Philippine real estate investment

There are many reasons as to why the Philippines is called Asia’s Pearl of the Orient; with its large amount of beachfront properties, wide tracts of agricultural land, and the many different residential properties available all throughout the archipelago, this country is simply brimming with potential investment opportunities just waiting to be explored and snapped up.

There are many house and lots for sale in the Philippines at affordable prices. Most of these houses are located at gated residential villages within the Philippines boasting efficient security and immediate community benefits at your service. Almost every property here are priced at very low and reasonable costs when compared to other countries much of the land in the Philippines is still being developed, and many of the residential homes are in areas poised to become thriving business and community centers in a few years, making now the excellent time to make initial investments.

For those seeking smaller places to call home, apartments both for sale and for rent are available all throughout Metro Cebu. There are enough numerous and varied apartments to cater to every potential owners’ tastes, from the simple yet stylish, to the luxuriously elegant.

Condominiums in the Philippines are slightly pricier, and are often built near some of the busiest areas of the city, such as in Cebu or Mactan, in Cebu Province. These offer easy access and transport to the heart of the city’s business centers, but still offers all the modern comforts and serenity of the quiet home life, at enough distance from the noisy city centers to enjoy peace and relaxation, but accessible enough to attend to all your needed business matters.

Invest now

For most people, joining the real estate investment world is basically a dream. They consider investing in real estate to be an opportunity for a better future. Knowing that if done correctly, real estate investing can be profitable, the individual craves the life that a successful venture in real estate can bring. In order to be successful, however, you need to understand the different types of real estate investing. The following information is a very basic real estate investment guide for long-term and short-term investments.

When you decide to invest in real estate, one of the first things you will need to do is decide whether or not you are investing to get cash immediately or to get cash later. Do you want to purchase a property and rent it out to get a monthly income or would you rather purchase a property and fix it up and resell quickly to get your profit immediately?

A short-term investment is when you want to get your profit from the property as soon as possible. There are a couple of different methods you can use. This real estate investment guide to short and long-term investments will just touch on these briefly but you should come away with a better understanding of what you want from your investment.

One of the ways to invest short-term is to purchase a property at a low-cost and then sell immediately at a low, but higher-cost. For example, if there is a home on the market that is listed for $90,000 but has a current market value of $115,000, you can purchase at $90,000 and sell it quickly for $110,000. You will need to subtract all the expenses for purchasing and selling in order to figure out your potential profit. If it cost you $5,000 in closing costs and it will cost another $5,500 to sell your property through a real estate agent, you've deducted $10,500 from the $110,000. This leaves you with a profit of approximately $9,500. If the whole process between the purchase of the property and the resale of the property took you three months, you’ve made this money within a three month period. This process is known as flipping properties and many often flip houses in a time period of much less than three months. This is quick money and what is considered a short-term investment.

Another type of short-term investing is to purchase a property and repair and renovate to sell at a later date for a much higher price. For example, if you were to purchase a fixer-upper at $80,000 and invest approximately $40,000 in renovations, you may find yourself able to sell that same property for as much as $160,000 or more, depending upon the appreciation and what the current market trends are. Deduct all of your expenses and you could find yourself with a profit of $25,000 or more in a four to six-month period or less. Again, this gives you cash quickly and if you were to purchase three or four properties a year, you could end up with well-over $100,000 or more in profits annually.

Long-term investments involve rentals. These give you monthly income from the rents you will collect. Many find this is area they wish to pursue as it generally does not require one to invest any money into the property beyond the closing costs. Before you purchase rental properties, however, make sure you determine whether or not it is a solid investment by researching the rental history of the property and all the expenses associated with it.

As stated above, this is simply a quick real estate investment guide on short and long-term investments. Do your research and decide which type of investing will be more suitable to your life.

How easy is the property purchase process in the Philippines?

Foreign nationals cannot own land, but can own condominium units or apartments in high-rise buildings as long as the foreign proportion does not exceed 40%. They can also buy a house but not the land on which it is built. Leases on land up to 50 years, renewable for another 25 years, are available.

If a foreigner is keen on acquiring land, there are several options. One, if married to a Filipino citizen, is to have the ownership of the land under the Filipino’s name. Another option is to acquire land through a corporation. Corporations can only be, at the maximum, 40% foreign-owned.

When buying new property, it is important to look for properties backed by established developers and licensed real estate agents/ brokers, especially in cases of off-plan or pre-selling (the property is at the planning stages and non-existent during the time of the sale).

In general, property can be acquired by simple agreement. After deciding what property to buy as well as inspecting the premises and documents, the buyer usually signs a binding notarized Deed of Sale. Employing the services of a reputable sales agent is convenient because they not only provide vital information regarding the transaction and property, but also assist the buyer in getting mortgage loans.

Buying condominiums
A downpayment of 0%-30% is usually required. Ownership of condominium units is evidenced by the Condominium Certificate of Title (CCT) but the transfer of title is usually not executed until the property is fully paid. Foreigners can own up to 40% of a condominium project.

Holders of Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV), a non-immigrant resident visa, can get additional benefits aside from being allowed to buy a condo unit or lease a parcel of land or a house and lot. The SRRV holders can reside in the Philippines permanently, with multiple-entry privileges and zero travel taxes.

