searching for a place to live
Last weeks I haven’t been writing much for this blog. The main reason is that we are looking intensively for a lot to build our own house. Regular readers of this blog know that currently we are renting a place in Antipolo, not far from the boundary with Marikina and Cainta. A flood prone area after Ondoy typhoon. Although our street not has been flooded, the area around us was. Some places not too far from us even have more than 1 meter (4 feet) of water in the houses.
This is one of the reasons that we are looking for a place which is not flooded and as a second request: has a good security. First we were thinking of staying here in the neighborhood (Antipolo, Marikina), but after the flood from typhoon Ondoy and the landslides around Antipolo, we have decided to go somewhere else. We have been thinking of moving to the province (Bicol, the home region of my wife), but we have decided not to for several reasons.
We are now focusing on nice, well guarded subdivisions in Laguna and Cavite provinces, more specifically Santa Rosa, Silang, San Pedro, Biñan, Carmona and surrounding tows and cities. The west side of SLEX is a little elevated and most places are not flooded.
We have been out already several days to look around that area and we have seen a lot of places. So far we have seen one place which we consider for a purchase. But first we like to see some subdivisions in Tagaytay if they are nice, well guarded and developed already. Of course the lot should fit in our budget and should be spacious enough to build a bungalow and still have space for a garden. On the Internet I have selected a number of subdivisions which we will visit and check the possibilities. We are planning to do so the coming days.
In the same time I have been checking how much extra costs purchasing a lot will bring. There are several taxes to be paid, some for the buyer and others by the seller. We also have to look for a good lawyer who can assist us in the buying process. If someone from you (the readers of this blog) can recommend one, just let me know by private mail on my contact page.
I’ll keep you informed…..
Filipino time:
Jan,
Hope all is well there. I have learned a lot from this as well as other expat blogs. Trying to learn the ways of a new place is never an easy task, thankfully we amateurs have guys like you to learn from.
Although I am not currently married or have a filipina gf, I do enjoy Asian cultures so much. Although I have traveled to the other big 3, Korea, China, and Thailand, I will be making my first landing in the Philippines this Dec. I’ll be spending about 40 or so days guaging if its a country I might like to retire to. I’m about 6 years from retirement, and will be aged 47 at that time. I have already started gathering and storing things that I know I will need there or quite possibly in Thailand. I currently work abroad already and have absolutely no desire to live again in the States, many, many things that I thought were important while living there, are simply not anymore.
Anyways, keep up the great work on your site here. I think its only going to get better and better.
Oh! and good luck with you property search. Hope you find something you and your wife really like.
Ken,
Thanks for stopping by at my site.
and I would say: welcome to the Philippines, already.
To know the country you have to travel a lot. Prepare yourself for that. Going from one place to another can be time consuming, because infrastructure here is not like it is in the US.
I hope you are going to like this country as I do.
Goodluck!
Jan, Tagaytay has milder climate, but I heard the lots are expensive. Good luck in your lot hunting!
David,
Tagaytay is a little more expensive, especially if one chooses the subdivisions with lake view. Most of the subdivisions on the other side of the street on the rim are much cheaper. One can buy a nice lot already for about 5500 per square meter.
Hi Jan, good luck in finding a new place, we are fortunate in Guimaras not to have a flooding problem, but when we take the pontoon boat to nearby Iloilo City to shop, they have a massive flooding problem there.
One thing I am sure you have found out that those places you see on the Internet are sure a lot different then when you see them in person.
My sister-in-law in Metro Manila told us about a subdivision that was near her that was really great, we looked at on the Web before we got to Guimaras. Seemed like a nice place. Checked out it when we visited my sister-in-law, the place was a dump! I’m sure you will find something suitable.
Hi Dave,
You are right about the internet pictures. They all seem to be nice places, but when you visit them, they do not look that nice at all. Sometimes you can only reach those places by going through a long road with slumb areas on both sides. That’s the reason we are visiting a lot of places first before contacting the seller. We have to like the surrounding area first.
I am sure that we will find something in the near future. I’ll keep my readers posted about it.
Hello Jan
(translated in English:)
This is Rinus from Aurora Mindanao.
If you are interested: we have a condo in Pasig, Mayfield Park for sale.
It’s 53,5 sqare meters and has 2 bedrooms and a balcony.
Very quiet neighborhood, 24 hours security and a common pool.
The reason we are selling is that it’s too far from Mindanao and we have so little time.
Asking price 4M.
regards from Rinus and family.
Rinus,
We have found ourselves already a house and lot and we are negotiating about the price and terms at the moment. Aside from that we do not like a condo. Flor likes a house with a garden.