The Legal Side of Real Estate

[puki-man]

Hi Dr. PepPer,

 

Thanks for your advice. The agent told me that there will be over 40 lots if we cut into 250 square meter portions. Were you recommending titling all of the lots in one shot? Supposedly, if the subdivision plan has over 10 lots, it goes through a much more rigorous and expensive process. For instance, it is supposed to be approved by the Housing Authority. I'm not sure if you were aware of this regulation.

 

I'm still confused about the difference between a lot plan, subdivision plan and a sketch plan. Can you explain the difference?

[Dr_PepPeR]

Hi Dr. PepPer,

 

Thanks for your advice. The agent told me that there will be over 40 lots if we cut into 250 square meter portions. Were you recommending titling all of the lots in one shot? Supposedly, if the subdivision plan has over 10 lots, it goes through a much more rigorous and expensive process. For instance, it is supposed to be approved by the Housing Authority. I'm not sure if you were aware of this regulation.

 

I'm still confused about the difference between a lot plan, subdivision plan and a sketch plan. Can you explain the difference?

 

40 lots at 250 sqm each is already a commercial undertaking. With that kind of property, why don't you consider partnering with a developer? Let the latter take care of doing the subdivision, improvements and selling (including getting approvals from the Home and Land Use Regulatory Board) and just take in your share? I think dealing with a reputable expert will get you better results than what you will get here.

 

The experts here will know better, but my understanding is that a lot plan is a drawing that shows you the boundaries and shape of your individual lot, and a subdivision plan is a drawing that shows the boundaries of the subdivided lots from the mother title while a sketch plan is a drawing that shows your lot in relation to the other lots or roads in the area (rather like a map).

[puki-man]

40 lots at 250 sqm each is already a commercial undertaking. With that kind of property, why don't you consider partnering with a developer? Let the latter take care of doing the subdivision, improvements and selling (including getting approvals from the Home and Land Use Regulatory Board) and just take in your share? I think dealing with a reputable expert will get you better results than what you will get here.

 

The experts here will know better, but my understanding is that a lot plan is a drawing that shows you the boundaries and shape of your individual lot, and a subdivision plan is a drawing that shows the boundaries of the subdivided lots from the mother title while a sketch plan is a drawing that shows your lot in relation to the other lots or roads in the area (rather like a map).

 

The 15,000 sq/m lot I'm planning to subdivide is too small for developers. They require a minimum of 7 hectares.

 

Actually, we already tried the developer route. Another lot I own was considered by Carmella Homes (owned by Villar) and by the firm owned by Sen. Guingona. Both firms really liked the location of the property. However, they both had a requirement that the access road leading to the property must be 10 meters wide. The existing road was only 8 meters so the deal fell through.

 

According to the agent, the fastest to turn the lot into cash is to subdivide it. The problem with going the developer route is finding a good one you can trust.

 

Thanks for explaining the different plans.

[TheSmilingBandit]

1.5 hectares is a decent size for some of the smaller developers, that said, it would depend on where your property is located, considering the saturation right now of condominiums and townhouses. I would suggest you get a second and third opinion from other realtors regarding your property.

[Dr_PepPeR]

1.5 hectares is a decent size for some of the smaller developers, that said, it would depend on where your property is located, considering the saturation right now of condominiums and townhouses. I would suggest you get a second and third opinion from other realtors regarding your property.

 

I agree, and now I'm out of my league here.

Edited November 3, 2009 by Dr_PepPeR

[TheSmilingBandit]

I agree, and now I'm out of my league here.

Actually, depending on the location, I may have just the buyer for him, anyways, how can you be out of your league here my maester?

[puki-man]

Actually, depending on the location, I may have just the buyer for him, anyways, how can you be out of your league here my maester?

 

The lots I own are located in Tuguegarao, Cagayan. One of the lots, situated right next to the Provincial Capitol, was the one that Carmella Homes considered. As I said, they decided not to move ahead due to the access road.

 

The one I'm getting ready to subdivide is next to the new St Louis University extension.

 

Let me know if you know of a possible buyer. I can get you in touch with my cousin who has the POA to represent me. We can work out a commission arrangement for your referral.

[duarda]

A little help pls.

 

We have a land property somewhere in Rodriguez Rizal which came from our grandparents, the problem is meron ibang kumukuha sa lote pero meron kaming titulo nung lupa kaso nakasama sya sa baha kaya wala na kaming copy. san po ba kami pwede kumuha ng copy of title?

 

 

Very much appreciated on your comment. thanks in advanced.

