Category: The Philippines

Investing in Philippine Commercial Property: A Complete Guide

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The Philippines has emerged as one of the fastest-growing countries in Asia. Foreign investment in its Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector is one of the main drivers.

Not only Metro Manila grows fast, but there are dozens of cities located outside of the capital and categorized as so-called next-wave-cities and upcoming emerging markets.

In this article, I explain how you can invest in commercial property in the Philippines, covering a wide range of topics.

Topics covered:

  • Can foreigners buy commercial property in the Philippines?
  • The Commercial Property Market in the Philippines
  • Best Cities to Buy Commercial Property in the Philippines
  • Commercial Property Taxes

Can foreigners buy commercial property in the Philippines?

The Philippines has reasonable foreign ownership regulations by Southeast Asian standards.

Here, foreigners can buy strata-title units such as condos on a freehold basis. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the foreign ownership quota which is set to 40%.

You can also own the physical structures built upon the land, like bungalows and villas. Buying a commercial property, on the other hand, is a completely different undertaking and more regulated.

Whether you can get access to commercial property or not depends on if you buy as an individual investor or through a local company. Continue reading Investing in Philippine Commercial Property: A Complete Guide

Top 14 Real Estate Developers in the Philippines

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We’ve seen a big increase in prime real estate in the Philippines recently. Many local developers build these projects and target foreign buyers aggressively.

In fact, nowadays developers often hire in-house salespersons to bypass estate agents. They have good connections with banks, property lawyers, and can sometimes even offer help with financing.

That said, it’s important that you get good knowledge about local property developers beforehand, before buying off-plan. Late completions and quality issues are just a couple of problems you might come across if not doing enough research.

In this article, I’ve listed some of the biggest and most popular property developers in the Philippines.

1. Ayala Land, Inc.

Ayala Land, Inc. is one of the biggest real estate developers in the Philippines, with its headquarter located in the famous business district, Makati.

It’s a real estate division of Ayala Corporation, which is a century-old company but has operated independently since 1988. So, they have a long history and experience under their belt.

In 2016, it was the second-largest developer in terms of yearly revenue, and its net income reached around PHP 21 billion (USD 400 million). That’s a 15% increase compared to 2015.

Property types

Ayala Land is involved in landbank management, build and manage shopping centers, hotels, and resorts.

Maybe most importantly, they also build plenty of residential buildings, focusing on condominiums and housing projects.

Current projects

Continue reading Top 14 Real Estate Developers in the Philippines

Buying Condos in Manila: The Ultimate Guide

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Suggestion: Watch the 5 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Philippines is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world and continues to attract foreign investors and companies in vast numbers.

Metro Manila deservedly gets the most attention as it’s the capital, business hub, and accounts for a third of the countries GDP growth. Simply put, most things happen here.

Looking at investment preferences, buying newly built condos is undoubtedly the most common option among foreigners. Yields can be exceptionally high at the same time as the buying process is simpler and involves less paperwork.

Still, it’s important that you learn about the property market, the most promising areas, and what prices you can expect to pay when buying condos in Manila beforehand.

In this article, you’ll learn about the following:

Continue reading Buying Condos in Manila: The Ultimate Guide

Condos for Sale in Manila: 10 Interesting New Projects

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Philippines is one of the fastest-growing countries in Asia, attracting foreigners in vast numbers. It’s not strange as the living costs are low, the quality of life is great, and you have a number of long-term visa options.

In this article, you’ll learn about some of the most interesting new condo projects for sale in Manila. We cover places like Makati, Taguig, Bonifacio Global City, Quezon City, and Pasig City.

The article is updated on a continuous basis, giving you the latest news about interesting investment opportunities.

Viewing the projects and surrounding areas in Google Maps (Street View)

To check the projects and surrounding areas in Google Maps Street View, simply zoom in the area of the marker and pull the orange-colored Pegman to the marker, or nearby areas. You can track the marker/project in Street View as well.

To go back to Google Maps, press the arrow in the top left corner.

Projects Covered

Continue reading Condos for Sale in Manila: 10 Interesting New Projects

How to Buy Property in the Philippines: A Complete Guide

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Suggestion: Watch the 5 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

The Philippines has become a preferred destination when foreign investors buy real estate in Asia. It’s not strange as it has low living costs, cheap real estate, many long-term visas, and a quickly growing economy with preferable demographics.

Still, investing in real estate in a developing country like the Philippines always bring some risks. You must have a good knowledge of local regulations beforehand.

In this article, you’ll learn about foreign property ownership regulations, property taxes, visa options, and which places should be of interest when you buy real estate in the Philippines.

Can foreigners buy property in the Philippines?

The Philippines is similar to other Southeast Asian countries in terms of foreign property ownership. Here, individuals can buy and legally own condominiums and houses, but not the land that these structures are built on. Simple as that.

