Buying a Property in QC? This Gov't Website Lets You Check Its Assessed Value and Tax Records

(SPOT.ph) Buying a home is a major milestone for many Filipinos. Before making any big decisions, though, it helps to do some digging into the property you're interested in. The last thing you want is to run into problems with its paperwork later on.

Fortunately, there's a free government website that can help with some of that research.

The Quezon City Government offers the QC Real Property Viewer (QCRPV), a free online service by the Office of the City Assessor, where residents can check property information and view tax records declared with the local government.

Knowing these details is an exercise in due diligence. It gives you an idea of how much the city government values a property for tax purposes and lets you check when its real property taxes were last paid. Property taxes can be huge, and nobody wants to be dealing with other people’s delinquencies on top of already expensive real estate costs.

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Simply create a QC E-Services account if you don't have one. In the Services tab, go to the Real Property One-Stop-Shop under Finance and Taxation. You will be taken to the iDeclare Easy page, where you can access the QCRPV and other property services.

Even non-Quezon City residents can use the QCRPV.

You can search for the barangay or street address on the QCRPV. You can also use the Property Identification Number, Transfer Certificate of Title or title number, or the property’s Tax Declaration Number to search.

Once you’ve located your property, you’ll be able to verify details like lot land area and tax declaration number and see the value of the lot you’re looking at based on government assessments and data. You can even check when the property's real property taxes were last paid, giving you an idea of whether its payments are up to date.

Note that there is a daily limit of five search credits, so it's best to have your property information ready to make the most of the site. Another thing: While the app is web-based and can be accessed on both desktop and mobile, we recommend using the desktop site, as some pop-ups can be difficult to navigate on mobile.

Keep in mind that the QCRPV is not a property listing site. Rather, it contains records of properties across the city, not just those for sale or rent. Just because you see it on the website doesn't mean it's available, so check with a broker before making inquiries!

It also doesn't issue land titles, which you’ll need to review before actually purchasing a house. The information shown on the website is for reference only. If you’d like a comprehensive copy of the property’s title, you can request a Certified True Copy through the Land Registration Authority’s eSerbisyo portal for a fee. 

According to the Quezon City government, QCRPV is part of the city’s Enhanced Tax Mapping Systems (eTAXMAPS) Project, which uses geographic information system technology to improve real estate information management and public access to transparent assessment records.

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