How to Check a Property Before Purchase: Complete Guide

How to check a property before purchase in Karnataka: title, EC, Khata, RERA, physical inspection, builder track record, and the complete verification sequence.

Quick Summary (TL; DR)

• Property verification before purchase is a sequenced process: title and ownership first, then regulatory and planning compliance, then financial and tax clearance, then physical inspection, because some checks depend on the outcome of earlier ones

• A legal checklist before buying property should be worked through in a specific sequence, not as a flat list of documents, because you cannot meaningfully verify builder RERA compliance before confirming the underlying land title is clean

• The five portals that cover most of the verification in Karnataka are: kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in (title and EC), landrecords.karnataka.gov.in (revenue records), eaasthi.karnataka.gov.in (Khata), rera.karnataka.gov.in (builder and project compliance), and dishaank.karnataka.gov.in (satellite boundary check)

• In 2026, both buyer and seller must undergo Aadhaar-linked biometric verification at the Sub-Registrar's office; the seller's Aadhaar must be linked and current before registration day

• Legal title verification fees vary depending on the property's complexity, value, and the professional engaged.

Why Property Verification Cannot Be Skipped

Property verification is a critical step before purchasing any property. It helps confirm the seller's legal ownership, verifies that the property has a clear title, and identifies any legal or regulatory issues that could affect the transaction. Carrying out proper due diligence before signing the sale deed can help buyers avoid future disputes, financial losses, and delays in selling, mortgaging, or developing the property.

Property verification helps to:

• Confirm the seller's ownership and legal right to transfer the property.

• Verify that the property has a clear and marketable title.

• Identify existing mortgages, liens, or other encumbrances.

• Check for pending court cases or legal disputes affecting the property.

• Verify approvals, sanctioned building plans, and occupancy or completion certificates, where applicable.

• Confirm compliance with applicable planning, zoning, and municipal regulations.

• Detect unauthorised construction or deviations from approved plans.

• Ensure that ownership, tax, and land records are consistent across government records.

• Reduce the risk of legal disputes, financial losses, and transaction delays.

• Help buyers make an informed and legally secure property purchase.

Need Help? Talk to Vault Proptech about property verification before your purchase and get it sorted.

The Correct Verification Sequence

Most checklists list documents alphabetically or by category. That approach obscures dependency: some checks only make sense once earlier ones are completed. The correct sequence is:

Stage 1: Title and Ownership Verification

This is the foundation. If the seller's title is defective, no other positive finding matters.

Check 1: The Sale Deed and Title Chain (30 Years)

The sale deed is the primary document proving ownership, but it should never be checked in isolation. Review the property's title chain for at least the past 30 years to confirm that ownership has passed legally from one owner to the next without any breaks, disputes, or invalid transactions.

Verify the following:

• The seller's name in the current sale deed matches the buyer's name in the previous registered deed.

• The property's survey number, extent, boundaries, and description are consistent across all title documents.

• Every transfer is supported by a duly executed and registered sale deed, with signatures of the parties or a valid registered Power of Attorney where applicable.

• There are no unexplained gaps, missing deeds, or conflicting ownership records in the chain.

• For land that was originally agricultural, review all transfers made before the 2020 amendments to ensure compliance with the erstwhile Sections 79A and 79B of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, where applicable. Transactions executed in violation of these provisions may affect the property's title or be subject to legal scrutiny, depending on the facts of the case and applicable law. Where the title chain includes pre-2020 agricultural land transactions, obtaining a legal opinion is advisable before proceeding with the purchase.

Where to verify: transactions registered after 2004 are searchable on kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in using the survey number and registration period. For older transactions, visit the jurisdictional SRO and request a ledger search.

Check 2: Encumbrance Certificate (EC)

The Encumbrance Certificate (EC) records registered transactions affecting a property, including sale deeds, mortgages, release deeds, and certain court orders. It helps verify the ownership history and identify registered encumbrances.

Obtain the EC for at least 13 years. For high-value properties, it is advisable to verify 30 years of records or the complete title history.

Best practice: Download the EC directly from Kaveri Online instead of relying only on the seller's copy. Any discrepancy should be investigated before proceeding.

