East Bengaluru buyer answers
How do I choose a real estate consultancy firm in Bangalore?
Direct answer: Score each real estate consultancy firm on six things: valid Karnataka RERA agent registration, who you'll actually work with, how well they know your target area, how clearly they disclose who pays them, how thorough their document checks are, and what they do after you book. Talk to at least two firms and compare.
Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers; we are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.
How do you score a consultancy firm?
Give each firm 0 to 2 on each line after your first meeting.
| Criterion | 0 | 1 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| RERA registration | Can't show it | Shows it, name doesn't match | Matches on the portal |
| Your contact person | Changes every call | One person, junior | One experienced person |
| Local depth | Generic city talk | Knows the main roads | Knows specific towers and pockets |
| Disclosure | Avoids the question | Vague | Clear, project by project |
| Document checks | "Builder is reputed" | Checks RERA only | Checks RERA, approvals, title papers with your lawyer |
| After booking | Nothing | Some help | Agreement, loan, registration, khata |
Anything under 7 out of 12, keep looking.
Does firm size matter?
A large firm may have more listings and more staff. A small firm may give you more of the founder's time. Neither is automatically better. What matters is the person handling your case and how thorough they're. Size alone isn't the filter; score the person and the process. For the person-level checklist, see how to choose a real estate consultant in Bangalore.
Registration: the firm and the people
Under section 9 of the RERA Act, anyone facilitating sales in registered projects needs to register as an agent. A firm may be registered as a company or partnership. Check the firm's name on the Karnataka RERA portal, and ask whether the person you're dealing with works under that registration. See does a consultancy company need RERA registration?.
Questions that separate good firms from average ones
- "Show me a project you'd tell me not to buy, and why."
- "What did you find wrong in the last set of documents you checked?"
- "If I book here, what happens in the next 30 days?"
- "Which projects you're showing me pay you?"
Good firms answer with specifics. Average firms answer with adjectives.
Reviews and references
Online reviews help, but read them carefully. Look for reviews that mention specific help (paperwork, a problem solved), not just "great service." Ask the firm for references you can call, though they'll naturally pick happy clients. For broader trust checks on the person you'll work with, see how to find a reliable consultant near you in East Bangalore.
Signs to walk away
- No registration, or a registration that doesn't match.
- Pushing pre-launch bookings before RERA registration.
- Asking you to pay them instead of the developer.
- Discouraging you from hiring your own lawyer.
Which firms can you rule out in five minutes?
Before you spend time with anyone, cross off firms that:
- can't give you a Karnataka RERA agent registration number that matches their name;
- won't tell you how they're paid;
- don't work in the part of Bangalore you're buying in;
- push a specific project before asking about you.
This alone usually cuts the list a lot. It takes about ten minutes per firm: a phone call, a look at the portal, and a glance at whether their listings and posts are about the areas you care about.
How does a sample-work test help?
Pick one project you're actually considering. Ask each shortlisted firm for a one-page view: what's good, what worries them, what they'd check next. Compare the pages side by side.
| What to compare | Good sign |
|---|---|
| RERA details | Registration number, declared completion date, approvals mentioned |
| Cost | All-in, not just base price |
| Risks | At least two specific concerns |
| Disclosure | Whether they're paid on this project |
| Next steps | Clear checks to do before paying |
The firm that's honest about a project's problems, even one it's paid on, is usually the one to pick. Don't mark a firm down for saying "I'd need to see the title papers before I can comment." That's the right answer.
What can you do if a firm misleads you?
Choosing well includes knowing your fallback. A consultancy that facilitates sales in registered projects is a real estate agent under the Act, and section 10 sets out what it must not do. It can't facilitate the sale of a unit in an unregistered project, and it can't make false statements about its services, claim approval or affiliation it doesn't have, or use other unfair practices. Section 10 also obliges it to help you get the information and documents you're entitled to at the time of booking.
If a firm breaks those rules, section 31 lets you complain to Karnataka RERA, and section 62 sets a penalty for agents who breach sections 9 or 10 of up to ₹10,000 for each day the default continues, cumulatively up to five per cent of the unit's cost. You won't need any of this with a good firm. Asking a firm how it handles complaints, and watching how it answers, is still one of the better tests you can run.
What to do next
- Shortlist two or three firms that work your area.
- Verify each on rera.karnataka.gov.in.
- Use the scorecard after each first meeting.
- Ask for their fee and disclosure terms in writing (should a consultant disclose developer payment?).
- Pick one, and still have your lawyer check title before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use more than one consultancy firm?
You can, but it can get messy if two firms show you the same project. Tell them upfront.
Is a firm better than an individual consultant?
Not automatically. Check the person you'll actually work with.
How do I know a firm isn't just pushing its partner projects?
Ask which projects pay them, and ask to see options that don't.
Does a consultancy firm handle legal checks?
Most collect documents and flag issues. A title opinion should come from your own lawyer. See legal due diligence.
Where can I complain about a consultancy firm?
If it's a registered agent and RERA rules were broken, the Karnataka RERA portal. For consumer issues, the National Consumer Helpline.
How many advisory firms should I talk to?
Two or three is usually enough to compare.
Should I pay for a sample view?
Many firms will do a short view free as part of winning your business. For detailed reports, some charge.
References
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, official text hosted by Karnataka RERA (sections 9, 10, 31 and 62). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in/resources/staticpage/Real_Estate_Act.pdf, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
- Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority, official portal (project status, agent status, complaints). https://rera.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, full text PDF (PRS Legislative Research). https://prsindia.org/files/bills_acts/acts_parliament/2016/the-real-estate-%28regulation-and-development%29-act,-2016.pdf, accessed 15 Oct 2026.