The database of THE Capital objects consists only of verified options. Today, we offer you to put yourself in the shoes of a realtor and find out what path should be taken in order to understand that the owner and his property are really trustworthy.
Legal purity of the object
Any transactions with real estate begin with getting to know its owners. Don't be put off if the hosts turn out to be nice and pleasant people to talk to. Even gaps fraudsters can smile sincerely and look with eyes full of honesty. The ability to hide your true intentions behind skillful masks can hide your real losses of time and money. That is why we consider the inspection of its owners to be the first point of importance when buying an apartment. Here we put several meanings at once:
- verification of documentation;
- checking the person himself.
In the first case, it is necessary to study power law to the object of real estate and documents of a person who positions himself as a seller. If we are talking about purchasing an apartment from a developer, delve into the study of his biography, company history and specific projects. As for the second point, a simple conversation with the neighbors will help to make sure of the reliability of the person with whom you plan to do business. They already know for sure if the owner is real or just a money-hungry impostor.
After a close acquaintance with the owner, feel free to proceed to the study of real estate documents. We are most interested in the extract from the State Register of Rights to Real Estate. What does she give you? In fact, the whole secret of a specific object is revealed to you:
- who is the owner;
- when the sales contract was signed;
- how often the apartment was sold;
- registered lawsuits or unresolved disputes;
- that she is under arrest;
- whether a mortgage loan is paid on it.
Analyzing the information provided will help you find hidden problems. You will save yourself from buying real estate that you will not be able to dispose of due to foreclosure or for which you will still have to pay extra on the loan. Even if the arrest was recently lifted, do not rush to sign the contract, because the decision can be appealed, and then it will be invalid. A frequent change of owners should also raise suspicions. It indicates either that they all bought an apartment only with the aim of making money from its resale, or that they very quickly discovered pitfalls that they wanted to get rid of.
Let's summarize. When communicating with the owner of the apartment, the following behavior should alert you:
- reluctance to show documents;
- refusals;
- frequent change of owners;
- insistence on selling power of attorney.
We did not consider the last point in detail, so let's dwell on it additionally. In many cases, a power of attorney can be a panacea for busy investors and owners, but a fraudulent seller can turn a deal that's good for you completely wrong. Agree only if the identity of the seller does not cause you suspicions, and all documents have been thoroughly checked by an experienced expert.
The contents of Pandora's box
What is hidden in this legendary artifact? Only the one who opens it will recognize it. Then unpleasant surprises will come out. The same can happen with an apartment, only misfortunes and calamities of a slightly smaller scale will spontaneously appear on the horizon. Although it remains to be seen. Even if the documents appear to be fine at first glance, this does not guarantee that there will be no problems. Now the human factor can play an evil joke on you in a completely different context:
- registered residents;
- applicants for real estate.
Both of these categories can appear on the horizon of your happy life already after replenishing the investment portfolio with a new object. Registration used to be considered the sacred knowledge of the owner of the apartment, but now it is much later to learn about who is considered an official resident of a particular property. You need to know such information because in some cases the registered person has more rights to the apartment than the new owner. It is about separate categories related to age and health, as well as about former owners. If the documents indicate that the apartment was bought recently, and its old owners are still registered in it, this can be the beginning of a big tangle of problems and deceptions that only you will have to untangle.
As for other applicants for an apartment, they can be heirs and co-owners. If the real estate was transferred under a will, relatives can contest its sale, so you need to make sure that the inheritance was received on legal grounds and that the entire apartment is being sold, not just its parts. Spouses can also be co-owners. And here it is necessary to obtain a notarized consent for the sale of jointly acquired property. And if not, then your purchase can again be challenged in court and declared invalid.
Filling the apartment and its condition
Not everyone can see the difference between an eternal classic and an outdated design, but it is not about taste, but about the objective characteristics of real estate. A light cosmetic repair can hide small flaws and paint a beautiful picture on top of a frightening reality. During inspections, always remember that you are not looking at the apartment, but will live in it, so do not hesitate to ask uncomfortable questions, open doors, touch upholstered furniture, turn faucets, click switches. It is better to break a poorly fixed pipe in front of the eyes of the old owner than the new one.
Don't be in a hurry to rejoice if you notice handmade Italian carved furniture and lamps made of Murano glass in the interior. The owner has the right to take all this beauty with him, unless you have agreed otherwise. According to the legislation, the following must stay in the apartment:
- electric or gas stove;
- all sanitary equipment, including shower, bathtub, toilet and sink;
- entrance and interior doors.
Such a minimum set corresponds to technical and sanitary standards. All other elements of furniture and decor can be taken out. If you do not want to buy a designer apartment, but get bare walls, discuss this point in advance and determine what exactly remains for you after the purchase. Experts advise to make a description of the property. It is necessary to prescribe the manufacturer and brand, size and color, model and condition of the object. If it is about something decorative, the description can be simplified and a number assigned to the thing. Such a list is an addition to the main contract and, like it, is signed by both parties.
