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

Have you ever noticed how almost every Tax Identification Number (TIN) ends with “000”? It’s not a random set of zeros—it’s what the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) calls the branch code. A TIN has twelve digits. The first nine identify the taxpayer, while the last three digits tell the BIR which branch filed the tax return. For instance, if ABC Food Corp. operates three branches, the head office might be 123-456-789-000, while its other branches would be 123-456-789-001 and

Once upon a time, a landlord leased a unit to a tenant who later subleased it. Everything went smoothly—until the pandemic hit. The tenant’s sublease income dried up, and from then on, communication with the owner became nearly impossible. Despite repeated follow-ups, the tenant only replied after the lease had expired, saying they’d renew and pay “in a few days.” Those few days turned into weeks. No payment came. Then came a new excuse: they’d sell their furniture to pay the