What Area Of Cebu To Look For A House?

[Americano]

Ted,

 

If you have a helmet that you like you should bring it to the Philippines with you. All you have to do it take it to the local LTO Land Transportation Office for the required sticker. If its a real helmet and the manufacturer's name is on their list then they will put a sticker on it.  I already had all 3 of my helmets when the sticker law came into effect and didn't have any problem getting the stickers. The purpose of the law is to stop riders from wearing hard hats made for construction sites and helmets made for bicycles. Most real motorcycle helmets are approved. And being full faced like some people were saying is not a requirement.

 

Yes, riding a motorcycle in the Philippines is dangerous, its dangerous anywhere in the world. From what you said China may be even more dangerous than the Philippines. Riding in cars, buses, trains, boats and airplanes is dangerous too but each person makes those decisions and know the risks. Many things are dangerous risks like walking or running across a busy street or highway but we do those things anyway. I'm not going to advise you to ride a motorcycle or not to ride because you're an adult and should make your own decisions. My decision was to ride but mostly on secondary roads and trails which are a lot safer than the national highways and there are many of them in the Philippines.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Americano

[newbster]

If you come down to Carcar my wife already knows about two house she saw for rent which are P6,000 and P5,000 per month, if they haven't been rented in the past month. She will check around for other houses for rent too.  There's a hotel very close to where we live so you could stay there.

 

This is interesting - great price on those houses. What are the houses like?

 

Let me tell you what sort of house I'd be looking for.

1) 3+ bedroom

2) Western style finish/amenities - i.e. toilet that flushes and will allow use of toilet paper with lid and hot shower water, aircon (or preferably a house far enough into the hills that I don't need aircon and a breeze + fans is enough to make it comfortable), decent house finish - i.e. not just really grungy.

3) Ability to get high speed internet service.

4) Some sort of security - i.e. gated community with guardhouse.

 

Ideally I'd find a house around Cebu but I'm also willing to consider other areas so I'm curious how much less the price would be if I move to a town outside of Cebu like Carcar, Danao, etc. I'd also like to consider living in the far suburbs of Cebu like Talisay, Tayud Consolacion, Kalunasan, Busay, San Jose, etc. 

 

I heard that there is a gated community in Talamban with new-ish 3 BR houses for rent around 12,000/month - not sure if it's true or not.

 

Anyway my questions are far-ranging so if you are able to at least comment on what sort of houses are available in Carcar for that 5-6k/month rent price it would help. :)

 

Thanks!

[MikeB]

Anyway my questions are far-ranging so if you are able to at least comment on what sort of houses are available in Carcar for that 5-6k/month rent price it would help.

Good luck finding 1, 2, and 4 at that price. 

[newbster]

 

Anyway my questions are far-ranging so if you are able to at least comment on what sort of houses are available in Carcar for that 5-6k/month rent price it would help.

Good luck finding 1, 2, and 4 at that price. 

 

I hear you - I don't really expect to find it all at that price. I'm just curious what price I'll pay to find those things - and also in a pinch what 5-6k in Carcar will get you. I understand that I might not be able to afford what I want so might have to take what I can get but I'm just at the learning stage so trying to gather information so I can plan how much money I need to take early retirement. I'll look at all options - perhaps in a couple of years I'll be willing to live in a one room Nipa hut and have a CR shared with 5 other houses that has a bucket and a hose just to get out of my 70 hour per week job haha. :)

[jpbago]

.

1. toilet that flushes and will allow use of toilet paper with lid 
2. preferably a house far enough into the hills that I don't need aircon and a breeze + fans is enough to make it comfortable), .
3.  Ability to get high speed internet service.
4. Some sort of security - i.e. gated community with guardhouse. 

 

You can get any one of these at any place but never all four at the same place at that price.

[newbster]

.

1. toilet that flushes and will allow use of toilet paper with lid 
3. preferably a house far enough into the hills that I don't need aircon and a breeze + fans is enough to make it comfortable), .
5.  Ability to get high speed internet service.
7. Some sort of security - i.e. gated community with guardhouse. 

 

You can get any one of these at any place but never all four at the same place at that price.

Sure, I'm not stuck on that price - am just curious what you do get at that price and what it costs to get all 4 of those in other areas maybe smaller town like Carcar, or outside of Cebu in a suburb, or in Cebu somewhere like Talamban, Mandaue, etc.

[Americano]

 

If you come down to Carcar my wife already knows about two house she saw for rent which are P6,000 and P5,000 per month, if they haven't been rented in the past month. She will check around for other houses for rent too.  There's a hotel very close to where we live so you could stay there.

 

This is interesting - great price on those houses. What are the houses like?

 

Let me tell you what sort of house I'd be looking for.

1) 3+ bedroom

2) Western style finish/amenities - i.e. toilet that flushes and will allow use of toilet paper with lid and hot shower water, aircon (or preferably a house far enough into the hills that I don't need aircon and a breeze + fans is enough to make it comfortable), decent house finish - i.e. not just really grungy.

3) Ability to get high speed internet service.

4) Some sort of security - i.e. gated community with guardhouse.

