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Jamin Bazaar
Guide10 min read

Buying Property in India? Check These 214 Things Before You Pay

Before buying property in India, verify the seller's ownership, 30-year title chain, Encumbrance Certificate, Patta and revenue records, FMB, DTCP/CMDA/LPA approval, RERA registration where applicable, Occupancy Certificate, property boundaries, outstanding loans and taxes, Sale Deed and registration details.

Written by
Jamin Editorial Team
Published
13 August 2026

๐Ÿก THE ULTIMATE PROPERTY BUYER CHECKLIST IN INDIA

214 Checks Before You Pay Even โ‚น1

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ The Jamin Bazaar 2026 Property Due-Diligence Checklist

Title โ€ข Patta โ€ข EC โ€ข FMB โ€ข DTCP โ€ข CMDA โ€ข RERA โ€ข Seller โ€ข Site โ€ข Tax โ€ข Agreement โ€ข Registration โ€ข Possession


๐Ÿ‘‘ THE GOLDEN RULE OF PROPERTY BUYING**Don't fall in love with the property before you investigate the paperwork.

**The view can be beautiful.

The gate can be magnificent.

The price can look irresistible.

But none of those things can repair a bad title.


๐Ÿง  Why a Checklist Beats Expertise

A surgeon can perform the same operation for twenty years and still use a checklist.

Not because the surgeon has forgotten how to operate.

Because people skip things when they are under pressure.

Property buying works the same way.

You walk onto the land.

The breeze is good.

The road looks promising.

Your family likes it.

The seller tells you another buyer is interested.

The broker says:

โ€œSir, documents are perfect. We can check everything later.โ€

And suddenly the Encumbrance Certificate gets skimmed instead of read.

The A-Register is promised instead of produced.

The FMB is forgotten.

The approval number is taken from the brochure instead of verified with the authority.

And the Sale Deed gets signed because everyone is already sitting inside the Sub-Registrar's Office.

๐Ÿ”ด That is exactly how expensive mistakes happen.

This isn't meant to be another property article.

This is a working document.

214 individual checks.

Each one exists for a reason.

Print it.

Save it.

Take it to the property.

Give sections to your:

โš–๏ธ Advocate ๐Ÿ“ Surveyor ๐Ÿงพ Chartered Accountant ๐Ÿฆ Banker ๐Ÿ—๏ธ Engineer ๐Ÿ‘ค Yourself

Then start ticking.


๐Ÿšฆ HOW TO READ THIS CHECKLIST

SymbolMeaningWhat you do
๐Ÿ”ดDEAL-BREAKER๐Ÿ›‘ Stop. Fix it before paying.
๐ŸŸ MAJOR ISSUEโš ๏ธ Resolve it or renegotiate materially.
๐ŸŸกCAUTION๐Ÿ” Investigate, price and monitor it.
๐ŸŸขCLEAREDโœ… Evidence checked and passed.
๐Ÿ”ตVERIFY๐Ÿ“‘ Confirm against the original/authority.

๐Ÿšจ BEFORE THE 214 CHECKS

THE SEVEN DEAL-BREAKERS

Don't spend six weeks investigating a property that can fail in six hours.

Run these first.

The source itself makes these the gateway checks before Sections Aโ€“R.

#๐Ÿšจ Deal-Breaker๐Ÿ” How to Verify๐ŸŸข PASS
01๐Ÿ”ด Seller has the original title deedPhysically inspect itName matches seller's ID
02๐Ÿ”ด Property has valid DTCP / CMDA / LPA approval where applicableVerify with issuing authorityApproval matches property
03๐Ÿ”ด Land classification is suitable or properly convertedCheck Patta/A-Register/conversion documentsClassification cleared
04๐Ÿ”ด 30-year EC has no unexplained live chargeObtain and read ECNo unresolved mortgage/attachment
05๐Ÿ”ด Every co-owner is identifiedCompare title + Patta + seller disclosureEveryone will sign
06๐Ÿ”ด Applicable RERA registration is currentVerify on RERA portalRegistration and filings current
07๐Ÿ”ด Completed building has applicable Occupancy CertificateVerify document independentlyOC sighted

๐Ÿ›‘ ONE OF THE SEVEN FAILED?

