Florida USA Real Estate

Florida, USA

 
Are you a Filipino? European? or are you from another place on Earth? Consider Florida as a place to live, work or retire.

I lived in Florida for many years before chatting with, meeting, visiting and marrying my Filipina wife in the Republic of the Philippines. We were married by the Mayor of a small town, North of Manila.

We have been living on and off in the Philippines and Florida since 2007. It is a long distance between the two. Our flights average about 24 hours including three or four stops to meet connecting flights.

In the Philippines a family member is usually driving us to the airport. In Florida we usually ride to our destination in a Tampa airport "limousine" or in a public bus.

 

Arriving in Tampa

And yes, we suffer from jetlag both ways. Our days and nights are turned upside down. It takes almost two weeks to get back to our normal nighttime sleeping schedule. 

A great many Filipinos land in California and stay there. Some get all the way across the USA and stop in Florida. The climate is very similar to the Philippines. We have a lot of Filipino friends in both countries but far more relatives in the Philippines.   

In the Philippines my wife buys our properties. In the US I buy them. We like real estate as an investment. In the Philippines I am limited to buying condos. In the US Filipinos may buy almost anything in any State of the USA.   

Clearwater, Florida is in the Tampa Bay Area. Not too far from Orlando and it's many popular attractions.

The Governor of Florida protects

Parents' Rights and 

Job Security

during the "pandemic.'

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This post will be expanded upon. Check back for more information about Florida, USA. Last updated  June 24, 2022.

Keeping Cool in the Philippines.

Fans are one way to stay cool in the Philippines

Keeping Your Cool in the Philippines

As you may be aware, most of the year it is very hot in the Philippines. Especially in cities like Angeles City, Cebu, Davao and Manila. The further South one goes in the Philippines the hotter it gets. We found it so hot in General Santos City and Cagayan de Oro that we hardly ever ventured out of our air conditioned hotels until after 4 or 5 p.m. And be sure to keep your cool socially, if you know what's good for you.

Cool Public Transportation

Taxi Cabs

Most taxis are air conditioned. But there are many which are not air conditioned. Be sure to ask the driver if he has 'aircon' and if it is working well before you get in the cab. Generally, the newer the cab the better the air conditioning. Most taxis do not have seat belts. You may need to wait for 1/2 hour or more until you hail one that has seat belts.

Buses

There are many open-air buses. But you will probably want to avoid those. Many have wood seats.

Air conditioned buses are usually not as crowded, have soft cushioned seats, curtains at the windows and more legroom.

Trains

There are trains in the Greater Manila area, and they have very good air conditioning systems.  A great way to travel and stay cool.

Jeepneys

Jeepneys are everywhere in the Philippines. Most are not air conditioned. I have never chanced to ride in an air conditioned one. I have seen some in Manila. They will have signs saying, "Air Con" or "Air Conditioned." You will need to ask locals how to find one. If you are at a jeepney station you may ask some 'dispatchers' or drivers if there are any that use that station. I have found it fastest to just get in any jeepney that is going where I want to go.

Cool Lodging

Most hotels, apartelles, pensiones and hostels are air conditioned.

Cool Residences

There are several ways to stay cool in your dwelling.

Table fans, wall fans and standing floor fans are the choice of many Filipinos.

Air conditioning is, of course, a great way to stay cool. But, electric costs are double the cost of electricity in the USA. We rented a 2 bedroom apartment outside Angeles City for about $83 US per month and our electric bill of $70 a month was almost equal to our rent! We had installed a single 3/4-ton window type air conditioner. We used table fans to circulate the cool air through the apartment.

You may purchase window type and split type air conditioners at appliance stores in shopping malls in the Philippines.

Another way to stay cool is to live in an area with a cool climate.

Cities in Cool Areas

Baguio

Baguio is located in the mountains North of Manila and Angeles City. At an altitude of 1,540 meters (5,050 feet) the average temperature is 15 to 23 C (59 to 73 F) with the lowest temperatures between November and February.

Tagaytay

Tagaytay at about 630 meters (2,000 feet) above sea level is only about 31 miles from Manila but much cooler. With an average temperature of 23 C (75 F).

Cool Outdoors

Of course, one of the best ways to stay cool outdoors is to stay in the shade of trees or under awnings. Wear a hat and light-colored cotton clothing.

 

Massage on beach in Boracay.

How about a relaxing massage under shady palms on Boracay?

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This post will be expanded. Check back for more information about keeping cool in the Philippines. Last updated June 3, 2022.

Conflicts and War in the Philippines

 

Conflicts and War in the Philippines

Conflicts and War on Mindanao, Philippines

Watch the video above about tension, fighting and occasional "war" on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.

I spent about 1 and 1/2 months with my Filipina wife visiting chat mates on the island of Mindanao. Visited the cities of Cagayan de Oro on the North coast and General Santos City, the Southernmost city on the Island. See my page about Flying in the Philippines. And, check out hotels in the Philippines. We stayed at several hotels on Mindanao. We were stopped at military checkpoints in General Santos City and in South Cotabato.  We were on the way to a friend's family farm which is about 5 kilometers from North Cotabato. There have been occasional clashes between rebels and the Philippine army in North Cotabato. On the way to the farm we passed a Muslim school. After we returned to Manila there was a conflict near a pineapple plantation we passed on our trip.

