Steps to Buying an Apartment in Romania, From Viewing to Keys

You buy once every 10–20 years; the seller and the agent do this every week. This guide levels the playing field.

1. Before the viewing: the money

Set your TOTAL budget, not just the price: for a €100,000 apartment you'll pay an extra €2,500–4,000 or so — notary fee (0.5–1%), land registry fees, possibly an agency commission (2–3% + VAT if applicable), bank appraisal, and mortgage-related fees. If you're taking out a mortgage, get pre-approved first: you'll know your exact ceiling and become a credible buyer at the negotiation table.

2. At the viewing: what to check with your own eyes

• The technical condition: exterior walls (damp/mold in corners), the ceiling on the top floor, the bathroom pipes, the windows (condensation between panes = a compromised window).
• Noise: come in the evening or on a weekend too, not just at the scheduled time.
• Neighbors and the homeowners' association: ask to see the notice board — many unpaid maintenance fees signal management problems.
• The real surroundings: on 360imobiliar you can see the satellite view of what's around — a park, a forest, or a field that could become a construction site.

3. Document checks (before any deposit)

• Informative land register extract (*extras de carte funciară*, which anyone can request, ~25 lei/RON, online via ePay ANCPI, Romania's National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration): shows the real owner, the surface area, and any encumbrances — mortgages, seizures, usage rights.
• Energy performance certificate — mandatory for a sale.
• Certificate from the homeowners' association confirming no outstanding maintenance debts.
• For houses: an informative urbanism certificate (*certificat de urbanism*) if you're planning extensions.

4. The offer and the pre-contract

Negotiate in writing. In today's market, a 3–7% reduction from the asking price is common for apartments that have been listed for more than 60 days — on each listing page on our site you can see the price history and how long it's been listed, and comparing it with the area's median price tells you whether the asking price is too high.

The pre-contract (*antecontract*) is signed at the notary's office (not on an agency's form): a typical deposit is 5–10%, with a 30–60 day term for securing the mortgage, and clear refund clauses in case the bank rejects the loan for reasons beyond your control.

5. The mortgage and the appraisal

The bank sends its own appraiser; if the appraisal comes in below the negotiated price, you cover the difference. That's why the pre-contract must also account for this scenario. The full mortgage file usually takes 2–4 weeks to process.

6. At the notary's office

The notary checks the land register again on the day of signing. Payment is usually made through an escrow account or via a confirmed transfer before signing. You receive the keys, the handover protocol (*proces-verbal de predare*, including utility meter readings), and, within 1–3 business days, the registration of ownership (*intabulare*) in your name.

Where money is usually lost

• Paying a deposit without a fresh land register extract (encumbrances discovered too late).
• A pre-contract without a clause covering a rejected mortgage.
• A "zero commission" deal that hides an inflated price — always compare with the area's median €/m², which you can find on each city's page on 360imobiliar.