# Moving to Philippines



## RichB66 (Jun 22, 2014)

I have been married to my Filipina wife for 20 years..We are in our late forties now, and spent time living in the UK, NZ and now Australia, where we have been for 4 years now. We recently went over to Iba , Zambales, Phils to see the wifes family after 7 years..I enjoyed it there and we are now thinking of relocating there....The main reason is for taxation purposes, as most of my work is contract work in SE Asia and no work in Australia, but Iam paying full Australian taxes with no superanuation, and with the recent budget here in Australia wouldnt even receive a pension until we are 70, so whats the point in remaining in Australia and paying huge taxes, if we can live in Philippines and pay no tax, and also alot cheaper lifestyle than Oz...My plan would be to save all the money I pay in tax in Australia for our retirement when we are 60 as opposed to 70 or more in Oz...It makes financial sense to me....Any others here in a similar situation.


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

Sounds like you enjoyed your stay in the Philippines so I'm sure there's other reasons that you and your wife want to stay here. 

Have you thought about buying a condo/home or building a structure on family land? I feel in 20 years that the price you will pay for accommodations will keep climbing so you'll need a spot you can call your own and paid off.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

I know quite a few expats from the UK (England and Australia) that are living here so that they do not have to pay income taxes. Most are working in the Oil industry. There is a fair sized expat community just south of Iba in San Antonio (an hour or so from Iba). I would say at least half are from the UK. I also know a few Aussies here in the Freeport doing the same thing.

I agree with mcalleyboy in locking in your housing costs now as they will continue to rise.

I myself have been living here and working overseas since 2007 for similar reasons. I still have to pay income tax but my first $97,000 is income tax free.


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

The area I live in some what remote but minutes from any major mall or grocery store, banks have mostly Australians or those from England, I've talked to a few of them but haven't had any long discussions. These guys hang out in southern end of Laguna.


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## RichB66 (Jun 22, 2014)

Thanks for all your replies guys..Can I ask why do you think property/housing costs will continue to rise, and in which areas..My wifes family lives in Iba and we have looked around that area a little..Its quite nice. We are planning to go back again Feb 2015 for a month and hire a car to have a good look around including the San Antonio area and up as far as San Fernando La Union,although that would be a bit too far away from Clark airpot for me.Would anyone happen to know of any long term accomodation in the San Antonio, Botolan areas as we definately want to rent for a while before we buy somewhere...Also any advice on car rentals in the area would be much appreciated..as would be information from any of the San Antonio expats that live there on activities etc in the area..
Thanks again guys.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

*Paradise*



RichB66 said:


> Thanks for all your replies guys..Can I ask why do you think property/housing costs will continue to rise, and in which areas..My wifes family lives in Iba and we have looked around that area a little..Its quite nice. We are planning to go back again Feb 2015 for a month and hire a car to have a good look around including the San Antonio area and up as far as San Fernando La Union,although that would be a bit too far away from Clark airpot for me.Would anyone happen to know of any long term accomodation in the San Antonio, Botolan areas as we definately want to rent for a while before we buy somewhere...Also any advice on car rentals in the area would be much appreciated..as would be information from any of the San Antonio expats that live there on activities etc in the area..
> Thanks again guys.


Welcome to the forum Rich,

Personally I think the cost of living overall will continue to go up as well. Inflation is here as well as anywhere else. Plus there are more and more retirees looking to move here to the islands. In particular the Subic Bay and surrounding areas the cost of everything is likely to go up. This I think will be due at least in part to the US military returning to the area.

That return will bring the support businesses etc even in the areas you mention. I think these will be changes for the better and will draw even more retirees to the area. Even over our way by the old Clark airbase these changes will begin before long as the area really starts to grow and progress. 

As difficult and complex making a move here can be; it would be even more difficult to locate a place to live without being here. Kinda like buying a used car--sight unseen. Risky, at best.

In another post you made, you asked about your wife's passport and citizenship issues she has.
I'd strongly advise that she or you and she make an in person visit to the closest Philippine embassy to your location. That will guarantee accurate information as well as any fees needed to right the situation will not be more than they are supposed to be.



