The words on every property document, explained
No jargon, no legalese. If a term on a listing or a deed is unfamiliar, it is probably here.
A
The promise to transfer at an agreed price on agreed terms. It is not ownership, and a token amount usually accompanies it.
B
Carpet area plus the walls and the balcony. Usually 10–15% more than carpet.
C
The floor you can actually walk on, measured wall to wall inside the flat. It excludes the thickness of the walls, and it is the number RERA requires a builder to quote.
Confirms the building was constructed to the approved plan. Often issued alongside the occupancy certificate.
E
A record from the sub-registrar showing every registered transaction on a property for a given period. A clean one means no unregistered loan or dispute is attached.
Earnest money deposit — the refundable sum you place to take part in a bank auction.
G
The state's minimum value for a property. Stamp duty is charged on it even if you paid less.
K
The municipal record of who pays property tax on a property. An A khata property is fully legal for loans and resale; a B khata one has irregularities.
L
The share of the price a bank will fund. Usually 75–90%, with the rest coming from you in cash.
M
Updating the municipal record to your name after a purchase. Not the same as registration, and easy to forget.
A one-time sum collected by the builder or society, usually two years of charges, held for common upkeep.
O
Issued by the local body once a building is complete and fit to live in. Without it, water and power connections can be refused, and resale is hard.
P
Interest-only payments made while an under-construction home is being built and the loan is released in stages.
The date you get the keys. In a new project it can be months after the promised date; the RERA page shows the committed date.
R
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act. Projects above a threshold must be registered, with a number you can verify on the state RERA site.
S
Built-up area plus your share of lifts, lobbies, staircases and the club. Usually 25–30% more than carpet, and the number most price quotes are based on.
The document that actually transfers ownership. Registered at the sub-registrar office after stamp duty is paid.
State tax on the registration of a sale, typically 5–7% of the higher of the agreement value and the government's guidance value.