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.

Buying Property Philippines

Properties for sale in the Philippines

Buying Houses or Buying Condos in the Philippines

A foreigner may buy a condo in the Philippines but may not buy a house or land unless he is married to Filipino. There is no such thing as "Title Insurance" in the Philippines. I have asked real estate agents and representatives of developers. Personally, I cannot imagine buying property without property insurance.

I am a real estate broker in Florida, USA and lenders require property insurance for each property purchase they provide a loan for. As far as I know property insurance is available throughout the USA.

After reading the Wikipedia entry (at the link above) about government processes which can ensure clean title I now feel more secure about buying Philippine property. No one fully explained the procedure to me. The real estate agents tried to explain but something was lost while I tried to understand their imperfect English.

I discovered there may be insurance companies outside of the Philippines which may write property insurance for properties in the Philippines. But I think that most international property insurance written by U.S. title insurance companies is for commercial businesses.

Read this about the about title in the Philippines.

Read about a court decision that could have disastrous effect on millions of owners (Posted 02 April 2012 - 05:45 PM by Fred42).
Here is the article Fred42 referred to.

It is VERY important that you read these articles.

You may find properties for sale or for rent in the Philippines by visiting this link.

In my opinion it may be much safer to just rent a house or condo in the Philippines.

Do NOT buy or rent a residence near or downwind from pig farms in the Philippines. In fact, be as far away from pig farms and chicken farms as possible.

It would be wise to consult with an experienced Philippine real estate attorney before even looking for property. Protect yourself!

Bank of the Philippine Islands

Both BPI and Banco de Oro (BDO) and other Philippine banks publish lists of bank owned real estate including houses, land and commercial properties. Pick up the lists at their branch offices. The lists feature properties which have been foreclosed.

Talking with a banker at Banco de Oro (BDO) we discovered that banks do not make loans for all properties. The house or property you like may be in an area where the bank or banks will not make a loan. I do not know the reason for this. Do your research and talk to a banker of a major bank; for example, BDO or Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) before even looking at properties. Check out their web sites.

We really liked one house we looked at in Poroc (not far from the Clark Freeport Zone.) We were told by the real estate lady that it was being sold by the young couple who were living in it with their young child. But, due to several contributing factors I did not make an offer on it. I found out there would be no property "title insurance." Another contributing factor was Mt. Pinatubo's proximity to the house. Mt. Pinatubo is still active, though only mildly at present. It was dormant for about 500 years before the last eruption, so it probably won't erupt again for hundreds of years.
If you are considering buying property you may want to consider how close is the nearest volcano and what are the chances of it erupting while you own the house or other property. I have been told that Mt. Pinatubo was considered an "extinct" volcano before its violent eruption on June 15, 1991.

Probably the most important factor was, that after talking for quite some time with the "sellers" and their real estate lady, the man disclosed that the house was actually owned by his aunt who was at that time confined in a hospital in Manila. Being a licensed real estate broker in the USA this raised a '"red flag." The aunt was quite old and that could present a major problem. If an owner is deemed incompetent, and it sounded like she was, a transaction can be reversed. In the USA a contract is not binding if it is revealed that a party to it was incompetent at the time of signing. So, those factors put an end to my interest in that house.

Always consult with a Philippine attorney who specializes in real estate before you begin your search. An attorney can give you basic advice that may save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

Have personal experience buying, selling or renting in the Philippines? Share it with other readers by making a comment below.

Match Filipinas Dating

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back to read more about buying property or houses in the Philippines. Last updated June 17, 2022.

Buying Real Estate Philippines

Buying real estate in the Philippines.
Selling real estate.

Buying and Selling Real Estate in the Philippines

There are great opportunities to purchase condominiums, townhouses and houses in new developments all over the Philippines. Compared to properties in the USA prices are usually considerably lower. Sometimes much, much lower. 

Some of the largest and finest developers are Ayala Land, DMCI and Federal Land. There are also many other reputable real estate development companies.

Six Senses by Federal Land.

A good developer's agent, a licensed real estate broker or an attorney can assist you with the ins and outs of buying or selling Philippine properties.

Are you considering buying real estate in the Philippines? Click on the last link below to check out numerous cites in the Philippine Islands.

I hear that real estate is appreciating well in the Philippines. I think that applies mostly to residential and condo properties in quality developments.

A foreigner can purchase a condo in his own name but cannot buy a house or land in his own name. A foreigner may lease a property.

If a foreigner marries a Filipino then he may purchase property in his and his spouse's name.

It is best to consult with a Filipino attorney about how to arrange your purchase and in whose name to buy it. There are methods that are not widely publicized.

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.

Most houses and apartments in the Philippines have steel bars at the windows and have steel gated car parks.

Want to rent an apartment or a house in a large city or a rural area in the Philippines?

Meet Filipinas

Read about selling properties in the Philippines.

If you are a Filipino or a foreigner who has a property to sell and would like to see if featured in this blog, leave a comment below.

 

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back to read more about real estate in the Philippines. Last updated March 31, 2024.