not sea sick are you with them dots mate, i think its when you leave a good responce and someone comments on it but i may be wrong
not sea sick are you with them dots mate, i think its when you leave a good responce and someone comments on it but i may be wrong
How come you paid bigger amount in transferring title under your wife's name?
The most expensive in transferring is the capital gains tax which is 6% of total cost of property.
Other payments such as VAT, stamps Real Property tax are only small amount.
There are also some ways to reduce capital gains tax and it's legal as long as you'll not go below the assessment value of your local municipality market value.
But if you found greedy lawyer, they may charge you big amount.
If you will live in a first class village, you'll surely feel it's quiet.
Tend not to get seasick, but if I do feel a bit green its nothing a cup of tea and a nice greasy fried egg sandwich can't sort out. The best bit is watching the faces of all the folk that are seasick as I eat it, grease and yolk dripping out. THey tend not to like it.........................could really do with a fried egg banjo right about nowthinking about it!!!
It's been emontional
Personally I would not buy a house that was designed by a Filipino in a sub division (anywhere)..Not only are they usually poorly designed,they have incredibly bad plumbing and are electrical death traps!! They are also poorly insulated and cost a fortune to keep cool..
Far better to buy a titled lot within a sub division and build your own IMO.. Lots of planning and as much local construction knowledge as possible required.
Construction material`s are going up up up on sometimes a weekly basis and in certain areas...So is land...
Also never forget the fact that we as foreigners cannot own land here in the P.I. and at the end of the build it will NOT be yours!!
Cheers,
Fred.
Of course we all have a view but this is not mine.
I have bought from a developer of a high end sub division. They have a great reputation which they need to protect. The builder they used to actually do the work wants more contracts so was not going to mess about. I asked an expat friend, who has built places all over SE Asia to make unscheduled visits to check everything. All was perfect. Much better than risk trying to do things yourself, unless you are very experienced and onsite all the time. Builders can short you on the cement in the concrete, the steel in the rebars etc. Everything was specified, including the electricals and plumbing, all to a good standard and all specs were met.
In my opinion this is a much safer way to deal with buying than trying to do it yourself. It's probably more expensive but the rip off potential is much less. The Philippines just does not work as we are used to and only the locals know where the mines are. It is true that as foreigners we cannot own land but I have arranged for the developer to retain it and I will lease it from them. I will own the house. I have an irrevocable agreement that once the law changes and we can own land that it will be transferred to me without further cost. Until then I pay 1 peso per annum.
Well that was a good idea to lease your property from the contractor David ! At least thats something you can own for the next 50 years and Im sure that you employed your own brief to prepare the lease and not the attorney of the contractor!.
I must point out though (for members info) that leasing directly from a spouse is not to be recommended as any such lease can and will be rendered null and void in the event of a separation in a Filipino court.
Im glad that you are happy with your build David..Couple of questions if you dont mind though in regards building specs?
1st.. loft/roof insulation..If any.
2nd, Wall insulation,including cavity wall. If any.
3rd, Are your consumer units and electrical outlets properly earthed? Did they fit an earth leakage device?
Cheers,
Fred.
The final contract is not written yet but yes I have my own lawyer to check everything. I agree that leasing from your spouse is not acceptable, we investigated this too. My understanding is that the Charter change will, if and when eventually passed, allow the ownership of up to 1000 sq mtrs of land, hence this lease back solution. The usual way is, I know, simply to put it all in the name of your wife, but for a variety of reasons I did not wish to do this. (We already own 2 houses on Bohol held in her name and used by the family).
For sure the insulation standards are not the same as in the UK. There is no cavity wall, but the rooms are high ceilings, and with good overhangs to each window to provide shade. We face the sea and with the usual sea breeze intend to allow this through the house to keep the air fresh. With the windows open there is no point in running too much aircon. In fact we intend to only aircon the master bedroom. The house we rented last year had this arrangement and it worked well.
The electrical system is earthed as the development is high end and this is what their clients expect. The plumbing, both pipework and fittings is all German. I realise that if you want to design a place yourself, specify all the materials and then spend 100% of your time on site supervising the build that you will end up with something more familiar to us. I don't have those skills or time, so I have made compromises to try to find a workable solution. Each to their own situation, if it works for you thats great. This works for me.
Glad to hear about your electrical spec standards David!(actually,Im amazed)
The only problem you have now is finding Filipino appliances with a 3 wire cable and a 3 pronged plug!!![]()
Well, my husband is the same tellingwe have no such proper housing materials and electrical etc.
I said stop criticising and start buying UK British standard electricals, shower, sockets etc. for our future house and he started buying it but most of the time, I do the winging
as he buys stuffs in the UK but made in China.![]()
To be honest, we have some housing material store in Makati if you want high standard materials.
I have seen some houses of rich people in our country and I cannot compare it with Council house here.
But I admire the castles here!
I have seen house of a filipina married to japanese and most materials came from Japan including solar power generator for electric and it's a marvelous house really.
We have spanish houses in the Philippines built in 1600 and still in good shape.
So I believe we have proper materials as well.![]()
Penny...I wasnt slagging off Filipino builders as there are some damned good ones..Just greedy Filipino designers with money and time restraints to follow..Also those that build a hollow block oven with fixed window grills (death traps) paint it white and put it on the market for 6 million (nice round figure) knowing that some dumb foreigner will snap it up eventually ...
Happens all the time here!
Value for money comes from a little construction DIY is all Im saying..
Bahala ka!!
Ingat,
Fred.
as he buys stuffs in the UK but made in China.![]()
The electrical goods imported from China to the UK must adhere to strict British standard codes..
The dangerous crap they send to the Philippines do not..
Although quality material can be found quite easily here,they are expensive and not always utilised by Filipino contractors for one reason or the other!
Buyer beware!
![]()
It wasn't you!
Well I agree with some Filipino builders that's why on my first posts, I gave advice to be there to monitor everything whilst under construction and tell them to buy house and lot only if developers are well known for making upscale projects.
If you will ask me, my dream house is all made of Narra lumber and concrete blocks.Narra lasts for hundred of years because of it's hardwood, beetle and termite resistant with rose-scented. But I am not sure if my husband can afford.
Bahala ka din!
So British well accepted it as long as it passed through british standard?
But I'm not a british.
You maybe right about their electrical goods from that country but to be honest,
we Filipinos still patronize our own product when it comes to electrical goods. You'll see around the street selling electrical stuffs made from china but durable Philippine made can only be found at leading hardware stores but not scattered somewhere in the streets sells by unknown sellers.![]()
Is it possible to just turn up at these sub divisions and drive in and have a look a round? I know there where some on the base in OLongapo city that your name had to be at the security gate before they'd let you through.
It's been emontional
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