Buying an apartment runs in stages, and each one has something to check. Below is what the work of the FAKTOR agency covers at each stage of a purchase, and what exactly is checked along the way.
Search and viewings
The work starts from a brief: district, budget, number of rooms, floor, timing, whether it is for living or for letting. A selection is put together from the catalogue and the developers lots, and then viewings of several nearby properties are planned for the same day, so they can be compared directly rather than a week apart.
What to look at during a viewing: the entrance and the yard in the evening, how many cars there are and where they stand, the windows and where the noise comes from, damp in the corners and under the windows, water pressure, the state of the risers in the bathroom, whether the lift runs and how often it is repaired. Two apartments with the same layout in different buildings live differently because of exactly these things.
Document checks before the deposit
Before any money changes hands the following are checked: title and the history of transfers, encumbrances and seizures, utility debts, third-party rights, registered minors, spousal consent, and the seller capacity. The area in the documents is compared with the actual area, and any alteration is checked for approval.
For a new build this adds the construction permit for that particular building, the right to the land under it, and confirmation that the seller is the developer rather than an intermediary without authority.
Price negotiation
An argument in negotiation is a comparison rather than a wish: similar offers nearby, how long the listing has been on the market, the difference between the condition of this apartment and what is typical for the district.
The level of a district is described by its median rather than by the cheapest offer: one untypical lot does not speak for a whole district. The median for a district and for a particular complex is shown on the catalogue pages, and that is where a conversation about price starts.
Preparing the deal and settlement
At this stage the contract terms are agreed, along with the order of payment, the date and place of signing, and who submits what to the notary. After signing, title is registered and the buyer receives an extract from the register.
The obligatory payments on a purchase are these: a state duty of 1 percent of the contract sum and a Pension Fund contribution of 1 percent of the property value, both paid in hryvnia. A first time buyer does not pay the pension contribution. On top of that come the notary, the extracts and the valuation, and the notary states those costs for the particular deal. As of 14.10.2026.
After the deal
What remains are the technical steps: transferring the utility accounts, handing over the keys against a record, and noting the meter readings on the day of handover. If the apartment was bought for letting, this is also when the list of what to buy before a tenant moves in is drawn up.
What the notary checks
The notary checks the form of the transaction: the identity of the parties, capacity, the presence of consents and the absence of bans on disposal in the registers on the day of signing. The documents for the property are worth checking before the notary.
What does the agency work cover when buying an apartment?
Putting together a selection to the brief, planning viewings, checking the documents and the other party before the deposit, negotiating the price on the basis of comparisons, agreeing the contract terms and the order of settlement, and support through to the registration of title.
When are the documents checked?
Before any money changes hands, the deposit included: that is the stage where encumbrances, debts, third-party rights and a mismatch between the documented and the actual area become visible.
What are the obligatory payments on a purchase?
A state duty of 1 percent of the contract sum and a Pension Fund contribution of 1 percent of the property value, both in hryvnia, plus the notary, the extracts and the valuation. As of 14.10.2026.
Who pays the Pension Fund contribution?
As a general rule the buyer. A first time buyer is exempt from it.
What does the notary check and what is done earlier?
The notary checks the form of the transaction, the identities, capacity, consents and the bans in the registers on the day of signing. The documents for the property, alterations, debts and third-party rights are checked earlier, before the deposit.
Can an apartment be viewed before the documents are checked?
Yes, a viewing and a document check are separate stages: the property is seen first, and the documents are checked for whatever was chosen.
How is a fair price worked out?
By comparison with similar offers in the district and with the district median, not with the cheapest lot on the list.
What the work covers at each stage in your particular situation can be reviewed with a FAKTOR specialist.
We will shortlist options for your budget and guide the deal from the first viewing to signing.
