A purchase you can complete from abroad
In a typical remote engagement, the sequence runs like this: you choose the property; we run the checks and deliver a written report; you sign a Special Power of Attorney abroad and have it apostilled; your attorney-in-fact in the Philippines signs the deed, pays the taxes and follows the registration through; and the new title is confirmed to you at the end. None of the steps is exotic. What makes the process safe is the order they come in, and the documents being right the first time — a rejected instrument costs weeks when the signer is a flight away.
The engagement itself runs remotely too. In our experience everything a buyer needs to decide can be handled by email and scheduled calls: you receive the report, the draft documents and the closing accounting in writing, and nothing proceeds until you have confirmed each step. Distance changes the logistics of a purchase; it does not have to change the level of control you keep over it.
The Special Power of Attorney
The instrument that makes remote buying work is the Special Power of Attorney: a document you sign in China naming a person in the Philippines to sign the contract to sell, the deed of absolute sale and the tax and registration papers for one identified property. A document signed abroad must be authenticated before Philippine registries and notarial practice will accept it. As of this writing, the Apostille Convention has been in force for mainland China since November 2023, so an SPA notarized in Shanghai or Beijing can be apostilled locally instead of passing through consular legalization. Hong Kong and Macao were already apostille jurisdictions before that. Taiwan is not a party to the Convention; Taiwan-issued documents follow a different legalization route, and we confirm the current requirements before anything is signed.
In our experience the drafting matters as much as the apostille. An SPA that is too narrow stalls at the Registry of Deeds; one that is too broad hands an agent more of your money than it should. We prepare it property-specific, and we review it before you take it to the notary.
Who signs for you in Manila
The attorney-in-fact is the person your SPA empowers, so choose with care. Some clients name a trusted relative in the Philippines; others prefer that the signing authority sit with counsel precisely so that no one connected to the seller holds it. Whoever you name, in our experience one rule should not bend: the attorney-in-fact must be independent of the seller, the broker and the developer. An agent suggested by the other side of the transaction is a conflict of interest wearing a smile, and the SPA is too powerful a document to hand across the table. The same independence applies to the checking itself — the lawyer who verifies the title should not be the one who profits if the sale closes.
Identity papers and tax registration
Expect the deed and the tax filings to carry your passport details, so a clear copy of your passport travels with the SPA. A foreign buyer also needs a Philippine Taxpayer Identification Number before the transfer taxes can be paid; in our experience that registration is handled by the attorney-in-fact as part of the closing, not something you fly in for. Who customarily pays which tax, and when, is on our taxes and costs page.
Questions about the money
On large purchases, banks and developers typically ask know-your-client and source-of-funds questions — expect to be asked where the purchase money comes from, and expect to document the answer. That is ordinary practice, not a sign of trouble, and clean paperwork disposes of it quickly. How you move funds out of China is a matter of Chinese law and your bank's rules — take advice on the China side.
The golden rule: the report comes before the money
Everything above serves one rule: no reservation fee, deposit or purchase price moves until you have read a written due diligence report on the property — the title, the seller, the project and, for a condominium unit, the foreign quota. A buyer signing from abroad has less room to fix a mistake after the fact, not more, which is exactly why the report comes first. That report is the core of our due diligence service for Chinese buyers, and the whole engagement is designed to run from overseas — see working with us from abroad and the full guide for Chinese buyers. Book a consultation before you commit to anything.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to travel to the Philippines to buy property?
Typically no. In our experience the entire sequence, from reservation to registration, can run through an attorney-in-fact acting under a Special Power of Attorney signed abroad, with the checking done before any payment leaves your account.
Is a Special Power of Attorney signed in mainland China valid in the Philippines?
As of this writing, the Apostille Convention has been in force for mainland China since November 2023, so a properly notarized and apostilled SPA is generally accepted for use here. We prepare the draft and review it before you sign.
What about documents issued in Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan?
Hong Kong and Macao were already apostille jurisdictions, so their documents follow the apostille route. Taiwan is not a party to the Convention, and Taiwan-issued documents follow a different legalization route; confirm the current requirements before you sign anything.
When should I send money?
After you have read the written due diligence report. In our experience the expensive mistakes happen when a reservation fee or deposit moves before anyone has verified the title, the seller and the project. The report comes first; the money follows.