Some help. Unfortunately I don't even know the definition in English.
In all countries (I suppose the civilized) there is a public office/authority that you can do the following:
1. Ask for a permission to build/extend/demolish a house or any building
2. When you buy a house (new or old) you go there and you "deposit" the ownership document (титул собственности)
3. You go there to examine whether a house has a mortgage or a lien (i.e. обременениe, например: ипотекa или правa ареста имущества за долги.

How it is called this office/authority in russian (and in Russia).
In English I think is called: Town and Spacial Planning.