Choosing a place to live (expat)

[Clermont]

11 hours ago, graham59 said:

Here are a few pics of our simple lifestyle... though we don't really want for anything.

I am kept busy constantly adding to and improving upon our home.... and playing on my Xboxes. lol

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Yes it makes you wonder, a westerner is not content if his house is not 200/300 square big back home, yet in the PI's if they have a house 40 square it is a mansion to them. This is what I like about the PI"s simple living and as I think back on my own house here, what a bloody waste of space and money. Graham your family and you look happy in what you have got, thanks for the photos. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

22 hours ago, graham59 said:

Here are a few pics of our simple lifestyle

Very nice looking beach in the post. Whats it like on the waters edge, sand or rocks? 

[graham59]

4 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Very nice looking beach in the post. Whats it like on the waters edge, sand or rocks? 

It's basically sand from the waters edge right up to the treeline.... with a very gently sloping shelf running out towards the sea... so safe for little ones when the breakers aren't too big.

Further North, it is possible to do a bit of surfing.

[graham59]

Another pic I took a couple of years ago...same beach.

 

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[KurtVD]

Also, I’m still not even definitely set on the country: Right now I’m back in Vietnam with a friend, and I’ve forgotten the many advantages here: very easy to get around, very inexpensive, no typhoons to worry about...Drawbacks: language is hard to learn, but necessary, few people speak English, and most of them only a few words. I (Swiss citizen) need a visa even for a month, about 100$, and outside of the cities, imported products are hard or impossible to find. I don’t know about healthcare in the Philippines, but in Vietnam the situation is not too bad, there’s a international hospital in Saigon, I know someone who’s been treated there twice for quite serious stuff and found it alright. 

Luckily I can keep on looking/traveling and don’t have to decide in a given time....that’s what’s good about renting, you can always leave, and with prices as low as here, I can easily afford to leave with a few months left on a lease, no biggie. 

[Nickleback99]

On 5/23/2018 at 2:51 PM, scott h said:

google BF Homes, Paranaque

Scott, We are planning move next April, with your area 1 of 2 we are pretty much set on, reasons as set forth in my recent post, including LaSalle if I can get my nieces in there while living with us. Question is, How negotiable are rents in that area to your knowledge?  I see some nice places in BF, but would like to talk down the rent if possible.  Saw a prior string started, I think, by “Dr Shiva” and many said should be able get rents down at least 11%?or so, or go in with a “hammer offer” of way less and see what happens. Seems to have worked for a few, but those were all outside of the NCR.  Your thoughts?   Thanks, JC

[KurtVD]

Since this thread has been revived...: I’ve just spent some time in Olongapo (Subic Bay) and really enjoyed it, it was nice and quiet with everything you need easily available. And its biggest advantage (in my eyes) is that it’s reachable by car/bus from Manila, but does that also mean that it’s overcrowded with people coming from Manila a lot of the time? It was low season right now, so I was wondering about the rest of the year... 

[Mick]

2 hours ago, KurtVD said:

Since this thread has been revived...: I’ve just spent some time in Olongapo (Subic Bay) and really enjoyed it, it was nice and quiet with everything you need easily available. And its biggest advantage (in my eyes) is that it’s reachable by car/bus from Manila, but does that also mean that it’s overcrowded with people coming from Manila a lot of the time? It was low season right now, so I was wondering about the rest of the year... 

Olongapo buzzes on weekends in season. Or when a ship comes in, either military or cruise, but normally Monday to Thursday even in season it's quite 

[OnMyWay]

2 hours ago, KurtVD said:

Since this thread has been revived...: I’ve just spent some time in Olongapo (Subic Bay) and really enjoyed it, it was nice and quiet with everything you need easily available. And its biggest advantage (in my eyes) is that it’s reachable by car/bus from Manila, but does that also mean that it’s overcrowded with people coming from Manila a lot of the time? It was low season right now, so I was wondering about the rest of the year... 

Peak season and weekends we get a lot of visitors from Manila.  We also get a lot of through traffic to/from the Northern area of Zambales as the beaches up there have become very popular.  There was a bit of a Southbound traffic problem on Sunday evenings (or end of holiday weekends) and the traffic would back up.  However, LED has done a good job of manning key intersections with traffic cops and keeping the cars moving.

If you live here in the old base housing as we do, that doesn't impact you much.  We avoid the duty free stores after lunch on Friday-Sunday and holidays, as they can get very crowded.  Harbor Point mall has outgrown it's small parking areas and the parking lots are often full, even during the week.

We still get a lot of visitors during rainy off-season.  Most of the hotels run rainy season specials, and the visitor still like to shop, etc.

There are quite a few big sporting events here now and that is when it will get the most crowded.  Cycling races will close some roads once in a while, but it is usually early morning and not too much impact.

I have another thread on possibly moving to Clark / Angeles.  Take a look.

[Heeb]

I'm going to take a look at BF Homes, Paranaque when we arrive since it's close my wife's house in Laguna, maybe a little too close.