Just A Little Place To Hang My Hat.

[Classic Dry]

Last time I visited the Phils earlier this year, my friend Fred took me to look at a house. This house was rumoured to be

for sale for Aud. $2000. Wasn't much of a place. Made of breeze blocks ( hollow bricks you call them ? ) with an iron roof.

An unfinished project. The whole thing was about 3.5 metres X 6.5 metres. Caravan size. The floor was concrete and

unfinished as were the walls. There was a shower and toilet installed with drainage to a septic tank. Water and electricity

were available. There was 1 bedroom and a living area which also contained a kitchen sink. The house was on a lot of about 900 square metres. It was on an unpaved road in a small hamlet and opposite a small school. The immediate area was rural,

rice fields in the main. Local traffic was private, mostly motorbikes. The main road was 2/3 ks away, so own transport

or motorbike taxi. Fred went to look for the owner and came back with the news that the house wasn't for sale !

 

Question is.....Are such places available in the Phils for about Aud $2500 ? Somewhere considered safe.

Wouldn't have to be fancy. Somewhere I can stow my few meagre possesions, so reasonably secure or secureable.

Then I can go traipsing round the Phils and come back to recuperate.

 

Pie in the sky ?

 

 (I know the law about foreign ownership of land )

 

[Call me bubba]

Pie in the sky ?

 

 

 

 

YES it is for us(non natives/non Philippine citizens)

 

why not consider a LONG TERM LEASE instead, and make the improvements that you seek

Edited October 5, 2013 by Pittman apartments Sgn

[Classic Dry]

Ok. Are there such properties available in the Philippines for long term lease ? And for what sort of price ?

 

I do know the law about foreign ownership of land there ! And it wouldn't be a problem !!!

Edited October 5, 2013 by Classic Dry

[Papa Carl]

Personally, I think 2,500 usd (about 110,000 pesos) might be hard to find, but that does not mean impossible! Mostly it would depend on where it was built, what location in the philippines, and what location in regards to a larger city.

 

For example, yes you could "buy" (taking into consideration you know the local laws about foreign ownership) a basic shell of a house that size in places like Tondo, or Caloocan in Manila, but I doubt you would want to live there! (I did and although I would not want to go back, I had no major problems or complaints).

 

I built a 5 bedroom house with my own well etc. in Lamdas Negros Oriental, and that cost me over 300,000 pesos, (not including the land), and keep in mind that is up in the mountains, in the jungle, and about 2 hours drive to Dumaguete.

 

It would also depend on if you require, internet, cable etc etc. which would require you to be closer to a larger city, and therefore drive the cost up unless you were in a "squatter" area.

 

Looking forward to hearing others responses, as if they can determine that it is possible, I certainly would be interested as well, but only after I no longer needed to work, to pay the bills! 

 

papa Carl

[joeatmanila]

Classic Dry do not get fooled.

The biggest factor of any kind of lodging here is LOCATION. and let me set things straight.

First and foremost as a foreigner (even if you marry 123457.7 Filipinas LOL) you cannot own land and neither house and lot. You can lease though, other members know the lease procedures much better than me so they can guide you.

If you marry a Filipina and you decide to buy a house and lot under her name with you in the titles as her legal husband (makes it way to difficult to sell it without your signature, if she dies you have one year to sell it and bye bye or marry another one and same procedure or if you make kids, under their name and they cannot evict you for as long as you live).

To find something to buy for 2500 $ ... you might do find but I can tell you not even the homeless Filipinos want to live there!!!

I hear what you say and want more or less, a safe secure area, not so far away from the city perhaps 30 min drive, not too big, a bedroom a small living room...give or take around 30-40m2 or 400ft2.

Province? which one? close to city? which one? prices vary, do not expect to find anything as you plan for less than 15.000$ and if you do, think twice if you want to live there, check it on the rainy season!!!

as for the lease options, other members can guide you.

[MikeB]

Question is.....Are such places available in the Phils for about Aud $2500 ?

Yes

Somewhere considered safe.

