7- Ways Foreigners Are Getting Ripped Off in The Philippines!

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‪@everymanhasastory‬

[@steveperyer4850]

Greg and Wilma are great people just like you and Jen are known Mark. He is a great guy, and very knowledgeable about all things that are happening in life. Great Video, of a guy that I truly want to meet as well as you Mark, when I finally get there.😊

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you so much for your kind words of support. Please look me up if you visit Dumaguete 😊 [e-mail]

[@d9918]

There are only 3 words you need to know about Real Estate in the Philippines, Rent Rent and Rent.

[@everymanhasastory]

That's my opinion too. Thank you for watching ☺️

[@buildingthephilippines]

I appreciate being on your channel again. This is somewhat of a difficult topic to discuss, but I feel it's important to get as much truth out there as possible. Simply, too many retirees are losing large sums of money with little chance to get it back. Buyer beware, take it slow, don't trust, and still verify. Trust your instincts. Be careful out there, guys.

[@everymanhasastory]

It was a pleasure having you on again Greg. My audience loves you

[@thefilipinapee]

The very best advice for guest to give viewers is DO Not buy or try to build a house in The PH as a foreigner. Rent, rent, rent! You have too much to lose $$$.

[@1buru]

This is not a problem only for foreigners, even the locals get ripped off all the time.

[@JamesIsHereRightNow]

I’ve been here for years, and I’m now here on an SRRV with the incentive that allows us to invest the $20k (USD) deposit toward the purchase of a condo. Based on everything I’ve seen and experienced here over many years, I will never avail of that incentive. Sad to say, but the Philippines is just a very difficult place in which to do business. The country is never going to appreciably advance in the world economy unless and until that changes.

[@everymanhasastory]

I agree with you 💯

[@rammay9383]

I built whilst overseas .on my arrival i questioned the engineer why the house was 2 metres to high. He said as you are tall i thought you would like it.then he built a dirty kitchen on the second floor again i questioned why 2 kitchens in the house .His answer was if you were lazy you didnt need to come 🤪 downstairs

[@felenstoessel5077]

Also very important to have a right of way to avoid problems with the neighbors.

[@jmfarrell5]

Great conversation. I think Greg and his wife had more than luck… they were smart and present/ on site for the build. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@calroach1]

I met Greg and his beautiful wife Wilma. They are great people. Thanks for the video. They have an amazing place.

[@everymanhasastory]

I agree with you 💯. Two of the nicest people I have ever met. True friends

[@kmilton1593]

Thank you guys for exposing the very prevalent contractor scams and building challenges in PH. Important and sobering information.

[@377499]

Glad you brought this topic up. Maybe the more people are aware of what goes on the better they will be prepared.

[@davesmith9916]

Glad you did this interview Mark. I really enjoy Greg And Wilma's channel. They are such a straight up and smart couple; and Greg is an excellent communicator. Thanks for doing this Mark.

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you for watching ☺️

[@BC19572]

Great video. Hopefully future expats coming watch this very important and Informative video.

[@ShikokuFoodForest]

Greg explained so well the importance of being very careful when purchasing land and arranging to have a house built. Wow, 80% of people have had problems?!! That’s such a high percentage! Sounds like quite a risky proposition. Amping, David in Kochi, Japan.

[@junkmail7263]

Contractors are ripping off Americans in America too.

[@samuelmartin707]

Great video Mark!!!! 2 thumbs up my friend!!!!

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you for watching ☺️ I'm so glad you liked it 😊

[@garyburgmylifeandtimes6354]

Interesting interview, I had one of the positive experiences in being my house. The land was already my mother-in-law's lot so just needed to get a good contractor and we did. House was built to spec and on budget/schedule even during the COVID-19 period. The house construction started in February 2021 and it finished in November 2021. VERY happy with my retirement home in San Roque Bitas, Arayat, Pampanga. Sounds like I was lucky.

[@everymanhasastory]

That's great! Thanks for watching

[@wesgraham2262]

Looks like so many foreigners are getting in on the KZbin video craze after they get here.

[@mikeb9189]

Thanks for tip on TLC Construction in Valencia. 👍

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you for watching ☺️

[@philmcleod111]

Great content, On the topic of water, be very careful when buying property if there was a piggery close by, the ground water could be contamated, , many small pig farms have open pits not a contained system,

[@Joe-mz6dc]

I love their channel. The house is BEAUTIFUL. Nice castle. 😀

[@mojomojo5779]

This doesn’t happen to only foreigners. A good friend built a house and a contractor from his church ripped him off for 40k My present landlord fired her engineer who built the house I am in. He obviously was quite clueless building it. After still another screw-up, she fired him and he disappeared with an unknown sum of money

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience 😊

[@greggwoodcox2167]

Real estate agents and Attorney for the owner do not work for you. Hire a highly recommended lawyer for your self.

