Why this glossary matters: Indian real estate uses many technical terms that builders, banks, and lawyers use freely — but rarely explain. Understanding these terms can help you avoid expensive mistakes, negotiate better, and protect your rights under RERA.
⭐ Must-Know Terms
Most Searched Real Estate Terms
These are the terms every home buyer in India must understand before signing any document.
⚖️ Legal
RERA
Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016 — the central law that protects home buyers from builder delays, mis-selling, and fraud.
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📐 Area
Carpet Area
The actual usable floor area within your apartment walls — the area a carpet can cover. RERA mandates all pricing be based on carpet area only.
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💰 Taxation
Stamp Duty
A state government tax paid when registering property — typically 4–8% of market value. One of the largest hidden costs in a property purchase.
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🏗️ Construction
FSI / FAR
Floor Space Index — the ratio of total built-up area to plot area. Higher FSI means builders can build more floors on the same land.
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📐 Area
Super Built-Up Area
Carpet area + walls + your share of common areas like lobby, staircase, and lift shaft. Often 25–35% more than carpet area.
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🏦 Finance
EMI
Equated Monthly Instalment — the fixed monthly amount paid to the bank for your home loan, covering both principal repayment and interest.
Read full explanation →
📋 Legal
Occupancy Certificate (OC)
A certificate from the local authority confirming a building is safe to occupy and was built as per approved plans. Never move in without an OC.
Read full explanation →
📋 Legal
Khata
A Bangalore-specific revenue document that records property ownership in the municipal register. Essential for getting a building plan approved and property tax paid.
Read full explanation →
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🔤 Complete A–Z Dictionary
All Real Estate Terms from A to Z
Click any term for its full definition, examples, and related terms.
A
Absolute TitleLegal
Absolute title in property explained — what it means, difference from limited title and marketable title, how to verify absolute title, and why it is.
Adverse PossessionLegal
Adverse possession explained — what squatter's rights mean in Indian property law, conditions required, 12-year rule, how to protect your property…
AffidavitLegal
Affidavit in property transactions explained — what it is, when it is required in real estate, how to draft and notarise, common uses in property…
Affordable HousingInvestment
Affordable housing in India explained — PMAY definition, income limits, subsidy amounts, eligibility, government schemes, and how to apply for…
Agreement for SaleLegal
Agreement for Sale explained for Indian home buyers — meaning, clauses, difference from sale deed, stamp duty rules, and how it protects you under…
Allotment LetterLegal
Allotment Letter explained — what it is, what it contains, difference from agreement for sale, when you receive it, and how it protects your property.
Amenity SpaceArea
Amenity space in apartments explained — what it includes, who maintains it, common area charges, how to evaluate amenities before buying, and the…
B
Balloon PaymentFinance
Balloon payment in home loan explained — what it is, how balloon payment mortgages work, risks for borrowers, why balloon loans are uncommon in…
Benami PropertyLegal
Benami property explained — what benami means, how the Benami Transactions Prohibition Act works, penalties, what buyers should check, and how to…
BHKArea
BHK explained — what BHK means in Indian real estate, difference between 1BHK 2BHK 3BHK, what counts as a bedroom, and how to choose the right BHK…
Black money in real estate explained — what undisclosed cash in property deals means, legal risks under Benami Act and Income Tax, how government…
Booking AmountLegal
Booking amount in property explained — what it is, difference from token advance, how much to pay, refund rules under RERA, and what to check before…
Bridge LoanFinance
Bridge loan in property explained — what it is, how it helps when buying a new home before selling the old one, interest rates, tenure, eligibility…
Builder-Buyer Agreement explained — key clauses, RERA rules, red flags to watch, penalty clauses, and how this contract protects Indian home buyers…
Building Plan ApprovalPlanning
Building plan approval explained — what it is, who issues it, documents required, how to check if a building has approved plan, and what happens if.
Built-Up AreaArea
Built-up area in property explained — what it includes, how it differs from carpet area and super built-up area, loading factor, and why RERA uses…
Buyer-seller agreement in property explained — what it is, difference from sale deed, key clauses to include, how it protects both parties, and why.
