrossed:


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## colemanlee (Nov 17, 2014)

I was stationed in Oki for a number of years before I retired...loved it there. Just read your post and was wondering, are you working there or just decided to live there? Im always telling my wife how nice, clean and organized it was there...Is it hard to get a visa for a Filipina who is on a Philippines Passport...I see its not hard to fly Space A there from Clark....would love to bring her to visit for a couple of weeks...also as an aside, can retirees there still use the Exchange?
Thanks


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

Wow some really dismal news here. must be horrible up there I live in Antipolo gated community. It's quite no jeepneys tricycles, cool clean air. Our guards are as good as they are paid. So if a criminal gives them income higher that what they are paid then they will sell out. About once a week my wife makes some sandwiches and takes them to the guard house. Christmas we give a few pesos to the guards who have been extra good. We always greet them. On one occasion a guard called us at 2 AM to let us know it was raining and the window was down in our car parked outside. When we call with a complaint they always get back to us. So not all gated communities are bad. We have a sticker for the car. Visitors are given a pass that must be visible even for motorbikes. Dogs must be registered with proof of shots. Its certainly better than living on the open market


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## Ram1957 (Oct 14, 2014)

Here in Dumaguete our guards are managed by one of the expats living in the community and are also well paid. You don't get through the gate if you don't live here. If visitors come to visit security clears them with the resident before they are allowed in.


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

Ram1957 said:


> Here in Dumaguete our guards are managed by one of the expats living in the community and are also well paid. You don't get through the gate if you don't live here. If visitors come to visit security clears them with the resident before they are allowed in.


Thats awesome we have several retired military guys here from Belgium Italy and Britain, oh and American also. We might do that as well once we get the HOA up and running


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

I think sub divisions are as much about living with a similar economic class as yourself, the houses are likely to be tidy and better maintained, no partly dimantled tricycles in the front, fewer dogs and cockerels. Generally a more controlled environment.


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

colemanlee said:


> I was stationed in Oki for a number of years before I retired...loved it there. Just read your post and was wondering, are you working there or just decided to live there? Im always telling my wife how nice, clean and organized it was there...Is it hard to get a visa for a Filipina who is on a Philippines Passport...I see its not hard to fly Space A there from Clark....would love to bring her to visit for a couple of weeks...also as an aside, can retirees there still use the Exchange?
> Thanks


C.L. I am working there as got a gig in lieu of retiring for couple more yrs. Main reason was simply because we met there in 07 and wanted go back again "Together" with no hassles of her work/employer and we loved it there before, And to get closer to here to start scouting where to go, settle later, etc. We should be settled sometime in New Yr, so you are welcome to come up and visit/place to stay. It's changed a lot since back in the day when we were Marines, etc. Some really nice stuff there and still some of the old stuff. Great diving, as is here, but also very clean and organized as you probably recall. I'm Told getting a visa for her to go w/ you is not a problem, as my wife, when Not my wife, was set to come back as tourist visa back in '07, but I ended up going back US sooner than planned at time. I've had others who brought back girlfriends, etc after simply going through the Japanese embassy process here and them being Americans seemed to simplify it. I think w/ you being retired military (or USG), and her going with you, it's a simple process. 

We are living in ARaha Beach, just west of Foster commissary gate; so, easy doings for you when there, or I can suggest some decent hotels or long term stay condos. Still, we are "free" and I'd exend that invite to a lot of others (long as buy in from my asawa, but she loves having other Filipina friends there). I'm pretty sure retirees can use the PX, but I'll have to ck on that when get back. 

As a side, are you still looking at a move up to Luzon sometime?


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

And as for gate communities, I'm all for 'em for whomever it works for. I realize I'm most likely to live in one the for sure Gated ones if we choose to go to Subic upon retirement in yr or so. I think there are just times I need to be able to "escape" from some of the noise, chaos and thump that at the same time I find intriguing and alluring...just not All the time. As C Acton noted, more or less, everyone has their price and the guards are no different Most places. Always exceptions. Then again, Anyone can wander into my neighborhood back in US and burglarize my place there just as easy really if no alarm, and even that is only worth so much. My relationship is a "love-hate" one w/ the PI, but the love part far outweighs the later. Life is short, gotta Live it!


