The other day, I published a column here on the site entitled “Limao, Samal Island = Heaven” in which I showed a video of the area where Feyma and I own land, and intend to build our house where we will live permanently. Very shortly after the article was published, I received an e-mail from a fellow named Vic. I know nothing about Vic. I don’t know if he is a foreigner, Filipino, if he lives in Davao, elsewhere in the Philippines, or if he lives in another country.
Vic said that I was unethical. He listed a number of reasons why I was unethical. Primarily, he seemed to have a problem with the price of the land that I showed on the video. Firstly, let me say, the video was not intended as a “sales” piece. It was just a little tour of the area where Feyma and I will be living in the future. Yes, I did mention that there were lots for sale, and the price of the land, and I said “By my neighbor” on the video. But, if I put the video up without the price and such, I am quite certain that people whould have been e-mailing me asking questions about the availability of more land, the price, etc. Either way, I did not intend the video to be a “hard sale” type of thing.
Let me address a few points.
First, the land on the video is selling for P2,500 per square meter. Vic complained that it was way too high. He said that he can buy acreage for a much lower price. Well, it is true that large parcels of land are always cheaper than lots in a subdivision. Acreage is undeveloped. Land in a subdivision is developed (or will be). The land in question will include roads, a park and other nice additions. Whenever you buy a small piece of land for a house, that’s always more than acreage would be. Vic said that he can buy land similar to what I’m showing in the video for about 500 pesos per square meter. Actually, I know of land that’s much less. One place I know has a beautiful view, much nicer than what I have in my own place, and it is 200 pesos per square meter. However the title is cloudy. The land is in dispute, and also quite inaccessible. But, it’s cheap, very cheap. If Vic wants I’ll help them buy that, and I’ll do it for free. However, when he has to fight a lot of battles in the future because of the title situation, that’s on him, I won’t help with that. The thing is land that has a clear title is selling for a much higher price than what Vic says. As a matter of fact, I know some places on Samal that are selling for up to 18,000 pesos per square meter. These are not rip off firms trying to find foreigners who don’t know the price. These are well-known local businessmen who are developing the area and selling the lots, and a lot of local people from Davao are buying these.
Here is another thing. Neither Feyma nor I set what price the land will be sold at. We do not own the land, somebody else owns all the land that Feyma shows to people. And, not just one person, but a number of different people own parcels of land that they wish to sell, and Feyma simply shows it to interested buyers for them.
Now, Vic seems to have a problem with the fact that we’re making a little money based on things on the blog. Here’s the thing, I spent a lot of time on this site, making it good, enjoyable, interesting and informative. I feel that I offer quality content here, which cannot easily be found elsewhere. But, I also have to make a living. I can’t spend hours on this and do it for free. Because of this, I offer things like advertising on the site, I write books which I sell through the site, and Feyma is selling land to our readers. Let me be clear, this is not land that we own, Feyma just gets a commission from the landowner. We don’t raise the price and tack on extra so that we get more. We sell it for the price of the landowner is asking, and the landowner pays a commission to Feyma. I don’t see anything unethical about that. Feyma works hard for the money that she earns. She spends a lot of days on Samal showing people around, showing land, informing people about the services available there, and even searching for land that people have e-mailed and asked her to find.
For anybody that thinks that the land is too expensive, no problem, nobody is forcing them to buy. But I also know, that there have been a lot of times when people have said that a certain piece of land was more than they could afford, and Feyma put in a lot of effort to find something more suitable for them.
Last year, I almost shut down the site. Why? Because I was spending a lot of time on it, and frankly, it made no money. Oh, I would get maybe $100 a month from Google adSense off of this site, but that’s about it. I spent hours every day working on this site, and the amount of money that came in simply did not pay for my time. So, as much as I love this site, I was very close to just saying that I would put an end to it. However, through the advice of a friend I decided to look for other ways to make money from the site. Before that, whenever I would mention in an article that we had land on Samal people would always e-mail and ask us about it, wanting to buy some land themselves. We referred a lot of sales to the person that we bought from for nothing, free. We decided that since we got so many inquiries about the land, this was another venue where we could perhaps make a little bit of money off the site. So we made arrangements with the landowner for a commission, and basically Feyma kept doing the same thing she had already been doing, but now making a commission.
If this is unethical, I will tell Feyma to stop selling land on Samal. However, I simply cannot keep this site going if earning a little money for my time is unethical. Let me know what you think, leave a comment. I feel that I am ethical and transparent on this site, and in my life in general. Like I said earlier, nobody is forced to buy any land or buy anything at all. Thousands of people every day read this site for free, and I don’t want to change that. But if somebody genuinely wants to buy a piece of land on Samal, I don’t see where there’s a problem in making a little bit of commission on that. It is usually through us that they get the idea to buy the land in the first place. And, on the people that do use Feyma to fill their land needs, she works hard for it.
Vic has gone on to other online forums and complained about me, saying many of the same type of things that I’ve mentioned here. Because of that, I feel that it is okay to mention him here and tell my readers about what he’s been saying. Honestly, one of the reasons I wrote this is because I want you to judge and tell me if this has been unethical.
What do you think?
Bob
i am the first to comment here and did see (and comment on) your Samal video…………….commission on sales is a way here, in fact it is a worldwide standard practice, anyway you are open about this and if someone thinks the price is high, then it is up to them to choose
personally Bob i'm failing to see what this guys problem is but you are very open and maybe that gives people what they think is "the right" to assume your motives are x,y, or z and attack you for them
actually the internet and blogging itself is like that and i find that (some) people say things in print which due to good manners they would not say to your face
an ex-colleague of mine (refering to the phone not the internet) used to call them telephone tough guys, they talked very tough on the phone, but if you went to see them face to face then their tone would change and i guess this is the case with this Vic chap
I have enjoyed this site so much for the past 18 months, i can say that and its down to your / Feyma and contributors hard work, me i couldn't do it, i don't think anyone expects you to do it for free, i don't
Bob. I will be the first to say thank you for the transparency and I take back what I said. Nevertheless, I will still say that 2500 per sqm for this land is still way too high for this Island in this location. You say that in the future there will be roads and parks on this property. Well this is still the Philippines and to make a point, the developer of my subdivision still hasn't given the residents decent water pressure after two years of promises and he is one of the biggest developers in the Philippines. I still have to bathe out of a bucket at times. Oh and they have the nice sales booths in the malls. I doubt they tell anyone about this probelm
Yes Bob I certainly agree there are numerous problems with purchasing real estate here in the Philippines. My wife and I have purchased many lots in and around the country all without incident and at phenomenal prices. By the way, none of them had title. They were all tax declaration as is the majority of the rural real estate in the Philippines. But we did our homework and covered all our bases and we did get the properties titled after 6 months on most all cases.