C
Capital AppreciationInvestment
Capital appreciation in property explained — what it is, what drives appreciation in Indian real estate, high-appreciation micro-markets, and…
Capital gains tax on property explained — LTCG vs STCG on property, tax rates, indexation benefit, Section 54 exemption, and how to save capital…
Car parking types in apartments explained — stilt parking, podium parking, basement parking, open parking, mechanical parking, rules for selling…
Carpet AreaArea
Carpet area explained for Indian home buyers — RERA definition, difference from built-up and super built-up area, how to calculate it, and why it…
ChawlProperty Type
Chawl explained — what chawl means in Mumbai real estate, tenant rights in chawl, chawl redevelopment process, SRA schemes, and what buyers should…
Co-operative Housing SocietySociety
Co-operative housing society (CHS) explained — what it is, how it works, member rights, society charges, share certificate, deemed conveyance, and…
Common AreaArea
Common area in apartments explained — what it includes, who owns it, maintenance responsibilities, RERA protections on common areas, and what builders.
Completion CertificatePlanning
Completion certificate (CC) vs Occupancy Certificate (OC) explained — what each means, who issues them, difference, why both matter for flat buyers…
Conveyance DeedLegal
Conveyance Deed explained — meaning, difference from sale deed, when you need it, deemed conveyance for housing societies, and how to execute it in…
Corpus FundSociety
Corpus Fund explained for Indian apartment buyers — meaning, how much is collected, who manages it, legal status under RERA, and what happens if…
Credit Score / CIBILFinance
CIBIL Score and Credit Score explained for Indian home buyers — what it is, how it is calculated, what score you need for a home loan, and how to…
D
Deemed ConveyanceLegal
Deemed Conveyance explained for Indian flat owners — what it is, how housing societies can get land title without builder cooperation, eligibility…
Distress SaleInvestment
Distress sale in property explained — what it means, types of distress sellers, how to find distress properties in India, discounts available, risks…
Down PaymentFinance
Down payment on home loan explained — how much you need, minimum requirements by loan amount, how to save for it, and smart strategies to reduce your.
Due DiligenceLegal
Property due diligence explained — what to check before buying a flat in India, legal title verification, RERA check, encumbrance certificate…
Complete property due diligence checklist for India — legal documents to verify, title checks, RERA verification, society dues, home loan checks, and.
E
EasementLegal
Easement in property law explained — what easement means, types of easement, right of way, how easements affect property value, and how to check for.
EMIFinance
EMI meaning explained — how home loan EMI is calculated, factors affecting it, EMI vs prepayment, and how to reduce your EMI on Indian home loans in…
EMI MoratoriumFinance
EMI moratorium on home loan explained — what it is, how it differs from EMI waiver, the real cost of moratorium (interest accumulates), when it makes…
Encumbrance Certificate (EC) explained — what it is, why it matters before buying property, how to apply online, and what to check in the EC document…
Escrow AccountLegal
Escrow account in real estate explained — what it is, how the RERA 70% rule works, how it protects your money, and what to check before buying an.
F
FEMA property rules for NRI explained — what FEMA says about NRI buying property in India, prohibited properties, repatriation limits, and RBI…
Fixed vs Floating RateFinance
Fixed vs floating home loan interest rate explained — differences, pros and cons, when to choose fixed vs floating, and how RBI rate cuts affect your…
Flat RegistrationLegal
Flat registration in India explained — what it involves, documents required for flat registration, cost breakdown including stamp duty and…
Flat vs ApartmentProperty Type
Flat vs apartment explained for Indian buyers — are they the same, key differences, BHK meaning, studio, duplex, penthouse types and which suits you…
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) explained — what FAR means, how it differs from FSI, how FAR is calculated, its impact on building height and density, and how…
Floor PlanArea
Floor plan in property explained — what it is, how to read a floor plan, what to look for in an apartment floor plan, common floor plan types, and…
FrontageArea
Frontage in property explained — what plot frontage means, how it affects property value, the relationship between frontage and depth, and why corner…
FSI / FARArea
FSI and FAR explained for Indian buyers — what Floor Space Index means, how it affects building height and apartment supply, city-wise FSI limits…
G
General Power of Attorney (GPA) explained for Indian property buyers — what it is, when it is used, risks in GPA sales, Supreme Court ruling, and how…
Gift DeedLegal
Gift deed in property explained — what it is, stamp duty on gift deed, how to register, when to use a gift deed vs will, and tax implications of…
Ground CoverageArea
Ground coverage in property explained — what it means, how it differs from FSI/FAR, setback impact, typical ground coverage norms in Indian cities…
GST on property explained — when GST applies, rates for under-construction vs ready-to-move, affordable housing, commercial property GST, and input…
Guideline ValueInvestment
Guideline Value explained for Indian property buyers — meaning, how it affects stamp duty, difference from market value, state-wise names (circle rate.