[rocco69]

kailangan mong magsampa ng kaso sa korte para makakuha ng kapalit sa nawalang titulo. ganun kasi ka-importante ang titulo sa sistema ng pag-aari ng lupa natin, hindi ito basta-basta napapalitan. kailangang patunayan mo na ikaw nga ang may-ari at talaga ngang nawala na ang titulo. ito ay nakasaad sa Section 109 ng Presidential Decree 1529 (Property Registration Decree)

 

 

 

A little help pls.

 

We have a land property somewhere in Rodriguez Rizal which came from our grandparents, the problem is meron ibang kumukuha sa lote pero meron kaming titulo nung lupa kaso nakasama sya sa baha kaya wala na kaming copy. san po ba kami pwede kumuha ng copy of title?

 

 

Very much appreciated on your comment. thanks in advanced.

[duarda]

kailangan mong magsampa ng kaso sa korte para makakuha ng kapalit sa nawalang titulo. ganun kasi ka-importante ang titulo sa sistema ng pag-aari ng lupa natin, hindi ito basta-basta napapalitan. kailangang patunayan mo na ikaw nga ang may-ari at talaga ngang nawala na ang titulo. ito ay nakasaad sa Section 109 ng Presidential Decree 1529 (Property Registration Decree)

 

kahit na nakapangalan to sa grandfather namin? plano na kasi ibenta ng whole family ang lupa kaso nga lang nawala nga ang titulo. pero yung uncle ko is yung nakasasunod sa pangalan ng lolo ko as JR. dont know kung may tulong yun.

[Dr_PepPeR]

A little help pls.

 

We have a land property somewhere in Rodriguez Rizal which came from our grandparents, the problem is meron ibang kumukuha sa lote pero meron kaming titulo nung lupa kaso nakasama sya sa baha kaya wala na kaming copy. san po ba kami pwede kumuha ng copy of title?

 

 

Very much appreciated on your comment. thanks in advanced.

 

Go to the local Register of Deeds, they will have the original TCT there. You can get a certified true copy of the title from them also. If you want an owner's duplicate TCT (like the one that was lost) you will have to file in court for reconstitution of title, as what rocco69 said earlier.

[rocco69]

oo, kahit nakapangalan sa lolo nyo.

 

ang sistema kasi natin sa pag-lilipat ng titulo ng lupa ay ganito: bawat titulo ng lupa ay dalawa ang kopya, ang isa ay nasa Register of Deeds, at ang isa ay hawak ng may-ari ng lupa (ang tawag sa kopya na ito ay Owner's Duplicate Copy).

 

para mailipat sa pangalan ng iba ang titulo, kailangang i-surrender ang Owner's Duplicate Copy kasama ng dokumento na naglilipat ng pag-mamay-ari ng lupa sa bagong may-ari. For example: bumili ka ng lupa mula sa isang developer. Para mailipat ang lupa sa pangalan mo, pupunta ka sa Register of Deeds at ibibigay mo ang Owner's Duplicate Copy (na siyempre kinuha mo sa developer) kasama ang Deed of Sale na nagpapakita na ibenenta na sa iyo ang lupa. Dun lang kakanselahin ang lumang titulo at maglalabas ng bagong titulo sa pangalan mo. Walang Owner's Duplicate Copy, walang kanselasyon ng titulo sa Register of Deeds. Ang sistema na ito ay isang safeguard para hindi basta-basta mailipat ng sinuman ang pag-aari ng lupa mula sa tunay na may-ari.

 

sa kaso ninyo, ang isang maingat na tao ay hindi bibili sa inyo dahil wala kayong maibibigay sa kanyang Duplicate Owner's Copy. Paano niya mapapakansela ang lumang titulo at kukuha ng bagong titulo sa pangalan niya kung wala naman siyang i-susurrender na titulo sa Register of Deeds. Pangalawa, ano ang karapatan ninyong magbenta samantalang nasa pangalan naman ng lolo niyo ang lupa.

 

ang kailangan nyong gawin ay magfile ng petition sa korte para makakuha ng bagong Duplicate Owner's Copy (sa pangalan ng lolo nyo).

 

pagkatapos, gagawa ang mga tagapagmana ng lolo nyo ng Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate (ito ay dokumento na nagsasabi na ang lupa ng lolo nyo, kasama ang iba pa niyang ari-arian, ay minana na ng kanyang mga tagapagmana). magbabayad kayo sa BIR ng estate taxes (para sa privilege na magsalin ng ari-arian sa mga tagapagmana) kasama na rin ng surcharge, interest, at compromise (dahil di nyo agad inasikaso ang paglilipat ng titulo mula sa pangalan ng lolo nyo sa inyo. babayaran nyo rin ang amillar sa Municipal Assessor. Pag meron na kayo nito, pwede nyo nang ipakansela ang titulo ng lolo nyo sa pangalan ng mga tagapagmana.

