Preparations for OFWs before buying a property

One of the main reasons why overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are willing to sacrifice being away from home is because they would like their families to have better and more comfortable lives by earning more money. Saving more money means having more budget to buy and own a property.

Amid a recovering economy and rising demand for real estate properties, how can OFWs prepare financially before buying a property?

Determine location, potential improvements and property type

This may sound a bit odd but it can be considered as part of being financially prepared. Why? Because anyone living and working abroad for a long time will not have much idea about the assessed and market value of a property.

It is essential to know the location, whether it is in an established prime area, an up-and-coming neighborhood, or an area that has the potential to become an “it” location in the future; as well as what property type to buy, whether it is a lot, condo unit, townhouse or a single-detached house.

OFWs should also study potential areas really well because the provinces that surround Metro Manila, such as Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite, improve really fast with new infrastructure projects, roads and expressways. Some even become cities after a few years. These are factors that will give ideas about pricing and how much an OFW can afford and how much he is willing to spend.

Know current status of Ph economy and rate of foreign currency conversion

It is important to know how the Philippine economy is doing and how the real estate sector is performing. Read newspapers, inquire from reliable sources, read testimonials from economists and buyers, do a lot of research, and check reliable real estate reports.

Timing is everything, that’s why it is best to make sure that the exchange rate is favorable (and stable) when sending home hard-earned foreign currency converted to Philippine peso and saved in the bank for future use.

Find a reliable real estate developer and/or builder

With the rate of competition among real estate developers in the Philippines, there are definitely a lot of options in finding a reputable developer/builder.

OFWs should invest time and make it a point to do some research because sadly, there are unscrupulous real estate developers and sellers who are bent on ripping OFWs off their hard-earned cash.

The following points should be taken into consideration when choosing a real estate developer: background; financial stability; company profile; track record; time frame for project completion; quality check; and proper documentation for turnover.

Choose a trustworthy representative

Living and working abroad mean that OFWs are unable to process or have limited time in taking care of all the necessary paperwork and documents needed in dealing with any real estate investment, so a trustworthy and capable representative is needed.

A Special Power of Attorney (SPA) will be granted so that the chosen person can act and do transactions on behalf of the OFW who is the buyer. In SPAs, the OFW may execute and make Attorney-in-Fact any trusted representative who is of legal age and that chosen representative must comply with the requirements of the law.

The SPA must be Notarized or Consularized if executed or signed abroad. Note that the SPA is for the trustee and that he or she will not own any part of the real property and his or her main function is to just represent the OFW.

Study different financial Institutions for short- or long-term loan options

Any type of real estate investment will require a large amount of money and whether an OFW will buy via short-term or long-term loan, he will still require a backing from a financial institution that will give the best mortgage terms.

Although government agencies give a lot of support to OFWs, there are still requirements needed and it would be good to study all possible options before applying for any type of loan. Government agencies like the Social Security System (SSS) and the Pag-IBIG Fund as well as commercial and universal banks all have requirements. It is important for OFWs to check their eligibility and how much amount they can borrow.

Private banks and real estate developers also offer housing loans and in-house financing options that an OFW can avail of. Some may offer discounts and flexible payment terms available only for OFWs.

Open a checking account for real estate transactions only

Anyone investing in any form of real estate transaction should open a checking account that is separate from their regular savings account and personal expenses.

The purpose of having a separate checking account for real estate transactions is for proper monitoring of expenses. This is to make sure that every check that is issued is good and funds are also properly accounted for to avoid bounced checks.

Be ready for buying expenses and other taxes

OFWs and everyone else who will buy property should know that there will be a lot of paperwork and documentations involved. Both buyers and sellers will shoulder expenses, including capital gains tax, creditable withholding tax (if applicable), documentary stamps tax, transfer tax, registration fees, and notarial fees, among others.

After execution of the Deed of Absolute Sale signed by both the seller and the buyer, the seller turns over original copies of tax declaration, tax clearance, transfer certificate of title (or TCT) or condominium certificate of title (or CCT, if what’s being bought is a condo unit). When all obligations are paid for, the buyer will now be able to obtain a new TCT or CCT under his or her name and a new tax declaration will be issued.

In every paperwork and documentation involved, OFWs and their corresponding trustees who hold the SPA must practice due diligence even to the smallest detail because any mistake can be costly.

Real estate property tax is something that cannot be taken for granted because it is government-mandated, as stated in the Local Government Code of the Philippines. Taxpayers can either pay in full or in quarterly installments. Normally, the local government issues real property tax discounts when taxpayers pay in full and when done before the deadline which is due on or every 31st of January of each year.

Buying and owning a real property is definitely not an easy task, especially when considering the fact that the money that will be used is hard-earned.

Any OFW who has sacrificed so much should see to it that what they have saved for will definitely be worth it. After all, at the end of the day and whichever part of the world they’ve been, OFWs have one thing in common—they will always come back home.

The author is a registered financial planner of RFP Philippines