Advice needed buying and building

[Scooter]

1 hour ago, CebuAndy said:

 

If when you already married and get a 'proper married visa',  things like import of household and other things get so much easier and cheaper. This forums has tons of information, use the search function.

Some also get a SRRV if you qualify for that, and have the money required.

Thank you

[Snowy79]

I would certainly take things slow here as the shine in some locations can soon fade.  It took me three moves to finally settle. You can fall in love with the views and general area while new here.  One year down the line you've now realised brown outs are real, cockerels and videoke are part of every day life and locals love drama. 

[Scooter]

33 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

I would certainly take things slow here as the shine in some locations can soon fade.  It took me three moves to finally settle. You can fall in love with the views and general area while new here.  One year down the line you've now realised brown outs are real, cockerels and videoke are part of every day life and locals love drama. 

Thank you good advice. 

[Joey G]

12 hours ago, CebuAndy said:

Example, extended family later claim the land actually was owned by them, and not the person you delt with. Was a story like this many years ago.

Unfortunately the way Philippine law is written, this is becoming an exponential problem.  As the population in the Philippines has grown and land titles have become more formalized... people have become more litigious.  You can't check too much. 

[Scooter]

2 minutes ago, Joey G said:

Unfortunately the way Philippine law is written, this is becoming an exponential problem.  As the population in the Philippines has grown and land titles have become more formalized... people have become more litigious.  You can't check too much. 

Seems to me the safest thing to do would be going with a bank loan as they would be the ones assuming the risk.  

[BrettGC]

22 minutes ago, Scooter said:

Seems to me the safest thing to do would be going with a bank loan as they would be the ones assuming the risk.  

You'll need either a good credit history in PI or a wife (actually married, not GF) with a good one or you're not going to get a loan if on a tourist visa; same as most countries, credit checks are done and your credit history in your country of origin doesn't count.. That may be a good thing for some .  We recently went through the rigmarole to buy a car and the only way I could get my name on the document was as the secondary, thankfully my wife has an immaculate credit history.  On the upside, I've started establishing my credit history.  I can only assume it would be more difficult with a property.  

SRRV (retirement visa) may be different though as I believe the deposit amount for the visa can be used on a housing loan but the guys on SRRV's could probably tell you more about that.  

Another point is that you'll need at least a "Tourist" ACR card (Alien Card of Registration) to open a bank account and even then some branch managers are iffy.  You receive your ACR-I card after your first extension. But as we say on here a lot, your mileage may vary (YMMV) with regards to opening an account.  Long gone are the days where you could do so in PI with just your passport.  

Edited July 13, 2022 by BrettGC

[Scooter]

2 minutes ago, BrettGC said:

You'll need either a good credit history in PI or a wife (actually married, not GF) with a good one or you're not going to get a loan if on a tourist visa; same as most countries, credit checks are done and your credit history in your country of origin doesn't count.. That may be a good thing for some .  We recently went through the rigmarole to buy a car and the only way I could get my name on the document was as the secondary, thankfully my wife has an immaculate credit history.  I can only assume it would be more difficult with a property.  

SRRV (retirement visa) may be different though as I believe the deposit amount for the visa can be used on a housing loan but the guys on SRRV's could probably tell you more about that.  

Another point is that you'll need at least a "Tourist" ACR card (Alien Card of Registration) to open a bank account and even then some branch managers are iffy.  You receive your ACR-I card after your first extension. But as we say on here a lot, your mileage may vary (YMMV) with regards to opening an account.  Long gone are the days where you could do so in PI with just your passport.  

I see thank you. 

[CebuAndy]

2 hours ago, Scooter said:

Seems to me the safest thing to do would be going with a bank loan as they would be the ones assuming the risk.  

Sorry, not going to happen. Bank manager will tell you why, with a grin.

 

[Scooter]

Just now, CebuAndy said:

Sorry, not going to happen. Bank manager will tell you why, with a grin.

 

Lol I'm thinking in the future and  with the help of a wife

[Colsie]

18 hours ago, Scooter said:

Moving to the Philippines end of this month. I just got back from spending 2 months there island jumping. I found a nice property on Bohol. I'd like to buy and build on. Of course I'll go through an agent.  I'm just curious about buying procedures compared to america and also about building . Procedures and codes /processes. Does anyone know a good link or a good agent on Bohol? 

Welcome to the forum Scooter 

Be good if you can give me a bit more info about where and what you're planning to buy in Bohol and why Bohol?

Sounds strange to me how you've been here only two months island hoping yet you've decided to live in Bohol and also you're planning to buy land, build a house and get married... 

I lived in Bohol for a couple of years on Panglao Island but luckily moved out 5 days before the magnitude 7.2 earthquake disaster back in Oct 2013. 

I've designed and built two houses in the Philippines, that's why I'm wondering about what type of house you're going to build and what's your budget?

I remember an expat friend of mine in Bohol bought this land from a nice Filipino family. But excavating stopped one morning because another member of the Filipino family brought a gun on site because he hadn't recieved his cut of the money and insisted part of the land was his... 

Needless to say, buying land in the Philippines is fraught with danger and its land that you'll never own as a foreigner. 

From what I'm understanding about your situation so far, I would suggest it may be better for you to rent somewhere for a year or so before commiting to living somewhere and with someone you don't really know very well...there shouldn't be any rush to get married or outlay substantial costs on such risky propositions without knowing exactly what you're up for... 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by Colsie