7 legal checks before you put down a deposit on a home

See the original title book, match the owner's name to their ID, and ask plainly whether the property is mortgaged to a bank.

Go to the land registration office to check for disputes and zoning; for an apartment in a project, read the sale contract and payment schedule closely.

The deposit agreement should state when the notarised contract will be signed, the penalty if either side backs out, and who pays taxes and fees.