Words: Keith Osborne
Published: 20th March 2008
Philippines – Top 10 research resources
In our continuing series of articles on the best reference websites for up-and-coming destinations around the world, we head east to look at the
Philippines. This archipelago of more than 7,000 islands has been through much political turmoil but has stabilized over the past few years to become one of south-east Asia’s most dynamic property markets.
The economy has improved considerably, with one of the
strongest currencies in the region. Investment portal Global Property Guide also reports that property price growth and rental yields in the country are
among the best in the world.
Interest in properties in the country is not confined to foreign buyers. With around 10% of the
Philippines population, equating to around 8 million people, working abroad (known as Overseas Filipino Workers, or OFWs), often earning far more than they would at home,
huge sums of money are sent back to the country every month, with significant sums being spent on real estate. Such a large number of expats looking to re-invest their money back home is a massive potential market for agents and developers to target.
There are lots of websites covering the Philippines and we’ve narrowed our list down to ten. As you might expect, some of the best information you’ll need to pay for, but there any some excellent free resources as well. If we have missed any useful sites please feel free to
post your comments at the bottom of the page.
- Philippine Real Estate Buyer's Guide E-Book. Published by Skoobe 7, this e-book was originally published in June 2007. Aimed at consumers, it is nevertheless a thorough introduction to the buying process in the Philippines, including details of all the relevant laws, regulations and documents. Costing just $19.95 (£10), the publisher is currently offering a lifetime of free updates inclusive in the price. Download a 15-page sample to assess for free.
- WowPhilippines. If you’re not sure what the Philippines has to offer as a second-home destination, the official tourism website is probably the most thorough and best presented guide to the country. Lots of information on its history and culture, with useful regional profiles and details of beach and golf resorts.
- UK Trade & Investment. Good general introduction to the Philippines, courtesy of HM Government. Sections on commercial regulation, setting up business and communications are of particular interest to anyone looking to set up or partner with Philippines companies.
- European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP). A well-presented overview of the work of the ECCP, featuring details of its events and training seminars. Non-members can download monthly business updates and a bi-monthly business review free of charge. Its annual Business Directory is available as a PDF download too (£40). Membership costs from around £180 per year.
- Inquirer.net. The online presence of daily broadsheet the Philippine Daily Enquirer carries in-depth business news and announcements of new property developments, all free to access. Its online Property Guide supplement gives a useful consumer perspective too.
- Asia Property Report. Bangkok-based Ensign Media’s regional property information portal lacks a specific Philippines section, but it does feature up-to-date industry news from the country on the site. There’s also a property section for agents and developers to advertise their properties – unlimited listings for 12 months costs $1000 (£500).
- myPH.com. Free online magazine looking at many aspects of life and business in the Philippines. Though there is no devoted real estate strand, its business section does feature property and residential tourism items as well as general commercial news and a Business Diary with forthcoming events.
- Finance Asia. In-depth news from all Asian economies. Information is limited for non-subscribers, but for $350 (£175) you can get 12 months of full online access to all current and archived news stories for the print version of Finance Asia magazine, plus those of its sister publication Asian Investor. Daily and weekly news emails and periodic country reports are also included.
- Oxford Business Group – The Report. Respected country-specific economic reports available online and in print. The full 200-page Philippines report is available for £130, while the Real Estate and Construction chapter can be purchased separately for £18. Bi-weekly email “briefings” for the country are available free of charge if you register.
- Legal 500.com. With any new commercial venture, especially in a new territory, you’ll need good legal representation with specialized local knowledge. This independent guide lists the best legal firms in the Philippines. Online, there’s a brief overview of the best local firms specializing in real estate and construction law. For £120, you can purchase a printed directory (the current 2007/08 edition was published in November 2007) with the full findings of their research and analysis, covering the whole of Asia and Australasia.
Find out the
best property portals for the Philippines for you in our property portal directory.
If you're researching other destinations, please refer to our other articles:
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