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Buying a home in India is six stages long, and most of the expensive mistakes come from doing a stage's work in the wrong order. Tell us three things — or just save a few projects — and this page will tell you the one thing worth doing this week, with the checklist for the stage you are in.
Stage 1 of 6: Exploring — Work out the number before you fall in love with a flat.
Three questions, better advice
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Your next step · Exploring
Work out your all-in number
Everything else — which areas, which builders, which size — falls out of one figure. And it has to be the all-in figure: base price plus GST, stamp duty, registration, parking and club is the money that actually leaves your account.
About 10 minutes
Why this stage: Nothing saved and no budget set yet — start with the number.
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We guess from what you have saved and ticked. Pick your real stage and everything below follows it.
Exploring: your checklist
Full guideWork out the number before you fall in love with a flat.
Typically 2–8 weeks, and longer if you are still building the down payment. There is no clock on this stage — nobody is holding a unit for you yet.
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What comes after this
All six stages
Stage 1 of 6 · 2–8 weeks
Exploring
Work out the number before you fall in love with a flat.
Most important thing: Turn your income and savings into one all-in ceiling, then only ever look at homes under it.
7-point checklistStage 2 of 6 · 2–4 weeks
Shortlisting
Cut dozens down to three you would genuinely buy.
Most important thing: Verify the registration and get the written cost sheet for your top three, then compare them on carpet-area price.
8-point checklistStage 3 of 6 · 2–6 weekends
Visiting
Verify with your feet what the brochure claims.
Most important thing: Visit your top two projects, ask for the unsold unit list in writing, and log an honest verdict the same day.
8-point checklistStage 4 of 6 · 1–3 weeks
Negotiating
The stage where money is actually saved.
Most important thing: Get the final written cost sheet and the draft agreement, and have your own lawyer read both before any money moves.
8-point checklistStage 5 of 6 · 30–60 days
Booking
Money moves and the deal becomes a document.
Most important thing: Get the agreement for sale registered before you cross ten per cent of the cost — and keep a receipt for every rupee.
8-point checklistStage 6 of 6 · A few weeks
Possession & registration
The sale deed is the moment you own it.
Most important thing: See the occupancy certificate and close your snag list before the final payment — then register the deed and start the khata transfer.
9-point checklist
Guides worth reading first
All guides- How to verify a RERA registration in Karnataka5 min read
- What khata is, and why A khata and B khata are not the same thing6 min read
- Sale agreement vs sale deed: the difference that costs people money6 min read
- How much home loan can you actually get?7 min read
This is general guidance to help you plan, not legal, tax or financial advice. Process, charges and stamp duty vary by state, bank and developer, and rates change. Have a property lawyer read your documents, and confirm every figure before you transact. Pinly does not verify title, and does not perform legal due diligence on your behalf.