At a glance
- The land registry (zemljišna knjiga) shows who is registered as owner and what burdens exist.
- The cadastre (katastar) describes the parcel: number, area and boundaries.
- The two can differ. A difference needs an explanation, but is not automatically a deal-breaker.
- Co-owners, heirs and representatives change who must sign.
The land registry extract
A Croatian land registry extract is organised in three parts. The property sheet describes the parcel and any building. The ownership sheet shows the registered owner(s) and their shares. The encumbrances sheet shows mortgages, easements, rights of use, pending proceedings and other burdens. Read all three: the question is not only who owns the property but what comes with it.
The cadastre
The cadastre is a separate record of the parcel's number, area, boundaries and land use. Land registry and cadastre have not always been aligned, especially on older plots, so the registered area, the cadastral area and the area on the ground can differ. Where they do, find out why before you buy.
Questions to answer before a deposit
- Is the person selling the registered owner, and do they have the right to sell on their own?
- Are there co-owners, and have all of them agreed? What are their shares?
- Has an inheritance been completed and registered, or is the registered owner deceased?
- Is there a mortgage, usufruct, right of way or other burden, and how will it be removed or handled at completion?
- Do the registered description, area and building match the documents and the property you saw?
- Does anyone hold a statutory right of pre-emption that must be respected? This can apply in some cases, for example to co-owners or public bodies.
Apartments
For an apartment, check that it exists as a separately registered unit, which share of the building and common parts it carries, and what the monthly maintenance and any reserve fund contributions are. Ask for recent building management information and whether any works or debts are outstanding.
Who can sign
A seller may sign through a representative with a valid power of attorney, heirs may need to complete probate first, and companies must act through their authorised representatives. Each of these can be solved, but each adds time. Knowing it at the start is better than finding out at the notary.
Your agent reviews the documents available and coordinates further clarification. A legal opinion or certified determination of title must come from a qualified lawyer, and I will tell you when one is advisable.