Lecture with real estate professionals, board reviewees and other professionals. Ecotech, Sudlon, Lahug Cebu City.

1.  
August Babula Agosto, EnP, REA, REB
Faculty, School of Business and Economics,
University of San Carlos

2. To equip future brokers:
1. Basic understanding in reading
legal descriptions
1.The methods used to describe real
property
2. how to plot a legal description

3. Site Location
Map Reading
Lot Plotting
Workshop

4. Informal – street number and name or the distance
from a certain landmark; property boundaries cannot
be determined by these methods and the address and
physical features may change over the years

5.  METES AND BOUNDS
• Metes = defined by distances and direction
• Bounds = more general boundary description
 PLAT SURVEY METHOD –Subdivision Survey
 RECTANGULAR SURVEYS
 MONUMENTS

6.  Metes and Bounds . A common method of land
description that identifies a property by specifying the
shape and boundary dimensions of the parcel, using
terminal points and angles.

8. Rectangular Survey System – also called as
government survey or geodetic survey system. To
better understand this concept, think of a
checkerboard. It has an intersecting line that forms
a grid of squares. The first set of intersecting lines
are called principal meridian which run north and
south and base lines which run east and west.

10. Plat survey method – sometimes
called the lot-block tract method. This
is used in areas where land is
subdivided into phase, block and lot
and usually recorded in an approved
subdivision plan. Lot 2, Block 4, Phase 2
of Corona del Mar Talisay City.

12.  Points of Beginning - must be either (1) at a known point
(such as a monument) or (2) at a certain course and distance
from such a known point.
 Bearing - indicate course or direction
 Distances - the description of a property line must show
distance (length of line)
 Closure - created by erroneous points of beginning,
erroneous courses, and erroneous distances
 Monuments- are permanent landmarks that indicate
boundaries. They may be natural (trees, streams, and lakes)
or artificial (fences, walls, stakes, posts, pins, roads, streets,
and railroads).
o Reference points (Bureau of Lands Location
Monument -BLLM, Bureau of Lands Barrio Monuments
- BLBM, Tie Point or point of beginning)

13.  Bearings = Bearings are used to indicate angular
orientation with respect to the earth
 Benchmark = A survey mark made on a monument
having a known location and elevation, serving as a
reference point for surveying.
 Tie Line = A survey line that connects a point to
other surveyed lines
 Property Line = describes the legal boundary of a
parcel of land
 BLLM = Bureau of Lands Location Monument

14.  

15.  Direction (Using internet, example: Google earth)
 Lot Plan / Vicinity Map / Location Map
 Means of Transportation
 Access Roads/Routes
 Reference Point (adjacent properties / land marks) and
Specific Distances, or Time Frame
 Land Use
 Contact persons

16. DISTANCE = the extent or amount
of space between two things,
points, lines, etc.
DIRECTION = a position on a line
extending from a specific point
toward a point of the compass.
Defined by the number of
degrees, minutes and
seconds.
ELEVATION = height above a fixed
reference point

17.  Survey Maps
 Vicinity or Location Map
 Tax map
 Land Title
 Sketch Plan
 Owner
 Owner’s Agent
 Internet (ie… Google Map)
 Barangay/ Purok Officials
 Neighbors

18.  Technical Approach
o By relocation Survey
 Layman’s Approach
o Direction of a
knowledgeable person
 Semi-Skilled Approach
o Sketching/Plotting with the use of:
• Compass and Tape
• Angular estimate and Pacing
o Use of a GPS

19. PACING
 Distance = Pace factor × Number of Paces

20. Seatwork:
A Real Estate Broker walked along a given straight line in a
horizontal ground that was known to be 60 m long, in
order to determine her average unit pace. She paced the
line five times, recording 78, 76.5, 77, 87, and 76 paces,
respectively.
a. Determine her average unit pace, or Pace Factor (PF).
b. If the said broker then counted an average of 123.5 paces
while pacing off the line of unknown distance, what is the
distance?
Remarks:
Pace Factor (PF) = Distance ÷ Average Paces

21.  Taping EquiAMents
 clisimeter
 Transit, or Level; and stadia
 Total Station
 EDM
 Laser Meter

22. A simple measuring wheel mounted on a
rod can be used to determine distances, by
pushing the rod and rolling the wheel along
the line to be measured.
An attached device called an odometer
serves to count the number of turns of
the wheels
From the known circumference of the
wheel and the number of revolutions,
distances for reconnaissance can be
determined with relative accuracy of about
1:200.