As for road access issues yes you will in most cases have to buy the road right of way. And yes there may be a dozen people you have to deal with. But you then own the road and guess what if you buy a large enough tract of land you can then charge others for using the road. I have many friends who have purchased property this way and have created sub-divisions and have enabled locals to have access to electricity when they developed the area.
In closing I thank you Bob for this great site and I again thank you for setting the record straight. I still think you are getting ripped off in the purchase of the property on Samal but hey, this is what makes the world go around.
Bob have you ever thought of doing real estate development yourself with Feyma. There is good money in this and if you are so passionate about Samal what better place to do it in. Beats $100 google revenue.
Hi Bob. You may need to put up a disclaimer on this site: "For Adults Only". Childish mind set is just not compatible at this site.
At this stage of the Internet or Blogging maturity I think you have been fair and transparent indeed.
I really hope you can make a very good living with this site for Mindanao's sake.
Remember though that business is business and some people wants it rough and will attempt to put you down to protect their interest or agenda.
Just keep doing what you are doing Bob. It's working….
Hearing from the "Vic's" of the world is an excellent sign that you are successful and bigger, good, and great things are coming your way.
Hi Rick – Thanks for your support, I appreciate it very much. Rick, I consider you a close friend, and although we don't always have the time to get together and do things, it's something I want to do more in the future!
Thanks again.
Hi Vic – OK, so now you say that you take back what you said. But, what about the fact that you went around the net smearing my name. How many thousands of people got your messages about what a bad guy I am? I got dozens of e-mails yesterday from people all around the world telling me that you were saying bad things about me. You have already damaged my reputation, and now you take it back. Well, frankly, you have done permanent damage to me, and taking it back is nice, but doesn't repair the damage you have done.
Regarding land prices, we all have the right to buy or not buy. We each get to choose whether a price is too high or too low, or just right. You may think one thing, and I may think another thing. However, that doesn't make either of us unethical or dishonest. It just means that we disagree.
I'm glad that you can step back and take back your comment. I still feel really bad about the fact that you have gone and told thousands of people how unethical I am, and basically that I am a rip-off artist. That kind of damage is hard to repair.
Hi Dr. Long – Thank you for your support, I appreciate it greatly. I do feel like Vic acted in a childish manner, but whether it is childish or not, it is still damaging to Feyma and my reputation.
Anyway, like you said, it is my intention to keep doing what we are doing. I do feel that with this site I have been successful, and through the efforts I described, we are beginning to make a good living from this site. We will continue to do what we can to increase our income from the site. However, we will always do it in a transparent way, honestly and ethically. That is how I live my life, and how I intend to continue doing so.
Thanks again for your support.
Bob,
There's nothing unethical about what you mentioned in your blog. I find what you write very interesting and informative, and I visit your site everyday. I, for one, am very grateful you decided against shutting down. Keep up the good work!
Bob, I've been reading your blog for a number of months now and look forward to reading your daily views on this and that. I've seen your videos and I can tell you're as honest as they come.I watched the video on Samal and I didn't feel you were trying to sell anything. I thought the P2500/m2 was useful background info. I was going to talk to my wife about because she nearly bought some land on Samal a couple of years ago. Don't worry about Vic, he's just a prick.
Way to go, Bob, give it to him. I personally think you've been ethical and transparent. We all can see you've spent a lot of time developing this site and I am enjoying reading your articles as well as other people's viewpoints.
Cheers,
Ellen
First off Bob I never mentioned your full name or site name or address so lets stop making a mountain out of a molehill. There are hundreds of sites about the Philippines and not everybody goes and says wow that must be about Bob. You think you are some kind of information messiah on the Internet about the Philippines. Please.
Morning Bob,
Given the length of the post I can feel how frustratred you are. First, any westerner who buys land in a foreign jurisdiction without clear title is a lunatic. You may remember an erlier comment I made on how EVERY country that wants to progress should adopt the Torrens system of land titling that we have here in Australa (look it up on Wikipedia). As a westerner you will get done like a dogs dinner every time. Second, if you don't earn a quid then you will not survive and will not be able to provide any service. So long as commissions are disclosed then there is no drama whatsoever. Personally I would value your local knowledge and expertise and connections and be prepared to pay extra for that. Getting ripped off is the alternative. I bought my car through an agent here. He said to me he will buy it from the auctions of near-new second hand cars held in the big cities and that he adds $1000 to the price and its yours. A win-win situation for all in my book. People who don't live in the real world are just !#%@* idiots and need to get a life and grow up. Money, as evil as it can be, is the universal lubricant of life and business. Don't fret, mate!
Hello Heidi – Thank you very much for your support, I appreciate it.
just keep going bob. i don't see anything wrong in this.
i'll be fair & say vic has a right to his own opinions, but i'll have to disagree with him here. having this website means you are opening yourself to scrutiny & that's just part of the game.
if there's anything your guilty of it's that you are extremely transparent about yourself.
to your credit you let us in on things many of us would be disinclined to share such as your financial status & personal history. to me, knowing this about you makes you more believable.
my gut feeling is that this issue has some xenophobic feelings involved.
And Bob you do tend to exxagerate things. I brought this up on one site that has very little traffic and that was it so stop now trying to smear me as this will only go in a bad direction.
Hi Ellen – Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Yes, I do indeed spend a lot of time trying to make this a quality site, one that offers accurate information, etc. When I hear from people who appreciate it like you, that makes the hard work well worthwhile!
