# Thinking of buying real estate in the Phillipines



## Shanerj (Nov 25, 2012)

Hi All;
We are new to the site and have been talking to some friends from the philippines and it sounds like the paradise we are looking for. Does anybody have any advice on buying a house or condo and where to buy. We are outgoing and love the outdoor life and mixing with new people, I am also an ex military member, not sure if that makes a difference but from what I have read it leads me to think it does. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Shane Johnson


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

Hi Shane. As far as I know, for individuals, only Filipino citizens born in the Philippines can buy land here. A company can also own land, as long as its foreign ownership is limited to 40% of the company (I think this is determined by number of major shareholders).

Foreigners can purchase condos here, as long as foreign ownership of the condo development does not go above 40%. The developer is supposed to control this percentage during initial building and selling phase, and the condo management committee is supposed to keep it this way after the developer pulls out. Not sure how strictly it is enforced in practice however.

If you are married to a Filipina, you can buy any property as long as it is done in her name.

I hesitate to suggest any particular locations because there are so many to choose from. "Outdoor life" could have different connotations here. If you mean beach activities or barbeques then yes you should be able to find suitable places to stay very easily. For other activities like hill walking there are areas with designated trails, but some of these might not be safe for foreigners to venture on without any locals accompanying them. What kind of outdoor life do you have in mind?

Richard


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## Shanerj (Nov 25, 2012)

Gday Richard;
Yeh mate our idea of outdoor activities are beach, fishing , barbies and socialising, scuba diving , snorkeling etc, oh yeh then theres drinking and relaxing. I have read about Cebu and it sounds nice but i guess the only way to know is to go for a look. Thanks for your feedback, its appreciated.

Reagrds

Shane


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

Hi Shane. I've been to Cebu once on holiday and thought it was great. Personally I don't enjoy beach life because my skin burns very easily, but I think if you like that scene you would find Cebu very suitable. It's more expensive than other, less developed places, (probably because there are a lot of expats there) so you'd have to factor that in your decision making.

Richard


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2012)

I have heard Bohol has the best diving.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Cebu is a good central point. Excellent areas out on MacTan Island, also some well known diving in the west side of Cebu Island and up at the Sogod Resort area to the north on Cebu. I am not into diving, have only heard of this. 

Fred


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## DreamingExpat (Sep 22, 2012)

Hi there, I've been all over PI, I'm married to a Filipina, if beach life, diving and just general water play is what younare looking then I would suggest that you look into the Palawan area. I have spent some time there and did my first dive at club paradise. The island is a resort that is mainly for the island comer and diver. There are many WWII ship wrecks all around the area.
Enjoy the hunt, but as far as I'm concerned you really can't go wrong with the islands, I would just stay out of the more southern ones, westerners are not always viewed in a good light.
James


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## proudpinay (Dec 6, 2012)

Being a foreign, you are allowed to purchase a condo property or selected townhomes under Condominium Certificate if Title (CCT) on a 100% ownership. You are not allowed to own a house or land unless you will purchase using a Filipino citizen, or purchase done through a Filipino-dominated company.

If you want to be in the city, Makati or Fort Bonifacio will be best. You can easily drive to Batangas, which is one of the best diving areas if you're coming from the city.

However, if you really want to be just minutes away from the diving spots, I would recommend places like Cebu, Davao or BORACAY! Boracay might serve you best, since it has developments and properties that will allow foreigns to own.

When are you planning to go to Philippines, anyway?


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

following upon my private message, ran across your thread here, I have had Batangas area mentioned to me often, places such as Laguna, I have a love for walking along promenades in front of beaches,so relaxing. 
What about long term stay for me in Phils, I read about the retirement visa, but that seems rather expensive, compared to Thailand for example? Not really wanting to get married as have done that a couple of times, without much luck. Any other suggestions. Ron


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

*Moving To Paradise*



Shanerj said:


> Hi All;
> We are new to the site and have been talking to some friends from the philippines and it sounds like the paradise we are looking for. Does anybody have any advice on buying a house or condo and where to buy. We are outgoing and love the outdoor life and mixing with new people, I am also an ex military member, not sure if that makes a difference but from what I have read it leads me to think it does. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks
> ...


Hi Shane,

First question is - have you been to the Philippines before? Best suggestion is to spend asmuch time here as possible before deciding on making a move. Location naturally would depend on if you like big city living, rural areas, or the beach. 
*A foreigner can not own land* in the country and would have to be in the name of a Filipino citizen. condos can be owned though and many available in a lot of areas now. 
I don't know that being ex military would make a difference or not You'd need to check with your own government on that I suppose. I'm from the US and prior military service has no bearing on living here or on a visa.
Let us know if ya have any other questions that we can help with and hope to see you here in paradise ..


Gene


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

mogo51 said:


> following upon my private message, ran across your thread here, I have had Batangas area mentioned to me often, places such as Laguna, I have a love for walking along promenades in front of beaches,so relaxing.
> What about long term stay for me in Phils, I read about the retirement visa, but that seems rather expensive, compared to Thailand for example? Not really wanting to get married as have done that a couple of times, without much luck. Any other suggestions. Ron


I think it is not a good idea to make a decision on this without coming here and seeing what the place is like in your intended area for settling (and BTW Laguna is not in Batangas  ).

