Buying a Property

For new projects offered directly by Square Yards, the journey is structured across eight stages:

1. Need Discovery — understanding your purpose (end-use or investment), budget, location preferences, and financial readiness, including loan pre-checks.
2. Curated Shortlisting — data-driven recommendations with comparative analysis, virtual tours, and detailed project insights from the Data Intelligence platform.
3. Site Visits — planned and coordinated across shortlisted projects, with on-ground advisory from the RM.
4. Evaluation and Decision — price benchmarking, negotiation support, unit selection, and ROI or liveability assessment.
5. Booking and Closure — offer finalisation, documentation support, and clarity on payment plans.
6. Loan and Legal Assistance — coordination with Urban Money and Square Yards' legal team for document review and agreement drafting.
7. Post-Booking Support — a dedicated CRM executive tracks payment milestones, coordinates construction updates, and guides you through possession.
8. Post-Possession Services — connection with Interior Company for interiors and Azuro for rental management.

For new projects offered directly by Square Yards, your Relationship Manager works with you to understand your budget, purpose, preferred location, and timeline, and presents relevant options from the projects Square Yards is associated with. You can also browse independently on squareyards.com, and your RM will follow up to guide you through the options.

For properties offered by partner agents or owners, you can search, filter, and shortlist directly using the tools on squareyards.com.

Square Yards has multiple patents across VR and AI domains and has built a proprietary technology stack:

• Data Intelligence — aggregates millions of government sub-registrar transaction records, providing verified price history, comparable sales, demand heatmaps, and price-vs-size analytics.
• PropVR — AI-powered immersive 3D walkthroughs that convert floor plans into interactive virtual tours.
• Virtual site visits with video conferencing — live virtual walkthroughs from anywhere in the world.
• e-Valuation — AI-driven tool for instant estimate of market value, rental yield, and government circle rate benchmarking.
• CRM-led post-booking tracking — payment schedules, construction milestones, possession timelines.
• SuperAgent Pro — proprietary AI voice platform handling multilingual engagement in 12 Indian languages.
• Digital twin vision — a searchable, navigable 3D representation of the entire organised real estate landscape in India.

Square Yards facilitates home loans through Urban Money, which works with 250+ banks and NBFCs — the 10th largest home loan distributor compared to private banks in India, with over ₹1,28,000 crore disbursed to date. For new projects, your Relationship Manager coordinates the loan process alongside your property search so financing and shortlisting progress together. Your dedicated loan advisor at Urban Money assesses your profile, recommends suitable lenders, and guides you through documentation and approval. You can also initiate a loan enquiry independently through urbanmoney.com.

On squareyards.com you can view floor plans, price history, 3D tours where available, the project master plan, and ratings and reviews. Government-registered transaction data for nearby properties is accessible through the Data Intelligence section, giving you a verified reference for pricing before you visit. The e-Valuation tool provides an instant AI-backed estimate of market value, rental yield, and government circle rate benchmarking.

Square Yards' Data Intelligence platform provides government-registered transaction data for any project or locality, so you can see what similar properties have actually sold for — not just what is being asked. This is the most reliable reference for evaluating an asking price. For a more formal assessment, Square Yards also offers an e-Valuation service, which delivers a documented, data-backed value estimate covering market value, rental yield, and government circle rate benchmarking.

Carpet area is the actual usable floor space within your home — the area you can physically walk on, excluding walls.

Built-up area includes carpet area plus the thickness of the walls.

Super built-up area (also called saleable area) adds your proportionate share of common spaces — lobbies, lifts, staircases, and amenities — to the built-up area. Developers typically quote prices on super built-up area, which is 20–30% larger than the actual carpet area.

RERA now mandates that developers quote pricing on carpet area for registered projects, making it easier to compare across projects.

Beyond the base sale price, budget for:

• Stamp duty and registration: 3–8% of the transaction value, varies by state.
• GST: 5% on under-construction residential (1% for affordable housing). Ready-to-move with OC is exempt.
• Preferential Location Charges (PLC): premium for park-facing, corner, pool-facing, or road-facing units.
• Floor Rise Charges (FRC): premium for higher floors.
• External and Infrastructure Development Charges (EDC / IDC): for surrounding infrastructure.
• Maintenance deposit: one-time corpus, typically 12–24 months of maintenance charges.
• Car parking charges: often priced separately.
• Club membership and amenity charges.
• Power backup and electrification charges.
• Home loan processing fees and insurance.
• Interior fit-out costs for semi-finished units.

Always ask for a complete cost sheet before signing. The total cost is typically 20–30% higher than the base price.

