Philippine Property Guides: Renting, Buying & Ownership

A tax document being stamped at an office desk, illustrating the documentary stamp tax (DST) required on a Philippine real estate deed of sale

Buying 18 min read

Documentary Stamp Tax on Property in the Philippines: Rates and Computation

Documentary stamp tax on a Philippine property sale is 1.5% of the higher of price or fair market value. Here are the current rates,…

Vacant, weathered house sitting empty — representative of a Pag-IBIG acquired asset resold as-is, where-is after foreclosure

Buying 15 min read

Pag-IBIG Acquired Assets: How to Buy Foreclosed Properties Safely

Learn how Pag-IBIG acquired assets are sold through public auction and negotiated sale, including financing, due diligence, occupancy risks and current foreclosed-property resources.

Property buyer and seller signing a Deed of Absolute Sale or Contract to Sell document at a desk in the Philippines

Buying 16 min read

Deed of Absolute Sale vs Contract to Sell: What Property Buyers Should Sign

A Deed of Absolute Sale transfers ownership immediately upon signing; a Contract to Sell keeps ownership with the seller until you finish paying. Here's…

A residential apartment building under construction with scaffolding and a tower crane, illustrating a pre-selling condo project still being built versus a finished ready-for-occupancy unit

Buying 15 min read

RFO Meaning in Real Estate: Ready-for-Occupancy vs Pre-Selling Property

RFO means a property is already built and move-in ready; pre-selling means it's still under construction and sold under a DHSUD-regulated Contract to Sell.…

Construction workers in high-visibility vests conducting a final on-site inspection of a building's walls before an occupancy permit is issued in the Philippines

Buying 13 min read

Occupancy Permit in the Philippines: What Buyers and Condo Owners Need to Know

An occupancy permit is the Office of the Building Official's confirmation that a finished structure passed final inspection and may legally be occupied. Here's…

Property buyer closely reading a paper document, representing the careful review needed to tell a tax declaration apart from a Philippine land title

Buying 16 min read

Tax Declaration vs Land Title: What Property Buyers Must Verify

A tax declaration is a tax record from the Assessor's Office; only a Registry of Deeds land title (TCT/CCT) is conclusive proof of ownership.…

A Filipino couple sits at a home table reviewing printed property documents and a street map together while researching their property's BIR zonal value

Buying 12 min read

BIR Zonal Value of Property in the Philippines: How to Check and Use It

BIR zonal value sets the tax base for capital gains, DST, donor's and estate tax. Learn how to check it by RDO and what…

Aerial view of a residential neighborhood in Ligao City, Bicol, representing the housing communities DHSUD oversees across the Philippines

Buying 13 min read

What Does DHSUD Stand For? Mandate, Vision and Mission Explained

DHSUD stands for the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. Learn its official mandate, vision, mission, and what it means for Filipino homebuyers.

Property buyer reviewing a real estate installment contract, illustrating rights under the Maceda Law (RA 6552) in the Philippines

Buying 17 min read

What Is the Maceda Law in the Philippines? Buyer Rights Under RA 6552

Learn what the Maceda Law (RA 6552) is and how it protects property buyers in the Philippines. Understand your rights, refund entitlements, and grace…

Young Filipino family standing in front of their home, illustrating mortgage redemption insurance protection for home loans in the Philippines

Buying 15 min read

How Mortgage Redemption Insurance Works in the Philippines

Learn how mortgage redemption insurance (MRI) protects your home loan in the Philippines. Understand coverage, how premiums are computed, and how to choose the…