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

Nickleback99 said:


> Ha! Oki is great...Clean and Organized and nobody scamming! Still, we just arrived PI last night...Great fltChina Air and comfy seats, service, etc. I love PI, But not Manila! Took us 3 hrs to drive up to Caloocan City, and we cut through lot of back roads, etc to avoid hwy so got to see the seamy, wet, very dirty side of Manila that really does meet Dante's version of "hell" Anyway, nice see family again and first time they've seen our 1 yr old son...has 10 cousins here ages 2 to 10! So full house mom and dad's up here in thumping bagong silang. Looking forward to going out this afternoon over to another new mall in Fairview area. Should be good. tried watch NFL game on streaming this morn, but what everyone here talks about internet is all too true! Impossible to watch or even Listen to the game on line. No biggie. I'll PM you, as know you are interested in the place, etc. We are just getting into a decent condo there down on Araha Beach....nice area, great food and beer of course. Wife can walk to most stuff she wants to do. We were up temp on Sunabe Seawall area right On the wall with morning views of surfers, etc. Great area w great bars, food, people, etc. "life if good".
> 
> Sorry to go off topic Jet; so, close with This...NO Need for Gated/Guarded community in Oki. Ridiculously Safe, quiet, polite and people more helpful there than I ever remember.


fairview mall is nice. lived in novaliches 3 yrs.


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

I originally wanted to live further out in the Provincial areas but because of my current business ties, I choose to live in a relatively large gated community in Paranaque, Metro Manila, close to the airport. There are 1,400 units here and about a third of them are foreigners, both with and without Filipina wives.

I like the gated community aspect because there is extremely limited access to the compound. Even if there is a corrupt guard or two, we have CCTV Camera's everywhere, street views, parking areas and unit access points and they keep all of the video footage for about two weeks each and then if there were no crimes committed or reported, the security staff will re-record over the old tapes...so even if we are gone for a short trip and come back to our home and find something amiss...we can check the video footage to see what happened.

I also have solid steel decorative security grills on all my windows and doors, so the ONLY access to my unit is through the front door right where the security camera is located. Parking is located on the ground floor under our units and our homes are elevated off the ground...Great for avoiding flood waters and thieves.

12 foot high concrete walls topped with six strand electric wires and beautiful landscaping surrounding the entire complex make our gated community a very comfortable place to be at any time of the day or night, 24 hours!

No street vendors, no street people begging for money, no motorcycle side cars, no Jeepney's...only the residents and an occasional taxi...a safe quiet clean manicured well lit community.

This combined security and video surveillance has proven to be a GREAT deterrent to crime has there has been absolutely no reported crimes within the confines of our community in more than 27 months and the one that happened 27 months ago was a small petty theft from a visiting worker/contractor.

AND the best part of it all...the security concerns and CCTV's are controlled and governed by our Home Owners Association and NOT by the security staff...so we control what measures are taken and how these systems are operated and maintained.


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## Glen48 (Jul 6, 2012)

I would rent for a few mths to check out every thing and be VERY worried about putting house in her name,


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## natbakinfo (Apr 6, 2014)

Ram1957 said:


> You cannot own property in the Philippines, but your wife can. As for gated communities I currently live in a small one in Dumaguete it's easier to control who goes in and out, but I don't know about the bigger communities.


Can you give me info as to how find property in Dumaguete?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

natbakinfo said:


> Can you give me info as to how find property in Dumaguete?


Hire a trike and drive around, most properties for sale will have a sign out front. Or ask anyone in the street, everyone knows someone with a house for sale for a cut.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Gary D said:


> Hire a trike and drive around, most properties for sale will have a sign out front. Or ask anyone in the street, everyone knows someone with a house for sale for a cut.





natbakinfo said:


> Can you give me info as to how find property in Dumaguete?


Gary D is correct. Just looking around in an area that you like the looks of and visiting with those that live there is the very best way to locate housing to either rent or buy.


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## Glen48 (Jul 6, 2012)

I would be seriously looking at renting as long as possible...If you buy it is a complete gamble


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

fmartin_gila said:


> As to the Gated & Guarded communities. It seems as if the "Guard" is only there to ask how to get to a particular person's house and to watch people come and go. I have not seen any Guard function performed at any of the Gated Communities. Went in one last, week pulled up to the guardshack and he was shaving himself. Had to wait till he was done to ask how to get to a certain street in the place. LOL
> 
> Fred


Hi Fred,
See you are back in Phils again? From a previous post I thought you may have been back in the States?
IloIlo is very interesting for me as a place for retirement. My S.O wants to work here in Thailand for another 18 months and I must respect that, as she asks for very little.
I read a few of your posts to me and others, but was wondering if you could update me on how things are there Iloilo?
We would seek a 2 b/r house bungalow style preferably, as I have a back condition. I need a community pool and like gated communities even if they are just for show.
Close to malls etc. near as possible to the beaches. Good medical.
Here in Pattaya we rent a 1 b/r spacious condo, nice views and a good pool on roof for 18kbht.24k pesos approx., but would be hoping for something a little cheaper, say 15k pesos mth. Is this possible there?
Seems food is on the increase everywhere, cost of living has gone up quite a bit here, we budget 45k bht month (60k pesos) is that in the ball park, we live well but not extravagant, eat out one a week or so, few drinks at home, just go for a drink to a bar maybe once or twice a week etc.
Hope you are well there in Iloilo.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