23.  Hectare = 10,000 square meters
 Kilometer (km) = 1,000 meters
 Meter (m) = 100 centimeters
 Meridian (or line of longitude) = true north and
south line extending from an initial point in both
direction

24.  Original Survey = cadastral survey which creates land
boundaries and marks them for the first time
 Plat = A surveyed map of a town, section, or subdivision
indicating the exact locations and boundaries of individual
properties, streets, easements, and public recreation areas.
 Setback = Zoning restrictions on the amount of bare land
required surrounding improvements; the amount of space
required between the lot line and the building line
 Subdivision = Land that has been divided by the owner into
individual parcels or lots which have been grouped into
blocks. These lots, together with streets, alleys, parks,
schools, planned commercial areas, and public utility
easements, are recorded on a plat

25.  Easement = areas of land owned by the property owner, but in which
other parties, such as utility companies, may have limited rights granted
for a specific purpose.
 Right-of-way = a parcel of land granted by deed or easement for
construction and maintenance according to a designated use. This may
include highways, streets, canals, ditches, or other uses
 Latitude = A measure of relative position north or south on the Earth's
surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has a latitude of
0°, with the poles having a latitude of 90° north and south
 Longitude = is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west
position of a point on the Earth's surface

26.  Prime Meridian = the longitude that passes through the
Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England, establishes the
position of zero degrees longitude.
 Mean Sea Level = is a measure of the average height of the
ocean's surface (such as the halfway point between the mean
high tide and the mean low tide)
 Contour Lines = a line on a map joining points of equal
height above or below sea level
 Topographic Map = is a type of map characterized by large-
scale detail and quantitative representation of relief

28.  TCT = Transfer Certificate of Title
 OCT = Original Certificate of Title
 Free-Patent = is a legitimate proof of ownership of public land
in the Philippines granted by the Philippine government. It is
an agreement between the government and the grantee, that
he or she is charged of developing the land within a specified
period of time.
 Cadastral Survey = creates or re-establishes, marks, and
defines boundaries of tracts of lands.
 Consolidation and Subdivision Survey = land survey of
more than two contiguous lots merging to form a single lot,
and a single lot subdivided into two or more lots, respectively.

29.  CAD = Cadastral Survey
 Csd = subdivision survey of Cadastral Lot
 Psd = subdivision survey of a titled properties. All Psd surveys
are conducted by a Private Geodetic Engineer
 Bsd - Is a subdivision survey on government titled properties
conducted by a Government Geodetic Engineer. If a private titled
land is being surveyed by a Government Geodetic Engineer thru
court order, the resulting survey is a Bsd.
 Psu - is a survey on original land (not yet surveyed) by a private
Geodetic Engineer. This kind of survey will be used by titling thru
judicial proceedings (means thru court order).
 FP - Free Patent survey by a Private Geodetic Engineer

30. o Map – it is a flat representation of earth’s surface in
paper
o Tie point – point one of the lot
o Tie Line – imaginary line connecting the known
geographic position (say BLLM) to the corner (point 1) of
the titled property
o Surveying – science of making measurements to
determine the relative position of points and lines on
the surface of the earth
o Relocation Survey – survey intended to verify the
boundaries of the property. The purpose of this is to
ascertain whether or not there are encroachments.

31. o Subdivision survey – a survey to determine the
boundaries of each lot in a subdivision project
o Topographic plan – plan showing various
elevations of the property
o Contour lines – lines in a topographic plan
which indicate the elevation of the land at
various sections
o Subdivision – a tract of land, in general,
subdivided into two or more lots

32.  