Note: The EC only reflects registered transactions. It should always be checked along with other property documents, as it does not reveal unregistered agreements or all legal disputes.

Check 3: Revenue Records (RTC on Bhoomi  for Land)

For agricultural and revenue land, verify the current RTC on Bhoomi at landrecords.karnataka.gov.in. The RTC shows: current owner's name, land classification (dry/wet/converted), area, and any tenancy or government entries.

Cross-check the RTC owner's name with the EC and the sale deed. A mismatch means mutation is incomplete and the seller's administrative ownership record has not been updated to reflect the registered legal transfer.

Check 4: Khata Certificate (For Urban BBMP Properties)

For properties within BBMP/GBA limits, verify the Khata at eaasthi.karnataka.gov.in. The Khata shows who the civic body recognises as the current property holder for tax and administrative purposes.

A Khata in one name and a sale deed in another name indicates a title gap; mutation has not been completed, and the current legal owner's name is not reflected in the civic body's records. This gap needs to be resolved before purchase proceeds.

Stage 2: Regulatory and Planning Compliance

Check 5  RERA Compliance (For Builder Projects)

For any project with more than 8 apartments or 500 sq. meters of land, RERA registration is mandatory. Verify at rera.karnataka.gov.in  search by project name, developer name, or the RERA registration number the developer quotes.

The project page shows: registration number, completion date, developer contact, and quarterly construction progress updates. Check if the Quarterly Progress Reports (QPR) show the builder is utilising the 70% escrow fund correctly. A project with no QPR updates filed in the past two quarters has a reporting compliance failure.

Avoid purchasing a property in a project that accepted more than 10% of the apartment's cost before obtaining RERA registration. Such non-compliance may indicate deficiencies in the developer's regulatory compliance and should be carefully considered during due diligence.

Check 6: Layout Approval and Planning Authority

For plotted developments, verify the layout approval from BDA (bdabangalore.org), BMRDA (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in), or BIAAPA (biaapa.tpa.gov.in) depending on the location. Confirm that your specific site number is designated as residential in the layout plan, not as a park, road, or civic amenity site.

Never rely on the developer's representation of approval; check the layout plan directly with the planning authority and confirm your specific plot falls within the approved and residential-designated boundary.

Check 7: DC Conversion (For Land That Was Originally Agricultural)

DC conversion is the formal order from the Deputy Commissioner converting land from agricultural classification to residential or commercial use. It is mandatory for any agricultural land before residential construction can be sanctioned.

The trap that catches most buyers: DC conversion is frequently done at the survey number level while your specific plot is at the Hissa level. Survey Number 100 may have a DC conversion order, but your plot at Survey Number 100 Hissa 3 may not be specifically included.

Check 8: Occupancy Certificate and Commencement Certificate

The OC is the most critical document for apartment buyers. It is issued by local bodies only after they verify that the building has been constructed according to the approved plan and is fit for human habitation. Never take possession without an OC.

Check the actual construction against the plan approved by the authorities. In 2026, satellite imaging is used by authorities to detect deviations. If the physical structure deviates from the sanctioned plan, you risk heavy penalties or demolition.

Check 9: Khata Classification (A-Khata vs B-Khata)

A Khata indicates the property is fully legal and follows all bye-laws. A B-Khata is a record that the municipality is collecting taxes from a property that does not meet all legal standards. B-Khata properties generally face greater difficulty in obtaining home loans, building approvals, and regularisation compared with A-Khata properties.

Check 10: ULPIN / Bhu-Aadhaar and Satellite Boundary Check

Every surveyed plot in India is progressively being assigned a 14-digit ULPIN (Unique Land Parcel Identification Number), also called Bhu-Aadhaar. This provides GPS coordinates of the plot boundaries, preventing the common fraud of selling the same plot to multiple people. Verify this on the official portal where applicable.

Additionally, use the Dishaank app (dishaank.karnataka.gov.in) to cross-check the survey number's physical boundaries against the satellite cadastral map. Stand on the land in question; the app shows the exact survey number, hobli, village, and whether it is government (Gomala) or private land.

Stage 3: Financial and Tax Clearance

Check 11: Property Tax Receipts and No Dues

Always verify the latest property tax receipts. Any unpaid taxes become the liability of the new buyer. Ensure there are no "Dues Pending" from the local council. Demand the latest tax paid receipt and a no-dues certificate.

