BUYERS of real-estate properties are warned to be wary doing transactions because they might be dealing with brokers who do not have licenses to sell issued by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

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The warning was issued following the HLURB-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)'s issuance of the list of projects done by subdivision developers or individual, but without certificates of registration or licenses to sell.

This report of the HLURB was used as basis for the submission of a proposed resolution by committee on lands chair Isabelo Cosalan Jr., which seeks to enjoin developers or contractors to apply first for permits and clearances with the city government before conducting business.

The HLURB is the government agency that regulates and monitors development of private lots into subdivisions. The agency sets the requirements and guidelines before one is allowed to sell properties.

Before the HLURB issues a certificate of registration and license to sell, developers are required to first submit among other requirements, a development permit and approved subdivision plan.

The City Government through a City Council resolution, issues a subdivision plan.

Many developers however operate even without complying with requirements of the HLURB resulting to the "proliferation of subdivision developers, contractors and subdivision owners circumventing or outrightly ignoring the law."

Cosalan said this is a reason why urban problems occur like unsound urban planning, substandard roads and alleys of subdivisions, inadequate public facilities and non-delivery of title to buyers.

With the possibility these developers are endangering the lives of their clients, not to mention their depriving the city of revenues, Cosalan said: "There is a need to warn and discourage would-be real estate from transacting with these violators to avoid future housing/subdivisions related problems legal or otherwise."

According to him, the City Planning and Development Office and the City Buildings and Architecture Office should spearhead the campaign by issuing notices of violation and refrain from issuing locational clearances, building and excavation permits.

The list of developers, dealers or brokers has existing projects in La Trinidad, Sablan and Tuba.

The partial list of projects without a certificate of registration and license to sell in certain locations are Everest Realty and Development Corporation, Goshen Land Capital Incorporated, TBF, Vicinage Territories Realty Corporation, Megaview Homes Developers, the heirs of Bandonill, BBCC, Engr. Benedictor Fernandez, Cevar Realty and Development Incorporated, BLIST-GETCHA HOA, Brandy co-heirs, Baguio-Benguet Green Meadows Incorporated, Century Builders and Consultants Inc., Piecemeal Developer, Country Yards, Danilo Braulio et al, Everest Realty and Development Corporation, Bayquen Realty, Priscilla Sy, Aeroville Homeowners Association, Easterhill Phases 1 and 2, Allied Design and Construction.

Megalopolis Properties, Fil-Estate, De Francia Development, Milhai Inc., Brixium, Olive Garcia, Paul Piluden, Baguio-Benguet Community Credit Cooperative, Felimon Rimorin, Royal Peninsula, Honeycomb Builders, BHI Centennial Development Inc., Helen Dagdagan, Lexber Inc., Honorio Consolidated Development Cooperative, Na Rae Sung Corp., Dominguez Subdivision, Cordillera Housing Cooperative, Juliet Galvez, various entities selling lots at Kitma, Marcos highway, Fil-Am Realty, Barengville Homeowners Association, Prime Peak, Baguio-Benguet Homeowners Association, BG Asian Pacific Builders and Marcons Builder.

Also included in the list are: Mire Construction, Megaplan, George Dacanay and spouse, Vision Heights Realty, BG Asian Pacific Builders, SLU-SVP Housing Project, LGTM Corporation, among others.

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(October 1, 2008 issue)
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