The three things to know
- 01
The booking amount is the point of no easy return. Ask everything before you pay it.
- 02
Get answers in writing: RERA number, carpet area, all-in cost sheet, payment plan and cancellation terms.
- 03
The questions the sales team rushes past are usually the ones that matter most.
The site visit went well. The sales manager says the price is valid only till Sunday, and there are just two units left on your preferred floor. This is exactly the moment buyers regret later: when urgency replaces questions.
Before you pay a booking amount, get clear, written answers to these ten questions. A good builder will answer every one of them. If someone avoids one, that is your answer.
1. What is the RERA registration number?
Every project being sold must be registered with Karnataka RERA. Look it up on the RERA website yourself. Check the registered completion date, the approved plan and the quarterly progress updates.
2. Are all approvals in place for this tower?
Ask for the approved building plan and commencement certificate for the specific tower you are buying in. Phases are sometimes approved separately.
3. What is the carpet area of this exact unit?
Not the super built-up area. The carpet area is what you live in, and RERA requires the builder to state it. The gap between the two tells you how much you are paying for common areas.
4. What is the all-in price, in writing?
Ask for a signed cost sheet for this unit with floor rise, PLC, parking, clubhouse, deposits, GST, stamp duty and registration. Then ask what is not included. (We break down every charge in this guide to the all-in price.)
5. What is the payment plan, and what triggers each payment?
Construction-linked plans should tie payments to clear milestones like slab completion, not to dates. Ask what happens to your payment schedule if construction slows down.
6. What happens if I cancel?
Read the cancellation clause in the booking form before you sign it. How much of the booking amount is refundable, and by when? Many buyers only discover these terms when their plans change.
7. What is the possession date in the agreement?
Compare the date the sales team says, the date in the agreement and the date on RERA. If they differ, the latest one is the real one.
8. How has this builder delivered before?
Ask for the builder's last three completed projects in Bengaluru and when they were handed over compared with the promised date. Then visit one, and talk to a resident if you can.
9. Is this the launch price, and how long is it held?
New launches move in price as units sell. Ask what the current price is, which offers apply, and how long both are valid in writing. Then ask which banks have approved the project for loans; major-bank approval means their legal teams have cleared the title.
10. What do I give up with this unit?
West-facing afternoon heat, a view that a future tower will block, noise from the main road, distance from the metro, a smaller carpet area than the next project. Every home has compromises. The question is whether you hear about them before booking or discover them after.
The question behind all ten
Who is helping you ask them? The sales team works for the builder. That is their job. It is not their job to tell you what the project next door does better.
A PropStar adviser asks these questions for you and gets the answers in writing. Already have a project in mind? Ask us for a free second opinion before you pay the booking amount.
Written by the PropStar teamPropStar is built by a team with IIT and IIM alumni. We work on the buyer's side: we compare homes across builders, show you what you give up, and negotiate and book with you. The builder pays our fee. You don't.
