A Blessing in disguise

[Commish10 427]

If you had been following our adventures, my fiancee and her daughter had been stuck in Manila because she kept testing COVID positive, and Cebu now requires a negative test to enter. They found a beach front apartment (literally, the beach comes right up to he door) in the Batangas area, a few hours south of Manila. She and her daughter love it, and will stay until they reschedule our interview. They catch fresh fish and crabs daily, and there are a few Americans with their wives, who decided just to stay when Covid hit. Her daughter has plenty of kids to play with and told me last night she never wants to lwave this place, but please wait for us in America (5 years old). All's Well, That Ends Well, at least this week. 

[Joe Kano 327]

1 hour ago, Commish10 said:

If you had been following our adventures, my fiancee and her daughter had been stuck in Manila because she kept testing COVID positive, and Cebu now requires a negative test to enter. They found a beach front apartment (literally, the beach comes right up to he door) in the Batangas area, a few hours south of Manila. She and her daughter love it, and will stay until they reschedule our interview. They catch fresh fish and crabs daily, and there are a few Americans with their wives, who decided just to stay when Covid hit. Her daughter has plenty of kids to play with and told me last night she never wants to lwave this place, but please wait for us in America (5 years old). All's Well, That Ends Well, at least this week. 

Didn't she have a couple of typhoons go thru her area very recently

[Commish10 427]

7 minutes ago, Joe Kano said:

Didn't she have a couple of typhoons go thru her area very recently

There was a small Tropical Storm. The big one went north of Luzon

[Joe Kano 327]

6 hours ago, Commish10 said:

If you had been following our adventures, my fiancee and her daughter had been stuck in Manila because she kept testing COVID positive, and Cebu now requires a negative test to enter. They found a beach front apartment (literally, the beach comes right up to he door) in the Batangas area, a few hours south of Manila. She and her daughter love it, and will stay until they reschedule our interview. They catch fresh fish and crabs daily, and there are a few Americans with their wives, who decided just to stay when Covid hit. Her daughter has plenty of kids to play with and told me last night she never wants to lwave this place, but please wait for us in America (5 years old). All's Well, That Ends Well, at least this week. 

My girl left Manila for Batangas area when they did the first lockdown, she hasn't been back home she lives in Pasay.  She seems to like it as well there, she is staying with relatives she has been there 18 months now.

[Hank_ 9,174]

7 hours ago, Commish10 said:

If you had been following our adventures, my fiancee and her daughter had been stuck in Manila because she kept testing COVID positive, and Cebu now requires a negative test to enter. They found a beach front apartment (literally, the beach comes right up to he door) in the Batangas area, a few hours south of Manila. She and her daughter love it, and will stay until they reschedule our interview. They catch fresh fish and crabs daily, and there are a few Americans with their wives, who decided just to stay when Covid hit. Her daughter has plenty of kids to play with and told me last night she never wants to lwave this place, but please wait for us in America (5 years old). All's Well, That Ends Well, at least this week. 

Good news!    

 

Batangas is nice.

[AlaMike 231]

MY sister-in-law lives in Lipa City, Batangas. My wife stayed there after her interview and until she got her Visa. 

She said it is nice also, No NPA like in her hometown.

Wishing you the best on your continued journey. 

[flicks1998 1,044]

37 minutes ago, AlaMike said:

MY sister-in-law lives in Lipa City, Batangas. My wife stayed there after her interview and until she got her Visa. 

She said it is nice also, No NPA like in her hometown.

Wishing you the best on your continued journey. 

When I worked in Manila, my counterpart who handled the Immigration department commuted from Lipa every day. Completely insane commute but he liked living there and wasn’t going to live in Manila at any cost. 

[Joe Kano 327]

13 hours ago, flicks1998 said:

When I worked in Manila, my counterpart who handled the Immigration department commuted from Lipa every day. Completely insane commute but he liked living there and wasn’t going to live in Manila at any cost. 

Lipa has almost 400K people from my google research,  I had never heard of it,  but will put it on my list to visit

 

For me as a tourist entering I like the night life Manila offers me, I like to cat around town when I am in the Philippines.  

[flicks1998 1,044]

3 hours ago, Joe Kano said:

Lipa has almost 400K people from my google research,  I had never heard of it,  but will put it on my list to visit

 

For me as a tourist entering I like the night life Manila offers me, I like to cat around town when I am in the Philippines.  

There is really nothing to do as a tourist.  But as a local living there, he liked it.  

[jskibo 588]

Batangas becoming Dumagute north. Lots of expats.  Quite a few vloggers documenting house builds in the area.  There is 4 with more starting soon just in Tierra Maria subdivision alone. 
 

close to Tagaytay so that can be good or bad depending on Taal volcanoes mood 😀

[Joe Kano 327]

17 minutes ago, jskibo said:

Batangas becoming Dumagute north. Lots of expats.  Quite a few vloggers documenting house builds in the area.  There is 4 with more starting soon just in Tierra Maria subdivision alone. 
 

close to Tagaytay so that can be good or bad depending on Taal volcanoes mood 😀

I watch some dude who lives on like $80 per month apartment who is a vlogger, he is pretty sensible guy .

