The property viewing checklist

Before you go

Check the listing's ₱/m² against the city median on the detail page, and look at the map context — flood exposure, road access and the neighbours are things no photo shows honestly. Bring someone who has owned a home if you can; a second pair of eyes catches what excitement misses.

The physical walkthrough

Run every tap at once to test pressure, flush toilets, open windows and look for water stains at ceilings and under sinks — stains announce leaks that paint hides. Check phone signal room by room; a dead-zone home matters daily. Visit twice at different hours if you are serious: traffic, noise and parking look different at 7am and 7pm.

• Walls and ceilings — cracks wider than a hairline, fresh paint in odd patches, water staining.
• Water — pressure on the highest floor, the pump's condition, drainage around the lot.
• Electrical — enough outlets, a modern breaker panel, no obvious jury-rigged wiring.
• Flood signs — water lines on posts, raised thresholds, neighbours' floor levels.
• The building (condos) — hallway upkeep, elevator condition, the dues notice board.

The document questions

Ask to see the title (a photocopy is fine at viewing stage — the certified true copy pull comes later), the tax declaration and the latest RPT receipts. For condos, ask the monthly dues and whether any special assessment is pending. For pre-selling, ask for the project's License to Sell number. Evasive answers here matter more than anything you saw in the rooms.

After the viewing

Book the viewing through the listing — the structured viewing request keeps a record both sides can see. Afterwards, note the honest problems while they are fresh: they are either your renovation budget or your negotiating points. If the home passed, the next step is usually an offer — the negotiating guide walks that.