Our First Forterra Info Session in Calgary: A Small Room, Big Dreams

forterrarealtyhub
Dec 13, 2025
3 min read

Last November, we hosted our very first Forterra in-person information session in Calgary — and it was a beautiful reminder of why Forterra exists.

What started as a simple idea—

“What if we create a calm, safe space for Filipinos in Canada to ask about Philippine real estate?”turned into an evening filled with questions, stories, and quiet but powerful dreams about owning a place back home.

Who Came to the Session?

The room was small, but the stories were big.

We had:

Newcomers still finding their footing in Alberta
Long-time Canadians who left the Philippines years ago but still call it “home”
Filipinos working in healthcare, offices, businesses, and trades
A mix of people who were:
- just curious about investing back home
- already looking at projects online
- or simply wanting to understand if it’s even realistic for them

What they had in common:They all wanted clarity—not hype, not pressure, not sugar-coated promises.

What We Talked About

The heart of the session was simple:

“How do I, as a Filipino in Canada, start thinking seriously about property in the Philippines…without getting overwhelmed or scammed?”

We walked through:

1. The Reality of Buying from Abroad

We talked honestly about:

Why many OFs feel takot to start
The usual confusion from mixed advice online
The difference between marketing promises and practical reality

2. A Clear Starting Framework

Instead of jumping straight into “Buy this project,” we started with:

Your goal – Retirement? Parents? Rental income? A future home?
Your safe monthly amount – What can you realistically commit without stress?
Your timeline – Are you thinking 3, 5, or 10 years out?

From there, we showed how these three pieces guide everything else—location, project type, and payment structure.

3. Red Flags & Green Flags for OF Buyers

We also shared simple red flags to watch out for when buying from Canada:

Pure pressure tactics: “Reserve now or lose forever”
No clear documentation or unclear developer
Unrealistic promises with no real explanation

And the green flags:

Transparent details
Registered developers
Advisors who are willing to explain things patiently, not push

What Participants Said

Some of the comments we heard that night:

“Akala ko pang-mayaman lang talaga ang condo sa Pinas.”
“Ngayon ko lang naintindihan yung difference ng pre-selling at RFO in a way that makes sense for my situation in Canada.”
“Thank you for explaining without pressure. Usually, feeling ko bentahan agad.”

For us at Forterra, those words mean everything.That’s exactly the space we want to hold: education first, decision later.

Why This Session Mattered for Forterra

This wasn’t just an event. It was a proof of concept:

There is a real need for clear, calm guidance for Filipinos in North America.
People are curious—but they need someone they trust to walk them through the process.
A small, in-person session can change how someone sees their future:from “maybe someday” to “okay, now I have a plan.”

It also affirmed our mission:

Forterra Realty Hub exists to beYour North American Advantage for Philippine Real Estate Investments —created by an Overseas Filipino, for Overseas Filipinos.

What’s Next After Calgary

Our first Calgary session was just the beginning.

From here, we’re:

Continuing to host intimate learning sessions in different cities
Launching the Forterra podcast to reach more Filipinos in Canada and the US
Preparing more resources so you can explore Philippine property at your own pace, with guidance, not pressure

If you’re in Alberta (or know someone who is) and you’d like to join our next info session, or simply want to start asking questions about Philippine real estate, you can: