I found a buyer, but the property is not compliant
An enclosed veranda or a moved wall can stop the deed. How to find out early and save the sale.
The problem
The buyer is there, the price is agreed. Then, checking the paperwork, it turns out that the veranda enclosed years ago and a moved wall are recorded neither at the Town Hall nor at the Land Registry. The deed stalls and the buyer starts to have doubts.
Why it happens
Many homes that changed hands over the years carry small alterations that were never regularised. As long as nobody sells, nobody notices. At the deed, however, the cadastral plan must match the actual state and the notary checks the building permits.
How it is solved
- Before the home goes on the market, a surveyor compares the actual state with the records at the Town Hall and the Land Registry.
- If there are discrepancies, you find out right away whether they can be regularised, at what cost and how long it takes.
- The paperwork starts before the offer is signed, or the preliminary contract states who handles it and by when.
- The buyer gets the information at the start, not at the end: that is what keeps their trust.
What you can do
If you plan to sell in the coming months, have the check done now. It costs far less than a failed negotiation.
This is general information. For your own case, check the details with a surveyor or a notary.