Don't immediately ask:

โ€œCan we somehow manage this?โ€

Ask:

โ€œWhy should I accept this risk?โ€

A property that cannot survive the first seven checks has no business receiving your advance.


๐Ÿงฎ YOUR 214-CHECK JOURNEY

Think of this as the property's health report.

Section๐Ÿ” InvestigationChecks
๐ŸŸข ABuyer Readiness18
๐Ÿก BProperty Type Triage9
๐Ÿ“‚ CDocument Request5
โš–๏ธ DTitle & Ownership31
๐Ÿ”— EEncumbrance & Liabilities17
๐Ÿ›๏ธ FApprovals & Compliance26
๐Ÿ“• GRevenue Records22
๐Ÿ‘ฃ HSite Visits28
๐Ÿข IBuilding & Structural19
๐Ÿ—๏ธ JUnder-Construction27
๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ KSeller Interrogation25
๐ŸŒณ LNeighbourhood14
๐Ÿ’ฐ MFinancial & Tax25
โœ๏ธ NAgreement Clauses20
๐Ÿ”‘ ORegistration Day23
๐Ÿ† PPost-Registration16
๐ŸŒ QNRI Addendum11
๐Ÿ”„ RResale Readiness9

TOTAL: 214 CHECKS

Score only the sections applicable to the type of property being purchased, as the original checklist specifies.


๐ŸŸข SECTION A

๐Ÿ’ฐ BEFORE YOU INVESTIGATE THE PROPERTY, INVESTIGATE YOURSELF

Buyer Readiness โ€ข 18 Checks

Most people begin here:

โ€œWhich property should I buy?โ€

Begin one step earlier:

โ€œAm I actually ready to buy one?โ€
#CheckPass
A1๐Ÿ”ด All-in budget calculatedโ˜
A2๐Ÿ”ด Down payment genuinely availableโ˜
A3๐ŸŸ  Emergency reserve preservedโ˜
A4๐Ÿ”ด CIBIL checkedโ˜
A5๐Ÿ”ด Loan pre-approval obtainedโ˜
A6๐ŸŸ  EMI/income ratio modelledโ˜
A7๐ŸŸ  EMI stress-tested against higher ratesโ˜
A8๐ŸŸ  Income stability consideredโ˜
A9๐Ÿ”ด Source of funds documentedโ˜
A10๐ŸŸ  Capital-gains implications checkedโ˜
A11๐Ÿ”ด Ownership structure decidedโ˜
A12๐ŸŸ  Co-owner/co-borrower tax structure checkedโ˜
A13๐ŸŸก State-specific concessions checkedโ˜
A14๐Ÿ”ด Purchase purpose definedโ˜
A15๐ŸŸ  Intended holding period consideredโ˜
A16๐Ÿ”ด Independent property advocate appointedโ˜
A17๐ŸŸ  CA briefedโ˜
A18๐ŸŸก Surveyor identifiedโ˜

SCORE: ____ / 18

๐Ÿ’Ž JAMIN INSIGHTA โ‚น1 crore property isn't a โ‚น1 crore decision.

Registration costs, professional fees, financing expenses, repairs, brokerage and other transaction expenses sit outside the headline number.

Budget for ownership, not advertising.

The source specifically begins the full checklist by testing buyer readiness, including the all-in budget, liquidity, credit, financing, source of funds and independent professional support.


๐Ÿ“‚ SECTION C

THE 24-DOCUMENT TEST

This section deserves to look almost like a vault inventory on the website.

Before you pay an advance, ask:

โ€œCan the seller actually produce the property?โ€

Not the building.

Not the keys.

The paperwork.

