Documentation in
property purchase is evidence of a reliable purchase. First off get a copy of
the Land Registry extract known as the nota simple, pertaining to the property
you are interested in. It is an abbreviated one page document containing
crucial information on the property including the Catastral number, also known
as Referencia Catastral.
The Catastral
certificate or Certificado Catastral should be easy to obtain using the catastral
number in the land registry extract. It can be obtained from the Catastral
Office in the town hall. It will have a written and a graphic representation of
the property with a detailed plan of the property and a map showing its
location. Check both documents and take note of any discrepancies and ensure
they are corrected before your make the purchase.
Ensure that you see a copy
of the property deed, referred to as the Escritura Publica, to establish
ownership of the property. It is a folder containing information pertaining to
the previous transfer of ownership of the property, a description of the
property, details of any debts and mortgages attached to it and information on
the previous and current owners of the property. You can verify the information
by seeing the original copy of the document at the notary office.
