QUESTION: Real estate purchase: process: how to inspect a property before a deal?

Inspecting a real estate property before a deal is a crucial stage upon which the security of your investments and the legal clarity of your future apartment depend. First of all, it is necessary to determine the current point of legal verification: request a fresh USRN extract, check the owner's passport details, and ensure there are no encumbrances, seizures, or pledges.

Set a clear success metric for verification: the property must have an absolutely clean history of ownership transfers over the past few years and no legal disputes involving former owners. Special attention is paid to checking for the seller's bankruptcy and the presence of minor children or incapacitated citizens whose rights might have been violated during privatization.

Choose reliable tools for information analysis: use official state services, websites of courts of general jurisdiction, the notarial chamber, and bailiff databases. This will help identify hidden risks, such as utility debts, enforcement proceedings, or claims from third parties regarding the acquired residential space.

Set a strict deadline for conducting the legal due diligence so as not to drag out the process of reaching the deal, but also without neglecting details. If you have doubts about the authenticity of any certificates or the clarity of the inheritance chain, involve professional lawyers or accredited mortgage managers in the verification.

Automate regular document control actions at the final stage: right before signing the sale and purchase agreement, order a repeated USRN extract to ensure the status of the property remains unchanged. Such a systematic approach guarantees you peace of mind and confidence that your purchase is protected from any unpleasant surprises in the future.