Best of luck,

Jet Lag


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## pcarlos (Jun 10, 2014)

hi! If your planning to move in the Phil then it would be better to get settled down because land prices is always rising and you would get your moneys worth in the long run. It would be okay to rent for a few months just for you to choose which area you would really like to move in. <Snip>


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

Rent if you plan on staying less than a year, but since you've been married to a Filipina for 20 years it is safe to say buy. But be careful where you buy there are scammers that will take you to the cleaners. Make sure they a reputable and check with the local agencies and banks. Not everyone is a rip off. The title to the property is Wifes name married to XXX XXX a citizen of Somewhere. So your name is on the title. You can also get a Deed of Usufruct and SPA.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

c_acton98 said:


> Rent if you plan on staying less than a year, but since you've been married to a Filipina for 20 years it is safe to say buy. But be careful where you buy there are scammers that will take you to the cleaners. Make sure they a reputable and check with the local agencies and banks. Not everyone is a rip off. The title to the property is Wifes name married to XXX XXX a citizen of Somewhere. So your name is on the title. You can also get a Deed of Usufruct and SPA.


My knowledge of Usufruct is very limited and I know it would apply to a filipino citizen but are we sure it would apply to a foreigner as to me it looks as thought it would go against the family code which would invalidate it.


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

Gary D said:


> My knowledge of Usufruct is very limited and I know it would apply to a filipino citizen but are we sure it would apply to a foreigner as to me it looks as thought it would go against the family code which would invalidate it.


Understood first hand knowledge is a friend of mine his Filipino wife had one done by a lawyer with the SPA. Now having said that, it has not gone to court and went through the hoops all that stuff.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

c_acton98 said:


> Understood first hand knowledge is a friend of mine his Filipino wife had one done by a lawyer with the SPA. Now having said that, it has not gone to court and went through the hoops all that stuff.


And of course a filipino lawyer would never just tell you what you want to hear and take your money.


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## Promis8715 (Jun 24, 2013)

Nail On The Head Lastyle7! Why buy a house when you can just rent one and have the freedom to move around like you said. Two friends of mine completed 2 years in Afghanistan last year; one went back to CA and the other went to the Philippines because he met a girl there, built a house while still in Afghan so it would be ready when he returned to the PI. When he got there, he got into an argument with his girlfriend and said he was going to sell the house…2 days later, he was DEAD! I'm sure there are success stories, of course, but these types of things happen and there is nothing you can do about it! AND, like it was mentioned, you can't own land so the house is never really yours! MY OPINION IS JUST MY OPINION…Wish you well


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## pcarlos (Jun 10, 2014)

True That you cannot own a house but foreigners can own a condominium. If you wont be staying for a long time then renting would be great. The price of renting is the same as your monthly payment in owning one. Now if your planning to stay it would be best to buy a place. In the case of some of my relatives. They stay in CA but purchased a condo here for investment and personal use. They come back every 2 years and still have it rented for a year or more.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

pcarlos said:


> True That you cannot own a house but foreigners can own a condominium. If you wont be staying for a long time then renting would be great. The price of renting is the same as your monthly payment in owning one. Now if your planning to stay it would be best to buy a place. In the case of some of my relatives. They stay in CA but purchased a condo here for investment and personal use. They come back every 2 years and still have it rented for a year or more.


I can find a nice place to rent for 6-14K/month depending on what I want....and a condo payment is that much? I have looked at many gated subd...payments of 35-70K/month for a 4MP home depending on the down payment so I'm skeptical.


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## pcarlos (Jun 10, 2014)

cvgtpc1 said:


> I can find a nice place to rent for 6-14K/month depending on what I want....and a condo payment is that much? I have looked at many gated subd...payments of 35-70K/month for a 4MP home depending on the down payment so I'm skeptical.


Yes there are down payments as low as 10K a month. Yes gated villages are quite pricey specially on the location. May I ask which area you have checked?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

cvgtpc1 said:


> I can find a nice place to rent for 6-14K/month depending on what I want....and a condo payment is that much? I have looked at many gated subd...payments of 35-70K/month for a 4MP home depending on the down payment so I'm skeptical.


Here's a good one and proof that the spending of millions or even many thousands of pesos is an unnecessary waste of money. We had lived in the same place for quite a few years. In fact we own the home. But because the neighborhood was deteriorating and having four daughters to keep safe; we moved just over a month ago to a place about 10 blocks from the house we own.

This house we are in now is a very modern, smaller, two bedroom rental home. Has a fully enclosed {gated} patio with room to park a van or whatever inside off of the street. Comfortable and nice and just P2,000 {two thousand} pesos per month. At the moment and current exchange rates that's about $46.00us dollars per month!

There are good places available to rent or lease without being taken to the cleaners. There are and will always be property management companies and real estate agencies that will sell/lease you anything you THINK you want.

We all have preferences and we all have the inborn right to choose things each day. But we also are supposed to have some level of common sense in what we do as well.
I'd much rather have all that money for my wife and kids to have, get, and enjoy life than to throw the money away when it really is not necessary to do so.


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