In short
- Check the Land Register (Zemesgrāmata): the house and the land should be one property with no prohibitions.
- In the cadastre, compare the building's area and status with what you see on site.
- Find out where the water comes from, where the sewage goes and how the house is heated.
- Compare the price with house deals nearby, not only with listings.
The property: land, buildings and documents
With a flat, the land is usually shared with the neighbours. With a house, you buy a specific plot with every building on it, so first make sure you know exactly what you are buying.
The Land Register (Zemesgrāmata) extract shows the owner, mortgages, prohibitions and easements, such as a neighbour's right to drive across your land. Check that the house and the land are recorded in the same folio. If the building belongs to one person and the land to another, ownership is split, and it is worth talking to a notary or lawyer before you pay a deposit (rokasnauda).
The cadastre shows the land area, its designated use and the list of buildings for free. Compare it with what is on site: a sauna, garage or extension that is missing from the cadastre may have been built without approval.
Buying a house: the state of the building
A house has no building manager looking after the roof and foundations. Anything you find at the viewing, you will repair yourself after the purchase.
In the Construction Information System (BIS) you can check by address or cadastral designation whether the house has a building permit and whether it was accepted into service. This matters most for newer houses: banks lend less often against unfinished buildings, and the terms are different.
- Roof: covering, gutters, signs of damp in the attic
- Foundations and plinth: cracks, damp in the basement
- Walls and windows: is the house insulated, and how
- Electricity connection capacity and the distribution board
- Boiler or heat pump: age and service records
- Sewage: mains, septic tank or biological treatment plant
Water, sewage and electricity
Ask whether water comes from the mains or from a well. For a well, ask for a water test. If the house is not on the mains sewer, find out what is installed and when it was last emptied.
The capacity of the electricity connection decides whether you can add a heat pump or an EV charger without upgrading it.
Heating and monthly costs
In a house, heating is the largest monthly cost in winter. Ask the seller for last season's spending: how much firewood, or the gas or electricity bills. Without them it is hard to compare two houses.
Land, boundaries and access
Check how you reach the house in winter. If the road crosses a neighbour's land, there should be a road easement in the Land Register. If the road is shared, find out who clears it.
Look at the boundaries on the cadastral map, then walk them on site. Also check that the property is not in a flood zone or a protected nature area.
Price: does it match the market
House prices vary more than flat prices, because every house is different. Compare with deals in the same village or neighbourhood, taking into account the land area, the age of the house and its condition.
Common questions
What should I check when buying a house in Latvia?
The owner and encumbrances in the Land Register, the land and buildings in the cadastre, the building permit and acceptance into service in BIS, and on site the roof, foundations, heating, water and sewage.
Can I buy a house that was never accepted into service?
You can, but it affects the mortgage, insurance and future works. Ask the bank and the municipal building board what is missing before you agree on a price.
Where can I see house sale prices?
The m²cena Deal Database shows real sale prices by address and area.
Sources
- Zemesgrāmatu portāls · Tiesu namu aģentūra
- Kadastra informācijas sistēma · Valsts zemes dienests
- Būvniecības informācijas sistēma · Būvniecības valsts kontroles birojs
This article is for information only and is not legal, financial or tax advice. It may contain mistakes or be out of date, so check it against official sources or with a specialist before you decide. m²cena accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of the information in this article.