Buying process
First-time buyer checklist and site-visit checklist for Bengaluru
A step-by-step checklist for a first property purchase in Bengaluru, from planning to registration, plus a list of what to look at and ask during a site visit.
Short answer
This checklist takes a first-time buyer in Bengaluru through six stages: plan, shortlist and verify, site visit, documents and agreement, finance, and registration and handover. It also lists what to look at and ask during a site visit and the mistakes first-time buyers often make. It is general information, not advice.
How to use this checklist
Buying a first home involves many separate steps handled by different people. This checklist puts them in order and points to the other articles on this site where a step needs more detail. It is general information, so adapt it to your situation, and add the questions your lawyer and lender raise.
Stage 1: Plan before you look
Decide the budget you can sustain, not the maximum a lender might offer. Include the one-time costs that sit on top of the price, such as stamp duty, registration, GST where it applies, legal fees and moving in. Note the features you need and the ones you would like, and write down the travel routes that matter to your household.
- Set a monthly payment you could keep up even if your income dipped.
- List the one-time costs and add a margin for change.
- Write your must-haves and nice-to-haves separately.
- Choose two or three areas to study, using the locality method on this site.
Stage 2: Shortlist and verify
Use the project search and the compare tool to build a short list. For each project, get the RERA registration number for the exact phase and check it on the official portal. Compare the status and the completion date with what you were told. Ask for the brochure that prints the same number, and ask for a written cost sheet.
At this stage you should also decide whether you prefer an under-construction or completed flat, using the general factors set out in our comparison article.
Stage 3: The site visit
Visit in daylight and again at another time if you can. Bring a notebook, a phone with a camera, a measuring tape and a list of questions. Take a friend or family member, since a second pair of eyes catches different things. Note the date and time of each visit.
- Ask for the RERA registration number, check whether it is displayed on site and in the advertising, and compare it with your notes.
- Look at the approved plan if the project displays it, and ask how the unit you are shown relates to it.
- If a sample flat is shown, ask whether the finish matches the specification in the agreement.
- Check the road access, the entrance and the surroundings on foot.
- For a completed building, check the lifts, stairwells, parking, water supply, drainage and signs of leaks or damp.
- For an under-construction building, look at actual progress and compare it with the stage the payment schedule assumes.
- Ask who maintains common areas after handover and what the charges are.
- Photograph the display boards and the hoardings, and keep the pictures with your notes.
Stage 4: Documents and agreement
Before you pay more than a small booking amount, collect the documents listed in our article on documents to check, and have a property lawyer review the draft agreement for sale. Make sure the agreement repeats what the brochure and the sales team promised on area, specifications, parking and possession date. Ask for the carpet area in writing.
Stage 5: Finance
Approach lenders with your documents ready, ask each for the same written details, and compare them on equal terms, as set out in our home loan article. Check how disbursement works for an under-construction flat. Keep your own savings plan for the costs the loan does not cover.
Stage 6: Registration and handover
Plan the registration with your lawyer, confirm the charges from the official source and book the appointment through Kaveri Online Services. At handover, check the flat against the agreement, record any defects in writing, and ask for the documents the agreement promises, such as the completion or occupancy certificate for a new building. Keep every receipt and paper in one place.
Do not skip the final inspection. Once you take possession, it becomes harder to argue that a defect existed on the day of handover.
Mistakes first-time buyers often make
Many first-time buyers fix on a flat before they have checked the paperwork, and then feel committed when problems appear. Keep your attachment to a flat separate from your checks, and finish the checks first. Another common mistake is to compare projects on brochure area and headline price, which hides differences in carpet area and in what the price includes.
A third is to let a single conversation settle a question that should be on paper. If the answer matters, such as the completion date, the parking terms or the refund terms, make sure it appears in the agreement and not only in a sales conversation.
Using Request a callback or a brochure
If you want help at any point, our project pages let you request a brochure or a callback. A callback goes to an advisor, who can answer questions about the project data on this site. Nothing you do here commits you to a purchase, and the checks above stay yours to do.
What we cannot tell you
- We cannot tell you how much to spend, which area to choose or whether a particular flat is a good purchase. Those depend on your circumstances.
- We cannot attend your site visit or inspect a building. You or a qualified professional must do that.
- This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult qualified professionals for your own case.
Common questions
- What does the free agent visit involve?
- An agent from our associated sales company can meet you at a project or an agreed place. Service area and terms are being confirmed and will be shown before you book.
- What should I carry on a site visit?
- A notebook, a camera, a measuring tape, the registration number you were given and your list of questions.
- When should a lawyer see the papers?
- Before you pay more than a small booking amount, and before you sign the agreement for sale.
- Where do I check the registration number?
- On the Karnataka RERA portal. Match the number to the exact phase you are buying.
Sources
Read against these official sources on 18 Oct 2026. Rates, fees and procedures change, so check the current position on each site.