Before you visit
Fix a budget that includes stamp duty, registration, society deposits and interiors — not just the asking price.
Get a loan pre-approval. It tells you your real ceiling and makes you a credible buyer when you negotiate.
Compare the asking rate per square foot against the locality average. A quote more than ten percent above the pocket needs a reason you can see.
At the site
Visit twice — once at peak hour and once after dark. Water pressure, parking and noise all change.
Ask for the occupancy certificate on a ready home and the RERA number on anything under construction.
Check the society's no-dues position and whether any redevelopment is on the table.
Closing
Have a lawyer read the title chain for the last thirty years and confirm the approved plan matches what is built.
Pay the token only against a written agreement that names the price, the timeline and what happens if either side walks.
Register the sale deed in person. The deal is not yours until it is on the sub-registrar's record.