At 70, the best move is just to rent when you come to the Philippines. No need to worry about upkeep. If you were a lot younger, like in your early 60s, buying would make some sense

This group is split into Team Province (90%) and Team City (10%). Most areas get regular brownouts, so Team Province will talk about solar, generators, and Starlink. Metro Manila doesn't get brownouts. Expats live in bubble communities. We live in high-end condo communities. BGC and Rockwell are pricey but very nice. I live in Eastwood, Quezon City (southern Quezon City, so close to Pasig). Eastwood is 1 km by 1 km. It's walkable, with covered walkways for the rain. I go from condo to mall to Robinsons (the grocery store). Great Chinese food, Mexican food, and some American favorites (TGI Friday's, Chili's — if you want type 2 diabetes). Free concerts and events. A few celebrities live there. We don't need cars because it's walkable. No roosters, no barking dogs, no tricycles, no old-style jeepneys, no beggars, no pollution, no traffic (we walk everywhere). We're close to Costco, I mean S&R, and if you want a change of pace, you just go to a different mall. About 3 km away there's Red Lotus, Tim Ho Wan, and Dave & Buster's — I'm not really a D&B guy. The mall is just the right size. Small, handy, lots of restaurants. You wouldn't be lonely in Eastwood. There are lots of women your age. They love me because I have two-year-old twins, so the grandmas are my buddies at the park. Welcome, and enjoy.

At your age you might not like the Philippines anymore. You're used to America by now. Getting around in the Philippines is stressful unless you have a driver.

I'm 75, and I have to tell you, the 12- to 14-hour travel day from the Philippines to the US wipes me out. Because of that, I might have one more round trip in me, but other than that I couldn't and wouldn't go back and forth every six months. That's my opinion, just so you know. Good luck

It's much better to buy a small house far away from family. Just live simply and don't mention that you're from the US. Act like an ordinary person, live just for yourself, and slowly make one or two friends you can have coffee with once in a while. The Philippines is very different now — the lifestyle, the surroundings. Just be careful and always stay aware of your surroundings and the people around you. Don't trust too much, and always keep your distance so you don't get too close to anyone.