For BBMP properties, verify outstanding dues at bbmptax.karnataka.gov.in using the seller's PID or SAS number.

Check 12: Outstanding Loan or Mortgage

Where the EC shows an active mortgage, the seller must produce the bank's No Objection Certificate (NOC) confirming the loan has been discharged before the property can be cleanly transferred. Never accept possession of a property with an active bank mortgage unless the bank's formal consent to the transfer has been obtained.

Check 13: TDS on Purchase (Above ₹50 Lakh)

Under Section 194-IA of the Income Tax Act, if you buy a property for more than ₹50 lakh, you (the buyer) must deduct 1% TDS from the payment and deposit it with the government. Failure to do so results in penalties for you, not the seller. Ensure you obtain the seller's PAN and file Form 26QB on the income tax portal at incometax.gov.in.

Check 14: Litigation Search

Verify there are no court cases pending against the property or the seller. Search the Karnataka High Court case portal at hckiis.kar.nic.in and the District Court records. Revenue disputes, mutation objections, land classification disputes, and government land encroachment cases are handled by the revenue court hierarchy (Tahsildar, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner). These do not always appear in the judiciary portal search. For properties where any revenue dispute is suspected, verify directly at the Tahsildar's office.

Also check whether the property is under any government acquisition notification for roads, infrastructure, or public utilities. Properties under acquisition notice can still be sold, but the buyer acquires a property that may be compulsorily acquired at a government-determined price.

Need Help? Talk to Vault Proptech about property verification before your purchase and get it sorted.

Stage 4: Physical Inspection

Check 15: Structural and Physical Condition

Visit the property physically, not just once, and not just on a bright sunny day. Specifically check: whether the built structure matches the approved building plan, whether any unauthorised floors or extensions exist (very common in older or informally developed buildings), whether there are visible structural cracks, waterproofing failures, or settlement signs, and whether the compound boundary matches the survey boundary shown on the documents.

Two checks are skipped more often than any others: an independent encumbrance certificate, and a physical site visit cross-checking the approved building plan against the actual constructed structure. Both carry outsized risk.

Check 16: Utility Connections and Society Clearance

For apartments, confirm: active BESCOM/BWSSB connections, society maintenance dues outstanding (if any become the buyer's liability in practice), and society's NOC if required for transfer. For flats in a co-operative housing society, the share certificate proves the owner's membership ensure the seller has no outstanding maintenance dues.

Stage 5: Agreement and Registration

Before signing any Agreement to Sell, have a property lawyer review the full document, particularly: whether the agreed completion date is binding, whether the default clause is mutual (not only on the buyer), and whether there is a specific performance clause rather than just a damages clause.

At registration: in 2026, both buyer and seller must undergo Aadhaar-linked biometric verification at the Sub-Registrar's office. Ensure the seller's Aadhaar is updated and linked to their current mobile number before registration day; a biometric mismatch on registration day causes the entire appointment to be rejected.

Book the SRO appointment through Kaveri 2.0 at kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in. Purchase e-stamp paper of the correct value from shcilestamp.com based on the guidance value verified at kaveri2.karnataka.gov.in.

Property Verification Checklist  At a Glance

Property Verification Before Purchase: Vault Proptech Handles It All

Vault Proptech conducts the complete 5-stage property verification for buyers in Bengaluru from the first EC pull to the lawyer's signed title opinion, covering every check in the correct sequence before any advance payment is made.

• EC pull and title chain verification at kaverionline.karnataka.gov.in

• Bhoomi RTC verification for revenue land at landrecords.karnataka.gov.in

• BBMP Khata status confirmation at eaasthi.karnataka.gov.in

• RERA and builder compliance check at rera.karnataka.gov.in

• DC Conversion and layout approval verification

• Dishaank satellite boundary cross-check

• Property tax dues verification and clearance

• Litigation search across courts and revenue authorities

• Physical inspection coordination

• Lawyer-signed title opinion before advance payment

• NRI property verification and complete remote due diligence

Need Help? Talk to Vault Proptech about property verification before your purchase and get it sorted.