Property Register

Real Estate Register - The Real Estate Register (now maintained as part of the Official Real Estate Cadastre Information System, ALKIS) is the official record of all parcels of land and buildings within a cadastral district. It contains the descriptive data of the real estate cadastre-parcel number, location description, area, type of use, and owner information-and thus supplements the graphical real estate map. The land register refers to the data in the Real Estate Register when describing a property.

Content and Structure

For each parcel, the Real Estate Register contains: the cadastral district and cadastral section, the parcel number, the area in square meters, the land use type (e.g., residential, farmland, forest, commercial), the location description (street and house number), and the owner (name and address, taken from the land register). Since the transition to ALKIS, this data has been maintained digitally and georeferenced, allowing descriptive and graphical information to be accessed in an integrated manner.

The land use listed in the Real Estate Register is particularly relevant. This corresponds to the actual use of a parcel and may differ from the use permitted under building regulations. For example, a parcel may be listed in the cadastre as “green space” even though the zoning plan permits residential development. The land use designation in the Real Estate Register has no binding effect under planning law, but it is an important indicator for assessing development potential.

Distinction from the Land Register

The Real Estate Register and the Land Register complement each other but are distinct registers with different functions:

• The Land Register documents the legal relationships pertaining to parcels of land (ownership, encumbrances, land charges) and is maintained by the local court (Land Registry Office).
• The Real Estate Register documents the actual conditions (location, size, use) and is maintained by the Cadastral Office.

In the event of discrepancies-e.g., differing area specifications-the Land Register is authoritative for ownership relationships, while the Real Estate Register is authoritative for the actual location and size. In practice, discrepancies occur when subdivisions or consolidations of parcels have been updated in the cadastre but not all land registry entries have been updated accordingly. Such discrepancies can delay transactions and should be clarified before the notary appointment.

Digital Access via ALKIS

Since the nationwide introduction of ALKIS (Official Real Estate Cadastre Information System), data from the real estate cadastre has been available digitally and via geoportals. In Bavaria, the State Office for Digitalization, Broadband, and Surveying (LDBV) provides the BayernAtlas as a free platform for basic information. More detailed extracts-particularly those containing owner information-are subject to a fee and can be ordered via the LDBV online shop or directly from the surveying office.

Practical Tip for Property Owners in Nuremberg

We recommend that property owners and buyers in the Nuremberg metropolitan region request both a land registry extract and an extract from the real estate register (ALKIS extract) for real estate transactions. This allows discrepancies between the legal and actual circumstances to be identified early on. In Nuremberg, the Office for Geoinformation and Land Use Planning (AGB)-formerly the Land Survey Office-is responsible for maintaining the municipal real estate cadastre. Extracts can be requested there directly or via BayernAtlas.

Especially for older properties in Nuremberg neighborhoods such as Wöhrd, Glockenhof, or parts of the Südstadt, which feature historically developed parcel divisions, buyers should have the consistency between the land register’s property description and the current cadastral status verified. Boundary disputes or discrepancies in area can affect the purchase price and financing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is allowed to view the Real Estate Register?

Unlike the Land Register, the Real Estate Register is generally open to the public. Anyone can request extracts for a small fee. However, owner information is subject to data protection and is only disclosed in cases of legitimate interest (e.g., prospective buyers with appropriate proof, neighbors in boundary disputes, government agencies). There is no general right to information without justification for owner information.

Is the Real Estate Register still up to date?

The Real Estate Register as a standalone document has been replaced by the digital system ALKIS. The data is continuously updated by the Cadastral Office-in cases of property divisions, changes in use, or new surveys. The term “Real Estate Register” is still used colloquially, however, even though it is now technically part of the ALKIS database.

How much does an extract from the real estate register cost?

A standard ALKIS extract costs 10 to 30 euros in Bavaria, depending on its scope. Higher fees may apply for the ownership information (including owner details). Online extracts via the BayernAtlas portal are sometimes free, but do not always contain all detailed information. For the notary appointment, a current, officially certified extract should be available, which is slightly more expensive than a standard information extract.

What is the difference between a cadastral parcel and a property?

A cadastral parcel is the smallest surveyed unit in the real estate cadastre-delimited by parcel boundaries and uniquely identifiable by a parcel number. A property in the legal sense (land registry principle) may consist of one or more parcels that are jointly recorded in the land registry. In common parlance, both terms are often used synonymously, which can lead to misunderstandings in technical discussions.

Using the Real Estate Register When Making Purchase Decisions

Before purchasing real estate, it is worth consulting the Real Estate Register for several reasons: The area listed should match the property size stated in the property description. Discrepancies can occur if historical surveys contained incorrect values or if subsequent property divisions were not fully reflected in the property description. The type of use provides clues about past or current uses-a property registered as “commercial” that is now used for residential purposes may indicate unresolved building code issues. The location designation and the property’s assignment to a cadastral district are also essential for the notary when drafting the contract.

In the Nuremberg metropolitan region, the my-home.de editorial team recommends checking particularly carefully for properties in new development areas (such as in Feucht, Wendelstein, or Langenzenn) to ensure that the land register already reflects the current parcelization status following completion of development. In these areas, parcels are often updated in ALKIS only after the final survey has been completed-the purchase of a property that has not yet been finally surveyed should be discussed with the notary to ensure that the property description in the purchase agreement corresponds to the future reality.

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