Land Title. Why is it important?

May kapitbahay kami. Pumunta sa akin. Nagpapagawa ng Deed of absolute sale kasi may bibilhin daw siyang lupa.

Ang unang tanong ko sa kanya: “yung lupa ba na bibilhin mo, may titulo ba?” Sagot sa akin: “Kailangan pa ba yun kasi yung pagbibilhan ko naman daw ang may-ari ng lupa.”

Next question ko was: “May tax declaration ba siya? Siya ba ang nagbabayad ng amelyar o taxes ng lupa?” Sabi sa akin: “Kailangan pa ba yun?”

Listen. In our desire to buy a property because it is cheap or very affordable, we often overlook several important factors that we should consider in our decision. First. Is the seller the owner of the land? Second. Is the land covered by a title?

Hey! When somebody sells you a property without any title, you should be more careful to part with your hard-earned money. Why? You need to see if the seller is indeed the owner.

Sa panahon ngayon, kung walang tituto ang lupa, red-flag yan na bumubili ka ng lupa na pwedeng hindi pagmamay-ari ng nagbebenta. Kung baga, paano mo sasabihin na asawa mo nga yung kinakasama mo kung wala kayong marriage contract, walang ebidensiya ng kayo nga ay mag-asawa? In the same manner, para ikaw ay masasabing ikaw nga ang owner or nagmamay-ari ng lupa, dapat may titulo ka.

Ano ba ang Titulo?

Ito ang magsasabing legal mo siyang pag-aari…
Kumbaga sa mag-asawa, ito ang inyong marriage contract
Kung wala nito, hindi siya iyo

Question. What is a land title?

A title of a land is the document that proves your ownership of your property. It is your evidence of your right of ownership over a piece of property. It is a proof of the extent of your interest over a land so that you can maintain control and assert right to exclusive possession and enjoyment of property.

Why is it important that you have a title?

Let me give you five (5) reasons.

A title is a proof of ownership over a real property.

The person whose name appears on the title is considered the owner of the land and no one else. No one can claim ownership over the name other than the person whose name appears on the title.

Protection against unofficial or frivolous claim from other people.

In the Philippines, we use the Torrens system of registration. If the land is registered, you are protected against fraudulent claims from other people and land grabbing is prevented.

Having a title facilitates transactions in land.

When a land is covered by a title, you can easily sell or mortgage it. The buyer will just look at the title if it is clean and without any encumbrances.

Enable the owner of the land to use it as collateral for loan.

Having a title means having clear and enforceable rights over a parcel of land, therefore one can also gain returns from the general appreciation of the value and also from the improvements and investments made in relation to it.

If your land is not yet titled, it is our recommendation that you apply for titling. That is a better way to protect your right over the land and maximize its use for your advantage.