This is a MUST READ. This development is a continuation of Maceda Law. Good news for pre-selling buyers, bad news for developers. Last July 2025, the Supreme Court ruled on a case (G.R. No. 261877) involving a pre-selling condominium project that was not completed on time and not delivered as promised. Here’s the big takeaway (based on my reading of the case): If a developer fails to complete a project: According to the approved plans, OR Within the prescribed period the buye

Following yesterday’s post, “Check Writing Madness,” I’m sharing an old but trusted Excel formula I use to automatically convert numbers into words. Just update the cell reference A1 to match where your number is entered. This provides a way to automatically convert amounts into words accurately—especially useful for contracts and check writing, where numbers must be spelled out. Facebook readers, you can screenshot the formula and use text selection from your photos to paste

Ugh. This is starting to get irritating. What’s the proper way to write Php 154,238.85 in words? If your answer is: One hundred fifty-four thousand two hundred and thirty-eight & 85/100… Congratulations—your check may be rejected by the bank. This just happened to us. According to the bank teller (and, admittedly, I agree), the correct way is NOT to put “and” between “two hundred” and “thirty-eight.” The “and” should be reserved only for the centavos portion. But seriously—th

Once upon a time, a couple leased a property through a broker. Their lease still had a few months left when the broker reached out and said the owner was short on cash. As an incentive, the owner was allegedly willing to reduce the monthly rent if the couple paid the lease extension in advance. Afraid to lose the opportunity, the couple immediately transferred the funds to the bank account provided by the broker. After all, the broker had been extremely helpful during their m

2026 Events and Deadlines for Real Estate Brokers Sharing an updated checklist of key events and compliance deadlines real estate brokers should keep in mind for 2026. 1. PRC License Renewal Relevant for brokers whose licenses expire in 2026 (depends on your renewal cycle/birth month). Reminder: settle CPD units early to avoid last-minute stress. 2. BIR Sworn Statement (Non-VAT Brokers) Due: January 7, 2026 Applicable to non-VAT registered real estate brokers to continue avai

A Thought Experiment in Real Estate (and Daydreaming) The US Powerball—the American equivalent of the Philippine Lottery—has climbed to a staggering USD 1.1 Bn as of December 14, 2025. But as with all lotteries, the headline number is fiction. If you actually win and choose the lump-sum payout, after US federal taxes (and assuming you’re in a no-state-tax jurisdiction), what lands in your hands is roughly: USD 275–340 Mn net or equivalently Php 15–19 Bn Still absurdly life-ch

Once upon a time, a business owner in the manufacturing industry found himself facing a good problem to have: demand was growing faster than his capacity. To keep up, he decided to lease a second warehouse and convert it into another manufacturing facility. After weeks of searching, he struck gold. The warehouse was almost perfect—flood-free, minimal repairs required, low rent, and immediately usable. Paperwork was signed, keys were turned over, and machines were lined up. Ex

Are developers legally required to deliver the title within six months? No. Many people recall a supposed “6-month rule” under Presidential Decree No. 957 (Subdivision and Condo Buyers’ Protective Decree). But that memory is usually misplaced. What PD 957 actually says, under Sec. 25, is this: “The owner or developer shall deliver the title of the lot or unit to the buyer upon full payment of the lot or unit…” Once fully paid, the developer must initiate the transfer and deli

Let’s play a quick zoning-and-tax-base puzzle. In the photo is the iconic house from the animated movie “Up.” For those unfamiliar with the movie, Carl’s (main character) house in Up is a small, colorful wooden home that looks like it came straight out of a storybook. Over time, towering gray buildings rise around it as developers buy out the entire neighborhood. But Carl refuses to sell. His little house becomes the last remaining holdout, a lone splash of color in a sea of

Why do some developers take forever to process title transfers—when an individual doing it alone can wrap things up in 3 months? It’s one of the great mysteries of Philippine real estate...but the reasons, while frustrating, are surprisingly simple: 1. The Batch-Processing Bottleneck Developers don’t process titles one-by-one; they move in batches. If their internal rule is “start processing once 50 units are sold,” and you happen to be Buyer No. 1… congratulations, you’re no