What Area Of Cebu To Look For A House?

[Old55]

@Badlongon, Thanks for suggestion, I was going to stay for one week, but maybe I'll stay longer

If you will only visit for one week just enjoy your time there. Once you are ready to move spend a month or more by that time you may have a much better idea what pleases you.

[TedDBayer]

Thanks guys, I'm going to stay for 2 weeks now. I looked at google satellite shots of some of the smaller towns like Carcar, Argao and Danao. I'm used to more secluded. I'm 30 kms from anything in Canada. Are house prices less in this areas? What's crime/ thieft like?

 I plan on getting a Honda 125, I've driven big motorcycles since I was a teenage and I had a scooter in China. Chinese have to be the worst drivers in the world. I'll be OK with a little Honda. I'll have to check out what the quality helmets are, DOT approved or basically just a hard hat.

[Old55]

Ted, I know you are an experienced traveler but driving a scooter in Philippines is high risk for sure. We have a member who recently had a serious indecent. The local covers are not dot quality but you would know enough to find something OK.

Home prices away from city's will be inexpensive but you will be seen as a "Rich Kano". I'm sure the same as in China? Still prices are lower.

Rural areas are called Da Providences and are generally safe. Filipinos living in small towns are even kinder but some can be shy and modest. Just be respectful and friendly you will get along very well.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I'll have to check out what the quality helmets are, DOT approved

 

Quality?  The only important thing is having the Philippine sticker on the helmet.  If you don't have their sticker then you will get fined from time to time.  Stickers from other countries do not count.

 

Edited December 27, 2013 by Dave Hounddriver

[Medic Mike]

Ted, I know you are an experienced traveler but driving a scooter in Philippines is high risk for sure. We have a member who recently had a serious indecent. The local covers are not dot quality but you would know enough to find something OK.

Home prices away from city's will be inexpensive but you will be seen as a "Rich Kano". I'm sure the same as in China? Still prices are lower.

Rural areas are called Da Providences and are generally safe. Filipinos living in small towns are even kinder but some can be shy and modest. Just be respectful and friendly you will get along very well.

Ted, I am afraid I concur with Old55, riding anything on 2 wheels is highly dangerous in the Philippines. Even for the most experienced rider, you are taking your life in your own hands. Everyday I am out on the ambulance we attend at least 2 very serious MVA's involving push bikes or motorcycles.

 

If you do insist on riding, get the best full face helmet you can afford, and wear full protective gear, I know it will be hot with all the protective gear, but if you are hit it is going to save you a lot of heart ache.

 

I also advise all expats that do ride, to stencil or tape your full name, blood type, any allergies, and next of kin contact details on the back of the helmet.

[Americano]

@ Americano, thanks. I never thought of looking else where. Carcar looks like a smaller city. I had planned on looking around the outskirts of Cebu, but that's a big area. I should be open to other areas. I live in rural Canada and lived in a city in China. China is a crazy circus, but newer parts of cities are beautiful. My home is so quiet that sometimes it makes my ears ring. I'd like something in between.

 I'd appreciate a real estate/ guide contact, please send me info. I more or less know what I want for a house, a bungalow with some yard and fenced, 100 to 120'm. I'd look at something smaller with a fenced yard. I'm more of a home body and won't be spending my time in bars.

 

 

I will send you the real estate/ guide contact information by Private Message since I'm not sure if we are allowed to post it on here. Actually its probably better because then I can give her your name which will make her feel safer traveling alone with you if you decide to use her services.

 

If I was you I would consider using her as a travel guide but not as a real estate agent yet and here's why. Most of the properties she has listed for sale are expensive and you don't even know where you want to live yet. The best thing to do is go to an area you may be interested in living and get a Filipina to locate houses for rent in that area and get a confirmed price for the rent. Next you can see the houses to decide if you like any of them. If you look at a house before the rent is established the rent will probably be much higher. And, if they try to go up on the rent after the Filipina has established the rent with the manager or owner then you don't have to rent it. That's the way things work in the Philippines. Some people call it the Kano price or some other words but I call it greed.

