Land registry
Land registry
- What it is
- The state register of rights to real estate
- What it holds
- Information on properties, owners, encumbrances and transactions
- The main principle
- Ownership arises on registration, not on signing the contract
- What it gives you
- An official extract — the only reliable proof of title
- Where you encounter it
- It exists in every country under its own name: cadastre, land registry, register
In plain words
A land registry (cadastre) is the state register of rights to real estate. It holds information on properties, their owners, encumbrances and completed transactions. Every country calls it something different, but the meaning is the same: it is the official source of truth about who owns a property.
The key principle of most systems is that ownership arises on registration. The contract records the parties’ agreement and the money confirms payment, but you become the owner when the entry is made in the register. That is why payment and registration are always linked to each other rather than spread out in time “on trust”.
The practical tool for the buyer is the official extract. It shows the current owner, the characteristics of the property and any encumbrances: mortgages, seizures, restrictions. It is ordered before the deal, not after, and it is the extract you rely on — not copies of documents sent by the seller.
When you turn to the register
What an extract contains
- Cadastral number
- Area and use
- Address and boundaries
- Who owns it
- The share of ownership
- Basis of title
- Mortgages and charges
- Seizures and restrictions
- Easements
- Previous transactions
- Date of registration
- Changes to the data
How it works in a deal
- 01Ordering an extract before the deal
- 02Checking the data and encumbrances
- 03Signing and settlement
- 04Registering the transfer of title
- 05A new extract in your name
What you need to know
- The right arises on entry in the register
- An extract outweighs any copies from the seller
- In most countries access to the data is public
- Encumbrances are visible in the register itself
- Registration and payment are linked
Common mistakes
- Treating the contract as sufficient proof of title
- Working with copies of documents instead of a fresh extract
- Paying the full amount before the transfer of title is registered
- Not checking that the extract is current on the date of the deal
- Ignoring discrepancies between the register and reality
What this means for a BRIDGES client
We structure the deal so that payment and registration of title are linked and the register extract is fresh on the day of signing. It is standard practice for protecting the buyer, and we do not cut corners on it.
Frequently asked questions
01 /What is a land registry?
The state register of rights to real estate: properties, owners, encumbrances and transactions. Different countries call it by different names.
02 /When do I become the owner?
In most systems — on registration of title in the register, not on signing the contract or paying.
03 /What does an extract show?
The current owner, the characteristics of the property, the basis of title and any encumbrances: mortgages, seizures, restrictions.
04 /Can I obtain the data myself?
In many countries registers are public or available on request. The procedure and cost depend on the jurisdiction.
05 /Why take an extract twice?
New encumbrances may appear between the check and the deal. A fresh extract on the day of signing removes this risk.
06 /How are payment and registration linked?
Through the mechanisms accepted in the country: escrow, payment through a notary, staged payments. A gap between the money and the registration is the main risk.
See also
Read next
This material has undergone editorial review by BRIDGES.
Preparing a property deal?
We will build the payment and check arrangement so that the money and the title pass together.