Gray Stuart – PHILIPPINES

From our office in Makati City where we have company directors on the ground we are able to help International property buyers and Investors in many ways. Some of services include the following.

Buying the Best Property in the Philippines

Very simply we offer our International clients the best of both worlds in that we have proven experienced local knowledge on the ground as well as international expertise from having made many different transactions throughout the world.

If you need to buy a property for your new Filipino family or wish to invest to take advantage of one of the best property markets in the world we will be able to assist you in that requirement

Philippines Retirement Visa SRRV

For those of you who want to explore the fantastic tax benefits of Philippines Retirement Authority (PRA) Visa we can help you though the process and make sure the visa does everything you need it to do especially if you have plans to set up a business here in the Philippines

Setting Up a Business in the Philippines

Very simply our professional directors can help you with the set up your company structures in the most tax efficient manner possible. We only use the very best Lawyers, Accountants and professional advisors to make sure your company structure is 100% safe and secure and the very best you can have in the Philippines.

Most importantly our Filipino business partners in this part of the business have access to all the right people and can connect you with the any Philippines business you may need to partner with to establish your business here and make it grow.

Commercial Leasing and Rental requirements

If you’re looking for the right office premises for your business or you need to find your newly recruited Ex-Pat staff the right quality accommodation so they can focus on working 100% for you without any issues then our professional local team can help you with access to the very best residential and commercial properties available in the local market.

Asset Management

If you’re an investor and already own assets in the Philippines or just acquiring them then our team of professionals can offer you the complete asset management services including property management and project management.

These are just a sample of the key services that Gray Stuart Philippines provides and should you need any further information do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Gray Stuart Philippines

1119 Cityland, Pasong Tamo Tower

2210 Chino Roces Avenue

Makati City 1231

Metro Manila

Philippines

Email: ph@graystuart.com

Tel: +63 977 829 1489

Why Invest in Philippines Property?

Last updated January 2018

Besides being the second fastest growing economy in the South East Asia today the Philippines is located right in the heart of Asia, today the fastest growing region. It is located within four hours flying time from major capitals of the region. Sited at the crossroads of the eastern and western business models, it is a critical entry point to over 500 million people in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market and a gateway of international shipping and air lanes suited for European and American businesses.

The Philippines natural pool of talents and culturally adaptable human resources, position the country as the most value-for-money destination for investments in the Asian region. The Philippines places a high-value on education that equips the labour force with world-renowned technical competency and English proficiency.

The global investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs has named the Philippines as part of the N11- the next 11 countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Philippines, Turkey and Vietnam) with highest economic potential in the world.

Significant reasons for “Investing in the Philippines” :

  • Positive Economic Growth?
  • Consistent Increase of Capital Values
  • Attractive Rental Yields
  • Greater yields as Compared to other investments
  • Affordable and less expensive compared to other countries
  • BEST climate for “Live- Work- Play”
  • Cash flow and Income generating Investment
  • Real Estate Investment : a pride of ownership??

 

Where to Invest in the Philippines

So when we talk about Philippines property investment we are primarily talking about Metro Manila and especially Makati City and its neighbor Bonifacio Global City which produces 49% of the GDP for the whole of the Philippines.

Philippines and especially Makati City has replaced India the number one BPO and Call Centre location in  the world due to the fact in the Philippines English is the official language. Whilst Filipinos speak in their own language such as Visayan or Tagalog all contracts and legal documents are written in English, The Philippines English accent is neutral and its very hard to pinpoint the language when spoken to unlike when receiving a call from Hong Kong or India. Most importantly unlike some other countries is not over reliant on the Real Estate industry.

The property sector in Manila is well regulated allowing the buyer to have peace of mind that their investment is secure. The major developers in Manila are well known and have won awards and projects internationally which they have developed to very high standards.

How to Invest in Philippines Property

Property investors in the Philippines can make money in two ways, the first being pre-selling Off Plan New Developments. Generally a new Condominium will take 4 years to build so investors buying at the beginning of the cycle can expect to see capital growth in their asset prior to taking ownership of the property as a Developer will have several price rises during the build and pre-selling period of the Condo.

This gives the investor the opportunity to sell his contract prior to completion thus making a very healthy return on his outlaid investment as they would not have outlaid the full capital sum maybe only 30%. Some investors since 2015 have made very large returns as pre-selling prices have risen by more than 35% in that time.

