Gobsmacked! with a little rant thrown in.

[Tommy T.]

13 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Put it it perspective. Its peso here and it makes no difference what other countries salary is. If the Filipinos were getting say P5000 a day what do you think the price of everything else would be? 

Yeah. I understand what you are saying and see your point. I was thinking about how a number of prices of items here seem expensive - like electricity, gasoline, beef, chicken and some fish with pork not so bad. But then really poor people may not need or buy most of those things, but rather rely on jeepneys, tricycles, rice and veggies. And rent can be cheap, depending on one's discomfort tolerance But I am a bit amazed to see some of the really poor people drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. I have seen that also in so many poor countries. Also interesting to see so many motorcycles and cars tricked out with gimmicks like fancy decorative lights, horns, and - of course - loud stereos...

I am a bit shocked by real estate prices in general for land and for condos and apartments here in Davao City. There is definitely a line somewhere between really poor (living in their squatters' shacks and those driving Fortuners and Hilux (I am sure mostly bought with loan)) and fairly wealthy people living in expensive, gated communities and modern apartments.

[GeoffH]

47 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

I am a bit shocked by real estate prices in general for land and for condos and apartments here in Davao City.

How expensive is Davao City?  In Cagayan De Oro a one bedroom condo is between 2 million (for a basic walk up one aimed at locals) to around 6 million with a car park, elevators and gym and swimming pool access.

That translates to about $50,000 to $150,000 Australian dollars, which is pretty cheap compared to the Australian prices I'm used to paying.

For comparison apartments in Melbourne start at around $300,000 for a studio with no car park and a 1 bedroom with carpark would cost maybe $500,000.   A 3 bedroom apartment would be close to a million dollars (a house right on the edge of the furthest part of Melbourne's urban sprawl with 3 bedrooms on a small lot you might get for half a million in a just developed subdivision with no public transport and no shops.  Sydney is even more expensive.

I know that some parts of Manila can be expensive and even Cebu but I didn't think Davao was in that price bracket?

Edited June 25, 2019 by GeoffH

[Tommy T.]

7 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

I know that some parts of Manila can be expensive and even Cebu but I didn't think Davao was in that price bracket?

I remember prices in Australia when I last visited even 15 years ago - the big cities (I stayed on the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane) were similar to what I would find in some comparable USA cities. And anything with waterfront or views was premium priced. Except compared to San Francisco or Seattle, especially, where prices are downright ridiculous.

I am no expert on this - I just spent a while looking around before finally deciding to build my own home on some land outside of the main city area. I am sure there are others here with much better and accurate information than I could provide. I have only been in the city for just 1.5 years so my experience is limited. But here are some that I found when looking:

55 sq meter, 2 bedroom condo with amenities like pool and conference area, gym, etc., but parking not included ~ 5 million pesos

51 sq meter, 2 bedroom condo - same place  ~ 4 million

28 sq meter, 1 bedroom condo - same place ~ 3 million

This is in one of the many newly constructed high-rise complexes here. The biggest units seemed so tiny and they are unfinished - they will need things like air/cons, wall finishes and lots more. We estimated it would take well north of another .5 million to finish one out properly and not luxuriously. One can purchase a covered parking place for an additional 400,000? Don't remember exactly. And there are also monthly "condo dues," that I totally forgot the amount. I looked at this place about 8 months ago...

I am sure my perception is skewed because I am not wealthy and not receiving any huge pension? But that seemed pricey to me. I looked also at places to rent and decent units (that I viewed - there are certainly many I missed) seemed to run from about 15,000 to well over 50,000/month. Those are certainly very reasonable compared to rentals in USA where most seem to start somewhere around the equivalent of 50,000/month.

Cheers!

[GeoffH]

1 hour ago, Tommy T. said:

I remember prices in Australia when I last visited even 15 years ago - the big cities (I stayed on the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane) 

I am sure my perception is skewed because I am not wealthy 15,000 to well over 50,000/month. Those are certainly very reasonable compared to rentals in USA where most seem to start somewhere around the equivalent of 50,000/month.

Cheers!

 

I don't think it's your perception that's skewed actually... I've been doing some reading since your post and it seems that Australia now has some of the most expensive real estate in the 1st world in relation to Wages.  That probably means it's my perception that's skewed and not yours.

For what it's worth I do agree that renting a condo seems to make more financial sense than buying one and a house (as long as one has trust in one's partner) is better value for money.

 

[Jack Peterson]

1 hour ago, Tommy T. said:

I remember prices in Australia when I last visited even 15 years ago

 Well guys, I am at a  Total loss about how my Topic on my Daughters Behaviour has now turned into Cost analysis Of  Codos and such? Do we have a lets change the content of a Topic Button ? if so I can't find it. Come guys, stop pissing on others Parades EH?  

[Tommy T.]

18 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

Come guys, stop pissing on others Parades EH

Sorry Jack...

[Jack Peterson]

13 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Sorry Jack...

 @Tommy T.

 Tom, I never meant to single you out but yours was the last Post before I spat it out  Sorry about that But......................

[Tommy T.]

2 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Tom, I never meant to single you out but yours was the last Post before I spat it out  Sorry about that But......................

Jack, that's okay... Guilty as charged and I get your point... I tend to get a bit long winded sometimes and these topics seem to cross lines here and there and morph into other topics before, I think, some of us (me included, of course) realize it... I just want decorum on this forum... I'm the new guy here and still learning the ropes.

[Jack Peterson]

5 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

I'm the new guy here and still learning the ropes.

 We were all new once Tom  We have a good Management Team that sort things out  if we can't Moderate Ourselves which we do try and do sometimes well, sometimes   for the best  

Edited June 26, 2019 by Jack Peterson
spelling

[Tommy T.]

2 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

We have a good Management Team that sort things out  if we can't Moderate Ourselves

Cheers!