The buying process

A purchase is easier to manage when the legal file, payment plan and physical inspection move together. The order below is a working checklist, not a promise that every transaction follows the same timetable: the title, property type, financing and parties can change what needs to happen before signing.

Confirm the buyer, property and route

Before paying a reservation fee, identify every buyer and seller, the ownership share being transferred, the exact cadastral parcel and the property included in the deal. Ask for a current cadastral extract and compare its identifiers, floor, area and registered owner with the property you have viewed. For a foreign buyer, check the rules for the buyer’s nationality and the asset type before treating a proposed structure as available; the foreign-buyer article explains the main questions to take to a local adviser.

If you are looking around Kotor, browse the current Kotor catalogue alongside the documents for each specific property. A listing, brochure or floor plan helps you ask questions; it does not replace the public record or the documents relevant to a particular building.

Review title and building records

Have an independent Montenegrin lawyer review the cadastral extract and explain any mortgage, restriction, easement, co-owner, pending entry or mismatch. Compare the recorded unit and boundaries with the physical property. For a house, land or recently altered building, ask which planning, construction, use or legalisation documents apply and whether the built state matches the recorded and approved state. A missing document does not have one universal consequence: the professional reviewing the file should explain whether it can be resolved, what it affects and who bears the risk.

The Real Estate Administration’s cadastral legislation describes the registration framework. Ask your lawyer to confirm the current extract and the registration route for the transaction instead of relying on an old copy supplied with an advertisement.

Agree terms before transferring money

Put the price, currency, deposit, payment milestones, deadline, included furnishings, handover conditions and treatment of registered charges into documents reviewed by your lawyer. If a preliminary agreement is proposed, understand which obligations it creates, whether the deposit is refundable in each scenario and what evidence must exist before the main contract is signed. Do not rely on a verbal promise that a defect, permit or debt will be dealt with later unless the agreement says how and by whom.

Verify bank instructions with the intended recipient using a contact method you already trust. A last-minute change of account details deserves a separate check. If you are borrowing or moving funds across borders, confirm transfer timing, bank compliance documents and any currency-conversion costs before committing to a completion date.

Sign and register the transfer

Property contracts must follow the form required by Montenegrin law. The notary handling the transaction should confirm the documents, identity checks, interpretation or translation needs, payment evidence and how the signed instrument is submitted to the Real Estate Administration. Ask who files the registration request, how you will receive proof of filing and how to check that the new ownership entry is complete. Signing the contract and appearing as owner in the cadastre are separate points in the process.

Keep the signed contract, notarial copies, payment confirmations, filing receipt and later registration decision together. If a record is delayed or returned for correction, ask the notary or lawyer to identify the exact missing item rather than guessing from a general checklist.

Budget for completion and handover

Ask for a written estimate that separates purchase tax, notary charges, legal advice, any agreed agency commission, translations, bank costs and registration-related expenses. The purchase-cost guide explains which costs vary and which facts determine the calculation. After registration, agree a dated handover record with keys, meter readings, included items and available building documents. Check service-charge and utility balances with the relevant providers or building manager; do not assume that an account changes automatically when title changes.

Plan the first months of ownership

Contact the municipality about the annual immovable-property tax record, and confirm how utilities, building-management notices and insurance should be addressed to the new owner. If the property will be rented, obtain current advice about registration, tax and local tourist-accommodation requirements before advertising it. If residence is part of your plan, ownership alone does not grant a permit: read the property-residence guide and verify eligibility before purchase.