OFW House and Lot Tips: Buying Your Dream House In The Philippines

Are you an overseas worker looking for a house and lot? Here’s a step-by-step guide in buying your dream OFW house in the Philippines.


You have finally found the one—your ideal house and lot investment located in your dream community, but how do you exactly buy it? What should you do first? What comes next?

People often get scared or stressed about buying their first house and lot. It may get a little bit intimidating, with all the paper works you have to accomplish, signatures you have to provide, and documents you have to notarize. 

Fret not, because there is a handy cheat sheet you can look at when  buying your dream house and lot in the Philippines:

OFW Real Estate Property Selection Guide

A house is one of the most important investments OFWs strive for. It is a symbol of their success and a rewarding product of their hard work. Of course, you would want a quality home to provide your family with. Even better if your new house is in a community where all your lifestyle needs are close. But how to select the perfect house and lot property for you and your family?

Here are the most important considerations before you start your homebuying process:

Know Your Budget: Affordable House or a Grand Home?

OFW homebuying checklist
OFW homebuying checklist

Houses and lots have an extensive price range in the Philippines, so it works to narrow down your choices based on your budget. From there, you can determine if you should go for a house at an affordable price or buy a grand home if you are a future growing family. There are several house and lot options in the market that you can choose from.

What is important is to put your needs at the top. How many bedrooms are you looking for? Do you prefer a master bedroom on the first floor? Are you planning on expanding your family? You would want to go through the most specific of details for your homebuying. Once you know what you want, the rest are just mere processes.

Did you know? It is possible for you to buy Philippine properties from abroad.

How OFWs Can Buy A Property While Abroad

OFW coming home to a Camella Healthy Home Freya with carport and balcony
OFW house and lot in the Philippines

You must first determine the price range of the house and lot you want to acquire and the monthly budget you can allot to pay for it. This may require you to go through your finances thoroughly and check how much of your income can go into buying your new home. 

Do not underestimate the budget you will be needing. Save as much as you can when looking for your property investment. If you want your transactions smoother, do have some extra savings on hand to take care of other fees and documents you need to process.

Make an extensive research about the real estate properties you are eyeing.

Learn more about the property location. Does your ideal home have a nearby hospital, police station, schools, banks, and churches? How long will it take you to commute or drive to and from your work? Is the location safe from hazards? Are there nearby tourist attraction spots?

If you plan to bring your loved ones into your new house and lot, consider the various needs of the family members. How many rooms would you need? Is the lot for sale big enough for your garden? Does it fit all of your cars? Are pets allowed in your dream community?

These are some questions you might want to keep in mind when choosing the location of your ideal house.

Make your home buying easier with the help of an expert. Consider these benefits:

Why Should You Hire A Real Estate Professional?

Work with a real estate agent | House and Lot Philippines |
Why hire an agent?

Seek the help of real estate experts.

For the buyers, it will be easier if you go to the right professionals. You can tap a real estate agent to know more about the process of buying a new house. They can most certainly answer all the questions you have listed down in the previous step. 

Real estate professionals can also walk you through the terms and conditions of buying a specific property and simplify the explanation of the contract you are about to sign. They will be the ones to help you out until the house can finally be turned over to you.

You can also ask for tips and advice from your engineer, architect, and interior designer friends. These people can provide you with expert advice on the structure and land quality of the house and lot you will be buying.

Consider financing institutions: in-house or bank financing?

OFW house and lot for sale in the Philippines
OFW house and lot for sale in the Philippines

If you are financing your home purchase by getting a bank loan, make sure to prepare all the necessary documents. These include your income tax return, payslips, employment certificates, and statements from the bank. Applying for a housing loan may seem complicated. But with proper assistance and reading up on how mortgages work, all can become very simple.

Try to check out different banks or institutions that offer housing loans and weigh out the rates, terms, and conditions. You may even get in-house financing terms from the real estate companies themselves

OFW house and lot investment in the Philippines
OFW house and lot investment in the Philippines

Look for a real estate developer offering master-planned communities.

Real estate is a booming industry in the Philippines. Dive deep into the credentials of your chosen developer to ensure your investment is safe and secure.

If you are buying a pre-selling property, you can visit the completed project sites of the developer. This is to personally see the finished property you will be purchasing. Inspecting model units can also be a good idea to have a glimpse of the pre-selling projects you will invest in. When looking for a property, it is best to choose a trusted developer with a proven track record in delivering quality and value-for-money master-planned communities like Camella.

See more properties from the Philippines’ most preferred real estate brand!

Camella now offers mid-rise condo for sale in the Philippines. Click explore below.

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