Inventory and pricing in real estate can change frequently and should always be reconfirmed before booking. For new projects offered directly by Square Yards, check the latest status with your RM before proceeding — pricing and availability are controlled by the developer and can change based on demand. For properties listed by partner agents or owners, availability depends on individual sellers and pricing is often negotiable. In all cases, do not rely solely on earlier shared information and always reconfirm before making any payment.

Yes, in most cases. For new projects offered directly by Square Yards, your Relationship Manager can leverage Square Yards' developer relationships to negotiate pricing, preferred floor or unit selection, or value-adds such as parking or payment plan flexibility. For properties listed by partner agents or owners, pricing is directly between you and the seller — Square Yards can assist in evaluating whether an asking price is reasonable based on market data.

For new projects offered directly by Square Yards, a multi-layer verification process is applied before any project is listed: RERA registration is verified against the relevant state authority portal; developer track record is reviewed including previous project delivery history; legal and financial standing is assessed including environmental clearances, building plan sanction, and land title clarity; and bank approvals for home loans from leading banks serve as additional institutional validation. This verification does not apply to properties offered by partner agents or owners — for those, buyers are responsible for conducting their own due diligence.

⚑ The verification steps above reflect Square Yards' internal process for new developer partnerships. They do not constitute a legal guarantee of the project's status or the developer's future obligations. Buyers are advised to independently verify RERA registration on the relevant state portal and consult a legal professional for title and document review before committing to any purchase.

Square Yards offers a comprehensive suite of property legal services through its in-house legal team, accessible at squareyards.com/legal-services-for-real-estate:

• Document Review — legal review for compliance and risk (100+ cases handled).
• Comprehensive Due Diligence — title search, mortgage checks, compliance verification.
• Title Search — confirms clear ownership and identifies encumbrances.
• Litigation Search — identifies active, pending, or disposed court cases.
• Project Monitoring Report — legal permissions, construction progress, and transactions for under-construction projects (80 projects monitored).
• Property Complaints — legal notices, RERA, Consumer Court, NCLT, or Arbitration filings (75+ complaints filed).
• Power of Attorney — drafted and executed, particularly for NRI buyers (150 PoA executed).
• Sale and Lease Agreement drafting.

These services are available both standalone and as part of the broader buying journey.

Square Yards only allows verified brokers and owners to list properties on the platform. That said, always independently verify title documents, encumbrances, ownership records, and society dues before transferring any amount. Do not transfer money on verbal commitments alone. A written agreement with clear terms should precede any transfer. Square Yards' legal team can conduct a Title Search and Litigation Search before you commit.

Key documents to review:

• Title deed and previous sale deeds — confirm clear, unencumbered ownership
• Encumbrance certificate — confirms no loans or legal charges exist
• Occupancy Certificate (OC) — confirms the building was completed as per approved plans and is legally fit for occupation
• Society NOC — confirms no outstanding dues
• Approved building plan — confirms the structure is legally sanctioned
• Latest utility bills — confirm no outstanding dues

Square Yards strongly recommends having all documents reviewed by a legal professional. The Comprehensive Due Diligence service covers all of the above as a structured, documented engagement.

An Occupancy Certificate is issued by the local civic authority and confirms that a building has been constructed as per the approved plan and is legally fit for occupation. Buying a property without an OC carries significant risk: utility connections may not be obtainable legally, the building may be deemed unauthorised, and banks may decline home loans for such properties. For purchases from existing owners, always verify that the OC has been issued before signing any agreement.

An encumbrance certificate, obtained from the Sub-Registrar's office, lists all registered transactions and charges against a property — including mortgages and legal claims. A legal professional can also conduct a title search to identify any disputes, court orders, or ownership complications not visible in the encumbrance certificate. Square Yards offers both a Litigation Search and a Title Search service, which can be commissioned before you commit to a purchase.

Requirements vary depending on whether you are booking a new project or purchasing from an existing owner, and whether you are applying for a home loan.

For booking a new project:
• Identity proof: Aadhaar, PAN card, or passport
• Address proof
• Recent passport-size photographs
• Booking amount payment in favour of the developer
• NRI buyers additionally require: passport copy, OCI or PIO card where applicable, and NRE or NRO account statement

For purchasing from an existing owner (in addition to the above):
• Original title documents and previous sale deeds from the seller
• Encumbrance certificate
• Society NOC
• Occupancy Certificate
• Approved building plan

For a home loan through Urban Money:
• PAN card and Aadhaar
• Last three months' salary slips or ITR (self-employed)
• Last six months' bank statements
• Form 16 or ITRs for the last two years
• Employment letter or business proof
• Property documents once finalised

Your loan advisor will provide a precise checklist based on the lender selected and your profile.

