mrsphillips

Hi! I used to work as a workforce management analyst in the Phils. I am a green card holder and I am doing the same job here in the US. It took me 11 months, 3 other jobs, and 1hr and 30 mins drive a day to get and keep that job.
 

Hi OP! I believe the best way for you to do is to deposit the money directly to the seller's bank account via Xoom.
 
As for paying one time, if anyone of her sisters are working and are contributing to Pag-ibig, you can avoid this. They can apply for the housing loan thru Pag-ibig and then you can pay for it in terms/monthly ammortization. Just please be ready to pay processing fee and 20% of the property amount as they only allow you to loan 80% of the property value. Pag-ibig offers the lowest interest rate compared to banks.
 
OP, Taguig is full of propoerty that are acquired thru RIGHTS. Please make sure that the property they are buying are land for sale and not rights for sale. They cannot file for a loan if the original owners only have rights on the land.
 
 
 
 

Winter - I dont think any Filipina will ever be ready for this!
1. Layering worked for me and thick socks.
2. Heat at 70 degrees inside the house.
3. Walking outside with tall boots
4. Make sure to encourage your wife and kid to use lots of lotion and facial moisturizer (to minimize dry skin - had a bad case of this) and to save them from wind burn (my daughter)
5. learn how to use lip gloss - hell use vaseline
6. we wont die if we dont wet our hair for 3 days. if she can't help it, buy her a good hair dryer, its a good investment.
7. water water and lots of water to avoid dehydration.
8. nose bleeding is normal due to our body not acquainted with the winter.
　
Kid at school - I have a 12 yr old when we arrived here in the US.
1. Make sure to bring his latest transcipt of records
2. Bring his birth certificate (2 -3 copies preferred from NSO. Its expensive to send documents to the US)
2. Tell him as early as now that school will be extended because school ends in March in the Phils vs June here.
3. Not a good english speaker, no worries. School will evaluate his capacity. Will even give tutor if necessary. On your part, please learn how to speak in Filipino. Thats also a good way to bond.
4. Its going to be rough on the first couple of months.. Bullying is inevitable as the accent alone is more than enough to catch the bully's attention. My daughter had a couple but her Tatay is very supportive. We taught her that she needs to learn how to defend herself. As long as she's not the cause of commotion and she is just defending herself (not the first one to hit) we wont mind appearing in the school's discipline office. She has our full love and support. We were called three times and on all occassions she is just defending herself. She is doing better, hell awesome in school now with a 3.75 GPA and a Spelling Bee contest scheduled in February!
5. Prepare your patience
6. Love the kid so much to make him feel that moving in the US is a not a bad decision. This  right here will be one of your nightmares if it doesn't work.
7. Do things, lots of things outside school.
 
Wife and friends - I used to work for an international company back in the Phils hence I am not used to "being at home". It took me 1.5 months to convince my husband i can't do what he wants me to do (like what you are planning to do). The more people she meet outside the house the easier for her to learn the culture. She wont learn the culture inside your four walls. Plus the kid is in school and you at work, get the picture? I dont have drivers license too until now but that did not stop me from not working.
Tips for the filipina wife:
1. The filipino channel - YES get it
2. Make sure her family has internet so they can talk
3. Teach her how to use the bus/train system whatever you have
4. Compromise on the food... Rice is a staple food for us.
5. Again, lots of love and hugs. Tell her i love you everyday.
6. And did I say learn Filipino/Tagalog?
 
For the american husband
1. Love your wife and she will love you back with all her heart
2. Family is very impt. Its part of the culture.
3. Please make sure to do the "money talk" before everything else. What can be sent home, when its too much, when will it be enough. You know what i mean right?
　
PS: I may living far but i can be your wife's friend. I dont have any pinay friend!