Buying Or Building A House

[Travis]

I am very happy in an apartment though it seems every girl I meets dreams of living in a house. has anyone had their house built & would they do it again? was it a lot of trouble to build? if I decide to do it would I be better off buying one that is already built? I hate used houses. what might be some of the problems I would have to be aware of? I am just thinking of my future & I would want to make the lady I marry happy & I am sure it will happen someday coz finding a woman here is not a problem but I have not met the one I want to spend the rest of my life with yet.

[Art2ro]

If you can afford it and have the patience, it's definitely more advantageous to have your home built from the ground up, because you can have it built to your own specifications!

Edited May 26, 2010 by Pinoy Art

[Braddo]

Hi Traveler,We built our house started in November 08 and finished March 09 we only had my wifes mother as the foreman we were lucky we had a good builder i think he is a cousin or related somehow had no trouble at all I was very surprised after hearing from some members problems they had, we are now saving to extent either upwards or out the side split level style. We looked at condo's and house in estates but all were around P3million + we built the house 140 sq mt and around 700 sqmt land for P1m and it is alot bigger than the condo's we looked at.I think if you can afford it build your own house there are plenty of cheap good blocks of dirt to be found we are looking at a block 1,000 sqmt right on the beach good beach too for P1,000 sq mt but we are hopping the owner will subdivide in two as 1,000 sq mt is too big for my beach house plans.Cheers Braddo

[Mik]

Since a foreigner can't own land, it will have to be in the name of a Filipino. It sounds as though you have not met that person yet. I would advise you to wait until you are in a secure marriage before building a house. Renting is best for now. When you meet that special person her family may or may not be special people too. That would influence if you want to live near to or far from your in-laws..

[Singers]

Hi Traveler,We built our house started in November 08 and finished March 09 we only had my wifes mother as the foreman we were lucky we had a good builder i think he is a cousin or related somehow had no trouble at all I was very surprised after hearing from some members problems they had, we are now saving to extent either upwards or out the side split level style. We looked at condo's and house in estates but all were around P3million + we built the house 140 sq mt and around 700 sqmt land for P1m and it is alot bigger than the condo's we looked at.I think if you can afford it build your own house there are plenty of cheap good blocks of dirt to be found we are looking at a block 1,000 sqmt right on the beach good beach too for P1,000 sq mt but we are hopping the owner will subdivide in two as 1,000 sq mt is too big for my beach house plans.Cheers Braddo

Hi Traveler,Braddo's figures tally with mine. We demolished the "Old" house and extended the Concrete family room/kitchen by about the same 140 sq. mt. and the cost was around PHP 850,000 mid 2006. It was in the provinces and the sand came free from the adjacent river with Engineer Bro free labour & Bro in Law, Carpenter at "family rate" of pay. As steel prices continue to rise in PI the total may be a little higher today but you should end up with a house you enjoy - built to your design as Art said. Morey is correct in advising extreme caution as the house will never be yours and will be registered in your Asawa's name not yours. Best of luck. :th_interesting:UK Tom Edited May 27, 2010 by Singers

[Travis]

Braddo & Singers thank you for the answers those figures seem low do they include the land? & if they do how much land would I need to build a modest house on & is the land you are talking about far from a city? here in Cebu land seems to sell for high price from what I read online & the lots I see for sale cost much more than the house building prices you both listed. do they bargain down & if so how much of a cash offer would not be an insult & get me killed & what would be the best way to bargain them down? in the US we wave a check or bank book in their face. also how would I be sure to get a clean title if I did decide to build or even buy a used house? do they have title insurance here? is land deeded & surveyed? does anyone know of a good lawyer that handles land or houses? sorry for so many questions but I am totally lost to how things are done here & my friends do not own houses or landMorey thank you too & I would be sure to know a woman before I would even think about building a home I just like to plan in advance & even years ahead if & when I can. how much is a fair price to pay for a house lot close enough to Cebu city to not have to own a car? anyone have any suggestions where the best deals might be found? I have a trusted friend whose wife would put the land in her name until I get married if I find a real deal before then & she would give me a very long term lease if I wish to do it that way & I would probably be gone by the time it ran out anyway & right now no one to leave it to so might as well be her.

[Singers]

Braddo & Singers thank you for the answers those figures seem low do they include the land? & if they do how much land would I need to build a modest house on & is the land you are talking about far from a city? here in Cebu land seems to sell for high price from what I read online & the lots I see for sale cost much more than the house building prices you both listed. do they bargain down & if so how much of a cash offer would not be an insult & get me killed & what would be the best way to bargain them down? in the US we wave a check or bank book in their face. also how would I be sure to get a clean title if I did decide to build or even buy a used house? do they have title insurance here? is land deeded & surveyed? does anyone know of a good lawyer that handles land or houses? sorry for so many questions but I am totally lost to how things are done here & my friends do not own houses or landMorey thank you too & I would be sure to know a woman before I would even think about building a home I just like to plan in advance & even years ahead if & when I can. how much is a fair price to pay for a house lot close enough to Cebu city to not have to own a car? anyone have any suggestions where the best deals might be found? I have a trusted friend whose wife would put the land in her name until I get married if I find a real deal before then & she would give me a very long term lease if I wish to do it that way & I would probably be gone by the time it ran out anyway & right now no one to leave it to so might as well be her.

Ah Traveler,Sorry to not say, above, ... the land price is excluded... We build on family land.I have no experience of land prices in other than Leyte. Title can be checked at the Land registry I will advise the name later.I can say, title correctness, is a "mind field" of likely scams... I was advised!UK Tom :yes: Edited May 27, 2010 by Singers

[Grant]

In the provinces, land is much cheaper, but the price would be much higher to a foreigner- as it is assumed we are all rich. The last piece of land my brother bought outside of Tarlac was only about $3000 and about a hectacre. Nothing but rice field, but buildable. His wife did all the negotiation. She gets mad at me if I buy anything directly as she can run into the same market stall or store and get whatever I bought, much cheaper. You might want to wait until you are married, as your asawa may prefer to build out in the provinces near or next to her parents. (then you might be able to build on their land) Also safer having relatives around who put out the word not to mess with their new family member.

[Braddo]

Hi Traveler,We bought the originalhouse land 300 Sq Mt s for 800Peso sq mt then the rest of the land out the front of the house for 1,000 peso sqmt We paid labor cost and builder fees P300 a day for the builder and P200 for his labarorI have looked around the area and I can still find land across the road from the beach for P800 - P1,000 sq mt, 300 sqmt is good enough size for a house around the 120 - 150 sqmt size but depends if you want land to grow plants , vege's or just for the kids to play as in my desicion Our house is single story but I purposly had the place strengthend so that I can build up stairs one day if I needed to or split level.We are about 45 min from Cebu but Balamban about 10min up the road has a new big Gaisanos store and just about everything we need so never need to go to the city.We have our house insurured there are a couple of reputable firms around i can give you mine if you like, we had our land surveyed and had all the deeds to the land checked by solicitors just in case.Our land is in the province from where my wife was bought up and all her family are still there so everyone knows everyone and we were assured that the owner of the land was not a crook, but I got it checked anyway hope this helps you a littleCheers Braddo

[Braddo]

Hi Traveler,I have attached a few pics from inside and out of the house so you can get an ideaof spaceCheers