Buying at a new launch: what to verify before you book

Start with RERA

Every residential project of meaningful size must be registered with Karnataka RERA before it is marketed. Look the project up on the Karnataka RERA website and read what the builder has declared: the registration number, approvals, the promised completion date and the phases covered. If it isn't registered, don't book.

Under RERA, a builder can't take more than 10% of the price as an advance before an agreement for sale is registered, and carpet area is the area you are sold. Both protect you, so use them.

Look at what the builder has already delivered

A brochure shows intent. A finished project shows ability. Visit one or two of the builder's completed projects, ask residents about delivery delays, construction quality and how the association handover went.

Read the agreement for sale

Check the payment plan (construction-linked plans tie payments to visible progress), the completion date, the penalty if possession is late, the specifications, and exactly which car park and common areas you are getting.

Count the full cost

The headline price is rarely the final one. Ask for a written cost sheet that includes car parking, club membership, maintenance deposits, legal and documentation charges, stamp duty and registration, and GST, which applies to homes bought under construction but not to completed ones with an occupancy certificate.

Launch pricing and timing

Early bookings are often priced lower, and that discount is real. So is the risk of a long wait. Weigh the saving against the rent you will keep paying until possession, and against the builder's record on dates.