How much of the price can I pay before a registered agreement?

Under section 13 of the RERA Act, a promoter cannot accept more than 10% of the cost as an advance or application fee without first entering into and registering an agreement for sale. Ask the developer how each payment stage maps to that rule.

Which documents should I keep after registration?

Keep the registered sale deed, the agreement, payment receipts, the Form 16B certificate for TDS, the khata extract, the occupancy certificate, and the tax payment and loan documents. They are needed for resale, loans and tax filings.

Is a lawyer's opinion really necessary if the project is RERA registered?

Yes. RERA registration tells you about the project's approvals and timeline, but it does not replace a title check or a review of your agreement. A lawyer can also advise on what is dutiable in the price sheet.

What if the developer misses the possession date?

If a promoter fails to deliver on the date in the agreement, section 18 of the RERA Act lets the buyer choose between withdrawing with a refund and interest, or staying and receiving interest for each month of delay. Check the agreement matches that.

Villa Buying Checklist Bangalore: Stage by Stage

Most buying mistakes are not clever frauds. They are skipped steps: a payment made before an agreement existed, an approval nobody asked to see, a possession taken without an occupancy certificate. This villa buying checklist Bangalore buyers can print is built around stages, so you can print it, tick each step and refuse to move on until the last one is done. It complements the broader villa buying guide and the site-level inspection list in things to check before buying a villa.

Villa buying checklist Bangalore, stage 1: before you shortlist

Decide your all-in budget and your non-negotiables first. A budget that includes taxes, loan costs and moving costs filters out projects that only look affordable on the base price.

Write down a ceiling that includes stamp duty, registration, GST and developer charges. Our stamp duty and registration guide gives the percentages.
List must-haves: facing, number of bedrooms, commute limit, school catchment, amenities.
Decide whether you are open to an under-construction villa or want a completed one. Under-construction attracts 5% GST without input tax credit, while a completed building with an occupancy or completion certificate does not (GST Council decision, February 2019, reported by Business Today on 24 February 2019; confirm against the latest CBIC notification).

Stage 2: Verify the project and the promoter

Check that the project exists on paper before you fall for it on site. For a villa community, that means the RERA record, the approvals and the developer's track record.

RERA number. Look the project up on rera.karnataka.gov.in. Karnataka generally requires registration for projects over 500 sq m of land or more than eight units, and promoters should not advertise or take bookings without a number. Note the promised completion date, the promoter's disclosures and quarterly updates.
Approvals. Ask for the sanctioned layout and building plan, the commencement certificate, and the name of the approving authority (the Greater Bengaluru Authority, BDA, BMRDA or local planning authority, depending on the survey number).
Track record. Visit a completed project and speak to residents. NVT's timeline lists NVT Stopping by the Woods (124 villas) and Symphony of Orchards (161 villas) as completed in 2024.
Status honesty. Whispering Hues is at Expression of Interest stage, with no RERA number or possession date published yet. Treat the EOI as an expression of intent, not a booking, and ask in writing about refund terms.

Stage 3: Before you pay anything beyond a token

A token or EOI should be small and refundable on clear terms. Section 13 of the RERA Act, 2016 bars a promoter from taking more than 10% of the cost as advance or application fee before entering into a registered agreement for sale.

Ask for the refund conditions on the token in writing.
Ask how each payment stage before the agreement maps to the 10% rule, and when the registered agreement for sale will be signed. That is a fair question for any developer.
Read the draft agreement, not just the price sheet. Look for delay clauses, interest on late payment by either side, and what happens to your money if the project is delayed.

Stage 4: Title, khata and the agreement

Have a property lawyer trace the title and read the sale agreement before you sign. The lawyer's fee is small against the price of the villa.

Title chain. At least thirty years of ownership history is the common legal practice, plus an encumbrance certificate from the sub-registrar.
Khata. Confirm the khata type. A-khata is what lenders prefer; Karnataka has moved to e-khata records, described by builders and property portals as a digital form of the khata, so ask for the e-khata extract (confirm with the local authority).
Land conversion and approvals. Check conversion of the land to residential use and the layout sanction.
Agreement terms. Carpet area, built-up area, land share, parking, payment schedule, possession date, delay interest, defect liability.
Charges. List every extra: the Whispering Hues sheet includes BESCOM, water and connection at ₹250 per sq ft of built-up area, a ₹3,00,000 generator charge, a ₹10,00,000 club membership, advance maintenance of ₹55 per sq ft, corpus deposit of ₹55 per sq ft and ₹70,000 legal charges. Ask which are subject to GST and which are dutiable.

Stage 5: Money, tax and loan

Line up finance and the tax arithmetic before the agreement is registered. Banks lend up to 75% of value above ₹75 lakh under RBI limits set in October 2015, which means a substantial down payment on a premium villa.

Get a sanction letter, not just an eligibility estimate. See home loan for a villa in Bangalore.
Budget 1% TDS under section 194-IA on payments to the seller for property above ₹50 lakh, deposited through Form 26QB (Income Tax Department; sections have been renumbered under the Income-tax Act, 2025, so ask your accountant for the current reference).
Budget the registration costs: about 7.6% in urban Karnataka (5% duty, cess and surcharge on the duty, and 2% registration since 31 August 2025). Read villa registration charges in Bangalore.

Stage 6: During construction

Track progress against the payment schedule. Pay only on stage completion that you or your engineer have verified.

The Whispering Hues schedule is stage-linked: foundation complete 15%, first-floor slab 15%, second-floor slab 15%, plastering 15%, flooring 10%. Ask for a dated photo record at each stage.
Under RERA, 70% of buyer receipts must be deposited in a separate bank account for that project (section 4(2)(l)(D)). Ask the promoter for the escrow account details and the architect's and engineer's certificates.

Stage 7: Handover and possession

Do not take possession without the completion or occupancy certificate and a snag list signed off. Defects reported within five years of possession must be rectified free of charge under section 14(3) of the RERA Act.

Get the occupancy certificate, the final plan, and the electricity and water connections in your name.
Do a snag inspection with a checklist: seepage, tile levels, window seals, lift operation, electrical points.
Register the sale deed, update the khata and property tax records, and file the TDS form.
Collect the association's by-laws, the maintenance statement and the contact for the facility manager. See villa maintenance charges in Bangalore.

To use this checklist on a real project, book a site visit or request the price sheet on WhatsApp at +91 80509 73051; a visit request does not reserve a villa.