What Percentage of Your Net Income Do You Spend on Rent

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I own now. When I paid rent it was about 15%, in Iloilo city.  Outside the city was 7%...but hard to recommend a bamboo/nipa househa ha 

[MikeB]

I was paying about 8% of my total net income for rent of a house in a provincial town 2 hours south of Cebu City. Nice house, just weird design. Had 5 pretty good years there, thankfully no emergencies. Now, living in the US, my house payment ratio to income is MUCH higher. Should have saved more money over there.

[robert k]

Brett, my rent stayed the same at 6K pesos a month but my income ranged widely. This for a 2 bedroom 1 bath of about 80 sq meters outside of Sibulan but still within 3 km of the public market 10 km from Robinsons mall Dumaguete. At the time it varied between 10-20% of my budget. I'm better off financially but I'd do it again, the place was complete adequate, barring I didn't want to pay for a cable contract which led to poor internet and jalousie windows.

[davewe]

6 hours ago, BrettGC said:

Based on previous experience from friends, I'm also guessing it's probably better to get a local to make the initial inquiry?  When I was with the ex, I saw quite dramatic price differences between locals and us western types on a range of things.  

Take this for what it's worth (maybe I got lucky), but we just rented a 3 bedroom unfurnished house. The house was listed with a rental agency. There was the price, which the agent indicated was negotiable. I counter offered less, the owner came back with a figure between her original figure and my counter. At the insistence of my wife we stuck to our counter offer which the owner eventually accepted. Don't know how it is in Australia but where I lived in the US there is no such thing as negotiating rent.

The owner, a Filipina OFW, while considering our offer asked about our citizenship and several other things. My sense is that she was happy to rent to a "foreigner". Whether true or not we feel like we got a reasonable deal and hopefully will continue to feel that way till the end of our one year lease.

[BrettGC]

Ok, I'll let the cat out of the bag, I'll be on my Navy pension, about 80k a month.  So I'm looking at about 15-20k a month rent at a maximum.  And yes, given things that have happened in my life recently, it will probably be around the Dumaguete area.  Those of you that have been around a while will remember the major renovations that were done to her house North of Dumaguete, we're back together but both agree that don't want to live in Guihulngnan city.  Yep that's a fallback plan but far too away from civilisation.  Dave and Jack, look out 

Edited September 3, 2017 by BrettGC
Grammar

[BrettGC]

2 hours ago, davewe said:

Take this for what it's worth (maybe I got lucky), but we just rented a 3 bedroom unfurnished house. The house was listed with a rental agency. There was the price, which the agent indicated was negotiable. I counter offered less, the owner came back with a figure between her original figure and my counter. At the insistence of my wife we stuck to our counter offer which the owner eventually accepted. Don't know how it is in Australia but where I lived in the US there is no such thing as negotiating rent.

The owner, a Filipina OFW, while considering our offer asked about our citizenship and several other things. My sense is that she was happy to rent to a "foreigner". Whether true or not we feel like we got a reasonable deal and hopefully will continue to feel that way till the end of our one year lease.

Dave I don't know if you remember or not, but I used to manage a McMinnimans in Portland.  Yep I was the Aussie venue manager there and the hipsters loved the fact I was so blunt and honest with them; maybe they loved the "irony" of it, but whatever, I increased their margins by about 350% .  This was back in 2010.  Anyway, that's an aside.

You've just confirmed my suspicion of let your girl do the talking and hide or be nowhere near it.  As soon as they see us the price increases.  

[BrettGC]

6 hours ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

I own now. When I paid rent it was about 15%, in Iloilo city.  Outside the city was 7%...but hard to recommend a bamboo/nipa househa ha 

I remember those vlogs mate! But you looked so happy!

[BrettGC]

5 hours ago, davewe said:

Take this for what it's worth (maybe I got lucky), but we just rented a 3 bedroom unfurnished house. The house was listed with a rental agency. There was the price, which the agent indicated was negotiable. I counter offered less, the owner came back with a figure between her original figure and my counter. At the insistence of my wife we stuck to our counter offer which the owner eventually accepted. Don't know how it is in Australia but where I lived in the US there is no such thing as negotiating rent.

The owner, a Filipina OFW, while considering our offer asked about our citizenship and several other things. My sense is that she was happy to rent to a "foreigner". Whether true or not we feel like we got a reasonable deal and hopefully will continue to feel that way till the end of our one year lease.

PS loving your blogs since you arrived there, the car buying thing made me chuckle.. A lot 

[davewe]

6 hours ago, BrettGC said:

Dave I don't know if you remember or not, but I used to manage a McMinnimans in Portland.  Yep I was the Aussie venue manager there and the hipsters loved the fact I was so blunt and honest with them; maybe they loved the "irony" of it, but whatever, I increased their margins by about 350% .  This was back in 2010.  Anyway, that's an aside.

You've just confirmed my suspicion of let your girl do the talking and hide or be nowhere near it.  As soon as they see us the price increases.  

Hi Brett - I knew you lived in Oregon but didn't remember about the McMennamens thing.

All the negotiations were done with the Rental Agent go-between so the owner knew from the get go that there was a foreigner involved. It was just that Janet was ultimately tougher than me. I probably would have accepted their counter offer. She was the one who said to hold firm.

[davewe]

3 hours ago, BrettGC said:

PS loving your blogs since you arrived there, the car buying thing made me chuckle.. A lot 

Thanks! Good to hear.