[@vwandtiny3769]

there is very little consumer protection in the Philippines and don't dare complain publicly about shoddy business practices. I recently bought a brand new motorcycle from a kawasaki dealer who claimed it was a 2022 model. i paid cash for it. when the or/cr came back from LTO it was listed as a 2020 model. the dealer offered no resolution. the receipt from the dealer and the insurance company all said 2022. basically the dealer said there was no difference in the model years and so it was ok like that. in the US this would be clear cut misrepresentation.

[@donniemorris9959]

These things happen in every country, even america

[@everymanhasastory]

True

[@hermannsiegling]

valid advice which is good all over the globe, not only the PH. Greg does it right. All amateurs and gamblers and non-carers should not be surprised to get ripped off. Same all over the world ...

[@bobarnolf7379]

We've bought & sold various properties & built a home which we also sold, the process is never easy but it's way easier to buy than it is to sell. We won't be doing it again in the Philippines.

[@jamesnichols2511]

Wow, what a great, great interview. I've been a subscriber of Greg and Wilma since they started building their dream home, and I've got to tell yaw, it's a fantastic home. It's exactly what I want when I move there. I've also heard of horror stories from my daughter in-laws' mother, a Filipina who lives in Antique, and was warned of doing my homework before even stepping foot on Philippine soil. So, yeah, finding the right contractor and attorney is so crucial in being successful in building your dream home. And I too am phobic about snakes and big spiders. Lemon grass is essential in gardening plants for your outer perimeter to ward off snakes. have a few cats around for the smaller rodents.

[@jonathonperino8681]

Developers can not be trusted either, I built my really nice town house more than a year ago and still no title and the developer has not paid the BIR and uttered false documents to get the land tax over with the LGU.. Yes I wert to a lawyey an incompetent lawyer at that. I am doing to sue the developer for breach of contract but it will take a long time to go to court. My house took in 9 months as it is a row howse 2 storey 3Br 3 Cr and 2 car garage in a gated community with a first class contractor doing the build and happy with the result.

[@leroyybrown]

This video is very valuable in that it reinforces that most westerners should not even consider retirement in a foreign country. Leaving aside property investment or god forbid construction in the Philippines I would like to elaborate on a very good point that Greg touches on. In SE Asia or indeed any traditional society it is always the man who makes the decisions. If you say in any business dealings “talk to my wife, GF whatever” you’ll get what you deserve. If your partner has the relevant business knowledge and experience then why is she with you? In fact if she’s with you she almost certainly has never had any meaningful financial dealings in her life. I’ve seen this 1st hand with a friend who married a Thai girl and thought leave everything up to the wife when living in Thailand. Well now he and his Thai wife and her son (to another man) live with his elderly parents back in Australia.

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you for watching ☺️

[@GilligansTravels]

wealth of information Cheers

[@stephenduling5024]

We built our house here on biliran island 30 years ago.. And its still here and so are we. We had family members that knew what they were doing build it..We've had the same worker now doing work around the house for over 30 years.. Now our plan from the beginning was not to retire here..Mostly because of the poor medical facilities here.. as you age that become more important at least to us..and we've been married now for 41 years.. We are looking at moving to Ocala fla area..with in 4 years when I turn 68 and my wife will be 66. We'll keep our houses here we have 2 now..and come back for a month or two every year..to visit family and we'll do that until we can no longer travel..

[@donbuesen3558]

I watch Wilma and Greg's channel. Great information.

[@Ray_Warren]

Wow, you booked a ⭐️ star. We will be Greg and Wilma’s neighbors. Great people.

[@dirtyharry8629]

Wow, I am so glad that I saw this interview. I am a licensed Journeyman Electrician and have been in construction most of my life, but these stories take the cake. I'm not even there yet, but I will be watching all of Greg's videos! I already subscribed to his channel... Thanks!

[@johnmurphy7177]

If that is the case, then why aren't they in jail?

[@everymanhasastory]

Good question. I don’t know

[@Clawback2X]

Foreigners by law, cannot own a single dwelling home. Only a condo. Just rent F.F.S....

[@cowboykiller1969]

Agree If you are Going To Build Anything In The Philippines You Have To Be Involved.

