I will give advices as a freelance agent.
If you want to be the first buyer, then you can purchase a property from Developer.
All payments should be direct into Developer's name.
Most Developers do the filing of Land Transfer or they may ask you if you want the one to do this.
This is easier for me and I can save from lawyers fee.
You only need to go to local municipality for Tax Declaration payment, BIR(Bureau of Internal Revenue) to pay Capital Gains Tax, VAT, etc. and Registry of Deeds to be officially recorded.
If you want to purchase from individual, and the property is under mortgaged from PAG-IBIG Fund, Bank Loan, In-House Financing and other financing Institution, you need to sign in a Conditional Sale agreement if you want to continue mortgaged payments until the end of contract period. But if you want to pay cash to the property, you'll sign in a Deed of Absolute Sale Agreement.
But before you buy it, check how much is the arears and interest.
You can do the checking by enquiry from where it mortgaged.
Ask for a copy of the Title and apply for a Certified True Copy at Registry of Deeds.
This will show that title is genuine, under mortgaged, and history of the Title.
It cost only £2 and you'll get it on same day.
You need to be very careful as some sellers are not in good faith in selling their property.
Venue of Payment should be infront of Lawyer and everybody must be present.
The Buyer, Seller and at least 2 witnesses.
If the property is purchase through Realtor/Realty.
They may ask you Reservation fees to put your property on hold for usually 30 days.
Don't pay until you have fully realised it is the property you really really want because once you cancel it, you'll get no refund.
You can pay directly to Developer's Office and not at Realty office. This is much better.
Check if the property is convinient for you, free from flood with nice environment.
Do not buy ancestral property as much as possible. If the name of the Title is under the name of ancestors and if died for ages, you'll discover how much you'll pay for Inheritance Tax. And if they died without Will of testament, all children will be the heirs and usually this is the cause of being complicated.
Foreigners can only own 49% and 51% for your wife.
But then owning of houses or buildings is possible as long as the foreigner does not own the land on which the house is build.
Foreigners may enter into a lease agreement with Filipino landowners for an initial period of up to 50 years, and renewable for another 25 years. This is good if you have girlfriend and if you want to buy under her name and enter into an agreement.
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