You can come here on a tourist visa for 21 days, and extend it as necessary (with payments) up to 24 months. Then if you want to remain you can exit to a nearby country and return the next day (or earlier depending on flight times). When you arrive you will get another 21 days tourist visa and you start the cycle over again. If you decide you want to stay long term, you can then decide if the retirement visa options are attractive or not.

If you want to live on a beach, I personally would not recommend Batangas or Laguna. Maybe Cebu or Boracay might be more suitable. I am sure if you can search this forum you will get many suggestions for good beach locations.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Richard


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

hi Richard,
note your comment about Laguna and Batangas, is there a reason you have that opinion, they are two places I was considering. Ron


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

mogo51 said:


> hi Richard,
> note your comment about Laguna and Batangas, is there a reason you have that opinion, they are two places I was considering. Ron


Hi Ron. I have driven around quite a lot in these 2 provinces, but I am by no means an expert on every district. First of all though, Laguna does not have a sea shore (this page has a boundary map - San Pedro, Laguna - WikiPilipinas: The Hip 'n Free Philippine Encyclopedia).

My general observation about Batangas beaches is that the accessible ones (nearby and with reasonable roads) tend to be privately owned and fenced off. The Batangas shoreline is huge though so if you drive far enough you are bound to find a nice bit of beach. For me, these beaches would be too remote and I would be concerned about security since there is no real law and order once you get away from the cities. Anyway here is a page with info on some Batangas beaches and how to get to them. Batangas -beaches, scuba resorts, rivers, lakes, falls, volcanoes. I am not sure if you can just go to any of these and walk around, it is possible you might have to pay an entrance fee.

Ron, if you had never mentioned promenading along the beach as your way of relaxing, I would say by all means look at Laguna and Batangas for your retirement. There are many good places to stay here, but the ones I have seen are not very close to a beach. As I said, I am not an expert, so hopefully someone else can suggest suitable places for you that I am not aware of.

Have you considered Palawan? I visited Puerto Princesa earlier this year and thought it was great. I believe there are beachfront properties available for rent there.

Richard


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

thanks Richard, very informative. I have also had good reports about Porto Princesa, is it semi cosmopolitan or Beverley Hillbillies?


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

mogo51 said:


> thanks Richard, very informative. I have also had good reports about Porto Princesa, is it semi cosmopolitan or Beverley Hillbillies?


Well I wouldn't like to restrict my opinions about a place to just 2 categories like that. Puerto Princesa has a pretty well developed tourist infrastructure, which puts it ahead of most of the Philippines in that respect. This means that there are always foreign visitors around and the local shops, pubs and restaurants have evolved to cater to that market. In addition, there are many longterm expats around and again, the local businesses try to cater to their needs.

It is not easy to recommend a place for other people, but I will say honestly that I would not hesitate to move there if my family circumstances would allow it.

Richard


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

cheers Richard, most helpful. Regards, Ron


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

I think Condos are a better proposition if they fit the lifestyle you wish to lead. You can own them in Phils, similar to Thailand, but a friend of mine has just bought a couple off the plan and I am not sure I would go up hat road. Not that I dont trust Philipinos just that I dont.


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## jnieurzyla (Mar 17, 2012)

*Condo's*

Before buying anything, I would suggest you first come and rent only, then if you really like the area then think about a condo, but most condos tend to be in Manila, but there are always places to rent.
There are not many adverts on the internet for rental, so its best to visit, and drive around, you will see sign advertising for rent. You can always also ask the local security guards for contact to local agents, they are your best guides for that. Best take a Philippine friend and let them do the negotiating, otherwise you could be charged extra being a foreigner.
You will find that once you buy a condo, normally they are very difficult to sell afterwards if you intend to move later. You are investing a lot of money for these as well as paying for maintenance etc. etc..
I have lived here now for 6 years, and though I did own a place, through unfortunate circumstances my Philippine ex had me kicked out, and I lost everything except my clothes. 
Now I am just gong to rent, and therefore my money is mine, and I keep it in a foreign bank, as the Banks here are not to be trusted. HSBC etc accounts can be opened prior to your arriving, you can withdraw cash at the many atms here, or via HSBC branch here.
All the above is from my experience, there are some great places here, and most good beaches are private. Borocay is not as good as its made out, its expensive, with lots of not nice places now, it was good, but now its going down hill.
Davao has a good name, but the electric supply is not consistent with rolling brown outs, and no improvement for the forseeable future, but a safe place to live.
Remember a foreigner here has little to no rights legally, and local enforcement will twist everything to protect the locals.
Good luck


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

many thanks for your comments and I agree with most of your observations, having lived for sometime in Thailand I am well aware of how we stand legally in Phils, same same in Thailand
I am sorry to hear about your demise with the Phils woman, same stories heard all the time in Thailand. Hint for you, if you do fall in love again, want to buy a property, mortgage it back to yourself for more than you paid, you are secured then by mortgage and hold the trump card.
Overall, subjectively I think you are a better chance in Phils than Thailand of finding the right person. I have friends who have done the mortgage thing and legally it is agreed as the fool proof way to protect your investment.


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## jnieurzyla (Mar 17, 2012)

*Mortgage*

That would be a possibility, but a life insurance policy is required, and in the Philippines the age limit is 60, so if you get a mortgage for 20 years, you have to be aged maximum 50 for it likely to go through, they are very cautious here, and interpret the rules the way they think it should be, not necessarily the way it should be...
I know I sound like a wet blanket, but at the moment I am still suffering with a severe lack of funds, and I have to survive here for another 18 months till my government pension starts paying out.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

*Women and Banks*



jnieurzyla said:


> Before buying anything, I would suggest you first come and rent only, then if you really like the area then think about a condo, but most condos tend to be in Manila, but there are always places to rent.
> There are not many adverts on the internet for rental, so its best to visit, and drive around, you will see sign advertising for rent. You can always also ask the local security guards for contact to local agents, they are your best guides for that. Best take a Philippine friend and let them do the negotiating, otherwise you could be charged extra being a foreigner.
> You will find that once you buy a condo, normally they are very difficult to sell afterwards if you intend to move later. You are investing a lot of money for these as well as paying for maintenance etc. etc..
> I have lived here now for 6 years, and though I did own a place, through unfortunate circumstances my Philippine ex had me kicked out, and I lost everything except my clothes.
> ...


You're from the UK; does your country have or put restrictions on a govt pension acct when using a Philippine bank?
I'm asking because the US does have such. When using a foreign bank for social security, a spouse can not be on or a signer on the Social Security acct and no ATM card can be issued on that acct as well. Also, only a select few banks are approved by the US for these direct deposits. If you can set up your retirement acct in such a way, it will help insure nothing happens a second time.

Luckily my wife has handled all our finances here in the islands for 10 years and does a great job of it. Hmmm- guess I'd have to do something pretty bad for her to boot me out the door. Seriously though, for most people, it is a very good idea to cover your own butt when living here just to be on the safe side...


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## jnieurzyla (Mar 17, 2012)

UK pensions will pay direct to all the main Philippine banks, I am not aware of any restrictions placed on them.
As for the ex, she decided she loved her 1st cousin (our gardener) more, and as the house and land had already been purchased by me, of course everything also had her name on it, so there nothing much else she could get from me.
She is trying to have me thrown out of Philippines, but nobody is listening to her, as she is a gold digger, her family sympathise with me, but have to stand by her as she is blood family.


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

I have heard such similar stores so many times before, so I understand your anxiety over it all. It is the same all the time in Thailand, we just have to understand that we are the foreigners there and dont rate at all. Still we stay as the options in our own country are not that flash.
I am very hard and disbelieving until they prove otherwise. I stay away from bar girls etc. plus young women, only kidding myself and they are trouble. I am not foolish enough to think a 30 years old or less is genuinely interested in me. I wish you good luck and hope that you can find the right person. I am sort of leaning more to retire to Thailand soon, due to the lack of infra structure in Phils, plus the cyclonic conditions, but I much prefer Filipino women to Thais. I have a Filipino gf in Thailand who is a teacher, she is a great woman, mid 40s but still have apprehensions. Merry Christmas and Happy New year to you and all members.


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## c_uk (Oct 24, 2012)

jnieurzyla said:


> UK pensions will pay direct to all the main Philippine banks, I am not aware of any restrictions placed on them.
> As for the ex, she decided she loved her 1st cousin (our gardener) more, and as the house and land had already been purchased by me, of course everything also had her name on it, so there nothing much else she could get from me.
> She is trying to have me thrown out of Philippines, but nobody is listening to her, as she is a gold digger, her family sympathise with me, but have to stand by her as she is blood family.


That's just sad. Very sad. Hope you get everything sorted out and good luck.


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## bundyrum (Oct 6, 2011)

Shanerj said:


> Gday Richard;
> Yeh mate our idea of outdoor activities are beach, fishing , barbies and socialising, scuba diving , snorkeling etc, oh yeh then theres drinking and relaxing. I have read about Cebu and it sounds nice but i guess the only way to know is to go for a look. Thanks for your feedback, its appreciated.
> 
> Reagrds
> ...


Hi Shane. Sounds like you need to visit Boracay. Has all that you are looking for. I'm here at the moment.I intend to live here on a semi permanent basis. I think you would be interesed. Where in Aus are you from? John


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## natsumehikari (Jul 11, 2013)

Shanerj said:


> Hi All;
> We are new to the site and have been talking to some friends from the philippines and it sounds like the paradise we are looking for. Does anybody have any advice on buying a house or condo and where to buy. We are outgoing and love the outdoor life and mixing with new people, I am also an ex military member, not sure if that makes a difference but from what I have read it leads me to think it does. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks
> ...


Hi Shane, 

If you're living here already in philippines what kind of place did you imagine? Beach type? Forest Cool Climate? or City type? I think this will help you.


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