Where to Start When House Hunting in the Philippines (Without Losing Your Sanity)

House hunting in the Philippines feels a lot like being stuck in traffic—you know where you want to go, but it takes forever to get there. Whether you’re buying your first home, finding a better place for your growing family, or scouting land for a future retirement plan, it’s easy to feel stuck. Between overpriced listings, unclear requirements, and agents who ghost you mid-convo, real estate can get real stressful, real fast.

Luckily, online platforms have changed the game. Two that often come up are Lamudi Phils and homesandland.ph. They’re not magic wands that solve everything, but they’re useful tools—especially when used the right way. And if you’re like most people, you probably just want something that works, is easy to understand, and doesn’t waste your time.

Let’s talk about what actually works, what to watch out for, and how to get the most out of your search—without falling into a Google rabbit hole at 2am.

How Most People Start Searching (And Why It Backfires)

Here’s a scene you’ve probably lived: You type “house for sale in Manila” into your search bar. A flood of results shows up. Some are 3 years old. Others are missing photos. You find one that looks legit, message the contact, and never hear back.

Repeat 5–6 more times. Frustration builds. You end up thinking, “Maybe I’ll just stay where I am.”

That’s the issue. The problem isn’t always that there aren’t good properties—it’s that they’re buried under old, vague, or incomplete listings.

How Lamudi Phils Helped My Cousin Find a Makati Condo

When my cousin moved back from Singapore last year, she needed a condo for rent in Makati fast. I suggested Lamudi Phils because I had used it before when I was apartment hunting in Ortigas. The platform made it simple to set filters: budget, unit size, location, and building amenities.

What helped her the most was the ability to browse verified real estate listings Philippines-wide. She didn’t have time to visit 20 units in person, so she checked out properties with virtual tours and sent messages directly to agents. She had options within two days, scheduled viewings by the weekend, and moved in two weeks later.

Where homesandland.ph Came Through for a Family Friend

Not long after, my family friend (a single mom of three) was looking for a house and lot for sale in Cavite. She didn’t want a condo. She wanted land, maybe a small garden. She tried the bigger sites but felt overwhelmed by the condo-heavy results.

So, I pointed her to homesandland.ph. What stood out? The listings were focused and included both homes and raw land. She found houses that felt less “cookie-cutter” and more in line with what real people actually look for—like parking space, room for pets, and privacy.

Even better, she got replies quickly. She visited three houses in one weekend and ended up reserving a property within the month.

What Lamudi Phils Does Really Well

1. Massive Selection
If you’re focused on Metro Manila, Cebu, or Davao, Lamudi Phils is a beast. Whether you’re looking for a pre-selling condo, an apartment for rent, or a townhouse in Quezon City, Lamudi probably has it.

2. Developer and Broker Network
Lamudi has strong partnerships with well-known developers. That’s great if you’re looking for newly launched projects, payment terms, or rent-to-own properties in the Philippines.

3. Filtering and Sorting
The search filters are incredibly useful. You can sort by price, number of bedrooms, location, and even building features like elevators or pet policies.

4. Price Benchmarks
If you’re unsure how much a 2-bedroom in Pasig should cost, Lamudi gives you enough listings to figure out what’s overpriced and what’s a steal.

With this in mind, most users on TrustPilot gave Lamudi a rating of 2/5 stars. This does not look good for the company. Indicating the company seems to be performing poorly for its users.

Users on Reddit have also mentioned, you cannot post property for free on Lamudi.

The original poster of this Reddit thread about Lamudi mentioned:

If you are just a regular home owner trying to post your properties, please be aware that Lamudi etc or Proppit are mostly for Real Estate Companies and brokers. Hindi ka makakapagpost ng kahit ano, ZERO talaga unless you pay for minimum of 6 month subscription for P15000. Ok lang naman sana basta be honest and inform agad ang joiners. Pero bad trip lang na nanguha sila ng mga private information like phone number etc for their own data collection, tapos with the illusion that you can actually post your property you put effort to join and make a listing only to be stopped at the very end to say that you MUST pay minimum of 15k for 5 listings in their website. Nakakainis talaga kasi kung alam ko lang e di sana sa Carousel na lang muna ako nagtry.

