Buying a house involves more paperwork than most people expect. Beyond your own documents as the buyer, there are papers you must request from the seller, additional requirements if you are financing with a KPR (mortgage), and further documents that only appear when you sign the deed in front of a PPAT (land deed official). Having these documents in order is not just administrative box-ticking, it is your main layer of protection against disputes and financial loss down the road. Some of these documents even need preparing well before you find the right house. This article walks through the checklist to prepare and verify at each stage of the purchase, from the earliest survey through to the certificate officially changing hands.

Identity and Financial Documents for the Buyer

As the buyer, there are several basic documents you should have ready from the start, whether you are paying in cash or financing through a KPR. Preparing them early keeps negotiations and any loan application moving smoothly, instead of scrambling for paperwork at the last minute.

  • A valid national ID card (KTP) and Family Card (Kartu Keluarga) with up-to-date information
  • A tax identification number (NPWP), commonly required for property transactions above a certain value
  • A marriage certificate or divorce decree, if your marital status affects joint ownership of the asset
  • Proof of income, such as three months of pay slips or business financial statements, especially if applying for a KPR
  • Bank statements or a passbook, showing the funds set aside for the down payment and other costs

Prepare enough copies of these documents and keep digital backups. From the survey stage through the mortgage application, you will often be asked for the same copies more than once.

Documents You Must Request From the Seller

As a buyer, you have every right, and arguably a duty, to ask the seller to produce a set of documents before you hand over any money, including a booking deposit. This is one of the most important steps for avoiding legal trouble later.

  • The original land and/or building certificate, whether SHM, HGB, or another type, not merely a photocopy or scan
  • Proof of the most recent PBB (land and building tax) payment, confirming there are no outstanding arrears that would become your burden after handover
  • The building permit, either the current PBG (Persetujuan Bangunan Gedung, which replaced the older IMB in 2021) or the original IMB, as proof the structure was built with proper authorization
  • The seller’s KTP and Family Card, with the name matching exactly what is printed on the certificate
  • Written spousal consent, if the seller is married and the property counts as jointly owned marital property
  • An official, stamped power of attorney, if the transaction is being handled by a representative rather than the owner directly
  • A release document (roya) or proof of an earlier KPR payoff, if the certificate is still pledged as collateral because the seller has not yet fully repaid a previous mortgage on it

If a seller is reluctant or unable to produce any of these documents, treat that as a warning sign. It is far better to delay a transaction than to push ahead because of a tempting price or time pressure.

Verifying the Documents Before You Go Further

Holding the paperwork is not enough; you also need to confirm it is genuine. The most practical route is checking the certificate’s status directly at the local ATR/BPN land office, or through the Sentuh Tanahku application for certificates already in electronic format.

What you want to confirm includes: the registered owner’s name matches what the seller has shown you, the certificate is not under dispute or blocked, and it is not currently pledged as collateral for a loan elsewhere. Experienced notaries and PPATs typically help with this verification as part of their pre-signing service, so do not hesitate to ask for it as a condition before you sign anything. This verification step usually only takes a few working days, far shorter than the potential loss that can follow if it gets skipped.

Additional Documents If You Are Financing With a KPR

If the purchase is financed through a KPR, the bank will request further documents beyond the basics listed above, including pay slips or business financial statements, several months of bank statements, and the results of the bank’s own appraisal of the property. The process is fairly technical and the exact list can vary between banks, so ask your chosen bank for their official requirements early, so nothing catches you off guard close to the application deadline.

One detail that is easy to miss: the bank will also ask for copies of the same property documents you already gathered from the seller, so having your earlier checklist complete will noticeably speed this part up. If your application involves two names as joint borrowers, such as a married couple, prepare identity and income documents for both people from the outset.

Paperwork for Signing the Deed of Sale With the PPAT

When it is time to sign the Akta Jual Beli (AJB, deed of sale), the PPAT will typically require the following from both parties:

  • The draft AJB, prepared by the PPAT based on the certificate data and both parties’ identities
  • Proof that BPHTB has been settled by the buyer and final income tax (PPh) by the seller
  • The original certificate, and both parties’ KTP and Family Card
  • A receipt, confirming the agreed sale price has been paid in full
  • Two witnesses who co-sign the deed

A PPAT will generally not sign the AJB until both tax obligations, BPHTB and PPh, have been paid. Make sure this is settled well before the agreed signing date so there is no last-minute delay.

Documents for Special Situations

Not every transaction follows the standard pattern above. A few special situations call for additional documents worth anticipating early.

  • If the house being sold is inherited property, the seller needs to produce an inheritance statement, the previous owner’s death certificate, and written consent from every rightful heir, not just one of them
  • If you are buying under a company or corporate entity, prepare the company’s articles of incorporation, its NPWP, and a power of attorney naming whoever is authorized to sign the transaction
  • If you are buying jointly with a spouse with both names on the certificate, make sure this is agreed from the AJB draft stage onward, since changing the ownership names after the deed is signed is far more complicated and costly

Being upfront about your situation with the notary or PPAT from the start helps them prepare the relevant additional paperwork, so there are no surprises as the signing date approaches.

After the Transaction: Storing and Following Up on Documents

Once the AJB is signed, it becomes the basis for filing the certificate transfer (balik nama) at the local ATR/BPN office. This process takes some time, generally ranging from a few weeks to a few months depending on the complexity of the case and the local land office’s workload, so keep a copy of the AJB and proof of your filing as a placeholder while the new certificate is being processed.

Store all original documents somewhere secure, ideally a safe or safe deposit box, and keep digital backups as well. Note the filing date and the processing timeline the BPN officer gives you, so you can follow up if the process runs longer than expected.

Final Thoughts

This document checklist may look long, but each item plays its own role in protecting you as a buyer. From your personal paperwork and what you must request from the seller, to the KPR requirements, documents for special situations, and the paperwork on the PPAT’s desk, every piece is connected, and none of them are worth skipping.

If you are looking for a house in Banjarmasin or the wider South Kalimantan area and would like help reviewing a property’s documents, the Vorneo Property team is happy to walk you through it on WhatsApp at no charge.