WHY TITLES TAKE FOREVER

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 now hostage to the sales velocity of the project.

Even when your file reaches the BIR, it doesn’t get special treatment. The regulator reviews the entire batch before releasing a single CAR. So even if your paperwork is perfect, you wait for everyone else’s mess to clear first.

2. Plans That Change Mid-Stream

Sometimes developers tweak layouts at the last minute based on market demand.

Example: The 2BR units aren’t selling? Convert them into a 1BR + a studio.

But every change in the master plan affects the building’s final technical documents. Until the developer finalizes the plan, they often hold off on all title transfers.

3. The Developer’s Own Tax Troubles

Some developers carry unresolved tax cases with the BIR, and no titles in the affected project can move forward until the issue is settled.

For example, there are buildings in BGC where owners still have no titles decades after turnover. Why? The developers have ongoing BIR cases that locks everything in limbo.

4. Slowing Down Competition (Yes, It Happens)

It's possible that some developers prefer to keep titles “in progress” because a titled unit can be resold—and compete directly with their unsold inventory.

“But Juan, can’t buyers just re-assign the unit before the title comes out?”

They used to.

Developers have quietly made re-assignments more painful: higher transfer fees, CGT applied to flips, stricter approval processes. Now, once you’re fully paid, they often trigger title transfer immediately—and re-assignments suddenly become off-limits. This effectively traps fully-paid-but-no-title units in limbo.

For Monday’s post… aren’t developers supposed to release titles within six months by law?