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Acquisition Loan Requirements for Self-Employed Borrowers

Buying a property from an individual seller or a developer.

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Running your own business means banks can't just check a payslip — they build a picture of your operation from DTI or SEC papers, audited financials, and how money actually moves through your account. It takes a bit more paperwork than salaried employment, but a self-employed applicant with two years of clean, verifiable income can qualify for loan amounts that surprise people who assumed only employees get approved easily. An Acquisition Loan is the loan most Filipinos picture when they think "housing loan" — you're buying a specific property, whether from an individual seller (a resale unit or lot) or directly from a developer (pre-selling or ready-for-occupancy). The bank evaluates both your income and the property itself, since the property becomes the collateral securing the loan. One thing specific to Self-Employed applicants: banks evaluate cashflow, not just the ITR. Below is the complete, up-to-date checklist for a Self-Employed borrower pursuing an Acquisition loan in the Philippines — 9 borrower-side documents plus everything the bank needs on the property side.

Loan Stages

1

Completion of Pre-Approval Requirements

Submit and complete all borrower and loan documents listed above.

2

Conditional Approval

You're confirmed income-qualified and cleared to proceed.

3

Final Approval

The property passes appraisal and title verification.

4

Bank Guaranty Issuance

The bank formally guarantees the loan to the seller or developer.

5

Annotation

The loan is officially annotated on the property's title.

6

Loan Release

Funds are disbursed and the process is complete.

Borrower Requirements — Self-Employed

General Requirements

  • Signed application form
  • 1–2 valid government IDs
  • Proof of billing

Income Requirements

  • DTI Certificate or SEC Registration
  • Mayor's / Business Permit
  • Audited Financial Statements — last 2 years
  • Income Tax Return — last 2 years
  • Bank statements — latest 6–12 months (must show business income inflow)
  • Authorization for verification (business, residence, bank account)

Loan Requirements — Acquisition

Property Requirements

  • Owner's Duplicate Copy of Title
  • Tax Declaration — land and/or improvement, whichever applies

Transaction Requirements

  • Contract to Sell or Offer to Purchase
  • Statement of Account (if acquiring from the developer)

Bank Requirements

  • Authorization for tax mapping
  • Appraisal fee payment

Special Notes for Self-Employed Borrowers

Banks evaluate cashflow, not just the ITR.

Conditional & Final Approval

Conditional Approval

You're confirmed income-qualified.

  • Income stability
  • Bank statements
  • Employment/business verification
  • Debt-to-income ratio
  • Maximum loanable amount

Final Approval

  • Appraisal
  • Collateral verification
  • Title and Tax Declaration checks
  • All pre-approval requirements validated

How Much Can You Actually Borrow?

General Rule

Your monthly amortization should be 50% or below of your monthly income.

GMIR Formula

GMIR = 50% of Monthly Income
Adjusted GMIR = GMIR − Existing Monthly Amortizations
Loan Amount = Adjusted GMIR × (1 − (1 + r/12)⁻ⁿˣ¹²) / (r/12)

Post-Approval Requirements

Borrower Civil Status

  • Original Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) with Official Receipt
  • OR Copy of Marriage Certificate

Seller Civil Status

  • Original Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) with Official Receipt
  • OR Copy of Marriage Certificate

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Acquisition loans cover both ready-for-occupancy and pre-selling properties, though the bank will check the developer's accreditation status and the project's completion timeline.

Yes — an Acquisition Loan requires a Contract to Sell or Offer to Purchase for a specific property before the bank can process your application.

Other Loan Types for Self-Employed Borrowers

Construction Loan Take-Out Tie-Up Acqui-Diff Property Equity Loan (PEL)

Acquisition Loans for Other Borrower Types

Employed (Local) OFW Pensioner Professional Corporation

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