Expert Tips for Smart Apartment Buying: Avoid Regrets and Make Informed Choices

With insights from a seasoned real estate expert, learn the critical factors to consider when purchasing an apartment, why obtaining a property registry extract is crucial, and how to handle cases involving minor co-owners.

Key Factors When Choosing Your Home

Neighborhood Infrastructure

Choose a neighborhood that is self-sufficient so that most amenities you frequent are within walking distance or just a short transit ride away. Essential facilities include supermarkets (preferably multiple to avoid queues), pharmacies, and healthcare clinics. For families with children or planning to have them, nearby schools and kindergartens are vital. Consider your personal needs too—some may require a nearby fitness center, while others prefer parks for jogging or dog-friendly areas.

Alena Kvach

Independent Real Estate Consultant.

When inspecting a property, start broad and narrow down: first evaluate the neighborhood, then the building and its surroundings, and finally the apartment itself. Investigate what is nearby, check for necessary infrastructure and green spaces, and ensure there are no harmful industrial facilities in the vicinity.

Secondary market properties often have better-established infrastructure than new developments. If buying new construction, inquire about the area's future development plans. Ideally, the developer has planned for buyer comfort by including shops on ground floors and accessible schools and kindergartens.

With over 800,000 apartment listings across the country on Avito—including new and resale properties from owners—you can use filters to quickly find options by district, size, number of rooms, building type, and preferred floor.

Look for listings marked "Online Viewing," indicating the seller or owner can offer a virtual tour via Skype, WhatsApp, or other channels. You can also request a view of the entrance, elevator, and surrounding area.

Transport Accessibility

Long commutes with multiple transfers can negate the joy of saving money or having a well-designed apartment. Areas with limited access roads often face heavy traffic jams during peak hours. Test your commute during rush hours, even if you mostly drive, to assess public transport frequency and convenience. Sometimes taking a bus or metro can save time compared to sitting in traffic.

Consider the neighborhood from a resident's perspective: is it easy and safe to walk from the nearest bus stop or metro? Are there well-organized parking spaces, or is the courtyard overcrowded with cars? These details impact daily comfort, so it may be worth paying more for a conveniently located home.

Building Condition

Don’t limit your inspection to the apartment; thoroughly examine the building’s exterior, entrance, and adjacent grounds.

Alena Kvach

Check the building facade for damage near the apartment location. Note window orientations and nearby establishments that may cause noise, such as eateries or 24-hour venues.

Assess the condition of access roads and sidewalks—poor surfaces can become hazardous in winter. Evaluate the courtyard amenities like benches, sports areas, and playgrounds.

Alena Kvach

Speak with nearby residents to understand the community and check the condition of elevators and trash chutes. Confirm whether pest issues exist and how effectively the management company or homeowners association operates.

Apartment Condition

Don’t be swayed by fresh renovations, which can conceal faulty wiring, leaking pipes, or unauthorized layout changes. Inspect during daylight to assess natural lighting and spot defects like water stains. Apartments with windows facing southwest or southeast tend to be brighter during the day.

Alena Kvach

Inside, check for leaks, unauthorized renovations affecting load-bearing walls, and water pressure quality. Review recent utility and maintenance bills to understand monthly costs, including services like security or cleaning.

In cold seasons, touch radiators and exterior walls to verify insulation. Test ventilation by holding a sheet of paper to vents; it should be drawn in.

Inspect windows and balconies for mold, drafts, and ease of opening. Ensure soundproofing if windows face busy streets.

Examine floors, walls, and ceilings for stains or damage, which might indicate leaks or structural issues. Check for squeaky or unstable flooring and mold in corners, which may require remediation.

Essential Checks Before Purchase

Property Registry Extract

Obtaining an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate (USRR) is vital to avoid financial loss, such as undisclosed co-owners selling the property. The extract reveals the number of owners, exact dimensions, and whether unauthorized renovations exist.

Alena Kvach

Unauthorized renovations involving internal walls can be legalized by obtaining a new technical passport confirming structural integrity. However, changes affecting wet areas, such as moving bathrooms or kitchens, cannot be legalized and may cause mortgage approval issues, reducing market value and buyer interest.

The extract also indicates encumbrances like liens or arrests, which prevent purchase.

Avito ensures transparent transactions by offering USRR reports for buyers to verify property status, including cadastral value, ownership history, and encumbrances, reducing purchase risks. Reports cost approximately $4 USD for buyers, while sellers receive them free, with personal data anonymized.

Verification of Owner’s Identity Documents

Confirming the seller’s identity protects against fraud. Check that passport details match ownership documents. If the owner has updated their passport, verify previous passport information.

Clarify marital status: property acquired during marriage is joint, requiring spousal consent to sell, typically notarized. In divorce cases, court decisions on asset division are needed.

Alena Kvach

Note the purchase timing and payment method. Properties bought shortly before marriage with mortgage payments made jointly require spousal consent. The statute of limitations for claims after divorce is three years.

Exceptions include gifted or inherited properties acquired during marriage, which belong solely to the owner.

For minor co-owners, verify birth certificates or passports against property documents.

Alena Kvach

If minors are registered residents, they can be relocated before the transaction with proper alternative addresses and parental consent. If minors own shares or full ownership, guardianship approval is required to ensure the new property meets their living standards and access to education.

Ownership Documents

These include privatization agreements, purchase contracts with previous owners, property transfer acts, and payment receipts. For new constructions, shared-equity agreements and acceptance certificates apply.

For ownership based on gifts or inheritance, legal consultation is advisable to avoid disputes from unrecognized heirs or fraudulent schemes.

Registration Certificates of Residents

Obtain current registration certificates (Form No. 9) to identify who lives in the apartment now. Archive certificates reveal past residents and help detect temporarily deregistered individuals, which may require legal advice.

Also request deregistration certificates (Form No. 12), listing individuals removed for reasons like hospitalization, imprisonment, or disappearance. Any entries other than "none" warrant further inquiry.

Alena Kvach

If a registered resident is currently incarcerated, it is advisable to avoid purchasing that property, as they retain the right to return.

Competency Certificates

Transactions involving sellers limited by court in legal capacity or unaware of their actions risk being annulled.

Alena Kvach

In cases of incapacity, court-appointed guardians oversee the transaction to ensure legality and protect interests.

Request psychiatric and addiction certificates to confirm the seller is of sound mind and not under medical supervision. Consider having an expert present during the transaction.

Power of Attorney Verification

Buying from a representative rather than the owner carries risks. Ensure the power of attorney is notarized and verify its authenticity through official registries. Match details with passports and confirm the representative’s authority and validity period. Request notarized copies if the owner cannot attend.

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