H
HawalaLegal
Hawala in Indian real estate explained — what hawala means in property context, how informal money transfers affect property deals, legal risks, and…
HOASociety
Homeowners Association (HOA) in India explained — difference from co-operative housing society, how HOA works in gated communities, charges…
Home InspectionLegal
Home inspection explained — what property inspection involves, who does it, what to check before buying a flat or house in India, red flags, and…
Home LoanFinance
Home loan explained for Indian buyers — types, eligibility, interest rates, documents, tax benefits, and how to get the best deal in 2026.
Home Loan Balance TransferFinance
Home loan balance transfer explained — when it makes sense, how to calculate savings, documents required, costs involved, and step-by-step process to…
Home Loan EligibilityFinance
Home loan eligibility explained for Indian buyers — how banks calculate it, factors that affect it, how to increase your eligibility, and eligibility.
Home Loan Insurance (HLPP)Finance
Home loan insurance (HLPP) explained — what it is, whether it is mandatory, how it protects co-borrowers, term insurance vs HLPP, and whether you…
Home Loan PrepaymentFinance
Home loan prepayment explained — benefits of prepaying home loan, prepayment penalty rules, how to decide between prepayment vs investment, partial…
Home loan tax benefits explained — Section 24(b) interest deduction, Section 80C principal deduction, Section 80EEA for first-time buyers, and how to.
Home staging in India explained — what it is, whether staging helps sell property faster, cost of staging, DIY vs professional staging, and tips for.
Housing Society Bye-LawsSociety
Housing society bye-laws explained — what they are, what they cover, how to amend them, member rights under bye-laws, and the Model Bye-Laws for.
HutmentProperty Type
Hutment in property explained — what hutments are, hutment clusters in Indian cities, how hutment dwellers' rights work, slum redevelopment impact on.
I
Indemnity BondLegal
Indemnity bond in property explained — what it is, when it is required in real estate transactions, how to execute it, and its legal standing for lost.
Indexation on property explained — what indexation means, Cost Inflation Index table, how indexation reduced capital gains tax, and the Budget 2024…
ITR for Home LoanFinance
ITR for home loan explained — why Income Tax Return is required for home loan, how many years of ITR needed, what if you don't have ITR, and how to…
J
JDALegal
JDA (Joint Development Agreement) in property explained — what it is, how it works between landowner and developer, JDA ratios, tax implications, and…
Joint Home LoanFinance
Joint home loan explained — what it is, who can be co-applicants, income eligibility benefits, tax deduction for co-borrowers, and precautions for…
K
Khasra NumberPlanning
Khasra number in property explained — what khasra means, how to use khasra number to verify land ownership and classification, Khasra Khatauni, and…
Khata (A & B)Planning
Khata explained for Bangalore and Karnataka property buyers — what is A Khata, B Khata, the difference, how to get khata, and why it matters for home…
L
Land AcquisitionPlanning
Land acquisition in India explained — what it is, how government acquires private land, LARR Act 2013 compensation formula, social impact assessment…
Land DiversionPlanning
Diversion of land use in property explained — what diversion means, how to convert agricultural land to residential use in India, documents required…
Layout ApprovalPlanning
Layout approval in property explained — what it is, who gives layout approval, BDA approved layouts vs unapproved, risks of buying unapproved layout…
Lease DeedLegal
Lease deed in property explained — what it is, difference from rent agreement, when registration is mandatory, leasehold vs freehold property, and key.
