Think of retirement

[Huggybearman]

On 4/26/2024 at 6:23 AM, Daniel Osborne said:

Hello and thank you for having me on the forum.

My wife is Philippine and has been here in the states for 25 or so years. We've been married for almost 20. We are planning to retire in the next 8 years or so and moving to her homeland. I'm just a bit nervous. How safe is it there? We will most likely be around Cagayan de Oro City but close to the beach. How are property taxes? Is it legal to carry a firearm? Can I own property without being a citizen? Lots of other questions but lets start with those.

Hi Daniel and welcome to the forum.

I have been living in Cagayan de Oro for 10 years. I find it a pleasant city by Philippine standards. Like many cities it does have its challenges especially traffic congestion in some parts of the city. It is a large port city so to find a nice beach area you will need to live about an hour west out of the city. To the east you would need to travel a couple of hours or more. Not many 'nice' beaches close to the city as such. 
We have good facilities here. Three good hospitals by Philippine standards, probably not so good by American standards. Four good malls downtown and one uptown with a second under construction. 
Property prices vary widely depending on where you wish to live. Rural areas are cheaper but security and facilities might be an issue for you. Depending on your budget there are a lot of sub divisions to live giving you a wide choice of properties. Values for a decent (by Philippine standards) property range from around 3 million pesos in a lower priced sub division up to 30 million plus, in the high end ones. As a foreigner you cannot own land but your Filipina wife probably can depending on her Philippine status. You personally can own a condo and there are a lot available in the city. Many condo blocks have recently been completed with more under construction. You might want to consider renting a property before you buy to get a feel for the area. There is a lot of what I would call 'antisocial' behavior from neighbors ranging from burning rubbish, noisy dogs and cockerels to noisy neighbors playing loud music and videoke at all times. Many sub divisions have rules limiting such behavior but not many are enforced. Some sub divisions are better than others in that respect. High end sub divisions are generally better but that is no guarantee! Renting gives you the option to move. Owning makes moving much more complicated. The realty market is not at all mature. Property prices seem to be plucked from thin air with seemingly little regard to actual value. There are many amateur 'agents' trying to get involved in the sale/purchase which can complicate the process. Even family members try to get involved if they can see an advantage. Establishing property title can be a nightmare, especially in rural areas. Always get professional advice from a lawyer before committing yourself!
Property taxes are low here.
As for safety, I have never felt unsafe here. The normal caveats apply as anywhere. There are some areas of Mindanao, (where CDO is located) to the South and West that various embassies, the US included, caution against travel, but they are far and should not present any undue worries.

There is a large expat community here with plentiful leisure activities available. If you're into golf there are two good courses in the city and a third about an hour away. 
As a foreigner you cannot possess a firearm here.

There are a ton of YouTube videos online which give plenty of insight into living in the Philippines in general and a few specifically featuring CDO.

One thing I would say is that CDO has changed a lot (mainly for the better) over the last five years and a lot of development is ongoing. By the time you plan to move here things will have changed considerably more for certain.

My advice would be to take a vacation and come and see for yourself before you finally decide.

 

[Guest Artimas]

On 4/25/2024 at 10:06 PM, hk blues said:

Good luck with your plans!

I will add I'm always amused at how much importance you Americans place on having a gun! 

America's obsession with guns will be its downfall... sooner rather than later. Tick-tock 2024 elections.

[Jollygoodfellow]

This forum is not for discussing other cultures more so politics and gun ownership so drop the discussion.