The second way of making money from real estate in the Philippines is the more traditional way of buying good quality prime location properties and let them out on long term lets or by Aribnb style short term lettings. Whilst yield have decreased as property prices have risen it is still possible to get a yield of 5% to 6% net on your property investment  depending on your investment strategy.

Special Philippines Investment Factors

With the booming economy in Manila dragging workers into the central business districts rents are high and often unaffordable for many creating long commutes for them into work.This means that rental yields in Manila are high compared with other capital cities around the world including SE Asia.

Finally when you compare the average price per square meter compared to other ASEAN countries there is still a lot of room for capital growth. The most expensive condominium in Metro Manila is 6000 US Dollars per square meter compared with 18,000 US Dollars per square meter in Bangkok.  Philippines growth rate is almost double that of Thailand and the median age of the Country is 23 compared to 38 in Thailand.

The Buying Process in the Philippines

Last updated January 2018

This Guide is meant to be a quick get up to speed  guide to what makes buying in the Philippines different to other countries we would however strongly recommend that you get your free copy of our Buyers Guide by clicking the link below and we will send it to you straight away. Please note that our system does require Mobile Code Authentication before sending the brochure out.

The Buying Process – How do I reserve my Perfect Property?

There are two types of properties you can buy here in the Philippines the first is a Pre-Selling New Development which can also be known as an Off Plan property. These types of properties are not yet constructed and you can elect a payment plan normally 20% of the purchase price on signing contract and then 30% paid in monthly instalments during the building process and the 50% balance being paid on completion and turnover of the property.

To reserve a property with a developer a reservation fee of around 100,000 PHP (Approx. USD 2200$) and this will reserve the property and make sure it belongs to you. Then within the next 2 weeks you will enter into a purchase contract and pay the agreed first payment to the developer.

The second type of property purchase is a resale property which could be a Condominium or House and Lot and the process is different in that you will make an offer for a property by the way of a Letter of Intent outlining the terms and purchase price. This offer letter is then submitted to the owner of the property and if they agree the letter is counter signed by the owner and then both parties proceed to complete the sale. Your licensed broker will complete the transaction for you.

 

How do I obtain o mortgage and what costs are involved

Generally it is very difficult to obtain a mortgage if you are an international property buyer and not married to a Filipina and generally mortgages are limited to 50% of the purchase price of the property and on a short term 5 year loan and the mortgage is normally in US dollars. Each bank in the Philippines but Dynamic Link can advise on the documentation that you will require based on your own circumstances

When buying a pre-selling new development obtaining a mortgage for the final 50% outstanding is normally a lot easier as the developer will have its own relationships with banks and it’s normally a smooth process that allows the completion of the sale.

Most banks will charge an arrangement fee on the loan and you will have early surrender charges. These charges differ from bank to bank.

The Philippines is not a property market for those looking for high percentage loans.

 

Should I use a Philippine Lawyer?

Surprisingly for an International property buyer the answer to that question is NO but you must use a LICENSED BROKER.

Unlike a lot of countries in Europe the Philippines real estate industry is highly regulated and a Licensed Broker must be used in every property transaction and by law they are obligated to look after your interests in the same way a Lawyer is for a property purchase in the UK or Spain.

The Licensed Broker will make sure that the title of the property is correctly put into your name and will update you and inform you of all the taxes and charges you have to pay in the property purchase and subsequent on-going ownership taxes.

It is against the law in the Philippines to conclude a property transaction without a Licensed Broker being involved. Even if you agree a private sale you are strongly advised to use a Licensed Broker to complete the purchase for you thus protecting yourself and not having any nasty surprises.

 

What costs are involved in buying a property in the Philippines?

The costs vary depending on whether you buy a new build property or a resale property

New Build Property

Stamp Duty                        1.5% of the purchase price

Transfer tax                        0.5% of the purchase price

VAT                                       12% in most cases the price you pay the developer will already include the VAT

 

Resale Property

Stamp Duty                        1.5% of the purchase price

Transfer tax                        0.5% of the purchase price

Capital Gains Tax              15% of the sales price payable by the seller (it’s important to know that the Capital Gains Tax in reality is a sales tax its paid on the whole sales price not the profit or the Zonal value of the property whichever is the higher) This was increased from 6% on January 1, 2018

 

Additional Costs

Registration Fee – Usually, this is for the Buyer’s account. The rate is based on schedule per local Registry of Deeds. To be paid to the Registry of Deeds on upon entry of requires documents.

Business Tax – Some City or Municipality are also charging Business Tax. Best to check with the Local Government Unit where the property is located

Coming Soon