LienLegal
Lien on property explained — what lien means in Indian real estate, types of lien, how bank lien works for home loans, how lien affects property…
Long-term capital gains on property explained — LTCG definition, tax rate after Budget 2024, calculation, Section 54 exemption, and how to minimise…
LTV RatioFinance
LTV ratio in home loans explained — what Loan-to-Value means, RBI-mandated LTV limits by loan amount, how it affects your down payment, and how to…
M
Maintenance ChargesSociety
Housing society maintenance charges explained — what they cover, how they are calculated, difference from corpus fund, advance maintenance, and what…
Market ValueInvestment
Market value of property explained — what it is, how it differs from guideline value and circle rate, how banks determine market value, and how to…
Master PlanPlanning
Master plan in real estate explained — what it is, how city master plans affect property zoning and values, how to read the master plan, and how to…
MCLRFinance
MCLR explained — what Marginal Cost of Funds Lending Rate means, how MCLR differs from repo rate linked loans, reset period, and whether to switch…
Mortgage DeedLegal
Mortgage deed explained — what it is, types of mortgage in India, equitable vs registered mortgage, how banks use mortgage deed for home loans, and…
MutationPlanning
Property mutation explained for Indian buyers — what it is, why it matters, difference from registration, how to apply for mutation, documents…
N
No Dues CertificateSociety
No Dues Certificate (NDC) from housing society explained — what it is, why it is needed for property sale, what dues it covers, how to get it, and…
NOCLegal
NOC in real estate explained — what is No Objection Certificate, when you need it, who issues it, types of NOC required for property purchase, home…
NRI home loan explained — eligibility criteria, documents required, LTV limits, currency, EMI payment rules, FEMA compliance, and best banks for NRI…
NRI property investment guide — what properties NRIs can buy in India, FEMA rules, repatriation of funds, home loan for NRIs, tax implications, and…
O
Occupancy Certificate (OC)Planning
Occupancy Certificate (OC) explained — what it is, how to get it, why buying without OC is risky, difference from Completion Certificate, and RERA…
OCI card holder property rights in India explained — what OCI can buy, restrictions on agricultural land and farmhouse, repatriation rules, and how…
Off-Plan PropertyInvestment
Off-plan property explained — what it means, pros and cons of buying under-construction, risks, RERA protections, payment plans and how to evaluate an.
P
Pagdi SystemProperty Type
Pagdi system in property explained — what pagdi means, how Mumbai pagdi tenancies work, pagdi vs outright ownership, risks of pagdi property, and…
PAN card requirement for property purchase in India — when PAN is mandatory, what happens without PAN, Form 60 as alternative, TDS implications, and…
Partition DeedLegal
Partition deed explained — what it is, when it is needed, how to partition jointly owned family property in India, stamp duty, registration, and how.
PattaPlanning
Patta explained for Tamil Nadu property buyers — what is patta, difference from sale deed, how to check patta online on TNReginet, chitta, adangal…
Plinth AreaArea
Plinth area in property explained — what it is, how it differs from carpet area and built-up area, where it is used in Indian real estate and…
Possession CertificatePlanning
Possession Certificate explained — what it is, difference from Occupancy Certificate, when it is issued, what to check before accepting possession…
Possession DelayRERA
Builder possession delay explained — what to do when builder delays possession, RERA rights, compensation formula, refund process, filing RERA…
Power of AttorneyLegal
Power of Attorney for property explained — what GPA and SPA mean, when POA is used in real estate, risks of POA property, and Supreme Court ruling on…
Property AppreciationInvestment
Property appreciation in India explained — what it means, annual appreciation rates in major cities, factors driving appreciation, how to choose.
Property BubbleInvestment
Property bubble in real estate explained — what a bubble is, how to identify if a market is in a bubble, indicators of overvaluation in Indian real…
Property CycleInvestment
Property market cycle explained — the four phases of real estate cycles, how to identify where you are in the cycle, and how to make smarter property.
