Oh no! The Manager’s Check for the capital gains tax/documentary stamp tax is short by P200. Do you return the MC to the buyer and ask him to have a new one issued? Nope. There’s a simpler fix. The original MC can still be paid, and the P200 deficiency can be paid separately, with both payments properly reflected and validated. P200 is just an example. Whether the shortfall is P200 or any other amount, the deficiency can be paid separately. So: one BIR form, two deposit slips

What happens if you typed the wrong Title Number in the Deed of Absolute Sale? The DOAS is already notarized. The BIR eCAR is already issued. Then the Registry of Deeds catches the typo. Don't panic. A wrong title number doesn't mean redoing the whole transaction. If the eCAR already has the correct title number and the DOAS is the only document with the error, the RD may let you correct it instead of starting over. Here's roughly how that goes: 1. The lawyer who notarized th

Once upon a time, a Broker was having lunch with his family on a weekday. It was his mother’s birthday. In the middle of lunch, he casually glanced at his phone and noticed several missed calls from unknown numbers. Then he saw another missed call from the owner of a property he was handling. That got his attention. The owner was the type of client who almost never called, so the Broker stepped away from the table and called him back first. The client answered and said the bu

Good news! We finished the JPRE Zonal Value Finder for Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas over the weekend. The new finder includes zonal value records for many of the South’s well-known residential areas, including Punta Fuego, Kawayan Cove, Nuvali, and Ayala Westgrove Heights. A word of caution when searching large developments such as Nuvali: the estate spans several barangays and cities, so your search may return different zonal values depending on the property’s exact location

Finding BIR zonal values just got easier. I created a Zonal Value Finder on jpatag.com so you no longer have to open and search through different BIR Excel files one by one. Simply type a property, subdivision, street, or development name and the page will display all matching zonal value records. For example, search “Loyola Grand Villas” and you can immediately see matching entries across both Quezon City and Marikina, helping you spot records you might otherwise miss. One i

You've seen this in Manila: a traffic enforcer parked just past a no-left-turn intersection, waiting for someone to make the illegal turn so he can flag them down. I've never understood that. Why not stand before the intersection and stop the driver from turning left in the first place? Sure, the sign is right there. Drivers should know better. But if the point is to keep traffic moving and cut down on violations, catching the mistake before it happens beats catching it after

Buying or selling property in Makati can feel like navigating a maze blindfolded. The city’s real estate market is buzzing, fast-paced, and sometimes downright confusing. That’s why picking the right real estate broker is a game-changer. Trust me, having a savvy guide by your side can save you time, money, and a whole lot of headaches. Let’s dive into some practical tips on how to choose the best real estate broker in Makati. I’ll share what to look for, what to avoid, and ho

Once upon a time, a seller approached a Broker to sell his condo unit. Before accepting the listing, the Broker did some basic due diligence. The project had been turned over around 10 years earlier, but the developer was known in the market for significant delays in the issuance of condominium titles. So the Broker asked the obvious question: “Does the unit already have a title?” The seller said no. According to him, the title was still being processed by the developer. He h

Learn why vacant condos can develop sewer odors from dry P-traps—and the simple water test that can help identify and fix the problem during a showing.

Give credit where credit is due. I spoke with someone who just received turnover of his unit at Shang's Aurelia Residences in BGC. Keeping it was never the plan. It was going to be a quick flip. Then turnover day came, and the unit stopped him in his tracks. Now the plan has changed. He's renting out his own house and moving into the unit instead. That is how good it is.