360Blog
SR EN
Technology in service of real estate. JULY 23, 2026
Home / Guides

The 10-Point Legal Checklist Before Signing a Sale-Purchase Contract

A short, boring list that saves contracts. Run it before you sit down at the notary, not after.

Ivan Radulović Ivan Radulović · April 8, 2026 · 5 min read
The 10-Point Legal Checklist Before Signing a Sale-Purchase Contract
  1. List nepokretnosti, not older than 7 days. Pull it yourself from eKatastar, the one the seller sends is rarely fresh enough.
  2. Check for mortgage (hipoteka) or annotations (zabeležba). A mortgage to the seller's bank is normal; your contract needs the bank's payoff letter and a clear path to removing it at closing.
  3. Use permit (upotrebna dozvola). New-builds without one can't be registered cleanly.
  4. Owner identity. ID on the contract must match the ID in the cadastre. If a spouse co-owns, the spouse must sign.
  5. Power of attorney. If signed by proxy, the POA must be specific, notarized, and not revoked. A general POA is not enough for real estate.
  6. Outstanding utility debts. Not on you legally, but a disconnection notice is a headache. Request last utility bills.
  7. Condominium bylaws and monthly fee. Ask for the last decision of the assembly (skupština stanara) and any upcoming special assessment.
  8. Apartment use. Declared as stan (residential) vs. poslovni prostor (commercial)? This affects tax, financing, and use.
  9. Encroachments / boundary disputes (for houses). Cadastre map vs. reality. A shed half over the neighbor's line becomes your problem.
  10. Final payment trigger. The contract should condition the final payment on the registered mortgage for your bank and/or the change of ownership in the cadastre. Never pay 100% before that.

Your notary will check many of these, but not all. Seven minutes running the list saves months of untangling.

Ivan Radulović

Ivan Radulović

Founder of Agent 360. Five-plus years as a real estate agent and a close watcher of property markets across the region and Europe, bringing the best of what works elsewhere back home. Writes about Serbian real estate the way he'd explain it to a friend over coffee: plainly, with real numbers, and with 360° tours, VR, and a drone or two.

Related reading

Continue reading

How to Claim the VAT Refund on Your First New-Build Apartment in Serbia Buying

How to Claim the VAT Refund on Your First New-Build Apartment in Serbia

Serbia lets first-time buyers claim back the 10% VAT on a new-build apartment, up to 40 m² for the buyer, plus 15 m² per household member. Here is exactly what you need, step by step.

Ivan Radulović · Apr 20, 2026 · 7 min
The Handover Day Checklist: Every Box to Tick the Day You Get the Keys Guides

The Handover Day Checklist: Every Box to Tick the Day You Get the Keys

The last hour the seller is still responsible for what they broke is the hour you take keys. A tired buyer inherits problems. A prepared buyer catches them. Here is exactly what to check.

Ivan Radulović · Apr 18, 2026 · 6 min
Where Novi Sad Actually Eats: A Guide to Kafane, Neighbourhood Restaurants, and Weekday Lunch Guides

Where Novi Sad Actually Eats: A Guide to Kafane, Neighbourhood Restaurants, and Weekday Lunch

Novi Sad has more restaurants per capita than Belgrade. What it doesn't have is an obvious map from visitors' guidebooks to where locals actually eat. This one is written from the kitchen side, not the travel blog side.

Ivan Radulović · Apr 17, 2026 · 6 min