Continue reading How to Buy Property in the Philippines: A Complete Guide

Top 3 Places to Live & Buy Real Estate in the Philippines

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The Philippines is big in terms of population. Still, there are not as many options available when buying property, compared to Thailand or Malaysia, for example.

Investors tend to go to the capital Manila, while other foreigners look for more relaxing places, located more towards the South. You’ll notice that the real estate market and prices differ much between different areas.

If you plan to buy property in the Philippines, but not sure where, this article is a must-read, where I list some of the best places to buy a property.

1. Metro Manila

manila-property

Continue reading Top 3 Places to Live & Buy Real Estate in the Philippines

A Foreigner’s Guide to Property Loans & Financing in the Philippines

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Philippines is one of the favorite spots among foreign retirees and investors who wish to buy property in Southeast Asia. It’s one of the fastest-growing countries with a young population, we’ve seen many foreign corporations move in over the years.

When many investors look for property, they also want to know what financing options they have. Even if some are able to afford to buy a property with cash, it can be a better option to leverage some of the money by applying for a loan.

In this guide, I explain what it takes to get a property loan in the Philippines as a foreigner.

Can foreigners get property loans in the Philippines?

It was virtually impossible for foreigners to get property loans in the Philippines previously. Similar stories have heard of in other developing countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, just to mention a few.

With an economy that’s growing with 7% yearly, and a property market that’s hot among foreign investors, banks have become a bit more relaxed and you have a handful of options to choose from in the Philippines. Unfortunately, many of the banks require that you have a visa status, where a tourist visa is not accepted.

Common visas (or residential status) accepted when applying for loans often include:

Continue reading A Foreigner’s Guide to Property Loans & Financing in the Philippines

Top Conveyancing Lawyers in the Philippines: A Complete Guide

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There are a number of conveyancing lawyers who operate in the Philippines, I bet they are (and will be) busy in the coming years, as the Philippines continues to be a sought-after place for foreign buyers.

But there are many pitfalls you can stumble upon, hiring a local conveyancing lawyer should one of your top priorities.

You rarely find summarized information about the top conveyancing lawyers, therefore I decided to write this article where I list some of the most popular firms.

1. Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos

Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos is a full service law firm based in Manila. The law firm was founded 25 years ago, and considered one of the most well-established law firms in Manila.

The team at Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos consists of dozens of partners (31), special counsels, senior associates, and junior associates. In total, they have more than 50 lawyers.

The partners at Picazo Buyco Tan Fider & Santos are senior bar members, with co-founder Mr. Antonio A. Picazo also a member of the Philippines bar since 1964.

He also co-founded other law firms like Cayetano Bautista and Reyes in 1983 and worked as General Counsel at Union Bank of Philippines.

The company provides legal services to mostly corporate clients, as many financial institutions, large banks, real estate developers, and many other multinational companies are on their client list.

Services offered

Continue reading Top Conveyancing Lawyers in the Philippines: A Complete Guide

Buying Property in Davao: An Overview

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The Philippines is on the rise and one of the fastest-growing countries in Southeast Asia.

You’ve probably heard of Manila and Cebu, but there a number of other cities in the Philippines that grow even faster, where the real estate markets are pointing upwards.

A few people have heard about Davao, one of the biggest cities in the Philippines, where more and more investors and developers look for opportunities, maximizing yields and profits.

In this article, I explain the crucial information you need to know when buying property in Davao.

Davao real estate market

With an economic growth that’s been stretched to almost double digits, this has affected the property market positively.

With much investment in infrastructure, the entries of foreign companies, and a focus shifting from the capital Manila, smaller places like Davao, Iloilo, and Bacolod will reap their gains. Continue reading Buying Property in Davao: An Overview

How to Buy Property in Palawan: By Jonabe V. Daquer

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Suggestion: Watch the 5 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Palawan is one of the most beautiful islands in the world, located in the Western parts of the Philippines.

As many retirees, especially from the US, decide to go to the Philippines, Palawan is definitely a point of interest.

Here, you’ll not only have the option to buy a house, condo or land, but also parts of islands (sounds amazing, right).

Today, I have Jonabe V. Daquer with me, the founder of Palawan Real Property, to explain the details you need to know before buying property in Palawan.

It’s one of the biggest real estate agencies in Palawan that helps both locals and foreigners.

Jonabe, can you tell us about yourself and your current business in Palawan?

Yes, I’m Jonabe V. Daquer, 32 years old, a licensed real estate broker and founder of Palawan Real Property. I was born and raised here in Palawan and I lived here my entire life. I’m in love in this place because it’s a paradise!

I started the business with my brother, Jeb and my common law husband, Voltaire. We built this Real Estate Agency to help clients get the property they need, reduce hassle, making the purchase headache free.

My mother is the one who thought me the real estate industry and she is part of the team as a consultant for property documentation. At the time we started, basically no one had an office to help clients not only to buy properties, but sellers who wanted to sell their property.

So, that’s how Palawan Real Property was born.

Continue reading How to Buy Property in Palawan: By Jonabe V. Daquer