I know baka huli lang ako sa balita pero there was no information at all or anything about subscription to post in Lamudi. Ngayon ko lang na-gets kung bakit wala masyadow PH House and Lot posts doon. Pero I made this post for the reference of other people researching what Lamudi PH is like.

It is not for personal, regular home owners who aren’t willing to shell out 15k asap to post their one or two homes. Para lang masave yung private information niyo at pati yung time sa annoying fishing tactic ng Lamudi PH na to. Same ng Dotproperty. Pang real estate agents and companies talaga to. Original poster: https://www.reddit.com/user/Same_Mistake_630/

With Homes & Land Philippines, it’s totally free to post properties. The only possible cost you could incur is if you want your property featured on the website. This is not mandatory but helps bring leads and sales to your property.

Here’s an indepth Lamudi review for filipinos in 2025.

What homesandland.ph Does Better

1. Simplicity
homesandland.ph has a clean, quiet interface. There’s no clutter, no endless menus. Just property listings with key info up front.

2. Broader Reach Beyond Metro Areas
It includes listings in places like La Union, Palawan, and Ilocos Norte—which aren’t always well-covered on bigger platforms.

3. Land Listings That Make Sense
A lot of sites ignore raw land. homesandland.ph includes farm land, residential lots, and even vacant provincial properties—ideal for people planning to build or invest.

4. No Pressure
It doesn’t ask for your email or phone number just to view details. You’re free to browse without feeling like someone’s about to call you five minutes later.

Using Both Can Actually Save You Time

You don’t have to choose one over the other. In fact, using Lamudi Phils and homesandland.ph together gives you a fuller picture.

• If you’re comparing condo prices in Metro Manila, Lamudi is likely your go-to.

• If you’re exploring house and lot listings in Laguna or Batangas, homesandland.ph might have fewer listings, but more grounded ones.

• If you want to buy land in the Philippines for long-term building, homesandland.ph often has more rural and provincial options.

• If you’re a broker or developer, Lamudi offers tools to promote multiple listings at scale, while homesandland.ph gives smaller sellers more visibility.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Online Real Estate Platforms

Here’s what I’ve learned after helping friends, relatives, and a few neighbors:

1. Use Specific Keywords
Instead of typing “condo in Manila,” try “studio condo near Ayala Avenue with balcony.” You’ll get better results every time.

2. Double-Check Listing Dates
Old listings clog up results. Always check the posted or updated date.

3. Always Call or Text to Confirm
Some listings look great online but are already sold or reserved. A quick message or call clears things up.

4. Don’t Rely on Just Photos
Ask for a virtual tour or more videos, especially if you’re abroad. Most legit agents will send one.

5. Know the Hidden Costs
A property worth ₱2.5M might end up costing ₱2.8M with taxes, legal fees, and miscellaneous charges. Ask early.

Special Note for OFWs

If you’re overseas and planning to invest back home, both Lamudi Phils and homesandland.ph are tools you can rely on to stay involved. You don’t need to depend fully on relatives anymore. Browse listings during your lunch break, message agents, and coordinate viewings with your family from anywhere.

For example, my aunt in Canada browsed houses on homesandland.ph and narrowed it down to three lots in Pampanga. Her sister did the viewings, took photos, and video-called her from each site. They sealed the deal in under a month—with zero travel involved.

Final Thoughts: Which One Should You Use?

Both Lamudi Phils and homesandland.ph have their strengths.

Lamudi is ideal if:

• You want condo for rent in Metro Manila

• You’re comparing prices between developers

• You’re interested in pre-selling or ready-for-occupancy properties

homesandland.ph is great if:

• You’re looking for land for sale in the Philippines

• You want a house and lot in provincial areas

• You’re tired of endless corporate listings and just want to deal with real people

Neither is perfect—but used together, they cover most of what you’ll need.

Summary: What’s Worth Remembering

• Lamudi Phils offers massive selection, strong developer support, and helpful filters.

• homesandland.ph keeps things simple, personal, and useful for those outside Metro Manila.

• Use both to cross-check listings, verify fair pricing, and spot good deals.

• Always contact sellers directly to confirm availability and avoid frustration.

• If you’re buying, always ask about full costs (not just the listed price).