Under Section 194-IA of the Income Tax Act, when a buyer purchases a property valued at ₹50 lakh or more, the buyer is required to deduct TDS at 1% of the transaction value from the payment made to the seller, and deposit it with the Income Tax Department using Form 26QB. The TDS certificate (Form 16B) must then be provided to the seller. This is the buyer's obligation. If you are unsure of your obligations, consult a tax advisor.

For new projects offered directly by Square Yards, a CRM executive is assigned to your account to help you track payment milestones, coordinate construction updates, and assist through the possession process. You have a single point of contact for any post-booking queries or escalations, and the process is managed end to end through to handover.

For properties offered by partner agents or owners, post-booking coordination is managed between you and the selling party. Square Yards facilitates the initial connection but does not manage the transaction or post-booking process for these properties.

A CRM executive is assigned to your account after you book a new project through Square Yards. They are your single point of contact for all post-booking matters — tracking payment schedules, coordinating construction updates with the developer, and guiding you through the possession and handover process. For any escalations related to delays or disputes, your CRM executive facilitates communication with the developer on your behalf.

Under RERA, if a developer fails to deliver possession by the date committed in the registered agreement, you are entitled to either:

(a) withdraw from the project and receive a full refund of all amounts paid, with interest at SBI MCLR + 2% per annum from the date of each payment; or

(b) continue with the project and receive the same interest as compensation for the period of delay, paid by the developer.

These rights apply to RERA-registered projects. For new projects offered through Square Yards, your CRM executive will facilitate communication with the developer, and the Square Yards legal team can support you in filing a RERA complaint if required. You can also file a complaint directly with the relevant state RERA authority.

Escalate first with your Square Yards CRM executive, who will facilitate communication with the developer on your behalf. Document all communications in writing.

Under RERA Section 18, if the cancellation is due to developer default, you are entitled to a full refund with interest at SBI MCLR + 2% per annum. If you initiated the cancellation, the developer may deduct a charge as per the agreement but must return the balance. If the developer does not comply, you can file a complaint at the relevant state RERA authority or Consumer Court.

Square Yards PropLegal can handle the full process on your behalf — legal notices, RERA filings, Consumer Court, NCLT, or Arbitration. Over 75+ complaints filed to date.

⚑ Refund timelines, deduction limits, and interest rates vary by state RERA rules and your specific agreement. Consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your situation.

Square Yards has a structured escalation path:

1. Your Relationship Manager or CRM Executive — raise your concern directly. Most queries related to site visits, payment schedules, documentation, and possession timelines are resolved at this stage.

2. Raise a Ticket — if not resolved within a reasonable timeframe, raise a formal support ticket through the Square Yards app, through the Contact Us section at squareyards.com, or by writing to customercare@squareyards.com. This creates a documented record and triggers a response within the committed SLA.

3. Developer or Agent Issues — for matters arising from the developer's side (construction delays, possession delays, discrepancies in the unit), Square Yards will facilitate communication on your behalf for new projects. For partner-agent properties, issues should be raised with the agent or owner directly; you may still write to customercare@squareyards.com to flag the matter and request facilitation.

You may register a DND (Do Not Disturb) request by writing to customercare@squareyards.com. Requests are processed within the timelines mandated under applicable regulations.

• Share your accurate budget and intent from the start — the more context you provide, the better the recommendations.
• Be clear about your timeline, whether you are ready to move quickly or still exploring.
• Attend the recommended site visits — they make a significant difference to the quality of your final decision.
• Ask questions freely about legal, financial, or technical matters — Square Yards offers specialised support for each.
• Keep your key documents ready so the process can move quickly when you are ready to close.
• Confirm current availability and pricing with your RM immediately before booking, as these can change without notice.
• Use the Data Intelligence platform to verify any asking price against government-registered transaction data before negotiating.
• Engage Square Yards' legal team for document review and due diligence before signing any agreement or transferring any amount.

• Avoid visiting project sites independently without coordination through Square Yards — this may affect the pricing benefits and priority access negotiated on your behalf.
• Do not rely solely on online information without on-ground validation — advisory adds important context that property pages cannot capture.
• Do not transfer any amount — including token money — on verbal commitments alone. Always have a written agreement in place first.
• Avoid making last-minute budget changes after shortlisting is complete — it restarts the process and may cost you preferred inventory.
• Do not delay decisions on high-demand projects where availability can shift quickly.
• Do not proceed with a booking without fully understanding the payment schedule, cancellation terms, and refund conditions.
• Do not skip legal due diligence when buying from an existing owner — title disputes and encumbrances are not always visible and can surface after purchase.