Housing/Apartments/Ownership

Of the more than 300 Expats currently residing in the Butuan region, it is likely that 100% of them would advise a newbie to snatch an apartment for a few months prior to making any considerable investments.  If the Philippines is classified as a undeveloped/underdeveloped/3rd world/ burgeoning/whatever Nation, Butuan is somewhat less than that, though it is improving at a decent pace.  The infrastructure is decrepit, electricity and TV/Internet is unreliable, and there are few businesses that perform at a level approaching international standards.  The general rule of thumb is that any money spent here, will stay here, and if you do not have a solid income/savings, don’t plan on living here. 

Ripping off foreigners is a cottage industry.  The people are generally friendly, and the Police are very helpful, but the Philippines is a decidedly unfriendly country for resident Expats.  You can’t own property, can’t get a job, and are continually at best, tolerated.  The Philippines actively recruits foreigners/investors, wants their money, but offers no protections for same.

There is generally a good inventory of available apartments (see below),  though few are available on a monthly basis w/o a lease.  7000-12000 pesos per month is the predominant range.  TV/Internet hovers around 2-3000 per month, and electricity(when its on) ranges from 6-9 pesos per kwh.  If you can afford $800usd/month or more-you’ll be fine.

If you intend to purchase real property, please note that houses and the lots they sit on can be owned by different people.  Philippine law states that a foreigner cannot be the outright owner of real property.  There are methods available to protect one’s investment, but keep in mind that the judicial system is unreliable, at best.  You can own a condo however, (see in Riverside Offerings) and condo ownership also assists in acquiring a resident visa. Perhaps the most important consideration in choosing where to live is how well drained the area is.  During rainy season, (Dec-March), we sometimes get hit with deluges and the result is that stagnant(smelly) water can last for days, or a road may be impassable.  The water district often shuts down its system during these times, (no backflow protection here), so it is a good idea to have a water tank-some apartments do.  Additionally, many neighborhoods only have water service during the night. There are a cajillion ‘agents’ floating around that will attempt to sell you property, and very few ‘brokers’ of note.  To my knowledge, there is a single real estate agency that approaches international standards.  Locating a house/apartment is still done most effectively by wandering around.  There is no local newspaper and therefore no classified ads for cars, real estate and the like.  This remains a cash economy.  Rotsa ruck Scooby-doo!!