10 Things to Check Before Buying Your Dream Home

Before you book a home, assess ownership, permissions, affordability and day-to-day suitability separately. A beautiful show home or a lender’s willingness to finance a project cannot replace your own document review. Use these ten checks to prepare questions for the seller, a qualified property lawyer and your lender before committing money. Requirements depend on the property and jurisdiction.

1. Confirm who can sell

Ask for the seller’s identity, the current title deed and earlier ownership documents relevant to the transaction. Names and property descriptions should agree across the records. Inherited property, joint ownership and sales through a power of attorney need additional scrutiny. Ask a lawyer to identify the necessary ownership history; there is no single look-back period suitable for every purchase.

2. Review encumbrances and disputes

Obtain the relevant encumbrance certificate for the correct property and period, then compare it with the ownership documents. An EC reflects recorded transactions within its search scope; it does not by itself prove clear title or rule out every claim or unregistered liability. Ask about mortgages, pending disputes and how any lender’s charge will be released before completion.

3. Check plans and permissions

Compare the sanctioned plan, permitted land use and applicable layout approval with the actual property. For completed buildings, ask which completion or occupancy documents are required and available locally. Unapproved additions can create future risks. A brochure or an agent’s verbal assurance is not evidence of approval; obtain copies that a competent professional can verify.

4. Verify applicable RERA disclosures

For a project covered by RERA, search the relevant state regulator’s portal using the project registration details. Check the specific phase, promoter, declared completion timeline and available updates. The Ministry’s RERA overview explains the disclosure framework. Registration is useful evidence, but it is not a substitute for title review or a guarantee that every commercial promise will be fulfilled.

5. Compare area and specifications

Ask whether the advertised area is carpet area, built-up area or another measurement. Compare like with like when evaluating prices. Get a written list of included finishes, parking arrangements, common facilities and any extra-cost items. For a resale home, inspect the actual condition and estimate repair costs rather than relying on photographs or the original project specification.

6. Visit the neighbourhood

Visit at different times to assess traffic, noise, access, lighting and practical travel times. Test routes to work, schools and medical facilities yourself. Ask about drainage, water availability and maintenance arrangements. Treat proposed roads or transit links as uncertain until supported by official information, and judge whether the location works even if those future improvements are delayed.

7. Inspect condition and services

Arrange an inspection for dampness, cracks, drainage, electrical safety and plumbing, using a qualified professional where needed. Ask how water, power backup and waste disposal are managed. In an apartment, review common-area condition and recurring charges. In a plot, confirm boundaries, legal access and buildability; a vacant parcel can have important constraints that are not visible on a site visit.

8. Build the full purchase budget

Include the price, applicable taxes, state-specific stamp duty and registration charges, legal review, lending costs, repairs and moving expenses. Retain an emergency reserve instead of using all savings for the down payment. Ask the seller for an itemised cost sheet, and check which charges are refundable if financing fails or a document problem prevents the sale.

9. Read the agreement before paying

Have the proposed agreement reviewed before a substantial commitment. Check the property schedule, payment stages, possession terms, included items, cancellation conditions and remedies for delay. Keep payments traceable and collect receipts. When financing is needed, distinguish a preliminary eligibility estimate from a formal sanction and a lender’s final readiness to disburse.

10. Plan completion and handover

Confirm the registration process, original documents to be handed over, mortgage release arrangements and utility or association transfers. At possession, record meter readings, keys, defects and any unfinished work in writing. Keep the signed agreement, registered deed and payment trail together. This checklist is general information, not a title opinion; take the actual records to a qualified local adviser before deciding.