[@clydesmith3437]

Super awesome video And great information

[@guysanne412]

You folks have not looked around first before you build. You have to talk to people and review the work the contractor does. Also talk to the owners of the buildings the contractor has completed. You have to take ownership and verify all documents before you start. I am currently building a house in Siquijor and my contractor has been nothing short of a good and honest man. This contractor has gone over the standard of competence with us. The land has been moved into the wife s name and is current application of title, which does not really matter to us we will live here until death. Make sure you verify all.

[@everymanhasastory]

Good advice. Thank you for watching ☺️

[@jerrypauling7809]

Greg is a good guy

[@gjm456]

Good interview and great information !

[@timcollins2255]

Why Is No One Being Held Accountable!!

[@robmari497]

Very good video. It’s important to move slowly. Don’t be in a hurry to toss thousands of dollars into something that you don’t know much about or a relationship that is still somewhat new.

[@everymanhasastory]

Good advice. Thank you for watching ☺️

[@bobarnolf7379]

Snakes will climb straight up a concrete fence easily, I've watched them climb straight up a house wall & up under the roof. Your in the wrong place if you have a snake phobia.

[@patduss174]

Makes me want to start a Facebook or Telegram support group where foreigners can share names anonymously so we can have a whitelist/blacklist.

[@charleshewitt3026]

I'm lucky had my sister inlaw here handle everything for us built two beautiful homes here for less than 40,000 each I rented one to the local counselor here in our barangy I'm now enjoying my retirement here in Daanbantayan cebu with her sister we had a fantastic builder experience houses turned out high quality beautiful finishing

[@joban7851]

Great content. Learn from others mistakes, save yourself from trauma!

[@ernieuson4030]

A relative built his new house over his old house. Both 2 storeys. So if the workers leave he still has a house. He supervised from his old house everyday. We got a tour with him mentioning if we were in the old or new house while traversing. Surreal, amusing, ingenious... He got it as he wanted it.

[@garyjohn]

Great video Mark! “5 stars.” I watch Wilma and Greg’s channel all the time and I have a lot of respect for the both of them. I’m here in Mactan Newtown. Water is trucked in daily to these buildings to include the Belmont and the Savoy Hotels. I didn’t realize what a problem this is here in the PH. For me, renting is the best option. Thank you for sharing this with us. Take care.

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you 😊 Your opinion means a lot to me

[@Planty3125]

Paul, very good video and Greg and Wilma chanel is very good. It will save you thousands. I have built a house in Northern Luzon and been ripped off. Best advice is be on site, handle all of the paper work yourself, stear clear of parent titles, have clear title, right of ways and access to the property, talk to the baranguy yourself, check the power connection, internet access and dont hand over large amounts of cash.

[@everymanhasastory]

I'm Mark. Paul is Old Dog

[@shift6441]

As I said, Mark, create a workshop orientation for the expats. It will be a disservice if you won’t do this.

[@TheDarinKing]

We have a contract created by our attorney. 40% to start in Mid January. then 30% once the 40% was complete, 25% at the end of may and the final 5% in July. Contract states project will be complete early August and everything is going well. I found our Builder after I found a house that was nearly finished last year . The work has been very solid. It is in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte

[@ejnrose]

Expats keep on doing again and again their mistakes. They must listen to advises by the expats who have the experience already. Tell your people to deal with the right people and report it to the government.

[@mattfletcher9080]

Thank you for arranging and conducting this interview. This is certainly a important public service announcement and one that could certainly save a lot of heartache and difficulties for many people. Between yourself and other vloggers perhaps a joint channel or playlist could be created with this important information presented as input for deliberations rather than out-and-out prescribed advice.

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your opinion 😊

[@J-Tyson558]

Greg's experience is a little bit different because he had an American contractor. The most important lesson is you must get multiple bids from several reputable contractors. And the best way to do that is talking to Filipinos you trust will give you the proper advice and who's looking out for your best interest. Never be afraid to ask the contractors' past projects and see it for yourself in person by asking the homeowners if they're satisfied with the work. Getting a trusted attorney is another important lesson as they can verify the title and deed before you purchase, and they can even draft an agreement with the contractor before you start the construction. It's a truly sad commentary that these people get conned by contractors. A big reason is because there aren't agencies who protect consumers and there's no law enforcement you can trust to go after the bad guys. As much as people might hate the plethora of laws in the US it is there for a reason. And that is to protect the consumers and to enforce the rules and regulations of the construction industry.

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your advice

[@TWill2909]

Well done guyz - thank you

[@pinoyeu9343]

Progress Billing is the best way to pay your contractor. It's like, You Work I Pay!