 

If you come down to Carcar my wife already knows about two house she saw for rent which are P6,000 and P5,000 per month, if they haven't been rented in the past month. She will check around for other houses for rent too.  There's a hotel very close to where we live so you could stay there.

 

To get to Carcar from the Cebu Airport which is on Mactan Island take a Taxi to the South Bus Terminal. Take an Air-con bus to Carcar and get off at the Gaisano Mall. I could meet you there or you could take a tricycle to the hotel. I will give you more information in the PM.

[Medic Mike]

 

@ Americano, thanks. I never thought of looking else where. Carcar looks like a smaller city. I had planned on looking around the outskirts of Cebu, but that's a big area. I should be open to other areas. I live in rural Canada and lived in a city in China. China is a crazy circus, but newer parts of cities are beautiful. My home is so quiet that sometimes it makes my ears ring. I'd like something in between.

 I'd appreciate a real estate/ guide contact, please send me info. I more or less know what I want for a house, a bungalow with some yard and fenced, 100 to 120'm. I'd look at something smaller with a fenced yard. I'm more of a home body and won't be spending my time in bars.

 

 

I will send you the real estate/ guide contact information by Private Message since I'm not sure if we are allowed to post it on here. Actually its probably better because then I can give her your name which will make her feel safer traveling alone with you if you decide to use her services.

 

If I was you I would consider using her as a travel guide but not as a real estate agent yet and here's why. Most of the properties she has listed for sale are expensive and you don't even know where you want to live yet. The best thing to do is go to an area you may be interested in living and get a Filipina to locate houses for rent in that area and get a confirmed price for the rent. Next you can see the houses to decide if you like any of them. If you look at a house before the rent is established the rent will probably be much higher. And, if they try to go up on the rent after the Filipina has established the rent with the manager or owner then you don't have to rent it. That's the way things work in the Philippines. Some people call it the Kano price or some other words but I call it greed.

 

If you come down to Carcar my wife already knows about two house she saw for rent which are P6,000 and P5,000 per month, if they haven't been rented in the past month. She will check around for other houses for rent too.  There's a hotel very close to where we live so you could stay there.

 

To get to Carcar from the Cebu Airport which is on Mactan Island take a Taxi to the South Bus Terminal. Take an Air-con bus to Carcar and get off at the Gaisano Mall. I could meet you there or you could take a tricycle to the hotel. I will give you more information in the PM.

 

I concur about the Kano price. When I had a pinay girlfriend, I told her what I was looking for, and then sent her shopping. Everytime I looked, she always got a better price than me.

[Thomas]

Cebu is quite large. I live outside of a Canadian town of 4000. My plan is to come to Cebu for a week and look for a house. I don't know Cebu. What area has a good hospital, shopping close etc, but is more quiet. I guess I am asking information about Cebu, Mandaue City and Mactan Island so I can narrow my search. I was leaning towards Mactan Island, any critiques??

Why do you want to move to a big city, when you live rural in Canada??? :)

Higher level means less hot, can even become a bit cold.

Rural you can get away of the terrible noice too.

[TedDBayer]

I thought about bringing a helmet, but I guess that out

[TedDBayer]

I considered Cebu, but said I don't know the area, and was thinking of the outskirts, but now I see that I'd probably like a small town or Da Provences. Thanks guys, I said I was open to suggestions.

 Philippines has nothing on China for careless/dangerous driving. Cars don't stop, some even actually floor it when you do have time to cross. Never figured that out,I think it's a power trip. Some times a bigger bike has advantages, getting out of the way. I have a Honda 50 scooter, max speed is 36mph, it's pretty safe. I changed the variator pulley, nice scoot for town, It used to take about a kilometer to wind out, now about 100 feet.