 

pag nasa pangalan nyo na ang titulo, pwede ng ibenta.

 

pwede rin naman na ang buyer na ang mag-aasikaso ng lahat ng ito (depende sa usapan ninyo), pero mas mababa ang presyong io-offer niya dahil nga marami pang kailangang gawin.

 

or

 

maghanap kayo ng tatanga-tangang buyer na walang alam sa mga ganitong lakarin, at pag nabayaran na kayo, bahala na siya sa buhay niya (tatanga-tanga eh).

 

P.S.

 

ang petition na isasampa sa korte ay "Petition for Issuance of Owner's Duplicate Copy". nawala lang siguro sa isip ni Dr. Pepper. hind po ito "Reconstitution of Title" dahil ang reconstitution ay ginagawa kung ang nawala ay ang kopya na nasa Register of Deeds, hind yung kopya na nasa may-ari.

 

pangalawa, importante din na mabigyang-abiso ang Register of Deeds na nawawala ang Owner's Duplicate Copy para walang makagawa ng milagro ukol dito. maggawa ng Sinumpaang Salaysay ang mga tagapagmana na nawawala nga ang duplicate at ibigay sa Register of Deeds ng Rodriguez.

 

 

 

kahit na nakapangalan to sa grandfather namin? plano na kasi ibenta ng whole family ang lupa kaso nga lang nawala nga ang titulo. pero yung uncle ko is yung nakasasunod sa pangalan ng lolo ko as JR. dont know kung may tulong yun.

[Dr_PepPeR]

oo, kahit nakapangalan sa lolo nyo.

 

ang sistema kasi natin sa pag-lilipat ng titulo ng lupa ay ganito: bawat titulo ng lupa ay dalawa ang kopya, ang isa ay nasa Register of Deeds, at ang isa ay hawak ng may-ari ng lupa (ang tawag sa kopya na ito ay Owner's Duplicate Copy).

 

para mailipat sa pangalan ng iba ang titulo, kailangang i-surrender ang Owner's Duplicate Copy kasama ng dokumento na naglilipat ng pag-mamay-ari ng lupa sa bagong may-ari. For example: bumili ka ng lupa mula sa isang developer. Para mailipat ang lupa sa pangalan mo, pupunta ka sa Register of Deeds at ibibigay mo ang Owner's Duplicate Copy (na siyempre kinuha mo sa developer) kasama ang Deed of Sale na nagpapakita na ibenenta na sa iyo ang lupa. Dun lang kakanselahin ang lumang titulo at maglalabas ng bagong titulo sa pangalan mo. Walang Owner's Duplicate Copy, walang kanselasyon ng titulo sa Register of Deeds. Ang sistema na ito ay isang safeguard para hindi basta-basta mailipat ng sinuman ang pag-aari ng lupa mula sa tunay na may-ari.

 

sa kaso ninyo, ang isang maingat na tao ay hindi bibili sa inyo dahil wala kayong maibibigay sa kanyang Duplicate Owner's Copy. Paano niya mapapakansela ang lumang titulo at kukuha ng bagong titulo sa pangalan niya kung wala naman siyang i-susurrender na titulo sa Register of Deeds. Pangalawa, ano ang karapatan ninyong magbenta samantalang nasa pangalan naman ng lolo niyo ang lupa.

 

ang kailangan nyong gawin ay magfile ng petition sa korte para makakuha ng bagong Duplicate Owner's Copy (sa pangalan ng lolo nyo).

 

pagkatapos, gagawa ang mga tagapagmana ng lolo nyo ng Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate (ito ay dokumento na nagsasabi na ang lupa ng lolo nyo, kasama ang iba pa niyang ari-arian, ay minana na ng kanyang mga tagapagmana). magbabayad kayo sa BIR ng estate taxes (para sa privilege na magsalin ng ari-arian sa mga tagapagmana) kasama na rin ng surcharge, interest, at compromise (dahil di nyo agad inasikaso ang paglilipat ng titulo mula sa pangalan ng lolo nyo sa inyo. babayaran nyo rin ang amillar sa Municipal Assessor. Pag meron na kayo nito, pwede nyo nang ipakansela ang titulo ng lolo nyo sa pangalan ng mga tagapagmana.

 

pag nasa pangalan nyo na ang titulo, pwede ng ibenta.

 

pwede rin naman na ang buyer na ang mag-aasikaso ng lahat ng ito (depende sa usapan ninyo), pero mas mababa ang presyong io-offer niya dahil nga marami pang kailangang gawin.

