What to check before buying a plot: EGRN, boundaries, zones

A good plot differs from a problem plot not in the drone footage but in the paperwork. You can run the checks yourself in an evening. Below is the checklist we use before we put a plot up for sale.

The title extract: the key document

The state title register (EGRN) holds everything the state knows about a plot. The title extract (EGRN) can be ordered by the seller or by you, online through the Gosuslugi portal or the website of Rosreestr (the state registry).

What to look for in the extract:

• Owner. Must be the person who signs the agreement. If a representative is selling, a power of attorney is required.
• Land category and permitted use. These define what you may build (more on land zoning).
• Area and boundaries. The “Description of location” section should list the coordinates of the boundary points. If it says “boundaries not established”, the plot has not been surveyed.
• Restrictions and encumbrances. Section 2: pledges, seizures, leases, protected zones.
• Cadastral (assessed) value. Land tax is calculated from it.

For every plot on our website the extract is available before the deal: cadastral numbers are linked in the plot cards, so you can verify them on the Rosreestr website.

The public cadastral map

A free tool for a first check. Enter the cadastral number and you will see the plot on the map: its shape, its neighbours, land category and permitted use. Switch to the satellite layer: the boundaries should match what you are shown on the ground.

Look out for zones with special conditions of use (ZOUIT), shown as a separate layer. A protected zone around a power line or gas pipeline, or a water protection zone, does not stop you buying, but it restricts building on part of the plot.

Boundary survey: why it matters

A boundary survey fixes the plot boundaries to within centimetres and enters the coordinates in the title register. Without it:

• the boundaries cannot be staked out precisely on the ground, so you cannot put up a fence;
• a neighbour may dispute the “extra” metres;
• a bank will not grant a mortgage or arrange a secured instalment plan.

All plots in Shchekinskie Berega have been surveyed and registered within a single cadastral block. In Svetlaya Dolina the first phase has also been surveyed; the pre-launch price is lower precisely because part of that work is still ahead, and the project card says so openly.

The seller's title documents

How the seller came to own the plot: a sale and purchase agreement, a gift deed, an inheritance, a municipal decision. Check how long they have owned it and that there are no disputed transactions in the chain. A corporate owner has standard title documents and provides them on request before signing.

Municipal building regulations

The land use and development rules (PZZ) are published on the municipal administration's website. They set the required setbacks from boundaries, the maximum height and the building coverage ratio. Typical figures for residential zoning (IZhS): 3 metres from neighbours' boundaries, 5 metres from the street, up to three storeys.

In short: the checklist

1. A fresh title extract, no more than a month old.
2. The owner in the extract is the person signing the agreement.
3. The permitted use suits your purpose.
4. Boundaries established, coordinates in the register.
5. No pledges, seizures or bans.
6. Protected zones are known and do not get in the way of the house.
7. Access to the plot is by public road or a registered easement, not “by arrangement”.

If the seller answers “I'll find out” on any of these points, that is a reason to hold on to your money. For our plots, all of this is published on the website before you even pick up the phone.