[@everymanhasastory]

I agree with you 💯

[@richardhowe5583]

Enjoyed all the great information.. really like listening to Greg because he knows his stuff and is a honest person..fyi Greg, I'm sure you probably already know this but you need to check it out with your wife.. there are many plants that you can plant in your yard that will run snakes away and also mosquitoes.. they're also plants you can put in your house that will run insects out of your house and help your breathing.. thanks for another great and informative video Mark 👍👍😎🤗

[@albertogullaba7721]

You are gambling your hard earned money by buying a house in the Philippines. If your Filipina wife leaves you, you are screwed financially. The land is under her name. Don’t take a chance.

[@johnmurphy7177]

Yes, it took my partner about seven months to have the land transferred to her name.

[@richardhowe5583]

I would have a smart Filipino supervisor and pay him weekly to assist me in doing my own contracting.. thanks for the heads up and thanks for the video.. Greg and Wilma have a beautiful place and did a fantastic job and are very nice people 👍😊

[@Peregrine8977]

Great interview, very informative. Please be careful guys especially to all foreigners who’s planning to retire and build houses know first the contractor and black and white systems

[@romeoETmike]

You can build anything, get permits as long as you Grease the head honcho of the town. The Mayor, etc. I once had a builder that was surprised that I had him sign a contract using my attorney in-law to have him sign the papers. I also have the builder agree to submit a progress schedule and progress report. I only pay him every 15-day progress with a graph showing the progress. That way, no progress no pay. I have the foreman do the daily progress report. Everthing went smooth. They cannot screw me because I am a Construction inspector/Manager while I was in the US Air Force. Every move is properly doccumented. If he fails to deliver, he goes to jail.

[@keepitreal1547]

There's thousands upon thousands of people that get scammed one way or another when building a house in the Philippines...every year. It's not only expats either, but Filipinos also, but of course expats are a much easier target, even if they have a Filipino partner. These are the ones who speak out, most don't due to further ramifications. Buyer beware. In my opinion never buy in the Philippines, rent only.

[@EssentialActs]

There's a house worth 25M pesos sitting in Neg Or. That senior American must be rich. I wish. 😢 a lot of people don't value money. It's money that could have been earning good annually.

[@JimboandGhen]

First time to your channel and have have watched Greg and Wilma's channel. This type of stiff happens all around the world. I like that this was directed to stories happening in the Philippines. Each to their own as everyone has their current situation but like this video with Greg shares, due diligence, take your time and don't rush into anything. Finally, Great snake story to end it and glad Wilma is OK.

[@prancer4743]

That happens in a lot of countries sad 😔

[@alexrichards24]

Thank you for sharing, I really appreciate learning about this information, the sobering reality.

[@everymanhasastory]

Thank you for watching ☺️

[@glenn9057]

good vlog. buying property in places like the Philippines and Thailand sounds like risky business. but many expats do it. many people buy vacation timeshares too😂

[@jbtransport64]

Good interview guys.

[@necklace999a7]

The smartest way NOT to get cheated by a renovation contractor , is NOT TO pay a lump sum deposit upfront , because once u give the renovation contractor that lump sum deposit , the renovation contractor will take the money and immediately disappear forever . A smarter way is that u the house owner discuss with renovation contractor regarding the materials need , and then u the house owner buy those material and then u pay the workers or contractor the labour cost at end of each day and at end of everyday after each day's work was done. This way, the chance that the renovation contractor will disappear is almost zero. Also even if the renovation contractor were to disappear, u lose zero .

[@JoeannAndDave]

What a contractor charges is directly proportional to how much they think you have. It's world wide. I used to have many rentals in San Diego and each house was charged based on the neighborhood. It's all about money everywhere. The one difference is that in the states the contractor can lose their license. There, I doubt it. We bought a house from a reputable builder in a planned development and I used a licensed agent. That's the first step, verify the agent is actually licensed. I think a good business to start is home inspections. That's something that's not done there. Even though the house was nearly new it had termites and the kitchen needed a lot of work and that's from a reputable builder. Although the cost to repair was far less than it would be in the states it was still irritating. One thing the agent did that was to my benefit was arranging the sale to where I hold the mortgage with right of foreclosure. That's something I would recommend to any expat. If your gal flakes on you at least you won't lose what you paid especially if you're not married which I'll never do again. Mark, this is a great video. A bit off topic but I noticed that room is the same one your wife used to build the crib. A bit off topic but it still involved building something. 🤣😅

[@donniemorris9959]

My wife in Phillipines already had land, should be finished with house by june

[@everymanhasastory]

Good for you

[@shift6441]

It’s the same in Mexico. You can own the buildings but never the land.

