Straight answers

Fair question, and you should check before you pay anything. /about#verify lists our real names, our +63 WhatsApp number and a video call where you see us. You only ever pay on an invoice from Ilshat. Nothing goes to any owner before you have stood in the apartment.

If none of the apartments suits you before you fly, or you change your mind, $800 of your $1,000 deposit comes back. $200 stays, because Valery already did real search work. We say this plainly, not in fine print.

You see photos and video of five to ten apartments before you fly, and you pick. If none of them suit you, take the $800 refund above instead. If an owner changes the deal after you agree, we walk away and find another place — at our cost.

Valery meets you whatever time you land — 2 a.m. included. No hotel night, no "we'll see you in the morning." He has never missed a pickup.

It can happen anywhere you're seen as having savings — family, new friends, even a partner. It isn't specific to any one place; it's a "foreigner with money" thing. Keep your finances private at first, and ask Valery if a request ever feels off.

No. Email, WhatsApp, or the contact form work fine, and Ilshat replies himself within 24 hours. A call is offered for people who prefer talking it through — it's never required.

No. This is a private arrival service, not a real-estate brokerage. Valery finds apartments for you, talks to owners on your side, and meets you on the ground. He does not sell property, and we take nothing from owners on rentals. If you want to buy, we bring in a vetted agent.

No. Medicare does not pay for care outside the United States, Philippines included. Insurance after 65 is a real question — most local plans stop taking new members around age 60–65. See /answers/healthcare-in-cebu for the full breakdown.

Most Americans arrive visa-free and extend as a tourist for up to three years — no SRRV required. The SRRV retirement visa is optional: a refundable deposit that buys permanence. See /answers/philippines-retirement-visas for both routes. Visa fees are not part of our $2,000.

Usually not right away. Local banks want an ACR I-Card and proof of address, which takes time to arrange — often around three months. Bring cash or a card that works abroad for the first stretch. See /answers/banking-and-money.

Fiber runs 100–300 Mbps for about $20–28 a month in most areas. That is plenty for video calls and streaming. It varies by building, so ask Valery to check the internet before you pick an apartment.

Cebu does get typhoons. Serious ones are not frequent, but they are real. In the season, keep water, food and cash at home, and skip ground-floor apartments in flood areas. Our map shows a flood score for every area. See /answers/is-cebu-safe-for-retirees.

Yes. A short-term place to stay while you look, price ranges by area, vetted agents, and Valery beside you at viewings. Tell Ilshat what you have in mind. Many people rent first and buy later, once they know the area.

Ilshat, before you pay anything — every email, call, and question, replying himself within 24 hours. After your deposit, Valery takes over on the ground: the search, the airport, move-in day, and your first two weeks.

The apartment search and negotiation, being met at the airport, the move-in day itself, and 14 days of support after. Not included: visa fees, the apartment's own deposit and rent, and flights.

The $2,000 covers Cebu City and the towns around it. Most of our search is on Mactan, in Lapu-Lapu City, because that is where the good condos are. Want a place out in the province? We can do it, but we agree that price with you separately.

The search usually takes about two weeks once you pay the deposit. If you're coming within three months, write today. Valery needs that time to find and confirm a good place before you fly.

Yes. Before you pay anything, we both sign a written agreement. It names the price, the steps, the refund rule, your rent budget and your must-haves. The same money rules are public on /terms. Nothing here is verbal-only.