What you have in mind budget wise is entirely doable here in Iloilo. I do believe Dumaguete probably has more of an expat population than Iloilo, just what I understand as I have not been there. 18 months is a long way off as far as finding a place as circumstances change. If you were to locate a place now and wish them to hold it they won't do it as they would feel they they need to collect rent. My wife has a friend who is fairly knowledgeable about most of the local real estate and the wife says her friend will find places for rent for people, she works part time at this and uses a finders fee system. She feels that one should earnestly start looking only about 3 months prior. My feeling is what we did and that is to put up in a hotel for a few days and find a short term rental, move to that while looking for a permanent rental. There are plenty of short term rentals in different parts of the city to put up temporarily. We are now renting a 1 bedroom apt @ 6000 Peso/month while our house is being constructed across the street in Mandurriao. 

Fred


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

fmartin_gila said:


> What you have in mind budget wise is entirely doable here in Iloilo. I do believe Dumaguete probably has more of an expat population than Iloilo, just what I understand as I have not been there. 18 months is a long way off as far as finding a place as circumstances change. If you were to locate a place now and wish them to hold it they won't do it as they would feel they they need to collect rent. My wife has a friend who is fairly knowledgeable about most of the local real estate and the wife says her friend will find places for rent for people, she works part time at this and uses a finders fee system. She feels that one should earnestly start looking only about 3 months prior. My feeling is what we did and that is to put up in a hotel for a few days and find a short term rental, move to that while looking for a permanent rental. There are plenty of short term rentals in different parts of the city to put up temporarily. We are now renting a 1 bedroom apt @ 6000 Peso/month while our house is being constructed across the street in Mandurriao.
> 
> Fred


Thanks Fred,
Totally understand what you are saying. Was not looking for something yet, nobody would be interested in that. Just getting information from members in Iloilo.
We will over the 18 months come to Iloilo and also Dumaguete to get a 'feel' of both places and see what we can find out whilst there. Then as you say, we will find a short term place once we have decided and give it 6 months.
I have never built during my life and am not a handy man in any way. How is your building project going and are you overseeing it, by virtue of previous experience?


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

We bought the lot late in 2014, early in 2015 we had a enclosing fence & gate built, actively directing and overseeing the entire project. While doing the fence, I found that I was somewhat lacking in understanding how the Phil system & methods are and work so when the time came for the house itself, I decided to hire it done by a recognized building company. Although we are still somewhat involved, the stress level is greatly reduced on my part, so I am relieved that we took this method of handling it. 

In my thoughts renting for a spell and looking at different areas is the preferred method as sometimes one may find some unwanted surprises after you have decided, then you just have to live with the decision.

Fred


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## Glen48 (Jul 6, 2012)

Rent for as long as possible,,, they are hard to sell,,,if you have to


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

Thanks Fred, 
How long did it take to finish Fred? From what I see on the internet, mostly they build 2 story houses which is not suitable for me with a back condition.
I know why that is, due to the small blocks. All the bungalow style seem to be very small in the gated estates.
Do you think it is less expensive to buy land and build as opposed to building?
We will certainly rent in an area before we commit to buy.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

It is not completed yet. Started on 18 Dec & hopefully will be done middle or so of Feb. It is a smallish by American standards (about 57 SqMtr=513 SqFt) 1 Bdrm as that is what we wanted & fits neatly on the 129 SqMtr lot with the required setbacks on the sides & front. What we have is basically 4 walls, roof, interior walls with Kitchen & CR. Unfinished floors & walls which will be finished later. Cost much less to do this way rather than fully finished. Will finish up as funds allow. No big hurry as it will be liveable as is. Neither of us have any matters now, but looking to the future possibilities is why one level. Probably a toss-up expense wise to build or buy. If you build you can have it to your specs where if you buy you have to accept what is there or modify to your specs. The builder we are using will build whichever way you want or need they seem to be very flexible and accomodating. 

Fred


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

That sounds great for you, keep me informed how it goes. Appreciate the information.


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## kgfowler (Jul 27, 2016)

Jay, am searching this site and saw your post. Ken


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