East Bengaluru buyer answers

What does the home buying process look like with a real estate consultant in Bangalore?

By Gaurav Mongia, acre&key · Published 15 Oct 2026 · Updated 15 Oct 2026

Direct answer: With a real estate consultant in Bangalore, the process usually runs: brief, shortlist, site visits, document checks, negotiation, booking, agreement for sale, home loan, payments as the project progresses, sale deed registration, and handover with khata transfer. The consultant coordinates and checks. You still make the decisions, sign the documents and use your own lawyer for title.

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.

Verify with your lawyer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Agreements, title, registration and RERA timelines turn on your specific documents, so have your own property lawyer review them before you pay a token or sign. For TDS on the purchase, confirm the current rules with your CA.

Stage 1: Your brief

You tell the consultant your budget (including all costs, not just base price), where you and your family need to commute, your must-haves and your timeline. A good consultant pushes back if something doesn't add up, like a ready-to-move 3BHK near the ORR on a budget that only works further out.

Ask now how they're paid (how property consultants in Bangalore get paid). It's easier at the start.

Stage 2: Shortlist and visits

The consultant should bring you a short list, maybe four to six projects, with a reason for each. Before you visit, they should already have checked that each new project is on the Karnataka RERA portal.

On visits, look past the show flat:

Walk the actual tower and floor if it's built.
Check what's around the site, not just inside it.
Time the commute.
Ask about water source and power backup.

Stage 3: Checks before any money

This is where a consultant earns their keep. For a new project, the RERA registration page should show approvals, sanctioned plans, the proforma agreement and the promoter's declarations. For resale, you need the title chain, khata, tax receipts, OC and Encumbrance Certificate.

Your lawyer checks title (a consultant does not replace your property lawyer for title). The consultant collects documents and flags gaps. See what to verify before a token.

Stage 4: Negotiation and booking

The consultant negotiates on price, payment plan, car parking or other terms where there's room. Then you pay a booking amount, by bank transfer to the promoter's account, against a written booking form and receipt.

Under section 13 of the RERA Act, the promoter can't take more than 10% of the cost as an advance without first entering into a registered agreement for sale.

Stage 5: Agreement for sale

You get the draft agreement. Compare it with the proforma on the RERA portal. Check carpet area, payment schedule, possession date, specifications, penalty clauses and what happens if either side cancels. Your lawyer should read it.

The agreement is registered at the Sub-Registrar's office. Karnataka's Kaveri system handles registration appointments and document details online.

Stage 6: Home loan

You apply to the bank of your choice. The bank does its own legal and technical checks. Under-construction loans are disbursed in stages as the project progresses.

Your consultant can help you collect documents. Ask whether they earn anything from the bank.

Stage 7: Payments during construction

Payments follow the agreed schedule. Ask for proof of the construction stage before each linked payment, and keep every receipt.

If the property costs ₹50 lakh or more and you're buying from a resident seller, you'll need to deduct TDS and file the return with the Income-tax Department. Check the current rate and form on the department's site or with your CA.

Stage 8: Sale deed and handover

When the project is complete, check that the occupancy certificate has been issued. Then you pay the balance, register the sale deed, and take possession. Under section 19(10) of the RERA Act, you should take possession within two months of the OC being issued.

After registration, transfer the khata into your name with the city corporation (through GBA's e-Aasthi system) or the gram panchayat, depending on where the property sits.

Where should you slow down?

Before step 8. No payment until your lawyer has seen the step 6 pack.
At step 9. Under section 13 of the RERA Act, the promoter can't take more than 10% of the cost as an advance before a registered agreement for sale. Don't let an agreement be rushed.
At step 12. Check the occupancy certificate before taking possession. Section 19(10) asks you to take possession within two months of the OC being issued.

What happens after registration?

Transfer the khata into your name: through GBA's e-Aasthi system in the city corporation area, or the gram panchayat outside it. Keep every original document. Note the defect liability: under section 14(3) of the Act, structural defects and certain other defects reported within five years of possession must be fixed by the promoter without charge within 30 days.

Which legal deadlines run through the process?

Several dates in the RERA Act sit quietly underneath the stages above. It's worth writing them into your own calendar rather than relying on anyone else's:

When	What the Act says	Section
Before the agreement	The promoter can't take more than 10% of the cost as an advance or application fee without a written, registered agreement for sale	13(1)
During construction	You pay as per the agreement's schedule; late payment carries interest at the prescribed rate	19(6), 19(7)
If completion is late	Withdraw with refund and interest, or stay and get monthly interest until possession	18(1)
After the OC	You take physical possession within two months	19(10)
Conveyance	Registered conveyance deed within the time set by local law; if there isn't one, within three months of the OC	17(1)
After handover	Defects reported within five years must be fixed free within 30 days	14(3)

None of these replaces your lawyer's reading of your agreement, but they tell you when to ask questions.

Your next steps

Write your brief down, with your all-in budget.
Ask each consultant how they're paid, and get it in writing.
Don't pay anything before stage 3 is complete.
Line up your own lawyer and loan options in parallel.
Keep a single folder of every document and receipt.

Frequently asked questions

How long does buying a flat in Bangalore take?

For a ready flat, it can be a few weeks to a couple of months depending on checks and the loan. For under-construction, booking to agreement can be quick, but possession can be years away.

Does the consultant attend registration?

Many do, to help with coordination. It's your signature and responsibility, though.

Who drafts the agreement for sale?

The developer usually does. Your lawyer should review it against the RERA proforma.

What if something goes wrong after booking?

Your rights depend on the agreement and the RERA Act. Talk to your lawyer and see first-time buyer guidance.

What if I change my mind after booking?

It depends on the booking form and agreement terms. Read the cancellation clauses before paying.

References

Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, official text hosted by Karnataka RERA (sections 13, 14, 17, 18 and 19). 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.
Kaveri Online Services (registration, Encumbrance Certificate, guidance value). https://kaveri.karnataka.gov.in/, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
Department of Stamps and Registration, Karnataka (IGR). https://igr.karnataka.gov.in/, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
Income Tax Department, Form No. 141 note (TDS on transfer of immovable property under section 393(1), Income-tax Act, 2025). https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/documents/d/guest/fn-141, accessed 15 Oct 2026.
Greater Bengaluru Authority (successor to BBMP), official site. https://bbmp.gov.in/, accessed 14 Oct 2026.
GBA e-Aasthi 2.0 e-Khata portal. https://gbaeaasthi.karnataka.gov.in, accessed 15 Oct 2026.