Basics of Real Estate investing
The basics of real estate investing are as simple as any other trading concern, namely to buy low and sell high. But as property values fluctuate, and homes may appreciate as well as depreciate in value, the investor will soon realize that there is more than just buying and selling to property. The property must be maintained, developed, and improved. The smart investor will consider how to maximize gains by working with contractors to do the construction of a property, or the development of a lot, in house. If one considers the savings involved with buying a lot, purchasing the lumber and other construction supplies oneself after heavily researching the market, negotiating the best rates with contractors to do the construction, and then landscaping and decorating the property oneself, the conclusion will quickly be that a 40% savings on the retail market price of a new property will be found.

For those considering investment strategies in real estate for retirement, college education funds, or other reasons, a smart analysis of the real estate market both locally and nationally is required. Many real estate investors limit their options to the local market, rather than considering if the investment may be more favorable in another state or region. Vacation rentals or beach front property is increasingly used as a retirement investment as well as a second home. Another way to maximize the return on you real estate investment is to buy a depressed property and to renovate or remodel it. You can improve the property value of the house by doing simple repairs, painting, landscaping, and decoration. Another time tested investment strategy is the rental unit. Not only does the property continue to appreciate as you own it, but the rental income should more than cover the mortgage payments to the bank.

Take Your First Step

Real estate is a formidable investment, as it can be difficult to acquire. The initial investment that it takes to purchase a house anywhere in the country is enough that many people never purchase a house in their lifetimes. If you are fortunate enough to have a bit of money for a down payment and a good credit score, then it would be a wise idea to start with your investing now.

There are several ways to invest in real estate depending on your preferences. One way to invest in real estate is to buy a home to live in yourself. People are always making babies, and those babies are growing up. With people living longer than ever, room is not being made for the new generations fast enough. There may be market slumps now and then, but as long as we continue to have babies, there will always be a market demand for homes.

If you buy a home to live in, a great investment is to buy a fixer-upper (a home that needs repairs). Fixing these minor problems over the duration of your stay, especially if you can do the repairs yourself, will help you to gain a great deal of value in the home before you sell it again for a different home.

Some people buy houses just to fix them and sell them again, never actually living in any of these homes. Indeed, in some parts of the country, the market is so “hot” that people can buy a house, hold onto it for three months and resell it at a profit without repairing a single leaky faucet. In time, these people will be able to purchase several homes at once and continue to sell them as they wish, or even let them out to renters.

This leads us to the third type of real estate investment. Buying properties to rent is a great way to make a steady income as long as you are willing to be liable for the premises and willing to be on call for the residents should a problem with the facilities arise. The landlord is responsible for all repairs to the rental building, however the renters are responsible for not destroying your property. There is a tight legal line to walk, and some people find this means of making money to be too much trouble. For many, though, owning properties and renting them out is a great way to make a second income in addition to their regular jobs, and the properties can pay their own mortgages in many areas.

All of these methods of real estate investment require significant initial investments on your part to start them off, and for the most part they will also require a significant investment of time as well. This can be time dealing with tenants, time repairing buildings, and even time that is spent on acquiring the houses in the first place.

Real estate is a game that is played by men and women all across the United States, and with the right investments it is a game that you can play as well. Buying and selling homes a-la Monopoly® certainly feels like a game, after all and it is a great way to make an income. You just have to be willing to take that first, scary step.

The Fundamentals of Real Estate Investing

If you have decided to begin a career in real estate investing, you will need to start out with the basics before you begin investing your money. The fact is understanding the fundamentals of real estate investing is crucial for you to become a success. The following information will help you to understand what you need to do to become successful.

Why You Want To Invest In Real Estate

Generally speaking, there are only three reasons to invest in real estate. The first is to get cash immediately. This can be done a couple of different ways. This is done by purchasing a property at a low price then selling immediately at a higher price, otherwise called flipping properties. The second reason to get involved in real estate investing is to get cash monthly. This can be done by generating a positive cash flow from the rentals you've purchased as an investment. Of course, the third reason is to get cash at a later date. These properties are kept for a time until they appreciate in value and then they are sold. It is kind of like having cash in the bank that you can not touch. Understanding why you want to invest in real estate is one of the fundamentals of real estate investing that you must know before you begin the process.

The Buying and Selling Process

In order to be successful in your investing, you must first understand how the buying and selling process works. You need to understand what steps to go through before you close on a property. This includes learning about the purchases and sale agreement, contingencies, cash flow statement, and, of course, how to negotiate as both a buyer and a seller. These things are the fundamentals of real estate investing and must be understood before you begin.

The Real Estate Market

Understanding how to research the real estate market is also the key to your success. Knowing where to go, such as the local registry of deeds and town office, to research the history of the property can make or break you in this business. If you do not have the history of the property, as well as information on how properties are selling in your particular area, you may find that you are lacking the fundamentals of real estate investing and find yourself on the losing end.

Your Financing Options

One of the most important things to learn is what your financing options are when investing in real estate. If you plan to finance your real estate investments, you will need to understand the terms and conditions of your loan. Without this knowledge, you may end up not making as much money as you could with your investment.

When you set out to learn the fundamentals of real estate investing, you will find that there is no one particular "right way" to begin investing in real estate. There are many different methods to use and some will bring you success while others will cause you to lose money. However, if you can learn the fundamentals of real estate investing, you will find that you are successful with your investments far more often than not. You will find there are many real estate classes on the buying and selling process, financing, and negotiating online, as well as held by local financial institutions. Take advantage of the classes around you and you might be surprised in your success.