 

How much are they spending on house builds? My relative is spending a ton on his house.  He purchased one hectare they wanted 5 million peso he got it for 3.5 million.  He has 70K USD in the land, he had to put almost 40K USD in a hollow block wall surrounding it and driveway.  I saw this week they put the first pole in the ground for the house.  I suspect he will be spending another 100K on the house build.

 

Gone are the days of finding cheap land in the Philippines.

[jskibo 588]

17 minutes ago, Joe Kano said:

I watch some dude who lives on like $80 per month apartment who is a vlogger, he is pretty sensible guy .

 

How much are they spending on house builds? My relative is spending a ton on his house.  He purchased one hectare they wanted 5 million peso he got it for 3.5 million.  He has 70K USD in the land, he had to put almost 40K USD in a hollow block wall surrounding it and driveway.  I saw this week they put the first pole in the ground for the house.  I suspect he will be spending another 100K on the house build.

 

Gone are the days of finding cheap land in the Philippines.

Most won't say and only dance around price per square meter.  The guy that's been completed a few years now gave the full price breakdown of his pool addition but still plays coy on the house. 

 

The lots were pretty expensive at 4M for 700 sq m when I inquired a few years ago. I see they have dropped to 3.4m recently. 

 

Philippines lifestyle 365 guy actually vlogged a spreadsheet breakdown of his build in one video and it was around $168k for 300 sq m house. His builder was a Brit guy and a bit particular on his materials and mixes so I assume a premium for his work.  Unfortunately he fell off vlogging just as tile was going in and hadn't posted since. Two more build starting across the street from James of mypidream vlog shortly and another retired navy master chief moving to same subdivision early next year to start his. 

 

We are trying to finish up a lot purchase in Eagle Ridge country club up in Gen Trias Cavite. Still have 5 years and one month before retirement. Looking at 3400 sq m but I like the area and close to where wife grew up. 

Edited September 16, 2021 by jskibo

[Joe Kano 327]

2 hours ago, jskibo said:

Most won't say and only dance around price per square meter.  The guy that's been completed a few years now gave the full price breakdown of his pool addition but still plays coy on the house. 

 

The lots were pretty expensive at 4M for 700 sq m when I inquired a few years ago. I see they have dropped to 3.4m recently. 

 

Philippines lifestyle 365 guy actually vlogged a spreadsheet breakdown of his build in one video and it was around $168k for 300 sq m house. His builder was a Brit guy and a bit particular on his materials and mixes so I assume a premium for his work.  Unfortunately he fell off vlogging just as tile was going in and hadn't posted since. Two more build starting across the street from James of mypidream vlog shortly and another retired navy master chief moving to same subdivision early next year to start his. 

 

We are trying to finish up a lot purchase in Eagle Ridge country club up in Gen Trias Cavite. Still have 5 years and one month before retirement. Looking at 3400 sq m but I like the area and close to where wife grew up. 

I will post some pics of my nephews house once it starts to take shape, He is thinking about putting a pool in.  He built a bunkhouse and has about 7 guys living in there on the property. He has been building on it for about 3 months now. I will keep you updated on his cost.

 

Have you ever thought just about renting a cool place and not worrying about building, it looks like you can snag some pretty sweet homes with scenic view for $600 per month, and easily find $300 to $400 monthly rent on nice homes?

 

 

[jskibo 588]

36 minutes ago, Joe Kano said:

I will post some pics of my nephews house once it starts to take shape, He is thinking about putting a pool in.  He built a bunkhouse and has about 7 guys living in there on the property. He has been building on it for about 3 months now. I will keep you updated on his cost.

 

Have you ever thought just about renting a cool place and not worrying about building, it looks like you can snag some pretty sweet homes with scenic view for $600 per month, and easily find $300 to $400 monthly rent on nice homes?

 

 

Thanks would be interesting to see his build. 
 

I don’t really have an interest in renting.  Want something the wife and kids can have when I’m gone.  She’ll have my three pensions as well so nothing for them to worry about. 
 

my limited experience with renting there as I covered her family’s costs for several years before I bought her mom a house was finicky landlords who liked jacking the price when a Kano is involved, and didn’t want to renew leases after we made some improvements (as they won’t even fix anything) so kept having to move.  I just want our place where we can do with it as we like. 

[Joe Kano 327]

23 minutes ago, jskibo said:

Thanks would be interesting to see his build. 
 

Here is the bunkhouse the workers are living in, and this is pouring the drive from the highway.  They have videos of the wall almost completed it a video I will see if I can figure out how to post a video