Expat Exchange
Free MembershipSign In

Philippines Expat Forum

Bought a house!

New Topic Newest First
jfmancuso
  3/25/2005 15:55 EST

Whew! We finally settled on our house. 10 yrs old 3BR, 2BA, cable, phones, elect, etc.. 3 Mil pesos (~55K USD). Subic Bay area in a quiet neighborhood 15 mins walk to the beach. Wife had to look at about 100 houses to find this one. 3 mangoe trees, avacode trees, swings, shade, etc.. Haven't seen it yet, will fly out Easter Sunday. She said there were many bribes to make it appear that it sold for 1.5 mil to lower the taxes.

The seller also did not want to pay the realitor thier fee or the fee to get the deed transferred. We ended up splitting it. Those fees added up to ~ 105K pesos.

Then you have to pay to travel to the correct offices and feed whoever is with you and pay gas (you know the drill).

A 3 mil peso house will cost you about 3.2 when you finish. We're happy about it. The realitor said we could put it up for sale for 4 M tommorrow. Location, location, location. Same there as it is here.

I'll tell you about it and try to post pics when I get back. The seller cried when she signed the papers. She has to sell to get enough money to go back to the US with her husband and settle down.

Life is good. We will have an address in the PI next week at the Post Office. Of course we will get electric bills, etc too. Her sister (who owns a store at the market) will take care of it until we move there permanently next year.

We shipped a bunch of stuff door-to-door before the wife left. 27" TV, stereo, microwave, etc.. Cheaper than buying it there even with the shipping costs. Of course I sent step-down transformers to make it 110volts. I used UMAC to send my stuff, but I'm sure there are plenty others.

Talk much about it after we get back.

-Jim-

Allianz Care
Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Living in Philippines GuideLiving in Philippines Guide

The Philippines attracts the interest of expats from all over the world - truly has a lot to offer for a variety of different people. However, it's also important to understand the pitfalls that can be avoided with appropriate homework and preparation.

Philippines Forum Philippines Forum
Join our Philippines forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Philippines.

Contribute to Philippines Network Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Philippines.

Best Places to Live in Philippines Best Places to Live in Philippines

If you're thinking about living in Philippines, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Philippines in 2023.

Healthcare in PhilippinesHealthcare in Philippines

Expats in the Philippines have a lot to say about the quality of medical care, hospitals, prescription medicine availability and health insurance in the Philippines.

Cost of Living in PhilippinesCost of Living in Philippines

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Philippines.

Moving to PhilippinesMoving to Philippines Guide

Expats moving to the Philippines join others that have moved there for work or a lower cost of living during retirement. It's critical to understand what the realities of living there are, but those that successfully make the adjustment believe it is a good place to live.

Real Estate in PhilippinesReal Estate in Philippines

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Philippines.

Pros Cons of Living in PhilippinesPros & Cons of Living in Philippines

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Philippines.

Retiring in PhilippinesRetiring in Philippines

Advice for people retiring in Philippines.

10 Tips for Living in Philippines10 Tips for Living in Philippines

If you've recently arrived in Philippines, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Philippines.

Allianz Care
Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Contribute to Philippines Network Contribute
Help others in Philippines by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Philippines.

Allianz Care
Allianz Care

Copyright 1997-2024 Burlingame Interactive, Inc.

Privacy Policy Legal