Buy Philippines Property- A Guide for Expats.

Do you want to buy Philippines Property?

If you have not yet had the idea to buy Philippines property, you should start thinking about it now. If you are living in the Philippines or planning on retiring to the Philippines, now is the time to invest and buy property in the Philippines.

The Philippines is at the bottom of what will become an explosive curve in Real Estate prices.

Land in the Philippines is currently priced extremely low compared to other countries.

But don’t expect these low prices to last forever. During 2017, the nationwide residential real estate price index rose by 5.7% (2.3% inflation-adjusted), according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the country’s central bank.

Condominium units saw year on year prices increase by 14.2% (inflation-adjusted 10.6%) in 2017.

Duplex house prices rose dramatically by 17.3% (13.5% inflation-adjusted) in 2017 while Townhouse prices rose by 8.1% (4.6% inflation-adjusted) over the same period.

The Philippine economy expanded by 6.7% in 2017.

The economy is expected to continue seeing strong growth.

The  automotive industry ended 2017 with a 17.66% increase as sales totaled 473,943 units.

All of these facts point to the Philippines being on the verge of a surge in Real Estate prices that could last for years to come. And the potential for profit makes that good for anyone interested in investing in Real Estate.

Can Foreigners buy Philippines Property?

Yes. There is definite opportunity for foreigners to invest in real estate in the Philippines, but there are a lot of restrictions. A foreigner is prohibited from owning land directly. However, a foreigner can own up to 40% of a company that can own land. Filipinos must own the other  60%.

A foreigner can also lease land for up to 25 years and the lease can be renewed for another 25 years. A foreign Corporation can lease land for 50 years and renew for an additional 25 years.

A foreigner can own a house, but not the land it is built upon. This allows for a multitude of different ways that a foreigner could possibly have a home in the Philippines to call their own.

Of course, if a foreigner is married to a Filipina, his wife can own the land. However, he can (and should) own the house.

The different scenarios mean that one should really understand your options as a foreigner before purchasing or leasing land in any fashion.

There are stories of foreigners buying land in the name of their wife only to have that wife leave shortly afterwards and keeping the land. There are also a multitude of different pitfalls and scams that a foreigner can walk into and lose his investment.

When you Buy Philippines Property – Pitfalls.

There are a number of pitfalls to buying/leasing land in the Philippines so here are some areas to consider:

Leasing property

a) What can go wrong

b) types of agreements

c) what to look for in the lease, etc.

How to Buy Philippines Property

a) Buy through a corporation with friends.

b) Buy Philippines Property in wife’s name

c) Consider buying into a corporation 60% owned by Filipinos and 40% owned by foreigners and then leasing the land from the same corporation in  your name resulting in extra security in the event of a breakup in the marriage.

Owning property in the Philippines

a) Titled property vs. non-titled property

b) Verifying titles

c) Rights property – what can be titled, what cannot be

d) Property that has restrictions

e) Determining restrictions

f) Condominiums

g) Types of rights.

h) Condominiums vs. houses.

Mortgages

a) Types of mortgages

b) How to acquire mortgages

Other  Property issues in the Philippines

i)   Commercial Development

ii)  Types of land rights

iii)  Zoning restrictions.

iv)  Taxes

v)    Other government departments which are involved in the purchase/sale/ownership of property in the Philippines.

Safety

When you buy (or lease) a property in Anahaw Hills Village, all of these concerns are addressed and you can sleep comfortably  knowing that your investment is safe.

Property in the Philippines is very definitely worth looking at right now, but don’t go into it unprepared. There is a lot of profit to be made, however there are also a lot of ways to lose your shirt.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *