Don’t Buy Before Reading This

1. RERA registration number:

RERA is the real estate regulatory authority in India. RERA registration is mandatory for sale of projects with land size exceeding 500 square meters or more than 8 units. Real estate projects require multiple approvals, before they are ready for you to purchase. As an individual buyer, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to understand and check all of them.  RERA reviews all of them before registering the project. Further, RERA has several provisions that protect buyer’s interests and curb project delays. So it's important that you ensure that you are buying in a project with valid RERA registration. You can go a step further by verifying the key details uploaded on RERA website with what your builder is promising you. Click here to know more. 

2. Builder reputation

From booking day to handover of the unit, often years, you are dependent on your builder to enter the home you dreamt of. Always do detailed research on the following

1. Completed projects -  Number, size of the projects, and location. If possible, visit one or two to understand the quality of the projects

2. Other ongoing projects -  Number, size of the projects, and location

3. Any delays in completed or ongoing projects 

4. Any complaints in completed or ongoing projects 

5. Google search name of company, promoters, and projects to observe any materially negative news

3. Carpet area vs Saleable area

The carpet area is the net floor area inside the external walls of the apartment. This is the actual space that you can see and feel when you are inside your home. Saleable areas additionally include proportionate share of common areas, private balconies etc. It's common practice for builders to quote the saleable area. Specifically check the Carpet Area with your builder to evaluate your home. Read our detailed article - “Carpet Area vs Saleable Area Differences and how to find them”.

4. Undivided share of land (UDS)

UDS is the share of land you own in the project. The UDS is allocated to each buyer commonly in proportion to the saleable area of the unit. This is not demarcated physically since the entire land is held jointly with other owners. A higher UDS is generally better as it reflects a larger share of land ownership.

5. Location

Get to know the location of your project in and out. Any mistake about this will be beyond your control to rectify later. In preliminary search, focus on the following

1. What is in the visible in the vicinity of your project

2. Key access roads to the project 

3. Distance to your work

4. Distance to public transport

5. Nearby hospitals, schools, shopping malls etc

6. Locality and its reputation

7. Other projects in 3 kms radius

Whenever you are in advanced stage of finalising a property, we recommend you take a calm walk around 500 meters to 1 kms radius of your project to understand the following

1. How is the locality and will it suit you

2. Anything unpleasant for you particularly - Open drainage, Graveyards, Railway lines, High-tension electric lines, polluting factories etc 

3. Congestion levels on key access roads and scope for road widening

4. Future development potential (Google search and ask your builder)

5. Any history of negative news

6. Layout

Review the layout in detail and understand if it practically suits you. Following are the key aspects that you should not miss. Layouts can be found in the  marketing brochures provided by the builder. If a model flat is available, it will make things easier to evaluate. 

1. Unit layout 

   1. Placement of all rooms, dimensions, and walking path

   2. Provision for TV and sufficient space for couch in front of it (We have seen many layouts not getting this right)

   3. Separation of guest area and your personal space

   4. Bathroom pipe flow. Make sure that the lavatory drainage pipes run directly outside the wall and not from under the floor (Multiple projects have this issue and will make maintenance cumbersome in future).

   5. Ventilation (Check separately for air flow and sunlight)

   6. Corridor width (Wider corridors are better for walking but will lead to higher common area portion in your saleable area)

   7. Balcony view - Check if any future developments can block it

   8. Vastu compliance 

2. Project layout

   1. Project density (Total Units / Land Area in Acre) - Lower number is better for you) 

   2. % Open space (Open area / Total Land Area) - Higher number is better for you)

   3. Clubhouse area (Clubhouse area in sqft / Total Units) - If you prefer a less crowded club house, higher numbers will help.

   4. Lifts - (Number of lifts / Number of units) - Higher number is better. Check for dimension of lifts, make, and speed. This will directly impact convenience of everyday usage

   5. List of amenities and practicality - Don’t go just by the number of amenities. A lot of the amenities might not be practical for you. Understand specifically how many of them you will use and at what frequency. Having a list of amenities that are mandatory and optional for you in hand will help.

3. Parking layout

   1. Single / Double / Back to Back / Provision for elevated parking

   2. Width of entry, exit, and navigation pathways. 

   3. Separation from pedestrian walkways

   4. EV charging provision

4. Material specifications

Understand the brand, model, and size of material that will be used for critical items mentioned below

1. Flooring (All rooms including bathrooms)

2. Sanitaryware (Commode, sink, taps, shower set)

3. Painting and finish (Internal and external walls)

4. Doors and Windows

5. Gym and sports equipment

6. Landscaping

7. Legal (Project title)

Though RERA mandates the developer to submit an affidavit and valid documents to verify that the developer has title to the land, it is not a guarantee that the project is litigation free. Hence, check the following before paying advance to the builder:

1. Google search the project name to see if there is any reference to ongoing court cases

2. Check if the project has construction funding or APFs for home loans. Banks do a detailed due diligence of title before approval of the same and you may make a fair assumption that the project title is clear. Read our article on construction funding and APFs to understand why they are important for you as a buyer.

3. Hiring a lawyer to check the title is an option too. It's a time consuming process. Consider it if you are particular about buying the project and have reasons to believe there might be a title defect. 

8. Timeline for project completion (Occupancy certificate)

Timeline for completion of the project to be specified clearly by the builder and should be within the approved completion date by RERA. Ensure that this timeline is in line with your goals to move into your dream home. Also, possession of the property should be taken after the occupancy certificate is received.

9. Payment schedule

Payment schedule defines the milestones at which you have to pay the balance amount to the builder. Milestones can be construction stage linked or time linked. Construction linked payments should be preferred since it will ensure that the project is progressing along with your payments. Also, ensure that the final installment is due only on receipt of occupancy certificate (OC) and registration of sale deed in your favor. 

10. Booking form

Booking form should correctly capture the following details:

1. Your personal details

2. Project details

3. Unit allocated and Car parking

4. Advance paid

5. Payment schedule

6. Cancellation clause, charges, and procedure

7. Transfer fee, if any on resale of the apartment before OC 

There should not be any vague clauses or other charges other than the agreed terms.

11. Agreement of Sale (AOS)

It is an agreement signed on stamp paper between builder and buyer containing all key clauses agreed at the time of sale. It should capture the details stated in booking form correctly and should be executed in the format mandated by RERA only. The timeline for completion should be in line with what is agreed. Read our article on AOS to understand all the important clauses and uncover hidden clauses.

12. Power Backup and Solar Power

If your project has a power backup facility, check the capacity (kVA) and which areas are connected to the backup. Sometimes backups have restrictions like common areas only, light and fan only (no Air Conditioner), lifts not connected to backup etc. It’s recommended to have an unrestricted backup for the entire project.  Same with solar power units in the project.