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Buying real estate has always been a responsible step, and in the conditions of 2025, when economic instability and wartime risks intensify fraudulent schemes, it becomes a real challenge. Insufficient legal vigilance may lead to the loss of money, property and years of court disputes. To protect yourself, it is necessary to carefully study all possible threats.
The primary real estate market is financed mainly at the expense of future investors. This dependence makes it especially vulnerable. If the developer runs into financial problems, construction may be halted, and you risk being left with an unfinished property.
To minimize these risks, before concluding the deal it is worth:
Checking the developer: Finding out about their experience, reputation, as well as the sources of financing for the project.
Assessing the financial guarantees: Clarifying the availability of bank guarantees, insurance or other mechanisms that will protect your investment in the event of a “freeze” of construction.
Studying the permit documents: Making sure that the developer has ownership of the land plot, construction permits, and that the designated purpose of the plot corresponds to the type of property.
Checking court proceedings: Finding out whether any court cases are being conducted against the company.
Also be careful with non-standard investment schemes, such as housing construction cooperatives or targeted contributions. They do not give you a direct ownership right, but only a right of claim. In the event of the developer’s bankruptcy, returning the funds may be almost impossible. Give preference to transparent and legally regulated ways of purchasing real estate.
On the secondary real estate market, deals are most often declared invalid due to the hidden rights of third parties. The most common case is when the property is the joint property of spouses, and the deal is concluded without the consent of one of them. Always check the marital status of the seller and require notarized consent.
Pay special attention to the history of the property. If the real estate has frequently changed owners over a short period of time, this may be a sign of fraud or an attempt to hide legal problems. A careful study of previous deals will help avoid future court disputes.
Despite the risks, most problems arise due to typical mistakes of the buyers themselves.
An understated price in the contract: Often the parties agree to state an understated value in the deal in order to reduce tax costs. However, if the contract is challenged and declared invalid, you will receive only the amount that was stated in the document, and not the one you actually paid.
Trust without verification: Never rely on the documents provided by the seller. You must always order your own extracts from the state registers. This will allow you to make sure that the real estate is not under arrest, pledged, or does not have other encumbrances.
The absence of analysis: Check the ownership history of the property. Find out on the basis of which documents the seller obtained the ownership right (inheritance, sale contract, court decision) and whether they were challenged. Use the Unified State Register of Court Decisions to make sure there are no court disputes regarding the real estate.
Advance and thorough legal verification is your best protection. Do not skimp at this stage, since it is an investment in your safety.
Buying real estate is always a serious step that requires not only significant financial investment, but also thorough legal verification. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is worth paying attention to several key aspects.
Although judicial practice in Ukraine recognizes that debts for utility services remain the obligation of the previous owner, the new owner often has to prove their case in court. In order not to waste time and money on court proceedings, before signing the contract:
Obtain certificates: Require from the seller certificates from the housing office (ZHEK), the HOA and service providers confirming the absence of debt.
Stipulate the obligation in the contract: Add a clause to the contract that obliges the seller to pay off all debts and establishes penalties for non-performance.
If the real estate has several owners, make sure that you have obtained a notarized waiver by the other co-owners of their preferential right to purchase the share. This will rule out their future claims to your property.
A preliminary contract is an important tool that protects your interests. In it, it is worth clearly stipulating:
Deadlines: Specify the exact term by which the main sale contract must be concluded.
Liability: Define penalties or compensation if the seller refuses the deal without valid reasons.
Return of funds: Clearly stipulate the procedure for returning the deposit, so as not to lose money if the deal falls through.
Pay separate attention to the technical condition of the real estate. Buyers not infrequently discover unlawful redevelopment only after the deal. To avoid this, provide in the contract for the seller’s liability for such violations. This may be an obligation to legalize the changes or to compensate you for the costs. Also carefully check the condition of the engineering systems, electrical wiring, water supply, heating, since their repair can be very expensive.
Although the notary conducts a basic legal verification of the documents, this is often not enough. To avoid risks, it is important to order extracts from the state registers yourself:
The State Register of Property Rights: To check who the real owner is and whether there are any encumbrances (arrest, mortgage).
The Unified State Register of Court Decisions: To check for the presence of court disputes regarding the property.
Always study the history of the property, the documents on the basis of which the seller acquired the ownership right, and the reputation of the developer if it is the primary market. Involving experienced lawyers will help identify hidden risks and protect your investment. Remember that too low a price on the market is often a sign of hidden problems. A thorough check is the key to a safe deal.
You can buy, but due to economic instability and wartime risks the number of fraudulent schemes has increased, so legal verification is mandatory.
Sale using forged documents, hidden encumbrances, the sale of someone else’s property, and schemes involving powers of attorney. Checking the registers helps to detect them.
Check the ownership right and encumbrances in the registers, the seller’s documents and the history of the property, as well as the correspondence of the price to the market.
Do not rush the payment and turn to a lawyer to check the seller’s authority and the legality of the deal before signing.
Yes, a lawyer will identify risks, check the property and accompany the deal, which is especially important amid the growth of fraud.
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