Hi Vic – You did indeed mention my name, just not my last name. When you go and say "this fellow Bob who has a site about the Philippines" and such, it is very easy to identify who you are talking about. I am well known with this site and others. If I was not "identified" – then why did a lot of people e-mail me and say that you were talking about me? Because it was very clear who you were talking about. This is not a molehill for me. You said things about me that are untrue, and damaged my reputation. It's that simple.
Hi AussieLee – Thanks also to you for your support. I see the comparison when you talk about the car salesman fellow that you dealt with. He was up front with the deal, and there were no hidden secrets.
Hi Bob,Keep up the good work,everybody is entitled to make a buck or 2,we live in a commercial world,very few people in the world work for nothing.We all have to eat.Cheap land,is never cheap when it comes with a bucketful of problems.I currently know of 3 expats living in Phils with big problems over land they bought,sqatters,threats etc.We all know some land disputes can end in violence and even murder in Phils.Ok, if you have land problems you can get a lawyer,but as we all know, that can be expensive and can take many years to resolve the disputes.Of course Feyma is entitled to make commission,she has to cover her time and also her costs like gas going to and fro Samal.Another very important point is when expats are buying in a foreign country they like to deal with someone they know and whom they can trust.If they get a good deal they are happy with,i'm sure they would not begrudge Feymers finders fee.We've all heard the stories how prices go up overnight if locals think a foreigner is buying.Its a great bonus if you can deal with someone who will not rip you off.I think Vic has had an attack of jealousy or sour grapes.Without question LIP is the very best and most informative expat site in Phils, and over the years i've visited 100s.LONG LIVE LIP.Regards Chas.
Hi macky – Thanks for what you said. I agree that we all get to have our own opinion, and we are entitled to that. No question from me there. But, having a different opinion does not make one unethical.
Thanks for your support.
Hi Vic – I am sorry, but I disagree. I do not feel that I exaggerated anything. You posted a number of messages about me on a group called "Living in Davao" which has a lot of subscribers. It may not be a high traffic list, but it has 1,520 subscribers, and when word like this goes out, people will tell others too.
I am not smearing you, just accurately reporting what happened in the past couple of days. The truth can never be a smear.
Hi Chas – Actually, one thing you said exactly mirrors my thoughts. Jealousy. That is something that is really rampant here. When one person sees that another is enjoying some success, jealousy kicks in and the person tries to tear down the person who is successful. I believe that is at play here too.
Thanks for your comment, chas! I appreciate it.
Hi Mike Haydock – Sorry, I missed your comment at first there. I appreciate what you had to say, Mike. I am glad that you are enjoying the site, and finding it useful.
I don't think that Vic is a bad guy, I just think that he is being a little childish.
Thanks again.
Hi Bob
You seem like a genuinely nice guy. My fiancee lives in Iligan so I have looked at your site many times. I have learned a lot and have enjoyed browsing your site. It's a shame that disagreements sometimes happen in public, but 'the truth will out' as it has done here.
I wish you continuing success in your life, in your business ventures, and with this website. Thank you for providing it. I hope to meet you and Feyma in person one day.
Best wishes
Seb
Bob
You got me also, I bought one of your books. 😉
On a more serious note I have seen land that was much less go for p7200 per sq meter. Like my friend in real estate says “location, location, location”. When you ran your article about Samal I looked at Samal Island on google earth and I see what you are talking about. You have the advantages of a close city with the serenity of a secluded Island. As for the titling aspect I am presently trying to title some land on the island of Cebu and have ran into many headaches being half way around the world. I have come to the conciliation that I will wait until I am living there to finish the titling. In my opinion the more money you make off the site the better. You have already saved me time and trouble through your web site and your book that are much more than I paid for your book. Vic has some advantages by already living in the RP but he also needs to realize that you get what you pay for with free advice. 🙁
Hi Seb – Thanks for adding your comment! I'm glad to know that you have found my sites helpful. I'll look forward to that day when we meet in person.
Hi Bob,
Jealousy, yes, I feel it is a problem over there. When it rears its ugly head here in Australia we refer to it as the "Tall Poppy Syndrome". This is where you "need to be cut down to size", probably meaning to bring back to the level of the field (others). Sounds somewhat communist to me and we all know that system does not work!! A follow up on commissions, I would prefer it if the commission came from the buyer to the agent and that in the case of land it was a fixed rate. That way, as the buyer, I know that the agent is trying to screw down the vendor rather than accepting a high price because the % commission will be greater. Keep up the good work. PS I note a few typos are appearing from your Voice Recognition Software?
Hi Larry – Great to hear that you have found the site and also my book to be helpful and a good value. Good luck on your quest for titling your land in Cebu, I hope that it works out OK for you.
Bob
I just head a great idea! 💡 If Vic would buy your book 49 ways to make money in the Philippines he would be able to make enough money that he would not feel inadequate. This in turn would help Vic enough that he would no longer need to smear successful and helpful people like you Bob. 😆
Hi AussieLee – Ha ha… I see what you mean.
😳 Now I am embarrassed! You see, I haven't fired up my voice recognition software yet today, so if you see typos, that's just my bad typing! 😳
Hi Larry – 😆 Oh boy… now you're getting evil! 😈
I kind of like it! 😀
please dont let your skin get to thiick over this distraction. I deal with the public every day at work. It is a per centage game. Most people will treat you with respect but there will always be one who will pull you down. We always remember the bad one and forget the hundred good ones. Go for a swim and think of all the writers who enjoy your message and make you laugh every day. You bring many smiles to my face and that of many of your readers. Thank you for helping to keep our dreams alive. We are living our lives a little thought the blogs that you share with us.
Hi don – You are right. Thanks for your kind words! 😆
By the way, probably the main reason for this post was to really get a check from my readers if they feel that I had handled the question of land sales in a fair and ethical way. Because if it was felt that I had not, then I would certainly reconsider the whole thing.