Give it a go. Visit Mindanao. But stay alert.

See what the Australian government advises about travel to Mindanao. See what the USA government advises. What the Canadian government advises.
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UPDATES (excerpts from Australia's Smart Traveler site):

• On 3 November 2016, the US Government warned that terrorists are planning to conduct kidnappings in areas frequented by foreigners on the southern part of Cebu Island, specifically the areas around Dalaguete and Santander (including Sumilon Island). See Safety and security.
• On 23 May 2017, the Philippines Government declared Martial Law in Mindanao for 60 days. Measures imposed under Martial Law may include the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, the imposition of curfews and establishment of checkpoints. Monitor media reporting and follow the instructions of local authorities. 
• There is a very high threat of kidnapping in the southern Philippines, especially along the Zamboanga peninsula and in the Sulu Archipelago. Tourists in southern Palawan, southern Negros or Siquijor could also be targeted.
• The deterioration in security in Mindanao has resulted in a more volatile security environment in the Philippines. Travellers are reminded of the high threat of terrorist attack in the Philippines, including Manila. Exercise heightened caution at this time. Be vigilant about your surrounds. Monitor the media for information that may impact on your security. Follow local authorities' advice. 

See what Canada says about Safety and Security in the Philippines.

If you are the daring, adventurous type, while you are on Mindanao be sure to visit the beach at Dolores Tropicana Beach Resort on Sarangani Bay at General Santos City. Dine there too!

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about conflicts and war on Mindanao in the Philippines. This page last updated June 3, 2022.

Buying USA Real Estate Properties.

You may buy condos, houses and land in the USA.

Real Estate in the United States

Click Image. Top 10 Apps To Use!

Purchase condominiums, town houses and single-family homes in the USA. 
One way to find properties for sale in Florida and the USA.

A good, licensed, real estate broker (like me) or a real estate attorney can assist you with the ins and outs of buying or selling USA properties.

Unlike in the Philippines a foreigner can purchase a condo, house, townhouse or land in his own name.

Be sure to hire an attorney to review your purchase plans and to review all documents before finalizing a purchase. Ask the attorney to verify the history of the title the seller holds to the property. Real estate can be tricky, so protect yourself by seeking advice of professionals.

Subscribe to my Florida real estate blog to get updates about Florida real estate.

Subscribe to my Florida real estate blog.

Most houses and apartments in the USA do not have steel bars at the windows or steel gated car parks. Also, most are not in gated communities.

Use a licensed mortgage broker to assist you in finding a low rate home loan.
Even if you use a mortgage broker be sure to do your own research regarding low rate home loans.

Find Real Estate in Florida, USA. The climate in Florida is similar to the Philippines.

Many Filipinos live in Florida. Florida is at the Southeastern corner of the USA.

Florida, USA Real Estate

I was the broker at a Florida real estate company with a website serving local and foreign buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants. The site featured all 50 States of the USA and nearly 200 countries.

Buying or selling real estate in Florida, USA.
Condos on Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA

If you are interested in purchasing property in the USA visit our web site. At our site you may search properties in all 50 states of the USA. If you use the "Search For Homes" bar to find Florida properties, enter a zip code (look up Florida zip codes) into the "Location" field at the top left of the resulting page. You may also use the "Search This Site" field to enter the name of the state you are interested in.

I will be happy to assist you in getting more information about properties located anywhere in the U.S.A. I assist local and foreign buyers and sellers.

I lived in the Philippines for about 5 years and my wife is a Filipina. We can relate to you. We speak fluent English and Filipino.

Clearwater Beach has a beautiful white sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico, in the Tampa Bay area. Here you will find a wide variety of fine hotels and beautiful sunsets. "Sunsets at Pier 60" is a favorite of locals and tourists. The climate is similar to Manila, Philippines. Manila is usually hotter though, because it is about 13 degrees latitude closer to the Equator.

View pictures of Clearwater, Florida.

Check out my blog about visiting Florida, USA.

Weather in the Tampa Bay area is similar to weather in the Philippine Islands. However, in the Fall and Winter temperatures can get pretty chilly.

 Interested in buying property in another state?

Contact me and I will use my expertise to locate an experienced real estate broker in that area.
This can save you a lot of time and trouble.

Prices are still depressed in the USA. The real estate market hit a low in about 2007 and has not fully recovered yet. There are many good deals to be had now. However, the recovery has begun so do not delay if you are seeking to buy US real estate.

If you have a property you want to sell and would like to see if featured in this blog, contact me.

If you are considering buying property in the Philippine read this.

The latest news about Real Estate in the U.S.A.

Was this article helpful?

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back to read more about buying or selling real estate in the USA. Last updated June 4, 2022.