Finding a house or apartment in the Philippines

[Rhoody]

The most important point for finding a a place to live is most likely TIME !

When you decided what region you wanna live, stay in a Hotel first, take your time to check all the options this area has. Starting from food supply to available hardware and appliance - center, internet, cell coverage, health-facilities andandand

If all that covers your needs and you found a house / apartment, have a close look at the neighborhood also at night. Chicken dogs and karaoke machines can be pretty annoying.

cheers

Rhoody

We're looking in the province of Negros Oc. Have located some property for sale. In the SouthWestern coast line near Sipalay. We have family there. How difficult is it to get building materials to remote areas?

[Rhoody]

it is always depending on the style of your house. the choice of Building materials in the PI is very limited anyway.

As cost of labor is low, so is truck rental. It is not very expensive to get things down there from Dumaguete or Bacolod.

Very important is the concreting and holow - blocks and electricity and and and...,

you may wanna watch AND control each second by yourself... Local constructors will do it the local way !!! what means your mix is a kind of 3-5 times the sand what it is supposed to be. The sand is not washed (too much salt in it, especially at remote beach-villages). Nothing is proper grounded ...

Don't believe One single word if somebody tells you something like: My cousin can overview that, he is an architect... or similar stories.

Don't get ANYBODY of the family involved in the construction. It is totally normal here in this regions that things are done "different" and big f@%# - Up's are normal. With family involved you have not the slightest chance to correct anything or make critics or even get angry as some 1000 $ (or much more) are just lost ...

Maybe it sounds a bit harsh, but you may want to make a bit of a research in terms of living close to the family. If you ask 1000 Expats in the PI (without their wife/girlfriend listening), you will get about the following answers:

990 Expats say : The minimum required distance between you and the wife's family is 24 hours traveltime on public transports AND 2 Islands

9 just moved here and are not honest to themself and still hoping things will change...

1 is really happy with that...

all 1000 said before moving here : "but my case is different, because ... "


... all of the above avails of course only if you plan to move here.
If you plan to build something for the familiy it is a complete different case as there are other priorities than for us long-noses....

cheers from Dumaguete

Rhoody

If despite what Rhoody said, you still decide to put up a home there ( as a non-practicing civil engineer ), I suggest that you make a thorough research of the local contractors available. ....choose an accredited one, ask for his previous projects, inspect his previous works etc.

There are many accredited contractors in urban areas (e.g. Metro Manila, Metro Cebu etc.) and a few in the provinces but they are all obliged to abide by the Building Code of the Philippines. Accredited contractors strictly follow the requisites of the code and accrediting body else their license will not be renewed or downgraded. There are several classifications of legitimate contractors ( AAA, AA ...), but if you are familiar with construction management then it's best to manage it yourself.

What Rhoody said... Plus is the land REALLY yours? There's no title search or insurance here.

You may be there 2 years and have someone come and say "You on my land..leave Now!"

I hate to say it but trust no one!