Property Register (Land Registry)

Inventory (Land Register) - The inventory is the first section of a land register page and contains a detailed description of the property: cadastral district, parcel, lot, location (street and house number), type of use, and size. It is maintained by the land registry office based on the official real estate cadastre and forms the basis for all further entries in Sections I through III.

Structure and Content

The inventory is divided into several columns: the serial number of the property in the land register, the cadastral designation (cadastral district, parcel, parcel number), the location designation (street and house number), the type of use (e.g., building and open space, farmland, garden land, forest, transportation area), and the size in square meters.

For condominium ownership, the inventory list additionally includes the co-ownership share of the entire complex (expressed as a fraction, e.g., 87/1,000) as well as a textual description of the individual unit (e.g., “Apartment on the 2nd floor on the left, consisting of 3 rooms, kitchen, bathroom, toilet, hallway, and storage room no. 7”). This description is based on the declaration of division, which is notarized and filed with the land registry office.

In addition, the inventory lists rights equivalent to real property, such as a heritable building right (the right to permanently erect a building on another’s land). The heritable building right has its own land registry page-the so-called heritable building land registry-in which an inventory is also maintained.

Significance When Buying Real Estate

The inventory is the first point of reference when reviewing the land registry prior to a purchase. It answers the key questions: Which property is being sold? How large is it actually? Do the details in the property listing and in the notarial draft purchase agreement match the land registry data?

Discrepancies between the actual use and the type of use entered in the inventory may indicate building code issues-for example, if a property registered as “agricultural land” is actually built on without proper authorization. The correct parcel number is also crucial: The notarized purchase agreement must specify exactly the property designated in the land register with its complete cadastral designation. Incorrect property designations can jeopardize the validity of the transfer of title.

Interaction with the Real Estate Cadastre

The land register (legal register) and the real estate cadastre (actual documentation and surveying system) are separate registers in Germany, but they complement each other. The land register derives its information from the cadastre-changes in the cadastre (new parcel formations, divisions, mergers) must therefore be updated in the land register, which is done ex officio by the land registry office. In Bavaria, the land register and cadastre are maintained at the respective local court (land registry office) or at the surveying office.

In Nuremberg, the Land Registry Office is located at the Nuremberg Local Court. Land registry extracts can be requested in person, in writing, or via the Bavarian Justice Department’s electronic land registry portal-though only if a legitimate interest can be demonstrated.

Practical Tip for Buyers in Nuremberg

We recommend requesting a current land registry extract (no older than four weeks) before any real estate purchase in the Nuremberg metropolitan region and carefully reviewing the inventory list. Particularly with older properties, it can happen that parcels of land have since been subdivided or merged without all parties being aware of it-for example, when neighboring properties were reorganized as part of a land consolidation project. For condominiums in older Nuremberg complexes (especially those from the 1970s and 1980s), you should verify whether the description of the unit matches the actual apartment-subsequent renovations such as the merging of two apartments or the conversion of basement space into living space must be reflected in the land register and the declaration of division.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can view the inventory?

Anyone who can demonstrate a legitimate interest (§ 12 GBO) is entitled to inspect the land register-and thus the inventory. The following are recognized as legitimate interests: ownership of the property, a concrete intention to purchase with corresponding proof (power of attorney from the owner, property listing, brokerage agreement), acting as a notary or attorney in a matter concerning the property, and a bank’s financing interest. Mere curiosity or a general interest in information is not sufficient. The Land Registry Office decides on the respective application at the discretion of the responsible judicial officer.

Can the inventory contain errors?

Yes, errors can arise, for example, from outdated cadastral data, incorrect transfers when creating new land register pages, or unregistered parcel changes following a survey. If the property size in the inventory differs from the actual size, an application for a new survey and subsequent correction of the land register can be filed with the surveying office. The right to correct the land register under Section 894 of the German Civil Code (BGB) gives the true legal owner the right to enforce the correction of incorrect entries through the courts. If the cadastral register and the land register do not match, the land register prevails with regard to legal status, while the cadastral register prevails with regard to area specifications.

What is the difference between the inventory and the cadastral map?

The inventory is the textual part of the land register containing information on the cadastral designation, type of use, and size of the property. The cadastral map (official property map, known as the ALKIS map in Bavaria) is the graphical representation of the cadastral register and shows the actual location, shape, and boundaries of the parcels to scale. Both documents complement each other-for a complete and legally sound property review prior to a purchase, both should always be consulted. In Bavaria, the ALKIS map is publicly accessible via the Bavarian Geoportal-however, for legally sound information, a certified extract from the real estate cadastre is recommended.

How do leasehold rights affect the inventory of assets?

If a property is encumbered with a leasehold right, the leasehold right itself appears in a separate section of the land register (Section II: Encumbrances and Restrictions). At the same time, a separate land register page-the so-called leasehold land register-is created for the leasehold right, which also contains an inventory. This describes the leasehold right as such: location, area of the encumbered property, and the contractually agreed-upon rights of use of the leaseholder. For prospective buyers in Nuremberg, it is important to know that leasehold properties are not always immediately recognizable as such in the inventory-only a thorough reading of all sections of the land register reveals their status. Leasehold properties may have a lower initial purchase price, but they entail monthly ground rent payments and a risk of reversion, which should be carefully examined at the time of purchase.

Inventory List and Utility Rights

The inventory list may also include rights equivalent to property rights and easements that restrict the use of the property. Of particular relevance are public utility lines (electricity, gas, water, sewage) that run across a property and are registered in the land register as limited personal easements or real easements. Buyers should carefully review such entries in the inventory and in Section II of the land register: A utility corridor through the property can restrict the buildability of certain areas and cause significant additional costs during renovation work (civil engineering, basements, foundations). In Nuremberg, older downtown properties in particular are often encumbered with historical utility rights dating from the 19th or early 20th century that often no longer meet current technical standards-but nevertheless remain legally valid and are binding on the property owner.

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