Bob:
I saw nothing wrong in your post. I also find it inconceivable that people simply can't comprehend that running a web site like this would take an enormous amount of time, energy, and, yes, money. You should try and make a little money, if for nothing else then to try and at least recoup your bandwidth costs! As to Feyma selling land, well, I don't know what planet this guy lives on, but in every country in the world, real estate agents earn commission… That's how they eat! Notice I said EARN…. It is hard work to sell property and takes many years to build up a good client list.
This website has been an enormous help to me during my move here, and for that, I am truly grateful. It is well-designed, highly informative, and, I might add, probably the best resource on the Philippines I have seen on the web (FAR more informative than most of the government web sites or travel web sites… Sorry Lonely Planet). I would even be willing to pay a membership fee of some form… Therefore, you'll get an order from me today for your book.
Finally, regarding land prices, I did not interpret your posting as a sales pitch… You have many readers from all over the world and were simply showing something that you thought would be of interest to your readers… At least, that's how I interpreted your posting. I saw nothing about you selling the land or setting the price. Also, regarding the title situation, he had better be damn careful about that… We just went through this same situation on Rebecca's land (The title was dated 1924, United States of America) and it was bloody expensive and time consuming to get it straigthened out. We have not even talked about utilities, survey, sewer, etc. This also didn't include the various "gratuities" to be pais (NOT real estate commission!) And, if he thinks there is no value in that process, the cost ended up being far more than simply buying a new piece of ground in the long run….
Keep up this wonderful resource… We are, once again, most thankful and grateful for the assistance you have given us.
Hi John Miele – thank you for your kind words. I'm glad that the site has been helpful for you. You're not under any obligation to buy any of my books, so don't feel that you have to. Of course if you feel that it would be beneficial, I would appreciate the business, but there is no obligation for sure.
This whole situation regarding Vic has kind of taken on a new light. I discovered something about him that opened my eyes a bit. About a year ago we had a fellow on this site named Corey, who cause a lot of trouble. It turns out Vic and Corey are the same person! I noticed a couple of things about his e-mail to me and did a little bit of investigative work, and I'm 100% certain that Vic is Corey. So that sheds a little bit different light on the whole situation. Over the life of the site we've had two or three trouble causer's on the site, and the fact that Vic is just one of the same people is interesting to me. It shows that he can't stay away from the site. Even though his cause a lot of trouble and promised to leave, he's addicted to the site. Oh well, what can I say?
Thanks again, John I appreciate your comment.
Hey Bob 😀 it's your site do what you want . I enjoy it . 😆 ..Phil R.
Hi Phil R. — thank you very much, I'm glad you enjoy it!
This is a somewhat annoying topic now, to be quite frank. It is not what the average LiP reader wants to read about. I quite like LiP as a site; I visit it regularly and find many of the topics quite interesting, others uninteresting. I don't write in to offer an opinion unless it's in some way constructive, and certainly inoffensive. I met Feyma and she showed us some land in Limao in which we were very interested indeed, almost to the point of signing on the dotted line there and then. Feyma took us to see the owner of the land and we discussed the price which was very agreeable indeed, and I may say, somewhat less than P2500 psm, but that was in March, and there were at that time many lots still for sale. We had our attorney investigate the title of the land in great detail, check the various geographic reports and met the government planning officer for the island of Samal for a general chat too. All just, in my opinion, normal and intelligent practice for any land investment anywhere in the world. All information turned out positive. In the end, we did not close the deal because the land available in the size we wanted was not available with the outlook over to Davao city that we wanted. I hope there are no hard feelings there Feyma; you did the work but never got the commision I guess!! I never met Bob, but I have more or less taken a "cyber liking" to the guy, and my wife (filipina) certainly took a liking to Feyma. I hope that on my next trip to Davao, Bob and I and perhaps some others could embark on a trip similar to the last expedition recently described here. The bottom line is that Bob has built a very popular web site in LiP and it's popularity seems to be growing. The Martin's need to make a living, as do all of us, and how they do so, as long as it is decent and legal and honest on various levels is nothing to do with us. Even if the video was intended as a sales piece, which perhaps it partly was, SO WHAT?
Could we perhaps move on from this "row" now, and look forward to posts that are about the mutual interests of LiP readers in general, rather than personalities. Black mark Vic! And I do appreciate your feeling strongly enough to vent your rage on this Bob; anyway remember the old saying "there's no such thing as bad publicity". We'll all get old and die someday…life's too short…and various other cliches. :-)))
This is all just so silly. Here's the deal: Anyone doubt that Bob is in business to make money? If you don't like how he makes money, go elsewhere. It really is that simple.
I read several of Bob's blogs and I have had occasion to interview him for my blog. I have seen nothing in his behavior that is unethical. Quite the contrary.
Hi Jim Hannah – There are no hard feelings that you didn't end up making a land purchase, don't worry about that! Everybody is free to decide what is for them, and a lot of people look at land and don't buy. That is just human nature, so we have no worries there.
I am sorry that this topic is not of much interest to you. The truth is that the reason that I posted this is because if I left accusations of my being unethical in these dealings out there without responding, then it looks kind of like they are true. By using my forum here to respond, at least I can put my side out for people to consider.
Anyway, I do appreciate your kind and well reasoned words, Jim. I do hope that next time you are in town we will get to meet!
Thank you again for stopping by.
Hi Tom N – Thanks for your backing there. The funny thing is that you and I have talked (when you interviewed me) about transparency, and I have always tried to be as transparent as possible, and then Corey (or Vic, I guess) is accusing me of the opposite.
Anyway, I am finished with this, and I consider it a closed matter. Having learned that Vic is the same person who caused trouble here last year was enough to make me just laugh about the whole thing.
Thanks, Tom, for your support.
Hi Bob
I just wanted to tell that I find your site the most informative one that I have read, and the one thing I really appreciate is that you always responded to my e-mail (very fast as well). You have a lot of experience in both worlds (U.S. and the Philippines) which I find invaluable.
I do believe that finding ways to get compensated for your time and hard work is only fair, whether by advertising your book (people are free to buy it or not) or by Feyma making commissions (she should be compensated for her time and gas) that people can make their own decision as to what is a fair price or where they want to live. I think it does give people confidence that you also purchased land there and will be making it your home in the future.
Keep up the great work, I always read your website daily.
