Most new apartments in Montenegro are sold before they are finished. Buying off-plan often means a lower price and a better choice of units. It also means you are trusting a developer with your money for a year or more. These are the checks worth doing before you sign.
1. Check the developer
- Visit buildings the developer has already completed and talk to people who live there.
- Ask whether earlier projects were delivered on time and whether buyers got their title deeds without problems.
- Look up the company in the Central Register of Business Entities (CRPS) to see who owns it and how long it has operated.
2. Check the land and the permits
- Ask for the current title sheet (list nepokretnosti) from the Real Estate Cadastre. It shows who owns the land and whether there is a mortgage or other burden on it.
- Ask for the documents showing the building was legally registered for construction and matches the approved project.
- Make sure the number of floors and units you are shown matches the approved project. Extra, unapproved floors are a common source of problems.
3. Understand what you are buying
- Get the floor plan with net usable area per room. Some offers quote gross area, including walls and shared spaces.
- Get a written list of finishes: flooring, windows, bathroom fittings, heating and cooling, insulation.
- Ask what is included in the price: parking space, storage room, terrace, a share of common areas.
4. Protect your payments
- Tie payments to construction stages (foundations, structure, roof, finishing) rather than paying most of the price up front.
- Ask whether the developer offers a bank guarantee or another form of security for your payments.
- Pay by bank transfer only, so every payment is documented.
5. Read the contract carefully
- The sales contract must be certified by a notary. Make sure it states the completion date and the penalty if the developer is late.
- It should say who pays for connection to electricity, water and sewage, and when you will get the use permit and title.
- Have an independent lawyer, not the developer’s, read the contract before you sign.
6. At handover
- Walk through the apartment with a checklist and write down every defect.
- Make sure the building has a use permit, because without it you cannot register ownership.
- Register your ownership in the cadastre as soon as possible.
Buy with a team on your side
A good new-build can be one of the best purchases in Montenegro, as long as you check the paperwork first. Balkan Homes works only with verified developers and helps you review documents before you commit.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Always use an independent local lawyer.
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