Property FlippingInvestment
Property flipping in India explained — what it is, how to flip property for profit, risks, short-term capital gains tax implications, and whether…
Property registration process in India explained — complete step-by-step guide to registering a property, documents required, stamp duty payment.
Property TaxTax
Property tax explained for Indian homeowners — what it is, how it is calculated, how to pay online, city-wise portals, exemptions, and what happens…
R
Ready Reckoner RateInvestment
Ready Reckoner Rate (Circle Rate / Guideline Value) explained — what it is, how it affects stamp duty, when market price is lower than RR rate, and.
Real Estate AgentLegal
Real estate agent explained — what they do, RERA registration requirement, brokerage rates in India, red flags to avoid, and how to choose the right.
Registration ChargesLegal
Property registration charges explained — what they are, how they differ from stamp duty, state-wise rates, documents required, and how to pay online…
REITInvestment
REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) explained for Indian investors — what REITs are, how they work, listed REITs in India, dividend income, taxation…
Rental YieldInvestment
Rental yield explained for Indian property investors — what it is, gross vs net yield, how to calculate, city-wise yields, and whether rental income…
Repatriation of property sale proceeds for NRI explained — FEMA rules, NRE vs NRO account limits, Form 15CA/15CB requirement, TDS compliance, and how…
Repo RateFinance
Repo rate explained — what RBI repo rate is, how it affects home loan interest rates and EMI, difference from reverse repo rate, and how to benefit…
RERARERA
RERA explained for Indian home buyers — what it is, how it protects you, RERA registration check, penalties for builders, and your rights under RERA…
RERA AgentRERA
RERA agent explained — who qualifies as a RERA agent, registration process, duties and obligations under RERA, how to verify an agent's RERA…
RERA Carpet AreaRERA
RERA carpet area definition explained — what RERA defines as carpet area, how it differs from older carpet area definitions, what is included and…
RERA ComplaintRERA
RERA complaint process explained — how to file a complaint against a builder, what RERA can order, timeline, fees, enforcement, and when to approach.
RERA PromoterRERA
RERA promoter explained — who qualifies as a promoter under RERA, legal obligations, penalties for violations, and how RERA protects buyers against…
Resale PropertyInvestment
Resale property explained — what it is, advantages and disadvantages vs new launch, key checks before buying resale flat, negotiation tips, and home…
Right of First Refusal (ROFR) in property explained — what it means, how it works in Indian real estate, where it applies (co-owners, tenants…
S
Sale AgreementLegal
Sale agreement in property explained — what it is, difference from sale deed, key clauses to include, why it must be registered, and risks of…
Sale DeedLegal
Sale Deed explained — meaning, contents, difference from agreement for sale, registration process, stamp duty, and how to verify a sale deed in India…
Secondary MarketInvestment
Secondary market in real estate explained — what it means, how it differs from the primary market, advantages of buying in the secondary market, and…
Section 54 capital gains exemption explained — who qualifies, what conditions must be met, how much exemption you get, Section 54EC bonds, Capital…
Section 80C home loan deduction explained — how principal repayment qualifies for 80C, the ₹1.5 lakh limit, conditions, 5-year lock-in rule, stamp…
SetbackPlanning
Setback in real estate explained — what is setback distance, front rear and side setbacks, why it matters for plot buyers, and setback rules for major.
Short-term capital gains on property explained — what STCG means, tax rate, how it is calculated, difference from LTCG, and strategies to minimise…
Sinking FundSociety
Sinking fund in housing society explained — what it is, how much is collected, what it is used for, difference from maintenance charges, and rules…
Society MaintenanceSociety
Housing society maintenance charges explained — what society maintenance covers, how it is calculated, who pays how much, what is legal and illegal to.