Hi Bob,
I couldn't help but laugh when I read that Vic & Corey are one and the same person. Hmmm, another case of split personality perhaps? I know who the second trouble-maker was… Now I'm wondering who the third was??? I hope it wasn't me. I've bee trying real hard to stay out of trouble, you know! 😉 😆 You're right, you just have to laugh it off, it comes with the territory.
Say hello to Feyma for me.
Hi Tina – Don't worry, even though you make trouble, I didn't include you! 😆 No, seriously, I consider you and Ken to be good friends, and would never think that you caused trouble. Basically, there was a Korean fellow who was on the list who caused a lot of grief, then there was Corey, then a fellow named Stacey (whom I suspect was also Corey) and now Vic.
Feyma says hi too! 😆
Hi Neil – Thanks for your support too! I do try to answer all e-mails that I get, and do it promptly, etc. I think it is kind of a responsibility of mine to do so.
Bob just my one peso worth. You found a way to make money running this site good luck to you, i find your info excellent and you allways put over a fair account of things. There is no doubt that this is probably is the best site on the net for info about living in the Philippines specifically Davao City.
I dont think unethical is the right word I think its a bit harsh. You are entpraenerual there is no doubt, out to make money thats what your book is about afterall. Your Ad with Feymas pic is not the type of Ad i would click on, something that tells me that this is a “Great Price” im allways suspicious of and I think 9 times out of ten i would probably be correct to think that. Maybe its just how my mind works!
Looking at it from another angle you are promoting Samal but i would like to keep it a secret. 1st time i came to Davao was 5 years ago. Even only a short time ago as it is there were not so many foreigners here. Now i see its getting more and more popular which i find that a shame, i like it to be kept a secret from the masses and not turned into places similar to places in Thailand. Part of the charm to me was that it was not such a popular place to live and visit.
re land prices
I will say that 2500 sq m to a foreigner say living in UK or USA etc will find that very cheap, but living in the Philippines/Samal to the locals and expat community sounds expensive. If people are willing to pay those prices then landowners are going to try to get them it happens the world over unfortunetly!
Keep up the great work on the informative side to this site and good luck in making money but i hope you dont promote Davao and Samal too much.
Footnote :-Asia is usually a few years behind the USA in economic terms and looking how property and land prices are falling in the USA I personally have decided not to touch Philippines property and land right now. Add to that looks like the peso is on the way down. I will wait until the world economies and oil prices settle down.
Good on ya Bob…Glad you found a way to make a little money with this site (I 'm all about that, speaking for myself)…at least enough to keep it going. Nothing unethical about it and you provide a lot of terrific free service to a lot of people, who won't even buy land, in the bargain. Anyway, Samal does look tempting…even to a hyper-local like me. Don't worry about this 'Vic' guy. I think the comments here show that you reputation was not damaged too much, in spite of the initial flurry it caused. Cheers!
Bob you need not explain your actions … some of the people some of the time … ❗
BTW, I've go a filipina girlfriend (currently she's finishing up as a DH in Hong Kong for one more year). If this works out, we'll live in the US…but who knows, I'll be visiting the Philippines and hope on one of our visits back home with her family, we'll have a chance to stop by Davao (or maybe Samal by then) and say hello to you and Feyma. That would be great.
You need to make a living and support your family. There is nothing wrong in making a little or even a lot of money in the internet as long as it is legal. Business is business.
With regards to land prices it is how you and your neighbors value it. Just make sure it has a clear title. Buying untitled to land that has no clear title is risky. Unless you are well connected or occupies a top goverment office. Did VIC applied and received a title on "public land"?
Hi Bob! I just had to comment about the Vic guy. I thought we had a monopoly on the liberal crybabys here in the US. What with the whiney democrats feeling so empowered lately! Last time we were home we paid for a couple of lots in our barrio so we can use them to grow vegetables. We were told that we could have paid a bit less for comparable land. I explained that this land has irragation and is connected to our other land so it is worth a premium price. Land is worth what the market will bear.I have been reading and enjoying your blog. I was happy to find your blog because we are both so homesick for our home in silway 7 outside of gen-san. We plan to move back home in fall of 2010. Hope to meet you then. Tom and Marie Ramberg
Hello Bob, Don't let it get you down. As you can see from the comments, we, your loyal readers are all on your side. Sometimes it's good to vent your frustrations. It let's the Vic's of the world know how strong your community is. Please, never think of closing down the site. We all would be so lost. As I said before, my first read in the morning.
Hi Bob You are doing great! Keep it up! Vic's one handed clapping doesn't make much noise.
Bob,
I have been stuck now trying to craft a replay and have discarded several. Let me just say this for public consumption: (Actually, I'll let Chrust say it for me:
"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Matthew 7:6
For those who don't care for scripture, there's a great American folklore saying which fits too. "
"Never try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig".
If I thought you or tour bride were in any way unethical I would be gone from here so fast it would amaze people. Do what you do best, craft your life the way you feel it should be and ignore the rest. Do what you feel is right for Bob Martin, the rest will take care of itself.
Hi Bob,
Jealousy ! Jealousy ! that Beast has raised its ugly head. Well now that, that guy has gotten his 5 minutes of fame, just shake him off your shoulder and continue the great job that you have been doing. You are a Good Man Bob Martin. I visit your site almost everyday as I too am considering my move to the Philippine I look to your site for all the wealth of information you provide.
You have built a great foundation….. Stay Strong…
Tony.
Hi BoB , for 25 years now i am married to my iligan wife.
that means for 28 years i,m looking on the net for information about iligan and the philippines , but it is only the last years , that i really find the things that,s important to me.
And that was when i came to your site [ after googling ]
Now , the first thing i do in the morning is :
read my mails and then go to LIP .
And i must say , i never read about a thing that i have to say it is not good , or true , or unethical.
Only a great help , specially now , when we decided go live in iligan
[ in 1 or 2 years ]
So , go on with it , and make a nice living out it . with enough money.
Oops.
Totally unrelated post, but how much do you pay (in tips to the judge) for a civil wedding here in Philippines in front of a judge in this office?
