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Buying property is the largest purchase most people ever make, and the one they make least often. Experience is thin and mistakes are expensive.
This checklist is in the order you should actually work through it: first the things that can stop a deal, then the things that help you negotiate.
1. First: who owns it
Everything else can be fixed later. Ownership cannot.
- Is the person selling actually the owner on paper?
- If they are selling under a power of attorney, read that POA.
- If there is more than one owner (siblings, a joint family), every one of them has to agree.
- Does the seller's identity document match the name on the deed?
One question does more work than any other: "How did this property come to you?" Whatever story you get, ask for the paperwork behind it.
2. The chain of documents
Looking at the most recent sale deed is not enough. The earlier sales have to link up.
- Title deed / sale deed
- Papers of previous owners (chain of title)
- Property tax receipts
- Electricity and water bills
- Encumbrance position — is there a loan or claim on the property
There is more detail on this here: Which documents to check when buying property
3. Approvals and land use
- For a plot: layout approval
- For a flat: building approval and, where it applies, RERA registration
- Land use — is it agricultural or residential (has diversion happened)
What RERA is and why it matters to a buyer is explained separately: What RERA is
4. Match the paper against the ground
That the plot on paper is the plot on the ground is not something to assume.
| What to match | How |
|---|---|
| Plot number and sector | Paper against the marker on site |
| Measurement | Measure it yourself, or bring someone who will |
| Boundaries | Where the edges run on all four sides |
| Access road | Is the road you were shown actually on the paperwork |
Access is the most commonly overlooked item. "Everyone uses this way" is not a legal right of way.
5. Basic utilities
- Where does the water come from
- Is there an electricity connection, or does one need to be taken
- Does it flood in the rain — see it once during monsoon if you can
- How many houses around it are actually built
6. The full cost, not the price
The price of the property is not the cost of the purchase. Add:
- Registration and stamp duty
- Lawyer and documentation
- For a plot: boundary wall and construction
- For a flat: parking, maintenance and society charges
- If you are taking a loan: processing and other charges
On how much to borrow and how: What to know before taking a home loan
Frequently asked questions
- What should I check first?
- Ownership and the chain of documents. If that is not clean, there is no point looking at anything else.
- Do I need a lawyer for every property?
- Not legally, but on a large purchase having the papers read once is the cheapest insurance you will buy.
- How do I check a plot's access road?
- Seeing it on site is not enough. Check whether the road is recorded in the layout or the paperwork.
- Why do people say to see a property in the monsoon?
- Waterlogging shows up on only a few days a year, and if you find out after buying there is nothing to be done.
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