Society Transfer FeeSociety
Housing society transfer fee explained — what it is, legal maximum allowed by state law, premium charges, what society can and cannot charge, and…
Stamp DutyTax
Stamp duty on property purchase explained — meaning, state-wise rates 2026, how it is calculated, exemptions for women buyers, and how to pay stamp…
Structural AuditPlanning
Structural audit of building explained — what it is, when it is mandatory, what the audit covers, who carries it out, and what to do when your…
Super built-up area explained — what it includes, how it differs from carpet area, loading factor, and why RERA mandates carpet area pricing for…
T
TDRPlanning
TDR (Transfer of Development Rights) explained — what it is, how builders use TDR certificates for extra FSI, types of TDR in Mumbai, and what it…
TDS on property purchase explained — who pays, how to file Form 26QB, deadline, rate, and what happens when buying from NRI seller in India.
TehsilPlanning
Tehsil in property explained — what tehsil means, its role in land records and property registration, Sub-Registrar at tehsil level, and how to find…
Title DeedLegal
Title deed explained — what it is, difference from sale deed, what clear title means, and how to verify property title before buying in India.
Token AdvanceLegal
Token advance in property explained — what token money is, how much to pay, difference from booking amount, refund rules, and precautions for buyers…
Top-Up LoanFinance
Top-up loan on home loan explained — what it is, eligibility, interest rate vs personal loan, how much you can get, tax benefits, and when to use a…
U
UDAPlanning
Urban Development Authority (UDA) in India explained — what UDA does, how it differs from municipal corporations, UDA approval for properties, and…
Under-Construction PropertyInvestment
Under-construction property guide — advantages vs ready-to-move, RERA protections, GST, home loan, payment plans, and checklist for smart buying in…
Undivided Share (UDS) of land explained — what UDS means in apartment ownership, why UDS matters, how to calculate UDS, and how UDS affects resale…
Urban Land Ceiling ActPlanning
Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act explained — what it was, why most states repealed it, what ceiling surplus land means, and how remnant ULCRA.
V
Vastu Shastra explained for home buyers — directional principles, Vastu for flats, north-east importance, and how Vastu affects property prices in…
VillaProperty Type
Villa explained — what is a villa in Indian real estate, types of villas, difference from apartment and independent house, price ranges in major…
W
Wealth TaxTax
Wealth tax on property in India explained — what it was, when it was abolished, what replaced it, surcharge on high-income taxpayers, and how…
WillLegal
Will in property explained — what a will is, how to write a valid will in India, registration, probate, difference from gift deed, and how to…
Z
ZoningPlanning
Zoning in real estate explained — what land use zones mean, types of zones (residential, commercial, industrial), how zoning affects property value…
❓ Quick Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions from Indian home buyers.
RERA (Real Estate Regulation and Development Act, 2016) is India's landmark law to protect home buyers. It makes builders register projects, maintain separate escrow accounts for your funds, and deliver on time — or pay 10.75% interest on delays. Read the complete RERA explanation →
Carpet area is the actual usable space inside your apartment — where you can lay a carpet. Super built-up area adds wall thickness plus your share of lobbies, staircases, and lifts. For a 1000 sq ft super built-up flat, your carpet area could be just 650–750 sq ft. Since RERA 2016, all pricing must be on carpet area only.
Stamp duty is a state government tax paid when registering a property. It ranges from 4% (Maharashtra women buyers) to 8% (some states). On a ₹1 crore flat in Bangalore, you'd pay ₹5.6 lakh stamp duty + ₹1 lakh registration charges. Women buyers get 1–2% concession in most Indian states.
Essential documents: RERA registration certificate, Title Deed/Mother Deed, Encumbrance Certificate (last 30 years), Occupancy Certificate (for ready properties), Approved building plan, Khata (Bangalore) or property tax receipts, and the Builder-Buyer Agreement. Never purchase without these.
GST applies only on under-construction properties. The rate is 5% on regular flats and 1% on affordable housing (below ₹45 lakh in non-metros, ₹45 lakh in metros). Ready-to-move properties with OC are GST-exempt. This makes OC properties more popular as it saves 5% on total cost.
An Occupancy Certificate (OC) is issued by the local municipal authority confirming the building is legally fit to occupy. Without OC, your apartment is technically unauthorized. Banks won't provide home loans, utilities are harder to get, and you can't legally take possession. Always verify OC before moving in.
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