Manila: The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development on Tuesday urged prospective homebuyers to verify that a real estate project has a valid license to sell before making a purchase.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DHSUD stated that the license to sell is an official document certifying that a developer's project has met minimum regulatory requirements before it can be offered to the public. This document identifies the project name and location, developer or owner, project type, and scheduled completion date, as outlined in a public advisory.

A valid license signifies that the project complies with regulations under Presidential Decree 957 and Batas Pambansa 220. This requirement applies to subdivision lots, house-and-lot projects, farm lot subdivisions, commercial and industrial subdivisions, condominiums, socialized housing, townhouses, memorial parks, and columbariums.

The DHSUD emphasized that buyers have the legal right to request the license number or a physical copy of the document from sellers before entering into a transaction. Furthermore, the public may verify the licensing status of real estate projects through the DHSUD's License to Sell Directory.