[@Traveling-boomer]

That’s why when you’re a foreigner, and you moved to the Philippines, even if you’re married to a Filipina as a foreigner, you can’t really own a home in the Philippines, a condominium you can but not a home so you would save yourself a lot of headaches, by just simply never building, or buying a home as a foreigner I’ve seen so many foreigners slapped down 100,000 or $200,000 of their retirement and then the relationship or the marriage goes south and then they lose the home that’s why as a foreigner you don’t buy a home in the Philippines but a lot of foreigners, never listen, and they end up learning the hard way

[@brewmeister2u]

This is the most informative video you’ve ever made.

[@expatasia.social]

What great insights and advice right there, thank you for sharing. We decided to use pre-selling from reputable developers. This allowed us to learn about how things work and also we didn't need to pay any downpayment as everything was spread over the years. We worked with Ayala and also Cebu Landmasters. Of course there is a slight premium for the worry free experience, but for us it was worth it. Now we have some rental studios in Cebu and are waiting for our house to be built. It will take four years not 7 months, but it's ok as it is the time we need before moving to Cebu from Shanghai and we have low monthly payments (we have little cash on our hands).

[@conservative-ku3lz]

Thank you Greg and Mark, very educational, as we are having dramas in Mindanao. But Greg, that stunning property overlooking Cebu, but with the snake issue. For about USD1000, there are electrical ways to guarantee no snakes, anytime, guaranteed. We live in Australia, and have more then our fair share of them. :-)

[@morganmccarthur1633]

Hire a reputable attorney.

[@dwaynekeith156]

Expat Tax 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

You also have to be careful which attorney you use. Sometimes the attorney is in on the scam to steal from you. Also, just because they say they are an attorney doesn’t mean they are. Buyer beware! 😮

[@fsm12385]

You need to be involved on location , have building knowledge, sense , and do the research like this man says and did .

[@stackfire9601]

Any fair contract makes progress payments monthly. If contractor cannot operate under that agreement then you have the wrong contractor 🎉

[@brucesuperman6120]

I'll stick to South America or Africa if i want a second home

[@givertrader]

Even heaven has fallen angels, what more paradise with just mere mortals. Very good video for awareness👍🏽

[@joshhoodrat451]

Caveat Emptor

[@EvelinHolmes]

Ecuador is the same. You go down the coast of Ecuador and you see lots of startups that are over 25 years old and just never finished.

[@neripazreyes2606]

Don’t build until maybe 3 yrs after. Rent is cheap!

[@shortafewbolts]

My own attorney ripped me off. hahaha.

[@davidmarkmann6098]

Never pay for anything in advance in the Philippines.

[@everymanhasastory]

True

[@fredrikbergquist5734]

I have been following a guy in northern Florida that built an addition to his house. He got scammed because all good craftsmen were occupied so he had to take what was available. Those guys wanted 30% in advance to just start the job. The are problems everywhere if you don’t look,out. Sueing in the US is lengthy and expensive, also.

[@bornatknight8575]

Hey Greg; what do you think about buyer agents?

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

When I had my house built, the contractor built it to my specs without me paying a single penny until it was done and I inspected it. I used an attorney that I trusted and a bank to hold my money until I signed off on the house. Only after I was satisfied did the contractor get paid. Also, 20% was held by the bank for 6 months in case any repairs had to be made. The entire process cost me about 6% more overall but was worth it. 😊

[@everymanhasastory]

Great advice. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment 😀

[@BorisTheSpyder]

Why are people buying and building homes in PH???? Rent is cheap enough, get into a longer rental situation, and do some basic upgrades! Then sell the idea of doing the work, in exchange for reduced rent, possibly free!

[@raymondgoldie6162]

Forget house and land. Condo is in your name, better go for that if you want some security.

[@lancepanot-np3bw]

Sad to hear this story..

[@Organized.Chaos.00]

Key take away is to find a western contractor to build your Philippino dream home.

[@romeoETmike]

Ripping off is very normal. That is how contractors becoming rich. You should be very careful. Be sure you are knowledgeable in building construction. They always think Foreigners has a lot of money. Be careful. I had 3 Filipino friends that they thought they built a house of retirement with the help of reletives as administrator and found out that the house is not on their name. One guy thought that he is building a house but the reaality is his house is being built and at the same time his brother-in-law i s also building a house using his money. To be sure, buy your lot from the bank. Title is clean. Do not trust anybody!