Visited Cebu Recently And Returning Soon, Asking For Advice

[mdn57]

My name is mike and i am 46 years old from orlando florida, returning to Cebu in late april and looking for advice on securing a decent apartment for rent, north end of town,  been online but the real estate sites are a bit up priced, wondering if any members have advice, want to get a place for 10,000 peso a month 15,000 max for about a 3 to six month time. not easy to find i think, thanks for any suggestions 

[Jollygoodfellow]

welcome

I moved your topic out of introductions so you will get more answers as you are asking about renting. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

EDIT:  JGF fixed it for ya.

 

Don't worry, you are just getting your feet wet so mistakes happen.. Just one question though, how far 'north of town' are you willing to be?

Edited March 24, 2015 by Dave Hounddriver

[Gator]

My name is mike and i am 46 years old from orlando florida, returning to Cebu in late april and looking for advice on securing a decent apartment for rent, north end of town,  been online but the real estate sites are a bit up priced, wondering if any members have advice, want to get a place for 10,000 peso a month 15,000 max for about a 3 to six month time. not easy to find i think, thanks for any suggestions 

 

Welcome to the board Mike.

 

Forget the internet, book a hotel room for a week or so and look around. Most of rental prices on the net are inflated for foreigners and many are "bait n switch" type ads. Meaning, (included, but not limited to) real estate agents posting ads "for rent", when in fact the units are for sale and the "cheap" rental prices you see are really your monthly payment after a substantial down payment; photos of units that are long gone or were taken years ago when new, etc....

 

Due to your shorter stay I presume you're looking for a fully furnished apt? Frankly speaking they're hard to find in the price range you're looking for; at least if you expect to have a reasonable standard of living (ie - not infested with roaches, ants, etc; safe and secure; flush toilet with a seat; hot water shower; private CR; not adjacent to or directly over a local KTV bar, lol; private kitchen or kitchenette; shall I continue?). You might consider upping your budget to the 20-30K php range.

 

Also, make sure to ask about extra's/included amenities, such as: internet, cable TV, aircon, association dues (mostly only applicable if you if you rent a condo), deposits (1st, last, security, etc), back-up generator (and if your unit is tied in to it); garbage collection (days/times); cleaning; bed linens/towels; kitchen utensils and appliances (rice cooker, coffee maker, hot water kettle, microwave, etc); 5 gal bottled water dispenser.

 

You also need to factor in electric, which can be expensive here, especially if you run an air conditioner often. I've been lucky that the condo I'm renting is a few stories above the surrounding buildings (7th floor) and that I have good cross ventilation (it's "front to back" type unit). I can open the windows in the sala and the bedroom and get a nice breeze; I usually also run an electric fan which really helps to keep the place cool. I've rarely had to use the air conditioner and my electric bill averages 1,200p per month for the past 4 months (it also has a gas range/oven; electric ones eat electricity). The Veco bill (in the owner's name) shows past usage. The prior tenant must have used the aircon a lot as the bill averaged just over 5K per month.

[Huggybearman]

As has been mentioned previously it would be best to take a look around once you get here to find the best deals. Those advertised via the Internet or through agents rarely provide the best value IMHO. As you have been here before and have an idea of what areas you are looking at will probably help a lot. There are a few reasonably priced self catering aparthotel type places around as a starting point. I know a few guys who have used this place which might be a good base from which to explore further and find something longer term more suited to your needs. http://www.apartelledearcenas.com/

I haven't used this place myself and have no connection with it.

Good luck with your search.

Ken

[mdn57]

yes i agree with the advice given on reply thanks,  found a nice furnished condo at 24k per month next to the IT park, thinking about renting it for a month while i look around,   

[brock]

I found a nice condo on here........www.airbnb.com

 

Dont think I will ever bother with a hotel again.

[BigMook]

If its advertised on the internet its too much.

 

I'm not sure how far north you are searching (Consolacion, Liloan or Compostela) but you will have nom problems filling your order.

 

Like everyone else has said, hotel for at least a week. When you think you have the wrong place go back and check it out a couple odd times to make sure.

[russellmania]

I found a nice condo on here........www.airbnb.com

 

Dont think I will ever bother with a hotel again.

AirBnB has some nice places but long term stays the AirBnB fees get ridiculous! I would use them on a 3 or 4 day stay.

[foster808]

I found a nice condo on here........www.airbnb.com

 

Dont think I will ever bother with a hotel again.

Hi Brock,

I just looked at the website https://www.airbnb.com/.  Is this for real???!!  Accommodations look too good to be true!  Any reccommendations?  Advance thanks, Brock!

 

Ed F.