A First-Time Buyer's Checklist Before You Book an Apartment in Bangalore

Booking an apartment is usually the largest single payment most people make in a given year, and the process rewards a bit of deliberate slowness. A short checklist, worked through before you pay a booking amount, catches most of the common regrets.

Start with RERA. Every project legally on sale in Karnataka should carry a Karnataka RERA registration number, checkable independently on the state RERA portal. If a builder can't produce one, or the project is still "awaiting registration," that's not automatically disqualifying for an early-stage launch — but it changes how much you should rely on any possession date you're quoted.

Next, separate carpet area from super built-up area. The price per square foot quoted to you is almost always against the larger, super built-up figure — carpet area (the space you actually walk on) is typically 20–30% smaller. Ask for both numbers before comparing price across two projects.

Ask for the cost sheet, not just the headline price. A realistic cost sheet itemizes the base price, floor rise charges, car parking, club membership, maintenance deposit, and applicable GST and registration costs separately. The gap between a "starting from" number and the actual all-in cost is where most surprises live.

Confirm the possession date's status: is it builder-confirmed in the agreement, or an informal estimate? RERA filings list a legally binding possession date — that's the number worth anchoring to, not a verbal timeline from a sales office.

Finally, do the site visit in person before booking, even for an under-construction project. Seeing the actual plot, its access roads, and the surrounding development tells you things no brochure will.