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

Once upon a time, a broker once celebrated the smooth closing of a condo sale. Title transfer was the only thing left, so they passed the baton to their long-trusted “taga-lakad” (TL)—someone they’d worked with many times, someone they believed would never fail them. But then came the call. The TL reviewed the documents and confidently declared: “Mali ang form. Don’t use 1706. Dapat 1606. Sole proprietor kasi si Seller.” The broker froze. Wrong form? Impossible. But the TL in

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

Here's how to take better property photos using your phone. 1. Light everything up. Turn on all the lights — even if the room already has great natural light. A well-lit space looks bigger, warmer, and more inviting. 2. Clean your lens. A single fingerprint can make your photos look hazy or dull. Wipe the lens gently before every shot. 3. Use the ultra-wide lens (if your phone has one). It captures more of the room and gives a better sense of space. This is your secret weapon

The share prices of the Philippines’ two largest property developers — Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) and SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPH) — have now fallen below their pandemic-era lows. The broader market in the Philippines isn’t far behind. You can interpret this in several ways: 1.⁠ ⁠Pandemic-level panic When COVID-19 first hit, global markets collapsed almost overnight. Investor psychology shifted from “growth forever” to “what if everything stops.” Fast-forward to today: the Philip

Once upon a time, a foreign med-tech company was looking to move into a bigger office. After months of viewings, they finally found one that seemed perfect — right size, right floor, right price. The lessor was thrilled. A multinational in the med-tech space — stable, recession-proof, and punctual with rent — what more could you ask for? But there was one tiny wrinkle. A small portion of the office was going to serve as a product showroom. Some of the machines they wanted to

Intern: Sir, for us RE Management students, what would you suggest — join a developer or a brokerage firm? JPRE: Let’s weigh the pros and cons. 🏢 Working with a RE Developer Pros + Built-in clients. You’ll get warm leads and walk-ins — perfect if you don’t yet have a network. + Structured training. Developers provide formal sales programs and clear systems. + Early access. You’ll know about new launches before the rest of the market — a real first-mover advantage. + Allowanc

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