Run through these before any money moves
Before you pay a token amount
The five minutes of paperwork that save the next five months.
Ask for the last two sale deeds, not only the current one. Gaps in the chain are the most common problem.
Thirteen years is the usual ask. It shows any registered loan against the property.
Compare the approved building plan with what is built. An unapproved extra floor becomes your problem.
Property tax receipt, electricity bill and society dues, all in the seller's name and current.
Whatever the seller promises about the token, the deadline and the refund, put it in the agreement to sell.
Renting a home
What to confirm before the deposit leaves your account.
Ask for an identity document and the tax receipt in the same name. Never pay a deposit to someone you have not met.
Ten months in Bengaluru, two in Mumbai — but the refund terms matter more than the amount.
On the day you move in, photograph every wall, fitting and meter reading, and email the set to the owner.
Move-in timings, visitor policy, pet policy and any deposit the society itself collects.
Buying in a new project
Under-construction homes carry different risks from resale.
Type it into the state RERA site yourself. It shows the promised completion date and any complaints.
Construction-linked is safer than time-linked. Never agree to pay ahead of the build stage.
Floor rise, preferred location charge, club, parking and GST are often quoted separately.
Compare the progress against the stage the builder is charging you for.