Best Way to Find a Rental House

My wife says we have plenty of time but my retirement is coming and we will be moving to the Dumaguete area next summer. Now we do look at listings online but I assume that is just the tip of the iceberg and some might be overpriced, targeting us foreigners.

I know we could just show up there, use a hotel as a base as we look around for a rental. But I would also love to have an address for shipping our stuff to (via BB boxes), so I would be willing to rent a couple months in advance to allow us to do that.

Janet or I could also come in advance for a week or so and find a rental but that seems like an awfully expensive way to do it.

Any recommendations?

BTW, to be specific, we would probably be best off with a rental house, but are open to an apartment as we get settled. My goal would be to rent a year or so before considering a purchase, but in all likelihood that would be our eventual intention.

 

Well Dave,I would suggest that you tell us what kind of place, and in what area you are looking for...Many Rentals that are suitable for Expats,are by 'word of mouth' and not advertised. No real prob if you just arrive and camp-out in an apartment for a while...Miguel

 

One man's meat is another man's poison. I have moved out of rentals in the past and recommended them to other foreigners and never had anyone take me up on it. It means you probably will not like something that another expat is enthusiastic about.

There is nothing like boots on the ground looking. Besides, good deals are snapped up instantly so you have to be here to take advantage of them

 

Do you know where the BB boxes would come in? Some shipping places don't mind if you use their address and then you just have to pick them up yourself if you can find out what shipping place they would arrive to.

As far as places to rent there are lots but they are always coming and going and you can often ask for a few days to decide but weeks or months isn't going to be respected as its a cash in hand thing. Plus what you like may be completely different then what I like vs what that other guy likes. Also not knowing if you have any experience living here as well makes a difference as often newer expats w/o longterm experience have much higher standards assuming that it would be like back at home to find shockingly its nothing like that.

My best suggestion would be that a couple of the foreigners on here have apartments to rent. Find one with a vacancy that is month to month and take that for a couple of months. If your having a couple BB boxes shipped I'd doubt most of them would mind still receiving them even if you moved out after a couple months before they arrived and you just have to pick up as long as your a good tenant and friendly.

 

Thanks for all the input.

As far as where, we are open. Now that won't be true once we starting looking for a permanent place but for temporary we could be in the city, Valencia, Bocong, etc. The same would be said for the type of place. Eventually it will be a house and if my wife has her way a nice house But to start out it could be a simple house or even an apartment. Or that proverbial nice house that might be a rent and eventually buy situation.

I may be overthinking this and it might be a better idea just to arrive stay at a hotel or AirBNB type place and scout around. That would no doubt be better for finding a good price.

I will also check and see if the shipping services can hold boxes until we have a real address. We use LBC. My guess if I had to make one is 10-15 boxes.

I guess ultimately I am excited and nervous and want to spend the summer getting as much organized as I can. Already selling a bunch of stuff that we will not send and getting the house ready for selling.

Now if only my employer will fire me and give me a fat severance lol

 

Have a look at DumagueteRentalHomes.com to get an idea. AJ (U.S.) and Aiko are great people. I will also try and talk them into making a showcase here.

 

I used the same folks to find my rental. They were VERY helpful and incredibly nice folks to deal with!

Dumaguete Home Rentals ⋆ Dumaguete Home Rentals

 

I hope you put your belongings into large plastic trash bags and don't have anything breakable. I didn't use LBC the time before, but my BBs arrived waterlogged from the secondary shipper and several of them were crushed a bit. I was wishing I had put a frame inside the boxes to protect them, along with plastic bags. Nothing was really ruined, but the large bottle of laundry detergent (heavy plastic) was cracked and leaking everywhere in 1 of the boxes.

 

Thanks, you are absolutely correct. Can my post be edited/corrected, I am well past my editing time limit.