๐Ÿ”ต TITLE VAULT

โ˜ Current Sale Deed โ˜ Mother Deed โ˜ Previous title documents โ˜ 30-year EC โ˜ Legal heir/succession documents โ˜ Release/partition deeds โ˜ Power of Attorney, if applicable

๐ŸŸข REVENUE VAULT

โ˜ Patta โ˜ Chitta / Adangal โ˜ A-Register โ˜ FMB Sketch โ˜ Conversion Order

๐ŸŸก APPROVAL VAULT

โ˜ DTCP / CMDA / LPA Approval โ˜ Approved Building Plan โ˜ OC / CC โ˜ RERA Registration

๐Ÿ”ด LIABILITY VAULT

โ˜ Property Tax โ˜ EB / Water โ˜ Association No-Dues โ˜ Bank Loan Closure / NOC

๐Ÿ‘ค SELLER VAULT

โ˜ PAN โ˜ Aadhaar โ˜ Co-owner IDs โ˜ Residential Status โ˜ All required signatories identified

The original provides a ready-made 24-document request that buyers can send directly to a seller.


โš–๏ธ SECTION D

WHO ACTUALLY OWNS THIS PROPERTY?

This should be one of the darkest, most serious sections visually.

Follow the title backwards.

TODAY'S SELLER

โฌ‡๏ธ

๐Ÿ“œ Previous Sale Deed

โฌ‡๏ธ

๐Ÿ“œ Previous Owner

โฌ‡๏ธ

๐Ÿ“œ Partition / Settlement / Inheritance

โฌ‡๏ธ

๐Ÿ“œ Earlier Owner

โฌ‡๏ธ

๐Ÿ“œ Mother Deed

โฌ‡๏ธ

๐Ÿ” 30 YEARS

Every transfer should connect.

Every name should connect.

Every survey number should connect.

Every extent should connect.

Every unexplained gap is a question.

๐Ÿ‘‘ GOLDEN RULE

**You are not buying from the person standing in front of you.

**You are buying the legal chain behind them.


๐Ÿ›๏ธ SECTION F

๐Ÿšจ โ€œPANCHAYAT APPROVEDโ€

Put this in a giant red website card.

๐Ÿ”ด๐Ÿ”ด๐Ÿ”ด WARNING ๐Ÿ”ด๐Ÿ”ด๐Ÿ”ด

โ€œPANCHAYAT APPROVED LAYOUTโ€

does not automatically mean

โ€œLEGALLY APPROVED LAYOUT.โ€

Ask:

WHO approved it?

WHAT is the approval number?

WHERE is the approved plan?

DOES my plot appear on it?

DO the dimensions match?

Then independently verify the answer.

The source treats this as one of the most commonly missed and potentially expensive Tamil Nadu checks.


๐Ÿ‘ฃ SECTION H

VISIT THE PROPERTY THREE TIMES

โ˜€๏ธ VISIT ONE

Weekday Morning

Check the property.

๐Ÿ“ Boundaries ๐Ÿ›ฃ๏ธ Road ๐Ÿ’ง Drainage โšก Electricity ๐ŸŒŠ Water ๐Ÿ—๏ธ Encroachment

๐ŸŒค๏ธ VISIT TWO

Weekend

Check the neighbourhood.

๐Ÿ‘ฅ Speak to three neighbours ๐ŸŒง๏ธ Ask about flooding ๐Ÿš— Check traffic ๐Ÿ’ง Ask about water ๐Ÿ”Š Listen to the area

๐ŸŒ™ VISIT THREE

After Dark

Check reality.

๐Ÿ’ก Streetlights ๐Ÿ‘ฃ Safety ๐Ÿ˜๏ธ Real occupancy ๐Ÿ• Nuisance ๐Ÿ‘ƒ Drain/STP smells ๐Ÿ“ฑ Mobile coverage

๐Ÿ’Ž JAMIN NIGHT TESTDrive through a supposedly โ€œsold-outโ€ development at 9 PM.Look at the windows.

