Purchasing Working Farm In Cebu/davao

[Keith44]

Hi all,

Myself and my filipino wife are currently living and working in Western Australia awaiting for her permanent residency to be approved.

Once this occurs we would like to purchase approx 3 hectares of agriculture land with house/hut, fruit trees, animals etc in either Cebu or Davao and commute and work the farm mostly myself with help from my wifes side of the family.

Im wondering if anyone has done this before, the process involved would it be lengthy and consuming and also the pitfalls as im sure there are some.

Thanks

Keith

[Jollygoodfellow]

Hi

Is your purpose to make a living off the land or hobby? Commuting to Aus and back often sure will use any profit off the farm if there was one.

[chris49]

Hi all,

Myself and my filipino wife are currently living and working in Western Australia awaiting for her permanent residency to be approved.

Once this occurs we would like to purchase approx 3 hectares of agriculture land with house/hut, fruit trees, animals etc in either Cebu or Davao and commute and work the farm mostly myself with help from my wifes side of the family.

Im wondering if anyone has done this before, the process involved would it be lengthy and consuming and also the pitfalls as im sure there are some.

Thanks

Keith

 

Mate, I think the No.1 almost insurmountable problem here is that the property would not be in your name or even in a joint name.

 

We have a small farm, and I had one in Sri Lanka since 1989.  Fun times when I was there and not so much fun when I wasn't there. I like the idea, but isn't it better to come here and have a proper look around first. Cebu has always been a popular destination and as such the prices will be higher.

 

Davao encompasses quite a large radius, assuming you will be out of the city. And there may be other options...Bohol is one.

 

Now when you are talking about your wife's family, you are possibly thinking of relocating them to your farm. But Filipino's who relocate (that's like us moving to another country), don't always do well in a new environment. Different dialect and different culture from place to place.

[Markham]

Depending on how long your wife has been absent from the Philippines and whether or not she is still a citizen, her legal ability to own land may be seriously affected. ISRT that OFWs may only purchase maximum of 1500 sq m.

 

All the farms near Davao are in the hills/mountains that surround the city or the Compostela Valley to the northeast. But arable land here is not cheap though you may be able to buy a few hectares under rubber inexpensively but such a lot would be well away from the city and in the Muslim hinterland. An area that white skinned folk should avoid.

[Keith44]

Hi

no im not looking for any sort of profit just a means of support while there, i would like to think that you could be there for approx 12 months working as i have been to Cebu 3 times now and what i found hard is im not of retiring age and it gets boring there with nothing to do so i could be there working the farm and learning about my surroundings while there.

Cebu is where my wife and family come from and all the family is there now.

Im guessing Philippines dont like foreign ownership of there agricultural land and rightly so, so im guessing it would have to be in my wifes name or wifes mums name, or for myself could i do it if i got dual citizenship ?

[scott h]

dont like foreign ownership

 

That's an understatement, its just flat out illegal, so yes it would have to be in your wife's name.

 

Keith, do you have another source of income? Not clear if you want a farm to "work" while your visiting your wife's family for short periods of time, or are actually thinking of moving here, and making your way as a farmer.

 

dual citizenship

 

Long and hard process, I would suggest you put that waaaaaaaaaay down your list

[Thomas]

Im guessing Philippines dont like foreign ownership of there agricultural land and rightly so, so im guessing it would have to be in my wifes name or wifes mums name, or for myself could i do it if i got dual citizenship ?

It need to be in Filipino citizens name,

EXCEPT if you start a COMPANY type of business, then can foreigner part be max 40 %.

 

LOCK UP!

Rubber and coffee prices are controlled by cartells.

Many mango farms are for sale "cheap" but it's common they have been pushed to hard by spraying to get harvests more often than what's natural, so many trees have become exhausted.

 

A friend from back in school started a small mango farm from scratch in Phils (north of Manila). By that he got control so the trees weren't damaged, but it take 5-6 years to first harvest, and in the beginning it's small harvest. Although it's possible to grow something else BETWEEN the trees, specialy in the beginning, when they are small. For instance cacao or vegs.

I'm thinking of what will suit to grow at "my" land. I suppouse I will NOT chose mango, because NATURALY they only give harvest each SECOND year.

[chris49]

Hi

no im not looking for any sort of profit just a means of support while there, i would like to think that you could be there for approx 12 months working as i have been to Cebu 3 times now and what i found hard is im not of retiring age and it gets boring there with nothing to do so i could be there working the farm and learning about my surroundings while there.

Cebu is where my wife and family come from and all the family is there now.

Im guessing Philippines dont like foreign ownership of there agricultural land and rightly so, so im guessing it would have to be in my wifes name or wifes mums name, or for myself could i do it if i got dual citizenship ?

 

 

False logic mate. What I think you are saying is that you would like the help your wife's family and you want to have something set up for when you visit and maybe live there later.

 

Mate, I suspect you are too young for all that. You are still in the middle of your working life in Australia, I guess.

 

The best way for her to help the family, if she is, as you say working, would be to remit them a certain amount each month.

 

You really have to be in the Philippines to even remotely consider a project like that,

 

Dual Citizenship. No. It's hard to get. You are lucky to be legally married and you can get your Permanent Residency later.

[Keith44]

Cheers for all the replies,

it certainly does sound like a mission and a half, maybe a small lot with a house on it up in the mountain where its peaceful in my wifes name and extend my visa while im there up to approx 12 months at a time ?

But the two things for me is how could i keep myself busy and not be reliant on any of my savings in Australia while im there

Probably a question a lot of people ask themselves, it would be a good life if you could set it up that way ?

[i am bob]

Being a resident of Davao, I would have to say to not look this way for the size farm you want.  Now if you want something about 800 sq meters that has potential for a few pigs, chickens and fruit, I know of a great lot within the city limits but in a country setting (Calinan - still part of Davao City and with several expat neighbours) and selling for P600k.  But you would need to build a house too.  

 

I would suggest looking at somewhere on Cebu Island.  Get away from the city itself and you may find what you are looking for.

 

(Ok, gotta go - battery says only 1% left)