People check the apartment. Few check the building. But registering your ownership depends on the documentation of the whole building, not on the quality of the living-room floor.
Why it matters
For an apartment to be registered as a separate unit in the register of rights to immovable property, the building it is in must be registered and the units within it must be formed as separate units. When a new building is registered, the cadastral record defines the areas occupied by the individual units and, separately, the common areas.
If this step has not been done, you may have paid in full and have nothing registered. The contract remains valid between you and the seller, but in the eyes of the state the property is not yours until it is registered.
What to ask the investor for
Ask to see the documentation that permits the construction of the building and the one proving the building has been accepted for use. These are two different things: the first allows work to start, the second confirms the building was completed as permitted.
Also ask for the cadastral data of the plot on which the building stands and check whether the building has been entered on the cadastral maps. A building that does not exist on the map is a building the cadastre does not yet recognise.
Common areas
Buildings in co-ownership are governed by a separate law. The stairs, corridors, roof and basement are common, and your share of them is tied to your unit. This affects what you pay for maintenance and what you can or cannot do without the consent of the co-owners.
Ask who will manage the building after handover and how costs are shared. This conversation is much easier before signing than after.
Warning signs
A seller who cannot show you the documents, who tells you "it will be sorted out later", or who suggests an un-notarised contract to "save" money — all three are reasons to stop. Private contracts that are not notarised cannot serve as a basis for registration.
Requirements for building documentation are governed by construction and cadastral legislation, which change over time and are applied through the municipality. Confirm them with the MCO of the municipality where the building is located.