There are five places you can go to if you want to verify the authenticity of property titles.
1. Registry of Deeds
Your local Registry of Deeds is the place for verifying the authenticity of your property title. While you may have the option to check the records from the Registry of Deeds' official website, it is important that you personally visit the office of the locality where your property is located as a way of doing the initial verification.
2. Municipal or City Assessor's & Treasurer's Offices
If you want to find the property's accurate technical description, the Assessor's office will be able to help you with it. This is also the place where you can request for vicinity map of the subject property for DAR clearance or BIR clearance. When it comes to checking the property's record for arrears, tax payments and delinquencies, the Treasurer's offices will be the place you should go to.
3. Land Registration Authority (LRA)
LRA is responsible for issuing certificates of title, decrees of registration and register documents, patents and awards. In fact, this agency of the government is the repository of all titles in the Philippines. You can also trace the property's history in this agency.
4. Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB)
HLURB is a place where you seek submit complaints or seek consultation for subdivision or condominium developments. So, before you decide on selling or advertising your property, make sure you secure approvals and permits from HLURB. Aside from granting permits and approvals, HLURB is also responsible for dealing with the following matters:
-Revise or update guidelines, rules and standards on real estate and housing;
-Registration and licenses of condominium and subdivision projects, memorial parks, farm lots and columbaria, including the issuance of licenses when developers sell properties;
-Supervises and registers Home Owners' Association activities;
-Serves as adjudication body of disputes between developers and buyers, appeals from decisions of local zoning bodies, intra (inter) homeowners associations conflicts;
-Requires the mandatory registration of real estate brokers, dealers and salesmen engaged in selling developments under the jurisdiction of HLURB.
-Evaluates and approve Master Deed and Declaration of Restrictions of condominium projects and any amendments.
5. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bases conversion and development authority (BCDA), National Housing Authority (NHA)
These government agencies are responsible for the issuance of special awards or grants to the qualified beneficiaries. DENR approves or disapproves the application of public land patents such as homestead, sales patent and free patent.
BCDA transforms former military bases into more productive civilian use such as the Pamayanang Diego Silang Condominiums.
NHA is also an agency owned by the government, which is known for spearheading housing programs for the lowest 30% of the urban population.
