Retired Couple Moved From US to Philippines to Construct $140K Dream Home

• Greg and Wilma Maroney moved from New York to the Philippines in 2021.
• The couple put collectively a 10-year plan that led them to construct a sea-facing dream home for $140,000.
• “Your retirement {dollars} are stretched right here within the Philippines,” Greg stated.

After Greg Maroney’s fourth journey to the Philippines together with his spouse Wilma, he knew it was the place he wished to retire.

“I fell in love with the Philippines from the very starting,” Greg, 56, instructed Enterprise Insider. “It was form of an ember from the primary journey, and each time I got here again, I fell in love with the tradition much more.”

The couple, who’ve been married for over 20 years, first met whereas working at a pharmaceutical distribution heart in New York.

Greg grew up in a blue-collar household in a typical three-bedroom house alongside New York’s Hudson Valley.

Wilma, 48, got here to the US when she was 18. She was born and raised in Leyte — an island within the Philippines about 350 miles southeast of Manila — the place she and her household have been squatters who did not have a correct place to dwell.

“Wilma all the time stated she wished to construct a dream house for her dad and mom, which she did after a few years of sacrifice,” Greg stated. “So after we got here again from our fourth journey in 2012, I turned to her and stated, ‘I am constructing you your dream home.'”

Whereas Wilma was initially reluctant to maneuver again to the Philippines, she quickly warmed as much as the concept and commenced to share her husband’s enthusiasm.

To make sure they might obtain their purpose, the couple — who have been residing about an hour exterior New York Metropolis on the time — put collectively a 10-year plan to economize.

“And for the following few years, we sacrificed. At any time when we acquired a bonus, a elevate, or acquired our taxes again on the finish of the yr, we had an account that we known as the ‘Philippine Fund,’ and we simply stored packing cash away,” Greg stated.

On the mountains, going through the ocean

The couple managed to retire and transfer to the Philippines in July 2021 — a yr sooner than deliberate.

Since they wished to attend viewings in individual, they waited till they arrived within the nation earlier than looking for the fitting place to construct their house.

Two vital elements for the placement have been that it needed to be inside half-hour of an excellent hospital and have an ocean view.

“We seemed very laborious in Leyte, as a result of that is the place Wilma’s household is from. After which we branched out to Cebu, to Bohol, and spent about two or three weeks on these islands,” Greg stated. “We have been residing out of a suitcase, going from resort to resort, looking for an excellent piece of land.”

Greg estimates that they seen about 150 tons over 11 months earlier than they lastly discovered the fitting spot in Dauin in Negros Oriental, a province on Negros, the fourth largest island within the Philippines. Negros Oriental is about an hour and thirty minutes by airplane from Manila.

The plot of land they fell in love with measured about 12,000 sq. toes, and was situated on the slopes of a mountain that missed the ocean.

“Once we got here up right here onto the property with the true property agent, we have been going through the mountain, and we each circled on the similar time to take a look at the ocean,” Greg stated. “Wilma stated, ‘That is it. That is the lot proper right here.'”

The couple paid 1.8 million Philippine pesos, or about $32,000, for the land. Since foreigners cannot personal land within the Philippines, the land title is beneath Wilma’s title.

Challenges have been confronted attributable to geographic location

The couple spent seven months constructing a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a automobile porch and a pool on the lot.

They confronted challenges in the course of the building course of because of the geography of the land. Not solely was the bottom on an incline, but it surely was additionally lined in numerous rocks.

“We’re 640 meters — about 2,100 toes — above sea stage, and we’re solely about seven kilometers to the ocean. That is a steep climb,” Greg stated. “We needed to hire a really massive excavator to maneuver all these rocks so we may place the home and pool appropriately.”

The one-story house, which measures about 1,808 sq. toes, value 3.3 million pesos, or about $60,000, to construct, he stated. The pool was a separate value of 800,000 pesos, or about $14,500.

The couple designed the home independently however discovered an area architect who may translate their sketches into correct blueprints.

“We sat down with paper and pencil, and we drew out precisely how we wished it,” Greg stated. “Wilma’s an awesome prepare dinner, and she or he wished an actual good kitchen. So we did that within the heart of the house after which branched the home out from the kitchen.”

The complete venture — land and furnishings included — value 7.8 million pesos, or about $140,000, Greg added.

They’re 40 minutes away from the closest airport, and it takes simply 10 minutes for them to get downtown — the place there are good eating places and well-liked scuba diving resorts, he stated.

“One of many issues on our bucket listing was to get open water licensed for scuba diving,” Greg added. “We handed, and so we scuba dive sometimes.”

Being on-site throughout building was essential

One factor they discovered from constructing a home within the Philippines was the significance of being on-site.

“Not all designs are excellent,” Greg stated. “We made modifications to the home mid-build to make it higher.”

As an example, when the contractors have been putting in the home windows for the master suite, the couple seen that the openings have been smaller than they’d like, Greg stated.

So that they approached the contractor, who took their suggestions into consideration and created greater window openings, he stated.

“If we weren’t right here, they’d’ve put in that smaller window,” Greg added. “We might’ve been high-quality with it, however we made issues higher by being right here each day.”

A sluggish life like they all the time dreamed

Now that they are retired and residing within the Philippines, the couple says that their tempo of life has slowed down dramatically — one thing they all the time wished.

“We have been going after stress-free living. We have been within the rat race,” Greg stated. “New York itself is a fast-paced setting, after which we come right here, and it is nearly like we have to discover one thing to do.”

Thus far, their first yr within the Philippines had been spent in search of property, whereas their second yr was spent constructing a house, he stated.

“Now we’re sitting again saying, in our third yr, we have to discover one thing to do — so we’ve got a canine now,” he added.

Being out of the rat race additionally means having the liberty to do what he desires each time he desires — as an alternative of getting to attend for the weekends, Greg stated.

“If I need to go scuba diving on Tuesday, I can go scuba diving on Tuesday. I haven’t got to be at work on Tuesday and plan it for the weekend,” he added.

It additionally helps that the price of residing within the Philippines is way more inexpensive than within the US.

“Throughout the board, issues are very less expensive. Your retirement {dollars} are stretched right here within the Philippines,” Greg stated.

Making new pals on YouTube

The couple has been documenting their life within the Philippines on their YouTube channel.

And it began as a result of they wished to maintain their family and friends again within the US within the loop in regards to the progress of their house.

“I used to be doing all these little movies and sending them via e-mail, and WhatsApp, and Fb Messenger,” Greg stated. “There was some extent the place I used to be sending it out to 10, 15 folks a day.”

On the suggestion of their three sons — two from Greg’s earlier marriage — the couple determined to add all the pieces to YouTube to make issues simpler for themselves.

“I did not know how you can add. We did not know how you can edit,” he stated. “We needed to go round and ask folks for assist.”

That stated, the couple’s channel now boasts nearly 9,000 subscribers. It is a passion that has given them an opportunity to make new pals whereas reconnecting with outdated ones.

They’ve even had three subscribers-turned-friends who are actually constructing houses in the identical space, Greg added: “There are lots of people like us that wish to do that.”

Take your time to search out the fitting spot

The couple has some recommendation for these concerned about shifting to the Philippines: Take your time.

“Department out and have a look at a number of islands — do not simply deal with one location,” Greg stated. “And in the event you wish to go to a pleasant restaurant and have an excellent steak every so often — like we do — you do not need to be 4 hours away from that restaurant.”

Have you ever not too long ago purchased or renovated your private home and need to share the small print and pictures of the method? E-mail this reporter, Amanda Goh, at agoh@businessinsider.com.