“Sino water provider dito?” When I was a young real estate broker, this question caught me off guard. A buyer would be inspecting a house—checking the layout, finishes, price—then suddenly ask: “Sino water provider dito?” I remember thinking it was a strange thing to worry about. Mind you, this was a village developed by one of the country’s biggest names. This isn’t the 90s anymore, right? No rationing. No drums of water. No midnight filling schedules. Or so I thought. A dec

Here’s a better alternative to Time Deposits. Most people park idle cash in Time Deposits (TDs)—and for good reason. Capital is protected, interest is predictable, and principal doesn’t go down. The downside? You’re locked in. Once you choose a tenor (3 months, 6 months, 1 year), withdrawing early usually means: - Loss of accrued interest - Plus a penalty (often a % of principal or a fixed amount) In many cases, you still need to formally pre-terminate at a branch, which adds

One of the most common questions landowners ask is this: “How do I actually protect my (un-gated) property?” ~Php70,000 per month. That’s the cost of a full-time, 24/7 security guard. A client was quoted this recently. A business partner got roughly the same number last year. You might reduce it slightly—no firearm, fewer rotations—but real security is expensive. In yesterday’s post, When Titles Aren’t Enough, someone raised the real issue: ownership on paper is useless if yo

How much income do you really need to buy that property and bank finance 80% of the purchase price? Banks quietly follow a simple rule: Your monthly amortization shouldn’t exceed 40% of your gross household income. So the question becomes—given a certain condo price, how big should your income be for a bank to say yes? Here’s the Excel formula that does the math: =PMT(7.5%/12, 180, -0.8*C2) / 0.40 What each part means: 0.8 × Price → Banks typically lend 80% of the property va

Broker: “Juan, quick one. I was checking something on ChatGPT. My lessor-client wants to lease out his unit, but then he wouldn't be able to get a Certificate of Non-Tenancy. And that would mean the future sale will be VAT-able…but then ChatGPT said this: ✅ 1. VAT on Rent Depends on the Lessor — Not the Condo Corp. VAT is based on the lessor’s tax status (seller/landlord), NOT the condo corporation. VAT applies when the lessor: A. Is VAT-registered, OR B. Earns > P3,000,000/y

Do you really still need witnesses for a Deed of Absolute Sale? Short answer: No… but also yes. Maybe. You’ve probably seen those two blank witness lines at the end of contracts—right before the Acknowledgment Page where the notary signs. Naturally, the question pops up: “For a Deed of Absolute Sale, is it still needed?” Technically, no. Under the law, once a contract is notarized, it becomes a public document. And a public document does not require instrumental witnesses—unl

I Lost My Title! What Now? Think of it this way: if you lose your credit card, you don’t wait for someone to go on a shopping spree under your name. You immediately call the bank and have it blocked. Losing your land title works the same way—except the “bank” you call is the Registry of Deeds. The moment you're certain the title is gone, you prepare an Affidavit of Loss and have it annotated on the RD’s copy of the title. That small annotation becomes a big red flag for anyon

One thing that always confused me in Hollywood shows: the second mortgage. Characters casually say, “We’ll take out a second mortgage!” as if it’s a normal errand. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, that concept barely exists. So how can the same house be collateral twice? And in a default, who gets paid first? My brother in the US finally broke it down for me. When you buy a house in the States, you almost always take out a loan — that’s your first mortgage. As you chip away at

When it comes to Manager’s Checks, everybody knows the drill: you call the issuing branch, ask if they really issued the MC, and once they confirm, you feel safe knowing the funds have already been pulled from the buyer’s account and parked with the bank. But then a little thought crawled into Mr. Paranoid's head: “Wait… what if a devious buyer cancels the MC?” For example: They hand the seller the MC on a Friday afternoon. Seller is flying out for the weekend. Won’t deposit

Client: What do you think about Bulacan? JPRE: I’m still a bit cautious about Bulacan. When you drive around, much of it still feels rural — and in some pockets, rough around the edges. What’s fueling optimism is the upcoming airport and its proximity to NCR. If things go well, it could evolve into something like Clark City in Pampanga — a large-scale urban development with government backing. But in the near term, upside looks limited. The area isn’t anchored by a strong bra