Real estate prices rising strongly

Good points Gord. For my house, the house build cost was 62% of the total with the rest being the items you mentioned plus landscaping and a drainage canal. Another cost option is the type of roof you choose.

 

Definitely "Buyer Beware" as we were recently pushed very hard to buy 100m2 alongside the Highway for 1750php m2 but I felt something was amiss due to the urgency in how they even offered us to pay via installments when we told them we did not have the budget to buy in Ca$h... I am now told by another living on the highway nearby that the lot we were offered (including half of their house) will soon be resumed for Highway widening... Glad I followed my gut instinct on this one!

 

Ah they tried to sell you a piece of lot which get then cut by the road widening? Good that you did not bought that lot. Incredible how some sellers are attempting to rip off other people.
I'm not fan of lots located directly at the highways. Too much noice even with the benefit of direct access to more reliable and available public transport. One street away you can have much less noice.

 

YES... They tried VERY HARD and worst of all the mediator is suppose to be close family, obviously trying to help out her friend in off-loading a future strip of highway! I was wary after watching the widening of the highway closer to the City and my fears turned out to be correct. I will be taking this one as a learning curve for any future investment lots purchased.

 

We're just checking things out in case we ever tire of renting... Things we've learned to look out for (and talk to a lawyer): DAR Considerations (Dept of Agrarian Reform); Tenants Rights; Local Neighbor Farming the land rights; ALL owners listed on Title (any relatives have hidden veto?); Who is the decision maker during negotiations; Owner lot size limits, residential and agriculture; Relocation Survey; Future city plans; future plans on neighboring lots (another "resort"?). Like other folks say, not all will be a problem, just be sure the checklist is done.

 

A lot of these things can be clarified while visiting the DENR or the HLURB. They can even tell you if there are issues on the title or even if the title is forged/fake.

 

I agree But this is where the PI can be so Difficult, should they miss 1 slight problem Out of the cupboards come the Skeletons and create a severe problem later

 

Most issues can be prevented with a visit there. But it is not a full warranty that everything is really OK. The book I mentioned once in a thread lists many traps. One of the worst even probably the DENR can not prevent is if someone with a false identity is attempting to sell a lot with a genuine but stolen title. Identities can be faked more easy in the Philippines.

 

Ain't that the Truth

 

When we went to the DENR, due to our case, we were sent to a Private Attorney who worked for them for around a decade. She branched into her own private practice after realising advising clients at work was a conflict of her interests, and she is very well respected and really knows her way around the Government Dept. having many contacts there who can help her and speed up the process, as well as external Legal contacts where she will contract out applications then decide which is best for her Client, so you have options instead of only one course of action to take. She really opened up the can of worms we found ourselves caught in and pulled no punches, she was open, direct and called it exactly as it was despite the violent tantrum thrown by one of the male family members of the Seller when called out on several lies, she stood her ground and we got RESULTS! THAT is what counts! NEVER take the word of the Seller to be how they tell it! TRUST ME! DO THE CHECKS!