Tips for buying a property in India

The Title Deed
The Title Card is an investigation into the title of the land, over a period of 30 years, states whether the property is unencumbered and has a clear and marketable title. The detailed report should be prepared for the seller by his lawyer and should be checked by the purchaser's lawyer. If the title were not clear and marketable, most of the major financial institutions would refuse to finance this property. Hence, you should approach a financial institution in order to check if they would provide a loan for that particular property.

Property Under Construction
For a project under construction, you should ask for the allotment letter and development agreement. The allotment letter contains details regarding the agreed price, payment and construction schedule, house plans, delivery date and builder's liability in case of late completion or problems after possession. It is issued to the buyer upon payment of the 15% of the property value to the developer. The development agreement is inked between the builder and the landowner and contains details regarding the terms and conditions on which the landowner has permitted development of his property.

Constructed Property
In case of constructed properties, you should ensure that the seller has the title and possession of the property as well as the right to transfer the property. Check if the building adheres to relevant municipal/planning authority requirements. Ensure that there are no tenants and get a declaration that the property was purchased from the seller's funds and is not mortgaged. Check whether dues such as property tax, society, water and electricity bills, etc. have been paid in full. Make sure to take possession of all relevant documents and the original allotment letter, completion certificate, occupation certificate and all other documents, given by the original builder.

Stamp Duty And Sale Deed
The stamp duty is usually a percentage of the transaction value levied by the state government, on every registered sale. The agreement to sell clearly states the stamp duty, which is usually paid by the buyer, and he gets his name registered in the land revenue records. The final sale deed should be stamped and registered at the appropriate local area office. Both the developer/seller and the purchaser need to be present at the sub-registrars office, for registering the agreement.