 

or

 

maghanap kayo ng tatanga-tangang buyer na walang alam sa mga ganitong lakarin, at pag nabayaran na kayo, bahala na siya sa buhay niya (tatanga-tanga eh).

 

P.S.

 

ang petition na isasampa sa korte ay "Petition for Issuance of Owner's Duplicate Copy". nawala lang siguro sa isip ni Dr. Pepper. hind po ito "Reconstitution of Title" dahil ang reconstitution ay ginagawa kung ang nawala ay ang kopya na nasa Register of Deeds, hind yung kopya na nasa may-ari.

 

pangalawa, importante din na mabigyang-abiso ang Register of Deeds na nawawala ang Owner's Duplicate Copy para walang makagawa ng milagro ukol dito. maggawa ng Sinumpaang Salaysay ang mga tagapagmana na nawawala nga ang duplicate at ibigay sa Register of Deeds ng Rodriguez.

 

My bad, rocco69 is correct.

[duarda]

very much appreciated sir/s. thanks!

[TheSmilingBandit]

kahit na nakapangalan to sa grandfather namin? plano na kasi ibenta ng whole family ang lupa kaso nga lang nawala nga ang titulo. pero yung uncle ko is yung nakasasunod sa pangalan ng lolo ko as JR. dont know kung may tulong yun.

 

Just be careful, the RD may be aiming for a lot higher grease since elections are around the corner. This is copied from the Philippine Star Opinion section.

 

It’s not only the register of deeds who’s hostaging the property titles of a 90-year-old widow in Makati. The taxman is in cahoots to prolong the release of her papers. In squeeze play the two officials are setting piecemeal requirements for the transfer conjugal property in the name of Eufemia P. Almeda. Undue delay is a tool for extortion. A fixer has offered to hasten the process if the desperate nonagenarian would give under the table. But bribery is against Eufemia’s moral values. She’s ready to pay the rightful transfer tax, if any. In fact she already remitted P256 million estate tax, depleting her cash. The re-titling would enable her to sell property for medical treatment, including thrice-weekly dialysis and frequent hospital confinement.

 

All Eufemia wants is to do things right. She prays the Ombudsman, Land Registration Authority (LRA), and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) would help (Gotcha, 18 Nov. 2009).

 

Husband Ponciano L. Almeda died in 1997, leaving behind several tracts of land and buildings. In Makati these include: Marvin Plaza with 27 condos, Almeda Arcade, a Forbes Park manor. The titles are in the spouses’ names. For Eufemia and ten children to divide the inheritance, they needed judicial settling. The estate court granted it Dec. 22, 2008, after payment of the staggering estate tax and a momentary family feud.

 

Last March Eufemia’s lawyers began working on the estate re-titling. During a visit to the office of Makati Register of Deeds Dorylene SB. Yara, a certain “Baby” pitched a deal. Eufemia was to pony up P1 million per condo, but only P200,000 would be receipted; “the RD and BIR would split the difference.” The Almedas turned down the indecent proposal. Then problems came.

 

Yara and subs started giving the Almedas the runaround, asking for new items whenever they followed up the transfer. Sometime May, Yara’s office said the heirs had documentary tax deficiencies. Eufemia wondered why the RD thought so, when the court resolution of Dec. 2008 stated that all taxes had been paid. Besides, she had submitted to Yara a BIR certificate of such full compliance.

 

Eufemia’s lawyers wrote Makati Revenue District Officer-48 Florante de Castro, soliciting Yara’s new imposition. Five letters went unanswered in May-July. Finally on July 28 De Castro replied, denying the request for an amended certificate and claiming, like Yara, that taxes remained unpaid. The lawyers recounted how then-BIR Commissioner Guillermo Parayno no less had assessed the estate tax Eufemia paid. To which De Castro allegedly retorted: “Ayusin niyo na lang si (you just fix) Attorney Yara.”

 

All through Aug.-Oct. the lawyers contested the supposed deficiency. But they also conveyed Eufemia’s request for an assessment of the amount, promising to pay though under protest. Meantime, Eufemia complained about Yara to the Ombudsman and her boss, LRA head Benedicto Ulep. On Oct. 22 De Castro agreed to compute the back-tax, asked for additional documents, and told them to await his correspondence. To the Almedas’ surprise, De Castro in a Nov. 6 letter said he had elevated the matter to the regional office’s legal department. In effect, they were to wait some more.

 

The Almedas asked around and were informed that Yara’s husband is also with the BIR, in the same region as De Castro. Today they will sue the BIR officer for red tape. He is legally liable for failing to assess their supposed back-tax and for sitting six months on their case.