I personally don't like dealing with real estate agents. They represent, by law the owners of the land, not the buyer. And It's true that the owners do not generally have exclusive agents, so they tend to give few percentage point discounts to direct buyers without agent. And agents tend to be untrustworthy.
However, I woud not hesitate for a second to use Bob's wife as agent because she is obviously trustworthy and would lookout also for the buyers. That to me is definitely worth a few percent. She would be an exception.
It's rather obvious from this site that Bob's wife gets commissions on sales in Samal. So I don't know what this Vic is talking about.
Hi Bob- Out of the hundreds maybe thousands of people who read posts and reply to this site one individual is unhappy with how you do what you do.My advice is ignore him or her and keep doing what you do as the vast majority of people who vist this site enjoy it so much for the invaluable information concerning life in the Philippines and Mindanao in particular.From the site there has even sprung a sense of camadarie amoungst the readers to the point where they even enjoy frienships off site.
Bob one must make a living and put bread on the table and this site to me is one of the most enjoyable ways to do so and by doing it you make so many people happy……….keep up the good work and long may you have the strength and inclination to do it.
Upon reflection og my thoughts after watching the video on "Limal, Samal Island = Heaven, I have to say I never felt I was watching an 'informercial'. No, in my opinion, rather a slice of Philippine life and all the surroundings that go with it.
I didn't see any scrolling text going across the screen touting the glorious virtuals associated with the immediate purchase of any of the 20 or so parcels still available.
Nor did I see "buythissamalpropertyfromfeyma.com" on the back of Bob's shirt.
Nope, didn't see any big signs along the path that touted the property.
What I got from it was information, just what I was hoping for and come to LiP to soak up.
Being so open allows others to cast rocks…even the little ones can hurt..so I fully support Bob's effort to seek out the opinion of his peers and to ask if he did or is doing the right thing.
I think he did – Bravo Bob Martin!
*I would give ya a High 5 if I could*
Hi RichardInSC – ha ha… thank you, Richard. Somebody earlier said (and I agree to an extent) "all publicity is good publicity" so I guess I'll just let it slide! 😆
Hi Tommy – Thank you so much for your kindness. I've met you twice (right??) in person now, and it's been a pleasure each time. I am happy to have a friend like you. 😀
Hi RichardInSC – Indeed, I also hope you make it to Davao! I'll be looking forward to meeting you!
Hi bobby – Thank you very much for what you said. I think that you and I think a lot alike. I feel that as long as you are providing quality service, a legal business, etc. and people are willing to pay for what you are offering, there is nothing at all wrong with that.
kamusta bob
wow alot of comments here today on this topic.
in my opinion your giving great services and info about philippines.i just think vic might have been trying to weisel in on the selling of the land and vic would have increased the asking price of the land.
i love this website and enjoy your topics and think that if you dropped this site i would be truely sad my friend.i actually feel like a family member here on lip.hey vic didnt your mother teach you that if you dont have anything good to say then mabe its better to say nothing.
i read in vics comment that he bought land with no title and very little water pressure.and he seemed very unhappy.what kind of ethical person buys land with no title???????
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK BOB.
you have a loyal reader and friend here bob
salamat my friend
Hi Tom Ramberg – Ha ha.. well, I don't know for certain, but for all I know "Vic" or "Corey" might be American, maybe he was chased away from the USA, I don't know! Thanks so much for your kindness, Tom, and I wish you the best of luck on your fast approaching move! 🙂
Hi John in Austria – We do have a strong community here, and that makes me happy. Vic said in a comment above that I think I am "the messiah of information about the Philippines" – well, that isn't true. I just feel that as a community we are blessed to have a lot of smart minds who gather here to share information. Sometimes I am wrong, sometimes I am right, as we all are.
Thanks!
Hi there Guy! Thanks very much! 😆
Hi Dave Starr – Thank you so much for your thoughts. You are a good friend, and I appreciate your support. 😉
Hi Tony Morris – Thank you so much – your words are very kind! I appreciate what you said.
Hi Anton – You've been a long time reader on this site, and I appreciate that very much. I appreciate your kind words. 😆
Hello khaye – Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to your question. When we got married it was in a Church, and that was nearly 20 years ago, so a lot has changed. Hopefully somebody who knows will post the information here.
Thank you for your nice comments, though.
Hi Jim – Thank you so much. I've enjoyed meeting you twice now, and I look forward to doing that more after your move here later this year! Thank you for your kindness.
Hi marshallmellow – You have been visiting the site only a fairly short time now, but you have kind of become a fixture here! I guess that I always remember when you visit because your name is so unique, and I like it. Thank you for your kind thoughts, and I'm happy to have you around!
I'll accept that "virtual high 5" – thanks! 😆
Hi Ron W – Like marshallmellow, you are a fairly new fixture on the site, and I have enjoyed your friendship! I look forward to your next visit to Davao so that we can meet in person! I might make you bring a lobster with you, though! 😆
Thanks for your friendship and kindness.
hi bob,
just to add for #21 post, If vic is a foreigner and currently living in the philippines, I think he is infected with a filipino diseases..
it's called "Crab Mentality"
Hi dans – I was thinking the same thing myself. 😆
Thanks for your comment!
Bob,
I stop by your blog everyday. You have done nothing wrong whatsoever! You have every right to make money on your blog. Gee, there are over 100,000 blogs currently making $100,000 or more a year. It is a BUSINESS! If Vic doesn't like it then tough S**t!
It seems like Vic wants to be the expert on property value and also the "God" of blogging.
Bob, even if this idiot did contact 1,000++ persons, I strongly believe that less than 1% believe this clown.
Just keep on doing what you do and to hell with the Vics of the world…they will always be there. It is like putting up with bird shit on your windshield…just wipe it away!
And to Vic I say this: "YOu have too much time on your hands…GET A LIFE because you are a CLOWN!
John
Bob and all.
