Guides · Before you buy
Before you buy · 4 min readBefore Paying the Token — the 10-Point Checklist
Reviewed against MahaRERA rules · Informational, not legal advice
The short version: The moment you pay a token, your leverage drops sharply. These ten checks take an afternoon and can save you years — run every one before the money leaves your hands.
The checklist
Tick each before you pay. If the builder can't satisfy one, that's your answer.
1
RERA registration is live
Search the project on MahaRERA. Note the registration number and that it's still valid — not lapsed, revoked or in abeyance.
2
The RERA number is for this project/phase
Builders sometimes quote a sister project's or an old phase's number. Confirm the name, address and promoter match exactly.
3
Commencement Certificate is issued
No CC means construction isn't legally sanctioned yet. Don't book a flat the builder can't legally build.
4
Your floor is sanctioned
Check the approved plan. Flats on unsanctioned upper floors get demolished — and your money is stuck.
5
Title is clear
Ask for the title certificate and search report. The land shouldn't be disputed or mortgaged without a lender NOC.
6
Full cost sheet, in writing
Agreement value + GST + stamp duty + parking + floor-rise + club + legal + corpus + maintenance — itemised, not a round number.
7
Builder's delivery record
How many of their projects delivered on time, average delay, open complaints. A brochure won't tell you; the public record will.
8
Payment plan is construction-linked
You should pay for what's built, not by the calendar. Time-linked plans shift the delay risk onto you.
9
Booking terms in writing
Token amount, what's refundable, and the cancellation terms — on paper, signed, before you transfer anything.
10
Nothing in cash
Every rupee by traceable transfer, with a receipt naming the project and flat. Cash has no legal trail if things go wrong.
What to watch for
- “Book today or you lose the unit” — manufactured urgency is a pressure tactic, not a deadline.
- Any cash component, or a price that's lower “if part is in cash”.
- Verbal promises (a park view, a completion date) that aren't written into the agreement.
- A RERA number that doesn't open the exact project you're being sold.
Let a free tool do the work
Put this guide into action — Pre-booking checklist is free and needs no login to try.
Open Pre-booking checklistRead next
This guide is general information to help you ask better questions — it is not legal advice, and it doesn't replace your own advocate or the official MahaRERA portal. Rules, rates and builder practices vary; always verify against the current MahaRERA record and your project's documents before acting.