Stage 2 of 6: Shortlisting — Cut dozens down to three you would genuinely buy.
Stage 2 of 6
Shortlisting
Cut dozens down to three you would genuinely buy.
Shortlisting is paperwork work, not weekend work. Before you spend Saturdays driving to sites, eliminate on documents: registration status, carpet area, the real all-in cost sheet, and the developer's delivery record. Done properly, this stage removes most of the projects on your list without you leaving the house, and the three that survive are worth a visit.
How long this usually takes
Typically 2–4 weeks. Do not compress it — this is the cheapest stage at which to say no.
You are done with this stage when
You have three to five projects you could defend to a sceptical friend, each with a written cost sheet and a registration number you have checked yourself.
Your next step · Shortlisting
Save three projects you would actually buy
A shortlist you can compare beats a hundred tabs you cannot. Three is enough to see the real trade-offs between price, area and possession.
20 minutes
Documents you need at this stage
RERA registration certificate for the project (and the phase)
Phases are often registered separately. Make sure the certificate covers the tower your flat is in.
Approved building plan and commencement certificate
Confirms what the authority sanctioned — number of towers, floors and setbacks — so you can see if the site matches.
Title documents and the encumbrance certificate (EC)
The EC shows registered charges and transactions on the property over a period. Ask for a long span and have a lawyer read the chain.
Khata / property record and the latest tax paid receipt
Shows the property is on the municipal record and taxes are current.
Statutory NOCs applicable to the project
Which ones apply varies with location, height and size — fire, pollution control, water and airport height clearance are common. Ask which apply here and see them.
Occupancy certificate (for ready-to-move only)
Without an OC the building is not legally cleared for occupation, whatever the site office says.
Questions to ask the developer
- What is the carpet area of this exact unit, and what is the loading percentage to super built-up?
- Can I have the full cost sheet in writing, with every head named?
- Is the car park charged separately, and is it open, covered or stacked?
- What is the monthly maintenance per sq.ft, and how many months are collected upfront?
- Is the maintenance deposit refundable, and who holds it until the association is formed?
- Which phase and tower is this unit in, and what is the registered completion date for that phase?
- Are there escalation clauses that let the price change after booking?
- Which banks have approved this project for home loans?
Traps at this stage
Comparing super built-up prices
Two projects at the same rate per sq.ft can differ by hundreds of square feet of usable space. Divide the all-in price by carpet area and compare that number instead.
Taking the brochure's registration number on trust
Registrations lapse, phases are registered separately, and numbers get printed wrong. Search it on the authority's portal yourself. It takes two minutes.
Paying a token to 'hold the price'
A token paid before you have read the draft agreement is leverage handed away for free. If a price genuinely expires this weekend, it will exist again next month.
Ignoring the maintenance number
A large clubhouse is a monthly bill for the next thirty years. Multiply the per-sq.ft maintenance by your area and by twelve before you call a project affordable.
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.