Guide · Paperwork
The documents to ask for before you buy your first flat
You do not need to be a lawyer. You need to know which papers to ask for, and what each one proves.
Every paper in a property deal answers one question. Who owns the land? Was the building allowed? Is anything owed on it? Keep that question in mind and the pile stops being scary.
Ask for copies early. A builder with nothing to hide hands them over. Show them to a property lawyer, and to your bank, which will check them anyway.
Step 1
Proof of who owns the land
- Title deed and the chain of earlier deeds. Shows how the land passed from owner to owner. Lawyers commonly look back several decades.
- Joint development agreement, if the builder is developing someone else’s land. It shows the builder’s right to build and sell.
Step 2
Proof that nothing is owed on it
The Encumbrance Certificate (EC) lists registered transactions on the property, such as sales and mortgages, for the period you ask for. See how to check an EC yourself.
Step 3
Proof the building is allowed
- Land use and conversion order, if the land was once agricultural.
- Approved building plan from the planning authority.
- Commencement certificate, allowing construction to start.
- Occupancy or completion certificate, for a ready home. A new home cannot be lawfully occupied without it.
Step 4
The RERA registration
Note the project’s registration number and look it up on the Karnataka RERA website yourself. The page there carries the approvals, the plan and the promised completion date the builder filed. See how to verify a RERA project.
Step 5
Property tax and khata
The khata is the local body’s record of the property for tax. For a new project, the builder holds it for the land; you will get your own after purchase. Ask for the latest tax-paid receipt. See how to check a khata.
Step 6
Your own deal papers
- Written cost sheet with every charge and GST shown separately.
- Allotment letter naming your unit.
- Agreement for sale, registered. Under RERA (s.13) the builder may not take more than 10% of the cost before this is signed and registered.
- Receipts for every payment, and the bank’s disbursement letters.
- Sale deed at the end, registered in your name.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask
Do I need a lawyer if the bank is checking the papers?
The bank’s lawyer checks the papers for the bank’s risk, not for yours. Your own property lawyer reads the agreement for sale for your interests too: delays, refunds, specifications and penalties. For most buyers the fee is small next to the price of the home.
What is the difference between an agreement for sale and a sale deed?
The agreement for sale is a promise to sell on agreed terms, signed while the home is being built. The sale deed actually transfers ownership to you and is executed when the home is ready. Both are registered.
What if the builder will not share a document?
Ask in writing and say why you need it. Much of it should already be on the project’s RERA page, because the Act requires builders to file approvals and plans there. A refusal to share basic title or approval papers is a reason to slow down.
Should I keep originals or copies?
Keep the originals of your own papers, such as the registered agreement, receipts and sale deed, in a safe place, and digital scans as a backup. If you take a loan, the bank usually keeps the original sale deed until the loan is closed.
Want someone to walk this with you?
The Reeva team helps first-home buyers through every one of these steps. Ask for a callback.