33.  
FOR REAL ESTATE BROKERS

34. o Types of Map
o Map symbol
o Map Scale
o Important information in a map
o o Cardinal direction (north, south,
east, west)
o o Bearings and azimuth (technical
description)
o o Scale say 1:200

35. MAP SCALE
Map Scale = indicates the relationship between a
certain distance on the map and the distance on
the ground. Often located in the “legend box”
Types of Scales:
1. Ratio or Representative Fraction (RF)
o Example: 1/100,000 or 1:100,000
2. Word statement
o "One centimeter equals ten kilometers.“
3. Graphic Scale

36. 1. Vicinity Map/Location Map
2. Subdivision Plan
3. Lot Plan
4. Topographic Map
5. Geohazard Map
6. Land use Map

40.  Location of property
 Name of owner/declarant
 Location of land
 Legal reference point
 Bearings and distance from tie point to reference point
 Bearings and distances from point 1 to the end of the lot
 Technical description
 Lot drawing or subdivision plan

41.  Area of lot
 Boundaries
 Date of survey
 Date of approval
 Name of surveyor

45.  WHAT IS A COMPASS?
o is a navigational instrument that measures directions in a frame of
reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth
o The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions (or points) –
north, south, east, and west.
 Can used for orienting a map
 Can be use to find direction
 Can be use to find location

46. Orienting, or aligning, the map is
really easy with just 3 steps:
• Lay your map out on a
relatively flat, smooth surface.
• Turn your declination-adjusted
compass dial so due North is at
the index pointer.
• Place your compass on your
map with the edge of the base
plate parallel to the north-south
meridians on the map.
• Turn the map and compass
together until the compass
needle is "boxed" in the
orienting arrow

47.  Seatwork
1. N30degW
2. S30degE
3. N33degE
4. S33degW
5. N76degE

49.  

51. Lot Plotting – drawing the exact shape
(square,
rectangle, trapezoid) and measurement of a
particular lot from the technical descriptions
shown in the title.
The boundaries and lot orientation on the
north, east,west and south are also attained.

54.  Cul-de-sac – a passageway with only one outlet. A
blind alley.
 Key lot – exists when a lot has several otherhomes
backing onto the side of the home. If you were to walk
along the side of a key lot you’d be able to see two or
three of the neighbors’ backyards

55. o TCT Serial No.
o TCT Number
o Page and Book Number
o Location of the property (Lot, Block and Survey No.)
o Technical description
o Tie line
o Reference points
o Name and address of registered owner
o Original registration of OCT
o Place, date and time of last registration

56.  Name and signature of register of deeds
 o Encumbrances annotated at the back of the title such
as:
o o Subdivision restriction
o o Right-of-way
o o Mortgage and other liens (loans, mechanics, tax)
o o Lis pendens (property is under litigation)
o o Sec. 4 Rule 74 of the Rules of Court
o o Writ of attachment and execution
o o Lease contract, Contract to sell

59.  Measuring a Bearing .When measuring a quadrant bearing using a
protractor, it is important to note that a protractor has a baseline, an origin
and a set of graduated scales (outer scale and inner scale) running opposite
of each other. One row of numbers begins with 0 and run to 180 with the
other running opposite from 180 to 0. With two sets of numbers, it can be
confusing at first determining which number to use, but remembering a
simple rule will help. The rule is that you always count up from zero. In
addition, remembering that each quadrant runs from 0 to 90 degrees will
help determine which number to use, meaning that for a quadrant bearing,
you will always select the lesser of the two numbers shown on the scales.
 Remember that a bearing is always measured toward East or West
from North or South and although there are 360 degrees in a complete
circle, quadrant bearings or 90 degrees in each quarter-circle are used
when plotting legal descriptions. Each degree has 60 minutes and each
minute has 60 seconds.

60.  Seatwork
 1. N 90 degrees E ___
 2. S 45 degrees E ___
 3. N 15 degrees E ___
 4. S 05 degrees E ___
 5. N 40 degrees E ___

61. NORTH

62. NORTH

63. NORTHEAST

64. NORTHWEST

65. SOUTH

66. SOUTH

67. SOUTHEAST

68. SOUTHWEST

71. o Compare lot plan, title and tax declaration whether they
are agreeable with each other like name or owner,
bearings, boundaries, etc.
o Further verification is done by asking the help of the
assessor thru its tax mapping division
o If it is a subdivision lot, refer to the subdivision developer,
homeowners association, owners of adjacent lots as to
the correctness of the plan as shown in the TCT
o If the lot is not within the subdivision, hire a licensed
geodetic engineer especially if the property is rawland.
o Verify actual area vs area stated in the title. Check
possible encroachments.

73.  Plot the technical description of a property
 Use protractor, ruler and Manila Paper
 Presentation

74. Legal Description
Site Location
Map Reading
Lot Plotting
Questions???

75.  
Mobile : 0917 488 5555 Landline: (32) 421 2003
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