Before You Book That Flat, Read This: The 20% Checks That Save You From 80% Problems

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Most home buyers in India make one big mistake.They spend 80% of their attention on things that won’t matter in 5 years paint, lobby design, brochure promises, clubhouse, or modular kitchen.

But the truth is simple:Just 20% of checks decide whether your home gives peace or lifelong stress.If you focus on the right 20%, you avoid most buyer regrets.If you ignore it, even a luxury flat can feel like a bad decision.

Here’s the real 20%

1.Documentation & Legality (Your Safety Net) Before you imagine living there… confirm you legally can.

Check:

  1. Land title clarity
  2. RERA registration(do research beyond RERA too)
  3. Approved plans (not brochure plans)
  4. OC/CC status or timeline
  5. Any illegal extra floors
  6. Multiple bank approvals Because the biggest buyer fear isn’t EMI,it’s getting stuck in a legally risky property.

 2. Location & Safety (This Decides Future Value) Location isn’t only about distance to station.

 Check:

  1. Flood or low-level zone risk
  2. Future road reservations
  3. Slum expansion risk nearby
  4. Night safety perception
  5. Fire truck access roads Because a wrong location punishes you daily.and resale buyers will judge this first.

 3. Layout Analysis (Your Daily Life Depends on It) Carpet area sells flats.Layout decides comfort.

 Check:

  1. Sunlight direction
  2. Cross ventilation
  3. Column inside room?
  4. Privacy from neighbours
  5. Furniture placement practicality
  6. Lift door facing main door Two flats can be same size one feels spacious, one feels suffocating.

 4. Water & Electricity Reality Check Amenities don’t matter if basics fail.

 Check:

  1. Municipal water or tanker dependency
  2. Borewell sustainability
  3. Storage tank capacity
  4. Transformer load for full project
  5. Power backup scope Because in India, water problems destroy societies faster than anything.

 5. Fire Fighting & Emergency Readiness This is invisible until it’s too late.

 Check:

  1. Valid Fire NOC
  2. Proper refuge area
  3. Functional fire staircase
  4. Sprinkler installation (not just promise)
  5. Entry turning radius for fire truck  A tall building without fire readiness = hidden risk.

 6. Parking Reality (Not Brochure Parking) Parking problems create daily frustration.

 Check:

  1. Actual usable width
  2. Ramp slope practicality
  3. Visitor parking space
  4. Stilt height clearance
  5. Legal allotment vs informal marking If parking is bad, you feel it every single day.

 7.Structural & Construction Quality

Check:

  1. Earthquake compliance
  2. Waterproofing quality
  3. Visible cracks/honeycombing
  4. Terrace drainage You don’t need to be an engineer.Just observe basics.

 8.Maintenance Burden

Check:

  1. Too many amenities = higher monthly cost
  2. Glass facade = expensive upkeep
  3. Small society = higher per-flat cost Cheap purchase price can become costly living.

 9.Builder Execution History Not brand… execution.

Check:

  1. Delivery delays in past projects
  2. Resident complaints
  3. Construction quality after 5 years

Talk to real owners, not sales team Because brochure sells dreams…residents reveal reality.Most buyers purchase emotionally. Smart buyers purchase structurally.If your documents, location, layout, water, safety, and parking are correct.You’ve solved 80% of future housing problems before moving in.Everything else  paint, kitchen, lights, furniture can be changed later.

 But these decisions stay for life.

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