Best place to look at housing on-line?

fixfireleo wrote:

good idea.  I didnt have any luck on craigslist.  prices were insane.  like $147,000 to $250,000 for a small condo!  I know it cant possibly be that much if monthly rentals run around $200

Take what you read with some flexibility and remember it is a different culture you are dealing with.  Some people state cost in total contract length and the cost might be in PHP not $ at that point those are not bad prices depending on what and where those condos are located.

fixfireleo wrote:

Awesome.  That gives me hope.  I am thinking of buying a condo.  I have heard that, if you rent, they will frequently jack up the rent every year if you are a foreigner just because they think you can afford it.  I just need to make sure that, when you buy a condo, it at least stays even in value and doesnt go down every year.  (Under normal conditions of course.)

Hi Rob, I thought we already had this conversation and you agreed given you only plan to be in PH. for 5 odd years the cost of buying a condo verses renting verses trying to sell. You agreed that renting was sensible and I couldn't agree more.
As for jacking up the rent, though I might be the odd man out here as we rented a 3 bed 3 bath condo in a 2 year old building in San Lazaro Sta Cruz for 12 months at PHP 25K per month, (no association fees). When the lease came due for renewal the owner contacted us and offered the same deal as she said we were good tenants. We declined as we were moving back to OZ, we moved our belongings to the parents house in SFC. We found this and other properties on OLX. We always hire our wheels through FB.

Property ie; Condo's, land, house and lot and even commercial and industrial properties mostly sit on the market for years and one has to simply watch and take advantage of a situation when it may arise (or may not). We purchased a property 18months ago that we liked when we first saw it some 4 odd years ago but I thought the price didn't reflect the area we were looking for, San Juan, La Union, surf centre, somewhat cosmopolitan, closer to SFC and as we looked and searched the prices skyrocketed and then some in San Juan,,,,,,,, talking absolute beach front which is what we were searching for.
That property we purchased started at nearly 12 million, a year later was 9.5, a year later was 6.5 and we bit the bullet and secured for 5.7, house and lot. The vacant lot next door came on the market (slightly smaller than what we purchased and no house) 8 months ago for 13 million. Go figure, we are sure that lot will be on the market for years,,,,,,,,, lol we will be watching. Patience is a virtue.

Rob our aim is long term with sensibilities in place. Short term investors watch and know the market to the last dollar with astuteness and then some. OMO but given your predicament I would simply rent and keep your cash in sound investments in a first world country (that you are familiar with) definitely until you taste the flavours,,,,,,,,,, boots on the ground etc. You talk 5 years before your potential move, yes I know your best friend (dog) won't eat if you go to L.A. for the night. Perhaps you should reinvent the wheel, fly your non eating best friend and yourself to PH. for 2 or 3 months and smell the daisies together? I seriously doubt it will be what you expect. Perhaps hard but honest. OMO.

Cheers, Steve.

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fixfireleo wrote:

Actually, I am fairly sure I have decided to travel to 8-10 different countries over an 8 year period, so buying would be out anyway unless I decide I love someplace so much that I dont want to come back to the USA after my 8 years.


rob

So the story changes Rob. I used to dream, when I was 15 and yes working,  reality hit by 16 and I purchased my first property, a mere 23 acres in a back water town and never looked back, and my reason 40 plus years on after a 23 year marriage and 2 children (divorced now) is a partner that I love and will suffer gladly the likes of PH. as we will have that as a base to be close to his family, my family very much too. Unlike the "western democracy" we put up with in Australia. Perhaps similar to most 1st world countries. Many countries run rife with freedom and choices and providing one can put up with the carp that PH. offers up then it is easy.
As contributed by myself in another one of your threads You don't have the money given your introduction and follow up posts to try to find the cheapest place to live in the Philippines and now you are travelling the world?

God help the serious posters that bother to follow your retinue but hey it's only an opinion from a humble bloke that has observed you and, obviously has little else to do, as said only my observation mate. Good will to the plethora of countries that you wish to visit but cannot or will never do, even after your faithful friend passes? Where will your life be? Relying on a 401? hope you contributed extra as we do in OZ.

And for the moderators  I dearly hope I am not being too harsh but as you can see some people can't see the forest for the trees.

Cheers, Steve.