What a registered title means
Titled property appears in the Public Registry with an identifiable record and owner. The record can also reveal mortgages, liens, easements and other annotations.
What possession rights mean
Possession rights rely on physical occupation and evidence that a person has exercised possession over land. They do not automatically equal registered ownership.
The question is not only who occupies the land. It is which right can be proved, against whom and with what documents.
The practical difference
- A title is registered as ownership; possession depends on other evidence.
- Registered property can normally support financing; possession faces more limitations.
- Title transfers can be registered; a transfer of possession does not by itself create title.
What to verify before paying
- Identify the registered property record or possession file.
- Confirm the owner or person able to prove possession.
- Compare surveys, boundaries, occupation and real access.
- Review liens, conflicts, restrictions and easements.
- Make the contract describe exactly what is being transferred.
Possession rights are not necessarily a bad purchase. They are a different purchase, and price, contract and expectations must reflect that reality.