No

[Thomas]

Are such places available in the Phils for about Aud $2500 ?

Sure. E g  one 85 sqm, ready made (but can need some paint if wanted) extra strong built by an European, 2 minutes walk to the ocean (but a few houses in between so to close neighhours for my taste). At an island belonging to north Mindanao. They have problem selling it, although they ask just a bit over 100 000 pesos. I GUESS they have problem to get usable well water, because of being that close to the ocean.

[Classic Dry]

Thanks for all your answers guys.

 

Ok, from what you say such places do come up occasionally, but usually come with problems, location ( top of the list ) or other faults.

 

Would I have bought the house I looked at, had it been for sale ? Well, no. It was in the middle of nowhere ! At the main road was the bus route

( GT Express ? ) Half an hour one way was a small town/port. Three hours the other way was a large town/port calling itself a city, with limited

amenities, although it had a large mall.

 

Although Mr Pittman Apartments went immediately off topic ( bless him ) I'm sure he was thinking only of my best interests. The dangers of

entering into partnership with a Philippine citizen, particularly where property is involved ( mentioned here a couple of times in the above posts )

must have been covered heaps of times on this forum and probably others.

How many guys have taken up with a young lady, and then decided to buy a property together ? Lambs to the slaughter ! ( Though I'm sure it

works out well for some. )

 

No, although I have lots to learn about the Philippines, I don't think I have much to learn about hanging on to my money.

I'm afraid I'm not a trusting type. In a strange country, with a different culture, with people whose values I can only guess at.

It's not going to happen ! ( Even if she's really, really pretty.......lol )

 

Having said that, for the price of the house I looked at ( $2000 )  That's only a couple of weeks wages. After careful consideration, and with

someone I knew well, I might risk that, but not much more than that.

 

Although he didn't answer the question, Mr Pittman Apartments did go on to float the idea of long term lease, and this is the way I had been

thinking ( Thanks to having read something about the subject, on this forum, months ago. ) up until the time the $2000 house came up.

The thing about buying property is that if you get fed up with it, you can sell it. ( Well, in theory anyway )

 

But I don't know anything about long term leasing.

How it works.

How much it costs.

How long is long term ?

How are rent increases calculated ?

Etc. Etc.

 

As well as having a wealth of information, this forum also always has the kind of people ready and willing to offer advice.

It's a pleasure to belong here. Thanks guys.

 

Classic Dry.

[OnMyWay]

No matter the price, if you are not going to be there a lot then the location and security becomes even more important.  Your things might be gone when you return from your travels.

[Thomas]

But I don't know anything about long term leasing. How it works. How much it costs. How long is long term ? How are rent increases calculated ? Etc. Etc.

Almost all of your questions are up to you and the land owner :)   =just negotiate until you agree.

 

But the law tell about years. I don't have the notes in this computer but long times leases can be 25 years (or is it 30, perhaps my memory mix up with Thailand) plus the deal can have an option of additional same amount of years.

Register the deal at the Register of Deeds to avoid mess if the land owner try to sell the land without telling the buyer about the lease deal. Basicly lease deals follow the LAND undepending of who is the owner, but it can be unnecesary fights in court if the buyer couldn't knew about the lease deal by it wasn't registered.

 

To get some extra security - or if the land owner want to sell to get money direct, but you convince him to "lease" it to you instead - you can pay the land owner the value of the land as a LOAN with the land as colateral. Perhaps even including you get a buying option for a predecided price. The lease fee can e g be the same amount as the interest he pay on the loan  :)   or give him a litle extra each year to keep him happy. Register such loan deals too to reduce problem risks if he try to sell it.

BUT only some land (=titled) can be legaly used as colateral, but it don't stop Pinoys to use other land as colateral anyway   :dance:   in deals between themselves, but then the colateral loan can't be registered, because of that land can't be legaly a colateral  :lol:

(I know a Filipina, who became land owner that second way, although she didn't realy wanted to, because she lives in Manila mostly and the land is at Samar.)

Edited October 6, 2013 by Thomas