Hi, I’m Jay Castillo, a real estate investor and internet marketer based in thePhilippines, on a journey to financial freedom.
I was an Information Technology professional before I decided to go full-time with real estate investing and internet marketing.
Way back in 2006, I decided to quit my job (although it took me 4 more years before I actually did). I suddenly realized that my job was literally killing me. At such an early age, I was diagnosed with hypertension.
This was probably the clincher as to the many reasons why I decided to venture into real estate investing, and later into internet marketing.
I’m also a licensed real estate broker with DTI REBL# REB-NCR20056(N)-08. I passed the November 2007 Real Estate Brokers Licensure Exam. As of March 29, 2011, my application for registration without examination has been approved by the PRBRES and I am now a PRC licensed real estate broker with Real Estate Broker Registration No. 3194.
When I started this blog, I was more focused on acquiring investment properties that generate passive income through foreclosed real estate investing. My goal then was to surpass my passive income goal before the end of 2009, and then I shall “retire” from active employment and go full-time with my advocacy.
This was exactly what I did, although it came a bit late. I was only able to “retire” from active employment by the end of January 2010. I was late by about a month but I don’t mind that one bit!
The journey continues…
My advocacies
Financial Literacy
So what are my advocacies? For one, I advocate financial literacy as a means to a worthwhile end: becoming financially free!
After one becomes financially literate, the next logical step would be to find other income streams, ideally, the passive ones.
Obviously, one way to do this would be through investing in foreclosed properties in the Philippines.
Why bother to become financially free? To live life to the fullest! Ask yourself, what would you do if money was no longer an issue? Think about it!
Real estate investing for real in the Philippine setting
Another advocacy of mine is to help fellow beginning or newbie real estate investorsto succeed with real estate investing here in the Philippines. I do this by sharing what I have learned based on actual experience.
Mission
In a nutshell, my mission is to be financially free with the ultimate purpose of helping people and my community. My goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of people around me, no matter how small that may be.
The only way I can do this is to share the lessons I myself have learned in my journey to financial freedom. After all, one cannot give what he does not have. I hope to help as much people as I can who are in the same journey.
Vision
In the perfect world that I envision, I can see a lot of people who are truly rich and financially free. Would you want to be part of that world?
About Foreclosure Investing Philippines
I started this blog as a tool to help me in my real estate investing activities. In this blog, I have all my foreclosed property listings and important websites online, so I have no more clutter and lost clippings of foreclosed properties at home. Old listings are archived and can be accessed as needed … Click here to learn more…
Why did I choose the domain foreclosurephilippines.com?
I often get the question “Why foreclosurephilippines.com”? It sounds too negative!
Well, I simply chose it for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes. A lot of people are actually searching for it in google, and a lot of people really do find this site!
What am I doing and why?
My goal here is to make investing in real estate a bit easier for fellow real estate investors out there. At the very least I want to help make it easier for people to find all available listings of foreclosed properties out there.
At the same time, I want to share real life lessons learned from the trenches, the things you will learn for yourself if you do decide to go out there and invest in foreclosed properties here in the Philippines.
I am not a real estate guru!
I still see myself as a newbie real estate investor, believe it or not, and I don’t claim to be a guru! I still have a lot to learn, who doesn’t?
Without the hype and B.S.
I would like to paint a realistic picture of how this can be done without the hype and B.S… period! After all, investing in foreclosed properties is not a get rich quick scheme!
Raising hope without giving false hope
I keep on saying that real estate investing might be simple, but it is not easy. No, I am not trying to discourage anyone out there, I just want everyone to manage their expectations. It can be done but it would take a lot of hard work and perseverance, at least at the very start.
Even if one is able to create passive income streams, there is still such a thing called maintenance and management of one’s business, which in this case is real estate investing.
I would like to point out that there really is hope that real estate investing can lead to financial freedom, but you have to pay the price. I would not want to give any false hopes that you can achieve success in real estate investing overnight. You need to plant before you can harvest, there are no shortcuts.
Investing in real estate ethically, morally, and legally
I truly believe that we can all invest in real estate in an ethical, morally upright, and legal way. We can do this without taking advantage of other people, and this is the only way for long term success.
Paying it forward
I simply believe that this is the right thing to do. I guess this is my way of paying it forward to all newbie real estate investors out there. A lot of people helped me along the way, and I want to do the same.
You are not alone
If you are new to real estate investing in the Philippines, I just want to let you know that yes, it can be done, and you don’t have to do it alone, because you are not. You are welcome here, enjoy your stay!
To our success and financial freedom!
Jay Castillo
Real Estate Investor
PRC Real Estate Broker License # 3194
Blog: http://www.foreclosurephilippines.com
Follow me in twitter: http://twitter.com/jay_castillo
Foreclosure Philippines in Facebook: Foreclosure Philippines Facebook Page
