Everyone Sells Property. Who Tells You the Whole Story?

Estate Doctor is a real estate intelligence platform for India’s homebuyers and investors. We publish market analysis, property explainers, developer coverage and video series that help you understand a purchase before you commit to it.

RERA is the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. It requires most residential projects to be registered with the state’s RERA authority and to disclose approvals, timelines and project details. For a buyer, it means you can check a project’s status yourself and have a forum to complain to if commitments are not met.

Visit your state’s RERA portal and search by the project name or registration number. Look at the registration validity, the promised completion date, the approvals uploaded and any extensions or complaints recorded against the project.

The agreement value is rarely the final figure. Depending on the property, you may also pay stamp duty, registration charges, GST where applicable, parking, possession or maintenance deposits, loan processing fees and the cost of interiors. Ask for a full cost sheet before you book.

Carpet area is the usable floor space inside your home. Built-up area adds the walls and spaces such as balconies. Super built-up area further adds your share of common areas like lobbies and lifts. Under RERA, projects must state the carpet area, so compare homes on that figure.

Start by checking the project’s page on the RERA portal for the registered completion date and any extension granted. Depending on the facts and the applicable RERA provisions, buyers may be able to claim interest for the delay or seek a refund with interest. The right remedy depends on your agreement and the project’s status, so take legal advice on your case.

At a minimum, review the title documents, the approved building plan, the commencement certificate, the RERA registration and the draft sale agreement. For a ready property, also ask for the occupancy certificate and check for any outstanding dues or loans against it.

Both involve trade-offs. Under-construction homes often cost less and let you pay in stages, but carry the risk of delay. Ready homes cost more upfront, but you can see exactly what you are buying and move in or rent out immediately. Your timeline, budget and appetite for risk should decide.

Pagdi is a long-standing tenancy arrangement, most common in Mumbai, in which a tenant pays a lump sum to the landlord and then a low monthly rent in return for long-term tenancy rights. Our Pagdi System series in the Education Corner explains how it works and what redevelopment changes.

Enter the loan amount, the interest rate and the tenure, and the calculator shows your estimated monthly instalment along with the total interest over the loan. It is an estimate — the actual figure depends on your lender’s rate, fees and terms.

It is our verdict series. We look at a property’s price, location and what is being offered, then say plainly whether we think it is worth the asking price — and why.

Our video series are organised by topic in the Education Corner on this site, and every episode is also on the Estate Doctor YouTube channel. Shorter updates go out on Instagram.

Yes. Use the Ask Estate Doctor form on the contact page and tell us the project name, the city and what you would like us to look into. We read everything that comes in.

No. Our articles, data and videos are for general information. Property law and taxes differ by state and change over time, so please consult a qualified lawyer, chartered accountant or financial adviser before making a decision.

Write to us through the contact page and choose “Collaboration or advertising” as the topic. Tell us about your project and what you have in mind, and the right team will respond.