How to find out for free who owns a home

When we walk through the streets closest to our neighborhood, sometimes we come across dream homes, with which it is inevitable to wonder who will have the privilege of residing there. Another fairly common reason to want to know who is the owner of a property or land,  is to be interested in buying the home.

Whatever the reason that pushes you to want to obtain this information, you should know that knowing the identity of the owner of a home, although it may seem complicated, is a very simple process, at least in Spain. So, how do you know the name of a homeowner?

A nota simple is an informative document that provides information "on the current entries relating to the property subject to manifestation, where it is stated, at least, its identification with indication of the Single Registry Code, (CRU), the identity of the owner or holders of rights registered over it and the extension, nature and limitations of these".

The information may be requested according to the following search criteria:

• Name of the registered owner of the property or right.
• Corporate name of the entity that owns the property or right.
• Unique Registry Code of the property (CRU).
• Registered property number.
• Cadastral plot number in the case of properties coordinated with the Cadastre or identified in the cadastral cartography.
• National Identity Document (DNI); Tax Identification Number, (NIF); Foreigners' Identification Number, (NIE), passport.
• Address (Street, square, etc.).

It can also be requested through a geolocation system through the geoportal of the Association of Registrars. To do this, it will be necessary to provide some of the following data: the Unique Registry Code (CRU); the owner of the property (name or company name and/or NIF); or registry data (province, municipality, registry and property number).

The price of requesting this simple note will be 9.02 euros and can be processed in person, by going to the Land Registry to which the property belongs, or electronically, at this link of the Association of Registrars.

Know a homeowner's name

Once you have accessed the online portal of the Land Registry and then clicked on the option "request Nota Simple", you must enter the cadastral reference or address of the property. Then, choose the option "request the note as an individual" and enter your own details as an applicant.

The next step will be to indicate the payment method, accept the terms and conditions and confirm the payment with your card.

Finally, you will receive a confirmation email. The final simple note must be reflected in the same email within 48 to 72 hours.

The data you will find in this document are:

• Land Registry that issues the document, the request number and the reason for the request.
• Description of the property: Useful and built area, characteristics of the property, if it is under a special regime, i.e. if it is a protected housing, etc.
• Ownership of the property: The identity of the owner of the property
• Charges and debts of the property, as well as the mortgage, seizures, judicial auctions, liens, etc.