I am a regular on the site and a senior staff member of a global Real Estate Company listed on the NYSE. I sell buildings, hotels and large assets and previously have sold a few thousands, yes thousands of apartments in Canada, Carribean and Dubai.This does not make me a higher authority however it does give me perspective in Real Estate transactions that may not be clear to many. I have been a regular visitor to PHI and plan to live there in 3 years and get into small RE development. The main thing to remember here is that RE values are not based on statistical reference in PHI.It is more a gut feeling. I have viewed dozens of property launces in Manila, Bicol, and Palawan and it is very much like looking for a wife or life partner. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the investment amount is aubject to how much you are committed to the property, nothing else matters.This topic has become a bit of a public squabble when in the end it may not have a purpose for the blog. Unless Bob decides to expand the subject matter and contributers to include personal, business , RE, retirement authors it may soon be gone.
Hi John Adams – Indeed, Blogging has really become a business for many people. I'm glad for that too, because it is a great way to make a living for people who are not comfortable doing the "regular" 9-5 thing.
Thanks for your comment!
Hi Mark – Thanks for your comments, and also good luck on your move in 3 years! I hope that you do very well in the real estate business here.
Hi graham – Oh boy… I don't know where to go here. If I say anything at all negative about the place, people get mad at me because I am not fitting into the culture or not giving it a chance. A while back, I wrote an article about a meeting I had where the person who was trying sell me something was late, and actually didn't plan to show for the meeting at all at the time we scheduled. I got berated on that one because I was too negative. If I am positive about the place, that means that I am promoting it too much and ruining the place by making it well known. About the only thing that I can think of to do is to stop writing about the Philippines all together. But, people say that they really want me to write every day, because they look forward to my articles. But, no matter which way an article goes, people complain….
It's frustrating, and leaves me wondering what I should do. The truth is that I love it here, but if I write that, I might spoil it by making too many people come… seems that I can't win either way.
Hi Bob,I have a problem aiso with the film from samal,It was not as long as it could have been,being I enjoy it so much.And if your wife makes alittle money good for her.See you in July our house is allmost done in Limao.Jim 😆
Hi Bob
Just to add my name to the general support. I don`t always agree with everything you say but making money from your website is what it is all about. It is just business. Maybe this guy Vic is just a bit jealous?The land seems a very resaonable price to me for its prime position. Just goes to show, you can`t please everyone!
Best regards
Malcolm
Hi Bob, You are correct in your comment to Vic that people knew who you were. Anyone that is reading the Davao blog knows you and I am sure reads yours. He also wrote of you in what I thought was a condecending manner and it was in my opinion written to cause harm to your reputation. I guess its to be expected that others will become jealous of the success of others. You make money on the internet-what a suprise. 🙂 I guess that is what all that information about "Virtual Earner" that you provide for free to help others is all about. You provide a service and you should be compensated. Please do not let the jealousy of others stop you from the path you are on. Your good to go in my book. Ron
Hi Bob
You got my support here also. I like your writings and find them interesting, enjoyable and informative.
Keep it up.
Jack
Hi Bob,
This site is very successful site,You work hard for it, youve done
nothing wrong. JUST KEEP GOING Bob,
DO NOT LET ANYBODY STOP YOU AND FEYMA.
You know what I think ?this guy is bored and jealous.
Dont listen to him.He is not worth it.
If he dont like what he see here , So, Dont come to your site!
We love you Bob……Tess
Well, this is my first time to make a comment although I have been reading your site for a long time now. I have been reading this blog site for FREE….and the information is priceless…..this site is important to me and I am sure it is important to a lot of people also….THUMBS DOWN TO VIC!!!!
Hi Bob:
A couple of quick thoughts. Fist it is ethical to make a reasonable profit on ones efforts. Two I would never label you as unethical, a self promoter yes and there is nothing wrong with that as long as one -s not boastful and you do not seem to be. Three I have found from writing outdoor articles that once you become a public figure there is always some jealous crackpot that wants to tear you down, don't let it bother you. Four, Vic sounds like he is a communist and not a capitalist. He does not want anyone to get ahead of him.
As long as you can look yourself in the mirror each morning and are comfortable with who is looking back you are most likely being a good person.
May we all allow the Lord to bless and give us fruitful times.
It's also ethical to make a LOT of profit.
Hi jim – thanks for your thoughts! I'll be looking forward to meeting you!
Hi Malcolm – Don't worry, I don't expect everybody to agree with me all the time. If that was the case, this world would be a boring place!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hi Ron LaFleur – Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's nice to hear from you.
Hi Jack – Thanks! I'm glad that you enjoy the site.
SCREW HIM !
Hi Tess – thank you so much! I love each and every one of the readers here too!
Hi Laura McMillon – Thank you so much. I'm glad that you have been enjoying the site, and that you find the content to be valuable.
Hi Wayne A. Derby – Thank you so much for your insightful thoughts.
Hi khaye – now, that sounds good to me! 😆
Hi Denis B Mclaughlin – 😆
I had forgotten about our discussion of transparency, but for others who might like to read the interview that I did with Bob, please feel free to click on my name and it takes you right there.
Note: It is an interview in two parts and you will likely want to read both.
Hello Bob,
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, I think the what you do in excellent and gives somebody like me a good insight as to what is like to live in the Philippines, the good as well as the bad. It is well organised size website and very easy to get round.
I treated your video more like someone who was proud of his land purchase and wanted to show it off. I was half expecting you to us where you are going to have the BBQ built.
As for people like I hope takes a long walk of a short plant or learns how back peddle his pushbike.
I hope you have a good day Bob
Steven
We love you Bob…dont worry about Vic. He is just an idiot. At least you keep us update whats been happening in Davao and we appreciate that. Kulang ra si Vic sa pansin. Selos ra na Bob.
Keep up the good work and we are having fun reading your blogs.
Regards,
Davao Girl 😐
Hi Bob and to all of you, neither is it unethical what you and Feyma are doing, nor should you close down LiP. This website is known worldwide and as I learned by browsing in the net, one of the best, regarding "How to live in the Philippines". Kudos to you and keep up the good work. Unfortunately there are always people somewhere out there with not very fine characters. I just try to find "calm words". Me and my family experienced this also and again during the last four days… Keep safe my friend and all the best for you and Feyma and your whole family…
Hi Bob,
See what happens when I miss a day in reading your blogs!!!!! 🙄
I LOVE your site and I am soo glad I found it by accident…..do what ever you have to do to make a living for your family.