 

Ideally I'd find a house around Cebu but I'm also willing to consider other areas so I'm curious how much less the price would be if I move to a town outside of Cebu like Carcar, Danao, etc. I'd also like to consider living in the far suburbs of Cebu like Talisay, Tayud Consolacion, Kalunasan, Busay, San Jose, etc. 

 

I heard that there is a gated community in Talamban with new-ish 3 BR houses for rent around 12,000/month - not sure if it's true or not.

 

Anyway my questions are far-ranging so if you are able to at least comment on what sort of houses are available in Carcar for that 5-6k/month rent price it would help. :)

 

Thanks!

 

 

Hi Newbster,

 

Sorry for the late reply I just returned home yesterday from a trip down to Mindanao to visit family.

 

Its hard to answer your questions because every house or apartment for rent is different but I can tell you about the one I'm renting.

 

I'm paying P6,500. per month for a new two bedroom apartment with one bathroom with a flush toilet, sink and shower. It has a living room and kitchen area which is one long room. Our apartment is on the second floor with a small terrace in front and a long narrow terrace in back for washing clothes and for cooking.  It has security bars and screens on the windows. Its mostly concrete constructed with some wood interior walls and a wood ceiling and roof. The walls are nicely finished and painted and it has floor tiles. It didn't have air-cond but I had the option of installing a window unit or a split unit. I already owned a split unit so I had it installed in the master bedroom. It didn't have hot water which wasn't a problem since I had my own water heater so I installed it on the wall in the shower. Our apartment is in a small gated community with the owner and a few other families living here. No one enters the compound unless someone knows them so it seems very safe to me. We have up to 3Mbps Internet and cable TV which has over 100 channels. We have city water and a septic tank for sewage. We don't have a garage but since we are in a small gated community I can park my motorcycle and multi-cab outside without anyone bothering them.

 

3+ bedrooms will probably be the hardest thing to find. Its common for an entire family to sleep in one room so they don't see the need for several bedrooms. My guess is 2 bedrooms is the average for most houses. I have seen 4 bedroom houses but the bedrooms were very small. Some would only hold a bunk bed.

 

If you want to know what is available and if any of them meet your requirements then you should come and look for yourself. My wife and I will be glad to help you if you come to Carcar. We know about some land for sale in the area too.

[newbster]

Hi Newbster,

 

 

Sorry for the late reply I just returned home yesterday from a trip down to Mindanao to visit family.

 

Its hard to answer your questions because every house or apartment for rent is different but I can tell you about the one I'm renting.

 

I'm paying P6,500. per month for a new two bedroom apartment with one bathroom with a flush toilet, sink and shower. It has a living room and kitchen area which is one long room. Our apartment is on the second floor with a small terrace in front and a long narrow terrace in back for washing clothes and for cooking.  It has security bars and screens on the windows. Its mostly concrete constructed with some wood interior walls and a wood ceiling and roof. The walls are nicely finished and painted and it has floor tiles. It didn't have air-cond but I had the option of installing a window unit or a split unit. I already owned a split unit so I had it installed in the master bedroom. It didn't have hot water which wasn't a problem since I had my own water heater so I installed it on the wall in the shower. Our apartment is in a small gated community with the owner and a few other families living here. No one enters the compound unless someone knows them so it seems very safe to me. We have up to 3Mbps Internet and cable TV which has over 100 channels. We have city water and a septic tank for sewage. We don't have a garage but since we are in a small gated community I can park my motorcycle and multi-cab outside without anyone bothering them.

 

3+ bedrooms will probably be the hardest thing to find. Its common for an entire family to sleep in one room so they don't see the need for several bedrooms. My guess is 2 bedrooms is the average for most houses. I have seen 4 bedroom houses but the bedrooms were very small. Some would only hold a bunk bed.

 

If you want to know what is available and if any of them meet your requirements then you should come and look for yourself. My wife and I will be glad to help you if you come to Carcar. We know about some land for sale in the area too.

 

Wow what an informative reply and a very generous offer you are making to help out. I really appreciate both response and offer. I'm definitely not in the market for land, but I will probably be considering renting next year. I am not able to PM I think yet on this forum so if you are able to PM me your contact info (email or phone) I'd really appreciate it so that I can contact you on one of my trips.

[Jollygoodfellow]

I am not able to PM I think yet on this forum so if you are able to PM me your contact info (email or phone) I'd really appreciate it so that I can contact you on one of my trips.

 

Its a myth, some forums make you wait 35 posts to PM. This forum does not although there are some restrictions on the amount of "NEW" PM topics (receivers) started each day until one becomes a full member which does not take long anyway. If someone sends you a PM you can reply until your keyboard goes up in smoke.

 

:1 (235):

[newbster]

 

I am not able to PM I think yet on this forum so if you are able to PM me your contact info (email or phone) I'd really appreciate it so that I can contact you on one of my trips.

 

Its a myth, some forums make you wait 35 posts to PM. This forum does not although there are some restrictions on the amount of "NEW" PM topics (receivers) started each day until one becomes a full member which does not take long anyway. If someone sends you a PM you can reply until your keyboard goes up in smoke.

 

:1 (235):

 

Ok thanks. :) I noticed that my posts still need moderator approval and I can't "like" posts so I just assumed PM'ing was out too haha. :)