If almost every house is dark, you may not be looking at a thriving community.

You may be looking at inventory held by investors.

That three-visit structure comes directly from the checklist's 28-point site inspection section.


๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ SECTION K

THE SELLER INTERROGATION

This could be fantastic on the website as expandable question cards.

Ask the seller:

๐Ÿ‘ค โ€œWho else must sign?โ€
๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง โ€œDid you have brothers or sisters?โ€
๐Ÿฆ โ€œWas this property ever mortgaged?โ€
๐Ÿ“• โ€œWhose name is on the Patta today?โ€
๐Ÿ›๏ธ โ€œWho approved this layout?โ€
๐Ÿข โ€œWhere is the Occupancy Certificate?โ€
โš–๏ธ โ€œHas anyone ever disputed this property?โ€
๐Ÿ  โ€œIs anybody occupying it?โ€
๐Ÿ’ฐ โ€œWill you accept the entire consideration through banking channels?โ€

And perhaps the most revealing:

โ€œWhy are you selling?โ€

Ask it once.

Ask it again at another meeting.

See whether the story changes.


๐Ÿ”‘ REGISTRATION DAY

I'd turn this part into a dramatic final countdown.

24 HOURS TO OWNERSHIP

๐Ÿ”ต VERIFY

โ˜ Seller โ˜ Co-owners โ˜ Original documents โ˜ SRO โ˜ Stamp duty โ˜ TDS โ˜ Bank disbursement โ˜ Witnesses

๐Ÿ”ด THEN READ THE SALE DEED SCHEDULE

WORD.

BY.

WORD.

Survey Number โœ“

Subdivision โœ“

Extent โœ“

North Boundary โœ“

South Boundary โœ“

East Boundary โœ“

West Boundary โœ“

UDS โœ“

Apartment / Plot Number โœ“

One wrong digit can follow the property for years.


๐Ÿ† THE FINAL SCORE

At the end, don't merely show a number.

Turn it into a visual Property Health Score.

๐ŸŸข 95โ€“100%

STRONG

Documentation and verification are unusually complete.

๐ŸŸก 85โ€“94%

PROCEED WITH CONDITIONS

Close the remaining issues before releasing money.

๐ŸŸ  70โ€“84%

HIGH CAUTION

There are enough unresolved matters to justify serious renegotiation or further diligence.

๐Ÿ”ด BELOW 70%

STOP

This property needs substantially more work before you should consider committing money.

And above every score:

๐Ÿšจ ONE UNRESOLVED DEAL-BREAKER OVERRIDES THE SCORE.


๐Ÿ‘‘ THE FINAL JAMIN BAZAAR RULE

You can replace tiles.

You can repaint walls.

You can rebuild a kitchen.

You can landscape an empty plot.

You can even demolish a house and build another one.

But you cannot renovate a defective title with Italian marble.

So before you buy the view...

Before you buy the location...

Before you buy the promise of appreciation...

Before you hand over the advance...

๐Ÿ“œ Verify the title.

๐Ÿ›๏ธ Verify the approval.

๐Ÿ“• Verify the records.

๐Ÿ“ Verify the land.

๐Ÿ‘ค Verify the seller.

๐Ÿ’ฐ Verify the money trail.

Then:

๐ŸŸข BUY WITH YOUR EYES OPEN.

JAMIN BAZAAR

The property may win your heart. Let the documents win your trust.


This article is general educational information about buying land in Tamil Nadu. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, charges and procedures change, and the position for a particular plot depends on its own records. Verify the current requirements with the relevant authority, or with a qualified professional, before you commit to a purchase.

Still deciding?

Our desk will walk you through any of this against a specific plot โ€” including the documents you should ask to see.

Colophon

Written by
Jamin Editorial Team
Published
13 August 2026
Extent
10 min read

Set in Inter. Published by Jamin Properties, Tamil Nadu.

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