Vital questions to ask during a site visit

November 19, 2020 . Home Buyer's Guide . 10 min read

Home buying can be a herculean task, especially for first-timers. Apart from the challenging task of choosing from an expansive list of properties, home buyers are flooded with tons of things to do – from looking for a reputed developer and checking out the property and its legal authenticity to getting into the unending documentation work, loan approvals and more.

All this can often overwhelm you as a home buyer. So the best way to go ahead is to take baby steps. To begin with, make a detailed checklist with all the questions to ask the developer before you start your search and then go in for a proper site visit. Here is a list of things to do before you seal the deal.

Importance of a site visit

A lot of investment goes into buying a house, and it is your right as a buyer to know what exactly you are buying and evaluate the property well before signing on the dotted line. A site visit ensures the brochure, the blueprint, and the property on ground are in line. Here is why a site visit is a must-do.

1. Quality- During a site visit, you are shown the general quality of construction of the property. Usually, a sample flat is ready to be shown with the promised furnishings and fittings. This helps you understand the finish of the house.

2. Progress- Regular site visits of the project help understand the pace and progress of construction of the property.

3. Authenticity- To ascertain if the structure of the property is legal and all the legal documents are in place.

These are some of the main reasons for a site visit. Ensure that you check all these boxes and understand the nitty-gritty about the property, its construction, legalities, and more.

And as they say, ‘Seeing is believing’ but you should also be equipped with a list of questions to ask your developer before buying a house. These questions should mainly cover the documentation work, approvals, and cost of the property. Here are some vital questions that will clarify all your doubts.

Are all the approvals and licenses in place?

Proper and legally approved paperwork for the property is essential and mandatory. So check the property documents ranging from environmental clearances, approved building plans, commencement certificates of work, and others. Know about all the documents needed for purchasing a home and ensure that the builder has all of them in place. If required, hire an attorney to help you understand the home contract and verify the documents.

Is the property developer RERA registered?

It is mandatory for a real estate developer to be RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) registered to build any residential and commercial property. It safeguards the buyers from fraud and offers greater transparency in project development and execution. So when you are looking out for real estate developers always check their RERA registration number.

What is the final cost of the property?

Often home developers mention just the property’s basic cost and do not include prices such as preferential location charges, internal/external development fees, and annual maintenance cost, which escalate the total cost of the project. Hence, ask the developer about the final price of the property.

How long will the construction take?

It is essential to know the timelines for the construction of the property as it will help you build up your funds for it and get loan approvals. Please check your state’s RERA website for the actual date of completion mentioned by the developer in the RERA certificate.

Does the contract include escalation cost?

Developing a property is a lengthy process involving not only the construction work but also a lot of back-end approvals, documentation, and inspections. This could setback the final possession date. To compensate for the time taken to complete all the proceedings, developers can charge an escalation cost. It is best to find a developer that does not include this cost in the contract.

Be a smart buyer and ask all these questions without any guilt or hesitation. Remember, it is your hard-earned money, and you have the right to know if it is being invested in the right place. And if the down payment is a challenge, approach HomeCapital, India’s first Home Down Assistance Program (DPA). We provide unsecured personal loans up to 50% of the down payment with no interest that you can repay in 12 equal EMIs.