20/08/2026
CLIENT QUESTION FRIDAY
“If the seller has the original title, can I already assume the property is safe to buy?”
Short answer: NO.
Having the original title is important, but possession of the document alone does not prove that everything about the transaction is safe.
Before making any payment, a buyer should still verify:
- Registered ownership — Does the seller match the title?
- Latest title status — Are there annotations, mortgages, liens, or other encumbrances?
- Property boundaries — Does the actual property match the technical description?
- Taxes — Are real property taxes updated?
- Road access — Is access legal and adequate?
- Possession — Is anyone occupying or claiming the property?
- Authority to sell — Is the person signing the sale legally authorized?
THE TAKEAWAY
A document can start the verification.
It should never end it.
Smart buyers don't simply ask, “May title ba?”
They ask, “Have I verified everything?”
"Iba pag may alam ka"