Your reputation is still 1st class by me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow,
I know this guy has already done some damage to your name by bad mouthing you and all….but my reply to him would have been short and sweet. But unfortunately, we don't use profanity on this site..hehe. More or less..I would have told him exactly how the bear crapped in the woods..and tell him thanks for his opinions, but we have to agree to disagree…end of story.
I wouldn't worry too much about his remarks..there unfounded and of course not deserving.
Keep the great stories coming….
Salamat Bob,
Danny 😉
Hi Tom N – Good thought!
Hi Steven – Did you see an advanced copy of my next video? Next, I have the BBQ episode! Ha ha… 😆
Hi Berlin Austin – Thank you so much for your kind words! Next time you come home to Davao, be sure to let us know, we'd enjoy meeting you! 🙂
Hi Klaus – I know that this is a stressful time for you and your family, things are happening behind the scenes that are not known here. Because of that, the fact that you took the time to leave your comment makes it very important to me.
Thank you, and good luck to you.
Hi Tyleen – Thank you so much. Let this be a lesson for you, though…. don't ever miss a day of reading the site! 😉
Hi Bob, make as much money as you can now buddy, no body is just going to give it to you lol. I am sure your children will appreciate it at a later date.
If anyone wants to know what unethical means, get into a cab ( taxi for us Aussies ) in Manila then you will get my drift.
I love your work Bob, I have been in volunteer Sports Administration and Coaching for 30 years and there is always one pain in the ass ( arse for us Aussies ), thats makes you down hearted and dispirirted ( down in the dumps for us Aussies ).
Head up champ and get over this speed hump and keep doing what you love.
Remember one thing though, don't tell too many people your problems, 70% don't care and the 30% that do, are glad lol
Hi Danny – Thank you for your comment. I appreciate your thoughts! 😆
Hi Peter – That's a good point… the 70/30 thing! Ha ha… I'll have to keep that in mind! 😆
Thanks for your comment.
Hi Bob, How can you have so much patience to read all those comments and even answer them as well !!!, WOW. After reading about half of them I had enough. As from me, I agree, no publicyty is bad publicity, so I am ordering your book, "49 ways of making a living in the Philippines" hope you and me will become another Bill Gates of the Philippines. 😀
Hi Markus – Yes, I do read every comment, and I try to reply to every one too. I feel that it is sort of my job to do so. Keeping in touch with those who read the column is important to me.
Thanks for stopping by! I also hope that you can achieve the Bill Gates status! Nothing would make me happier… well, except if I achieve the status! 😆
Bob, i will sure let you and Feyma know my next visit to Davao. I might visit that dentist you recomended to one reader here sometime ago. I am not ure where exactly the address is.
We look forward the BBQ video!!! right people??? we put Vic in the bbq..with skewer!hehehe 🙄
vic, where are you? do you not slander on the sabbath? 😆 it was just getting interesting!!
Hi Berlin Austin – Actually… I was just joking about the BBQ video! 😉
Hi chris – After I learned that Vic is actually Corey, who was banned from this list last year, I suspended Vic's ability to post comments here too. I went through a lot of hassles with Corey, and I don't care to deal with him any longer. I hope you understand.
Hi Bob!
Better late than never, but here I am to support you to become a future
Bill Gates. You have to… I was counting on you and Feyma to adopt me when I get back there. I have become a stranger to my own family. 😀
Cheers!
Hi Bob
I promise I will not miss another day!!!! 😀
I am so glad to hear that you still have your sense of humour (spelt the Canadian way!!)
I am also glad that your Blood Pressure seems to be levelling off.
So now that we know that Vic was really Cory….BLOCK HIM!!!!!!
Your articles and videos are a great source of information to me…..Please don;t let the ++&&^$&* or anyone like him stop you in ANY way from continuing this wonderful insite to the RP
Bob, as a reader that just discovered your site a few weeks ago it has helped me learn alot about lfe there in RP and I thank you for it. I have been in sales since a teenager with the largest newspaper route in town and now soon to ready to reitre from the rat race here 🙄 There is nothing wrong with earing a profit when you sell something, especially when you can save others time and headaches because you have done a lot of the work for them. Keep up the good work and Iread your articles every week!
Bob
I just started rerading this site a few weeks ago and also Philliy faq and i am so happy to read all i can on your sites. I am planning to move tto San Carlos Negros Occidental in October to be with my sweetie. I am glad to see all this support as you deserve it for all the great info and insight about life there. You deserve every dime you make as you and your wife work very hard to keep this site going. The Vic's of the world will never get anywhere in life so they try to slander men who work hard and succeed. Thanks again for letting many get knowledge to decide if the Philippines may be the right place for them.
Bob,
There alot of chickenshit people here on the net that have large testies when they can sit at their computer and type away. However these people usually put their head down and won't even make eye contact when in person.
You seem to have built a good reputation here, and it appears you have many supporters. Blow the chickenshit off and keep up your excellent work, it is appreciated by alot more people than you can probably imagine
Give me the dirt on how I can order your 49 book.
Hi MarcelinaWW – Ha ha… Don't worry, we'll take care of you!
Hi Tyleen – One thing that we all have to keep in mind is that when things are bad, that's when we need our sense of humor the most!
Hi Joseph – I'm like you, I started working at a young age. When I was only 12 years old, I got a summer job picking strawberries, and I have been working ever since then at one job or another. Often, I did entrepreneurial things that I came up with myself to earn money.
Hi Jim W – Thanks for your support, and I wish you all the best with your pending move!
Hi Neal in RI – Thanks for your kind words of support. I appreciate it.
If you are interested in my book, just click on the title below to order:
49 Ways to earn a living in the Philippines
Hehehe…thought it was a joke…but good idea too…
Hi Berlin – 😆
You're doing a great job and you have my support Bob. There's always a few wherever you go. This is a very informative site with accurate and interesting information. Keep up the good work.
Hi Kevin – Thanks so much! I enjoyed meeting you last week, and I look forward to seeing you again while you are still visiting here in the Philippines.