Unreliability of cadastral data on parcel area and its effect on sustainable real estate valuation

Abstract Appropriate and sustainable management of land is required to the preserve spatial order and the appropriate use of resources. To make quality decisions in space, as well as to actively manage a resource, it is crucial to be able to use, among others, credible, up-to-date spatial details, including the cadastral data. The question is, however, whether the data inscribed in the cadastre correspond to reality. Among others, the problem of considerable differences between recorded, cadastral and geodetic area (reflecting actual circumstances) of the parcels can be commonly observed, influencing the procedure of real estate appraisal. This research examines the scale of the problem of unreliability of cadastral data regarding the area of parcels. Based on the example of a middle-sized city, analyses of the scale of the problem and an investigation of the types of properties most commonly involved were conducted. Moreover, an analysis of legal acts in force and those already expired, as well as the literature on the subject was performed to determine the permissible differences in the area between relevant records. The influence of the unreliable cadastral data on the procedure of appraisal of real estates was also investigated.