Buying a Home in Hyderabad: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Buying a home in Hyderabad is exciting, and it is also a large financial and legal commitment. This checklist walks you through each stage in the order most buyers need it.

1. Work out your total budget

Your budget is more than the price on the brochure. Ask every developer for a complete cost sheet and plan for:

• Down payment: banks usually lend up to 75–90% of the property value, depending on the loan amount, so plan for the rest from your own funds
• Stamp duty and registration charges: check the current rates on the Telangana Registration and Stamps Department website
• GST on under-construction homes (no GST applies to ready-to-move homes with an occupancy certificate)
• Car parking, clubhouse membership, maintenance deposit and corpus fund
• Home-loan processing fees, legal fees, interiors and moving costs

2. Choose the location by your daily life

Think about your commute to work, schools, hospitals, everyday shopping, water supply and the upcoming infrastructure (such as metro lines and ring roads) that will shape the area over the next five to ten years. Visit at peak hours to see real traffic.

3. Shortlist RERA-registered projects from reliable developers

Start with projects registered with TG RERA, then look at each developer’s track record: completed projects, delivery history and the quality of their earlier buildings. Our guide on how to check RERA registration explains the checks.

4. Visit the site, and the sample flat

• Check construction quality and the actual progress against the promised schedule
• Look at orientation, natural light and ventilation
• Ask about the water source, power backup, sewage treatment and fire safety
• Walk the approach road and the neighbourhood

5. Compare on carpet area and total cost

Under RERA, prices are quoted on carpet area: the usable floor area inside the walls. Compare projects using the total cost per square foot of carpet area, including all charges, not just the base price.

6. Verify approvals and documents

Ask for the title documents, encumbrance certificate, approved building or layout plans (GHMC, HMDA or DTCP) and the RERA registration. For a ready-to-move home, also ask for the occupancy certificate. For larger purchases, an independent property advocate’s opinion on the title is money well spent.

7. Arrange your home loan early

Getting an in-principle sanction before you book tells you exactly what you can afford and speeds up the purchase. Compare interest rates, processing fees and prepayment terms across lenders. Ask a tax adviser about the deductions available to you under your chosen tax regime.

8. Booking and the agreement for sale

• Under RERA, a developer cannot take more than 10% of the cost as an advance before a registered agreement for sale
• Check that the agreement states the carpet area, specifications, amenities, payment plan, possession date and the compensation for delays
• Pay only to the developer’s official bank account and keep every receipt

9. Registration

The sale deed is registered at the Sub-Registrar’s office, with the buyer, the seller or their authorised representative, and witnesses present. Keep your identity documents, PAN and photographs ready, and check the details in the deed carefully before signing.

10. Possession and after

At handover, inspect the home carefully and give the developer a written list of defects to fix. Under RERA, the developer must fix structural defects reported within five years of possession. Transfer the utility connections and property tax records to your name, and join the residents’ association.

Frequently asked questions