Nest to Homes

Bengaluru Apartment Buying Guide & Due Diligence Checklist

A practical, hype-free framework for homebuyers evaluating apartments in Bengaluru. Use this 5-point checklist to compare carpet areas, calculate total purchase costs, verify RERA filings, and check the floor plan.

1. Area Measurement: RERA Carpet vs Super Built-up Area

Never compare properties based solely on quoted super built-up area without confirming usable carpet dimensions.

  • RERA Carpet Area: The net usable floor area inside apartment walls (excluding exterior walls, common lobbies, and shafts). This is the only legally standardized metric for pricing comparisons.
  • Balcony & Utility Space: Balconies and utility wash areas are recorded separately under RERA disclosures. Confirm whether quoted figures include or exclude these spaces.
  • Loading Factor: In Bengaluru high-rise communities, loading typically ranges between 25% and 35%. A 1,500 sq.ft super built-up apartment with 30% loading provides approximately 1,050 sq.ft of carpet area.

2. Base Price vs Total Purchase Cost

The base rate per square foot typically represents only 65% to 75% of your final purchase cheque.

  • Government Registration Fee: 2% of total registered agreement value, following Karnataka Government Notification No. RD/46/MNMU/2025 (effective 31 Aug 2025).
  • Estimated Stamp Duty: Modeled around 5% as an editable budgeting assumption for urban Bangalore properties; exact final duty depends on jurisdictional limits and sub-registrar verification.
  • Goods & Services Tax (GST): 5% applicable on under-construction residential properties without Input Tax Credit (ITC). Completed properties with an Occupancy Certificate (OC) attract 0% GST.
  • Mandatory Builder Extras: Covered car parking (₹3L to ₹6L), Bescom electricity and BWSSB water connection charges, clubhouse development charges, 1 to 2 years advance maintenance, and the sinking fund.

3. Official Karnataka RERA Phase Verification

Verify project phase registrations directly on the official Karnataka government portal before placing booking deposits.

  • Phase-Specific Registration: Large township projects are registered in separate phases. Ensure the specific tower and unit you are booking falls under an active, non-lapsed RERA registration number.
  • Public Portal Search: Check the official Karnataka RERA portal to review sanctioned floor plans, legal ownership affidavits, and committed completion deadlines.
  • Essential Clearances: Under-construction towers require a sanctioned Commencement Certificate (CC). Ready-to-move projects must possess an Occupancy Certificate (OC) from BBMP/BDA before registration and handover.

4. Commute & Transit Assumptions

Evaluate real peak-hour transit times rather than straight-line brochure estimates.

  • Peak Hour Driving: Whitefield, Outer Ring Road, and Bellary Road areas experience significant peak-hour delays. Verify morning and evening travel times to your workplace.
  • Metro Infrastructure Status: Distinguish between operational lines (e.g. Purple Line to Whitefield/Kadugodi) and lines currently under active construction (e.g. Blue Line Airport Metro along ORR).
  • Access Roads & Flyovers: Check arterial road width and proximity to active infrastructure projects (railway crossings, storm-water drains, and flyover works).

5. Floor Plan Utility & Layout Scrutiny

Scrutinize unit layout efficiency rather than accepting conceptual marketing renders.

  • Dead Foyer Space: Lengthy entry passages consume carpet area without adding functional living utility.
  • Pillar Placement & Room Dimensions: Ensure bedroom dimensions accommodate standard wardrobes (2-foot depth) without blocking door swings or balcony access.
  • Supplied vs Missing Documentation: Request architectural layout sheets with room-by-room dimensions. Where floor plans have not yet been published by the developer, note this explicitly during price evaluation.