AboutBill and Lorna Collings Expertise Feel FREE to ask us about traveling, living, relocating, retiring and investing in the Philippines. Guests from 83 countries make our place in Manila an incredible meeting place for world travelers who exchange travel stories and information. We understand both the joys and the hardships of living and traveling in the Philippines.
Experience I arrived in the Philippines in January 1980 to travel for 2 months; I stayed 4 months before reluctantly leaving. I met my Filipina wife, Lorna. an incredible stellar, "one in a million" individual in 1983 in Seoul and we moved to the Philippines in 1986 and opened our 3BR house to world travelers on a budget. After welcoming thousands of guests from 83 nations our place has grown to 30 bedrooms but will never lose its "Home away from Home" atmosphere. Almost everyday at The Townhouse Hotel there's a party-like social scene with vibrant, almost magical energetic conversations between our guests who have the pleasure to meet each other and share their life's many experiences. Sometimes. three groups with conversations in different langauges are going on at the same time.
So we've been exposed to every kind of person from all over the world and shared their experiences.
Publications Suite101.com, eDreams.com, expertcentral.com ( who asked me to apply with allexperts.com since About.com has bought both companies and are in the process of integrating them)
Education/Credentials some college 2-1/2 years - no degree - I've been traveling since I was 18, almost 30 years.
Awards and Honors Luckily, my wife and I have been semi-retired since we were 30 years old, more than 15 years.
Question Hello, I am an American who is marrying a great Filipina in November. She is from Pasig City and has lived there her whole life. But don't get the wrong idea, I met her there on business and am so in love with her. I am a US stockbroker here and have money to invest and others as well for me to be able to go there and buy a bar to run. Our intention is for the two of us to have a beach bar to own and run, and I will be day trading as well with my laptop.
My question for you has several parts. First, how much would it take for someone to buy an existing bar in Bora? Next, what can I expect in sales (US $ to put it in perspective)? Then, what is the competition like and what should we consider in terms of a target market? Followed by, how are the suppliers in terms of reliability and price? Lastly, what should we know about the barriers of entry into the Bora bar scene?
Please let me know what your thoughts are and if you can help me. We want nothing more but to bring value and provide jobs for the locals there in Bora. I appreciate your assistance in advance!
Thank you,
Jason P. Davis
Answer Hi Jason, just received an email with almost the same question as yours so here's my answer;
"I'll send you our "beach bum" special yearly discount at Casa Camilla but as far as busienss is concerned you'd be VERY wise to live there for awhile as you see what LOW season June to Nov. is like compared to high season Dec. to May. The competition is STIFF with many larger investors coming in almost monthly for the last 3 years. BUT that said of course there are many small business opportunities if one finds the right location and market niche. There are also a few native houses in the back 300 to 500 meters from the sea for rent at prices like P5000 to P10,000 / month but the only way to fid them is by walking around the interior of the island and mixing with some of the foreign expats living on Boracay for such places being available to rent. Cheers, Bill"
My wife and I have been in business here in the Philippines since 1986 ( Manila ) and 1991 ( first Boracay Resort Villa Camilla sold in 95 ) . We have watched guys who invested as little as U$5000 up to U$40,000 succeed over the years who hadn't any special skills but sort of winged it along the way. We've seen a few other guys come in as professionals valueing their time as they might at home and lose U$250,000 within 5 years and went flat broke before going home having to start all over again.
Word to the wise, Tread Slowly, get to know ALL aspects of the basic cost of living, check out various market niches, DO YOUR HOMEWORK befor spending a peso, be FRUGAL or you will be known as an easy target for hustlers, would be busienss associates, partners, managers etc who will present all types of good plans for investments. You need to learn and take note HOW DIFFICULT it can be to make a peso and might just decide to relax and take a couple of years before jumping into somthing. usually the saying goes, " DO WHAT YOU KNOW" un small business OR think of it like a hobby project that keeps you entertained and makes a little money ( and with time could develop into something beyond your imagination like our two businesses ) .
The Sulu Bar and Swiss Inn are for sale around U$250,000 with about 500sqm of beachfront land but now the realtors may have pumped them up to U$300,000++ But there are small little places never advertised which could be turned into a bar or restaurant so have alook around and ENJOY LIFE! Bill
