planningrealestates.com

Here are some tips a buyer should know before purchasing a property in the Philippines.

1. The “Transfer Certificate of Title” should be authentic. You can check if the title to the property is authentic is by getting “Certified True Copy” of the title of the property from the Local Registry of Deeds. The office can be found at the city or municipal hall where the property is situated. You can ask the seller of the property to furnish you a photocopy of the title so you can verify the title number and the name of the owner from the Register of Deeds.

2. Make sure that the property is not mortgaged or used as a collateral by the seller. Check the back part of the title with the heading “Encumbrances” and if the property is clean, that page must be empty.

3. Hire a private land surveyor or a geodetic engineer so they can verify that the land described on the title is really the land that you intend to buy. You must confirm that the property you are about to buy matches the description found on the Transfer Certificate of Title.

4. Make sure that the sellers you are dealing with are the real owners, not the caretakers. It is a good idea to talk to the neighbors to verify the identity of the sellers and while you are at it, you may ask some history of the property as well.

5. Ask for a photocopy of the Tax Declaration and Tax Receipts from the seller to confirm that he/she is paying real estate taxes.