Living part time every year in Philippines rent own or?

[Old55]

Awhile before we can spend summers  in Philippines but my wife and I are curious what others have done for accommodations part time? We do not want to buy a house or condo. 

Some folks own condos and like knowing they have their "own" place to come to each year. Most cases close to Filipino family members living there.

Not only asking for a list of places but also interested in ideas what others do during their two three or four month visits each year. We would travel some within the country and out. There are many low cost resorts likely take advantage of that too.

 

[scott h]

Interesting question Old, naturally you'll get as many opinions as we have members.

Me? I would do a cost benefit analysis. Years till you move permanently (if ever?). Call it 4 million to buy a condo. (just for conversation) average amount of time spent here each trip. (take the middle of 3 months) Lets take a discounted room at a luxury resort of P5500 that gives you about 730 nights or 60 months or 20 years of 3 months visits to decide on the final location of your retirement. Who knows, you buy a condo on your next visit and lets say 5 years from now when you retire, the area changes, the Property management company changes, you, in your travels find a better location and now your saddled with a property to unload before you can free your money up for future use.

Me? I would just enjoy my visits and not having to worry about a house 10k miles away....but then again that's just an opinion (sniff, sniff, do I smell something???) 

[Lou49]

I stay in hotels.  I never cook. i get a monthly rate and come and go as i please.A month or two in Cebu or Baguio or Bohol or where ever....no hassles, no worries. Or you could check this out:

 

Edited August 17, 2017 by Lou49

[Old55]

Yes Scott, we are making plans for my retirement. I thought spring of 2020 at age 66 but it could be next spring, who knows. 

 

[Dave Hounddriver]

That's a very practical question and most people I know who live part time here and part time elsewhere have a bigger budget than those of us who stay in one place full time.  Let me list a few people I know who do it, and how they do/did it

1. Comes for 3 weeks 3 times a year and stays in resorts.  He is still working back in the US,  Problems:  High cost and always looking for someone to store and take care of motorbike and personal stuff while gone.

2. Owned a house in Philippines already so he and wife rented it to reliable people who would either move out for a couple months of the year to give the owners their house back or share the house with the owner for a couple  months each year.  It was a big house.  Problems:  Owning  a house here and the related expenses and often looking for that special person to rent and take care of your house when not here.

3. Owns a condo and stays in it 6 months and locks it up for 6 months when he leaves:  Problems.  Paying for a place for 6 months with no income and needing someone to keep an eye on it while gone.

4.  Spends US winter in Philppines and always stay in a low to medium cost furnished apartment for the 5 months a year he is here. This is the cheapest option and the only expense is storing his motorcycle while gone.  Hard to find trustworthy people who will take care of it for you while you are not here.

5.  Spends 6 months at work and 6 months here but leaves wife here to take care of house and stuff while he is out working.  Problem:  Still working and does not see wife for 6 months.

[Old55]

Thanks Dave. We figured if no one had any ideas we would just stay (I mean visit!!!) with you guys. I also know this guy who lives in Cebu City am sure he would let us stay if I were to buy him a few cold ones.

I spoke to the Filipino owner of a nice modest beach resort not far from the ferry landing on Bantayn Island. She said they would be pleased to have a couple spend a month or more and would reduce the price about a third. A German in Santa Fe Bantayn said about the same at his place was common he said. Near Oslob Cebu the Filipino resort owner also was interested in long term visitors willing to reduce prices for that. 

Furnished condo's in Cebu City are available by the week or month and we would likely spend a few weeks down town as I have friends living there. An old ex forum member lived long term in an older modest hotel downtown Cebu City for reasonable price. 

The house next to our family is owned by the wife of a Chicago Fireman about to retire. She lives in Talisay while he spends vacations with her there. No thank you please.

[Dave Hounddriver]

42 minutes ago, Old55 said:

I also know this guy who lives in Cebu City am sure he would let us stay if I were to buy him a few cold ones

The best way I can think of is to have an Aussie couple and an American couple buy a condo together and share it 6 months each.  That way both parties can spend winters in Philippines 

[Snowy79]

Personally I bought a condo in a location that is one of the busiest for tourists all year around. I paid including all legal fees just over 4m php. My thinking I've got a place to stay thats worth visiting, easy to rent out and easier to re sell. 

Initially it was going to be my home once my current rental ran out. In the meantime i advertised it for nightly rentals. Im now stuck with the predicament where ive got over 300,000 php worth of rentals in the next 8 months. 

I then thought I'd live here during the off season and rent it out during the peak season but it turns out there's no off season. Cash is king so I've decided that if there's 4 or 5 days vacancy in a row during the month I'll pay it a visit as a mini holiday. Now with the surplus money I'm going to rent my own piece of paradise without biting into my savings. 

I've even gone as far as to renting my apartment out and still coming over but I've rented somewhere cheaper and my apartment has paid for my flights and desperate accommodation. 

In short if you need the money I'd buy a condo in a major tourist area and either block the dates you want to use it and rent it out or just rent it out full time then use the money to live where you want. The way I see it any money you pay in rent is dead money. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

18 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

The best way I can think of is to have an Aussie couple and an American couple buy a condo together

Memo to self.  Don't share with a Scotsman or he'll have the dang thing rented out year round. 

[Snowy79]

I'd use my six months then rent out the other guys