You are comparing homes on your phone. One building shows up under three different area names on three websites. It is natural to wonder whether someone is hiding something. Usually, nobody is.
How a listing gets its area name
When a listing is created, the person filling it in chooses a locality from the site's own list. Their goal is to be found. So a few things happen again and again:
- Popular names win. A well-known nearby name gets more searches, so listings drift towards it.
- The list may be incomplete. If the real village is not in the dropdown, the closest option gets picked.
- Many people list the same home. The builder, several brokers and the portal's own team may each create a listing, each with a different choice.
None of this is checked against land records. That is why it drifts.
The one number that settles it
Every registered project in Karnataka has a K-RERA number. It does not change from site to site. If two listings carry the same number, they are the same project. If a listing has no number at all, ask for it before you go further.
A quick routine for first-home buyers
- Save the RERA number from each listing you like.
- Search each number on rera.karnataka.gov.in.
- Write down the village and survey number from the register.
- Group your shortlist by those details, not by area names.
You will often find your list of “ten projects” is really seven.
Why this matters for your budget
Area names can carry a premium in people's minds. If you are working to a fixed budget, say ₹60–90 lakh, you want to compare homes by what they are, not by what they are called. Two homes in the same village can be judged on the same footing.
What the RERA page tells you that a listing does not
- The promoter's legal name. This is the company that makes the legal promise to you, which may differ from the brand on the hoarding.
- Survey numbers and village. The real address of the land in government records.
- The approving authority. Who sanctioned the building plan.
- The declared completion date. The date your delay rights under section 18 of RERA are measured against.
- Quarterly progress updates. Section 11(1) of RERA asks promoters to keep these updated on the project page.
A listing can have a nice photo and a popular area name. The RERA page has the facts that matter if anything goes wrong.
A worked example (illustrative only)
Say you save three listings for what turns out to be the same building:
- Listing A calls it “Sarjapur Road” and shows a price of ₹72 lakh.
- Listing B calls it by a nearby village name and shows ₹69 lakh.
- Listing C calls it by a well-known junction and shows ₹75 lakh.
These are practice numbers, not Reeva prices. All three carry the same RERA number. So you are looking at one project with three asking prices. The gap between the highest and lowest is ₹6 lakh, which is about 8.7% of ₹69 lakh. Before you react, ask each source what the number includes. One may include parking and GST; another may not. One may be for a higher floor. Ask for a written cost sheet for the same unit type and compare line by line.
How to compare homes fairly, step by step
- Group by RERA number, as above.
- Compare carpet area, not super built-up area. RERA section 2(k) defines carpet area as the usable floor inside your walls.
- Work out price per square foot of carpet area. For example, ₹70 lakh for 1,000 sq ft of carpet area is ₹7,000 per sq ft. This is plain division and lets you compare different sizes.
- List what is included. Parking, club membership, power backup, legal fees, maintenance deposit and GST.
- Check the stage. A ready home and an under-construction home carry different risks and taxes. GST does not apply to a home sold after the occupancy certificate.
- Visit the actual site. Drive from the place you will commute to, at the time you would travel.
Common mistakes when shortlisting online
- Counting the same project twice. It makes your shortlist look longer and your choice harder than it is.
- Trusting the map pin. Pins are often dropped by hand. Check the location from the RERA page or the builder's site plan.
- Calling five brokers about one flat. You may get five versions of the price and many follow-up calls. Pick one source, or go to the builder directly.
- Deciding on the area name. A better-known name does not make the home better or the paperwork cleaner.
- Not asking for the number. If a seller cannot give a RERA number for a project that needs one, that is a reason to stop. Section 3 of RERA bars selling a project that must be registered and is not.
What to do when the details do not match
Sometimes the RERA register says one village and the builder's brochure says another. Do not assume the worst, but do not let it slide either.
- Write down exactly what differs: the village, the survey number, the promoter name or the completion date.
- Email the builder and ask them to explain, with a copy of the document that shows the right detail.
- Check the title papers your lawyer or bank has reviewed. They should agree with the RERA page.
- Pause any payment until the answer is in writing and matches the documents.
Most mismatches turn out to be a marketing name or a typing error on a listing. A few do not. A short email costs nothing and settles which kind you are dealing with.
One more habit helps. Keep a simple sheet with one row per RERA number and columns for village, carpet area, cost sheet total and completion date. Within a week of looking, it becomes the most useful page on your phone.
Your shortlist checklist
- RERA number for every listing
- Promoter name, village and survey number from the register
- Carpet area for the unit you want
- Written cost sheet with every charge listed
- Completion date as declared on RERA
- One site visit at commute time
Want to understand the stretch where Reeva is building? Read our Sarjapur–Attibele Road guide.