First Home Checklist: Every Cost and Document Before You Book

The agreement value is the start, not the total. Add stamp duty and registration (state-dependent, commonly in the 5–8 percent band together), GST if under-construction, parking and preferred-location charges where applicable, society formation and maintenance deposits, and interiors.

On the loan side add processing fees and insurance. A realistic budget keeps 8–12 percent of the property value aside for everything beyond the price — first-time buyers most often go wrong by discovering these numbers after booking.

For a new project: RERA registration and the filing’s possession date, the approved building plan, the title report, and commencement certificate. For ready property: occupancy certificate, society share certificate or conveyance status, and the complete chain of prior agreements.

Match the seller entity across documents — the RERA promoter, the agreement counterparty and the receiving bank account should reconcile. Mismatches are where problems hide.

A clean sequence: fix budget with a loan eligibility check, shortlist and visit projects, verify documents, negotiate and pay the token with a written cost sheet, sign and register the agreement for sale within the committed window, then follow the payment schedule to possession and conveyance.

Never let the token payment run ahead of paperwork. RERA caps pre-agreement collection at ten percent, and a written, itemised cost sheet before the token protects you from surprise charges later.

Inspect the unit against the agreement’s specifications, measure the carpet area, test fittings and drainage, and record defects in writing — RERA obliges promoters to fix structural and workmanship defects reported within the defect-liability period.

Collect the occupancy certificate, handover letter, warranty documents and NOC trail, and confirm the society or association handover plan. Registration plus possession letter plus OC is the set that makes the home fully yours on paper.