Hi I'm new! Two questions on retiring in PI

Doofus · 2018-07-09T00:13:48+02:00

Discover essential info on retiring in the Philippines, including land ownership for foreigners and tips for designing your home in Batangas.

Doofus Member

Member since 08 July 2018

DoofusMember08 July 2018 22:13:48

I have been watching My PI Dream on YouTube about building a house in Batangas, good set of videos! My main question is this: Foreigners cannot own land, only the house, so the title has to be in my wifes name (a Filipina I met in the US). When we both pass away then how does my child inherit the house since she is an American citizen, or would she have to sell it. I have seen that the market for house sale is poor since everyone want to build their own. Housebuilding codes are lax so you cant guarantee that any house you buy is going to be built well. I would want her to continue to own it. Secondly, how to go about creating a house design? I'd like to be able to have a design in mind before I talk to any architect. I'd like to hear how people are doing this, perhaps software or drawing?聽 I dont want to spend money on plans until I can brainstorm a design fully. Thank!

pej1111 Serial expat

Member since 09 September 2015

pej1111Serial expat09 July 2018 00:56:52

562

A very good question about the inheritance of your house in the Philippines to you American citizen daughter.聽 Sadly I don't have the answer.

One thing you should do is make sure that you have a Will,聽 in both countries.聽 Technically a Will needs to be prepared in the country where the asset/s are held.聽 And not based on where you live or which country you are a citizen of.

Doofus Member

Member since 08 July 2018

DoofusMember09 July 2018 11:11:57

Good point that! I will want to make sure she gets the inheritance

dirk.c. Active member

Member since 05 March 2018

dirk.c.Active member16 July 2018 16:07:57

as far as i know make your daughter exeteur testemantair to both you and your wife聽 than it will be her and her alone who desaides what happens whit the house,she can use it or sell it as she pleases whit no interferance of other family members. this seems to be the only legal way to ceep it in the family.i gues selling it wood be the smartest thing for her to do

greets Dirk

Munchie Serial expat

Member since 12 November 2012

MunchieSerial expat17 July 2018 01:23:00

273

It is entirely possible to have a decent and solid house built here. I am in Valencia and Dumaguete area, Negros Oriental where thousands of foreigners live. Beautiful homes abound. What a lot of them do is build apartments, live in one and rent the others. That gives your beneficiaries and income for life. You would have to investigate the ramifications of your daughter not being a Filipino citizen. If she is a US citizen, she suffers the same fate as foreigners in that she cannot own land. At least that's what I have been told. If you do buy land here, be certain the Deed is valid, make sure you get a survey. Much of the Philippines is a mine field where property ownership is concerned.

temploni Active member

Member since 23 September 2011

temploniActive member17 July 2018 13:02:26

Is your daughter from your filopina wife and yourself.
If so a friend in a similar situation said his daughter could inherit as her mother is filopina

grahamw Member

Member since 30 April 2018

grahamwMember19 July 2018 11:52:26

You could also look into your daughter acquiring 'recognition'... as a Filipino Citizen.

I did this for my British-born (Filipina mother) son when he was 2 years old.

He now has a certificate to this effect to show, and could apply for a Philippines passport if he wanted to.

Look on the DFA website, or google it ?

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Doofus Member

Member since 08 July 2018

DoofusMember30 July 2018 10:38:27

Wow thanks for your great replies. Yes she is a US citizen between my wife , full Filipina and myself full US citizen. I will look into those options.