Property buying guides
Know before you buy. Plain-English guides for buyers in Mumbai, Dubai and across India, written by Ambish Singh from years of closing property deals.
Buying process
- How to check a project on MahaRERA before you payA five-minute MahaRERA check: registration number, promoter, completion date, litigation and the project bank account, and what each field means.
- Under-construction vs ready-to-move: which should you buy?GST, price, delay risk, payment plans and loan timing compared: how to choose between an under-construction and a ready-to-move flat in India.
- Agreement for sale checklist: what to check before you signThe clauses to read before signing a builder-buyer agreement in India: carpet area, payment schedule, possession date, delay interest, defects and specifications.
- Property site visit checklist: 25 things to check before you bookWhat to check at the project, the sample flat and the neighbourhood before you pay a token amount: construction, access, light, water, noise, society and paperwork.
Costs and money
- Hidden costs of buying property in Mumbai: the full checklistStamp duty, registration, GST, parking, society deposits, legal fees and interiors: every cost on top of the agreement price when you buy a flat in Mumbai.
- Home loan before you buy: eligibility, pre-approval and the down paymentHow much loan you can get, what the down payment must be under RBI loan-to-value limits, and why pre-approval comes before you shortlist projects.
Mumbai
- How to buy a flat in Mumbai: the step-by-step guideFrom budget and RERA checks to agreement, stamp duty and possession: the order of steps for buying a flat in Mumbai, with the costs and checks at each stage.
- Mumbai vs Navi Mumbai vs Thane: where should you buy?A plain comparison of the island city, Navi Mumbai and Thane for buyers: prices, commute, infrastructure, project types and who each suits.
Mumbai neighbourhoods
- Buying property in Powai: a guide for home buyersFlats in Powai explained: the lake and township, who the area suits, homes on offer, how it connects across Mumbai, and what to check before you book.
- Buying property in Goregaon East: a guide for home buyersFlats in Goregaon East explained: the Western Express Highway corridor, metro, offices and Aarey greenery, the homes on offer and what to check before you book.
- Buying property in Andheri: West and East comparedAndheri West and Andheri East compared for home buyers: neighbourhoods, metro and rail links, the airport side, the homes on offer and what to check before booking.
- Buying property in Thane West and on Ghodbunder RoadThane West for home buyers: Ghodbunder Road, Majiwada, Kolshet and the older city, the homes on offer, rail, road and metro links, and what to check first.
- Buying property in Bandra: a guide for home buyersFlats in Bandra explained: the sea-facing suburb, its redevelopments, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Worli: a guide for home buyersFlats in Worli explained: the sea-face towers and redevelopment projects, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Malad: a guide for home buyersFlats in Malad explained: Link Road towers, malls and offices, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Kandivali: a guide for home buyersFlats in Kandivali explained: Thakur Village, Charkop and the highway belt, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Borivali: a guide for home buyersFlats in Borivali explained: the national-park edge and rail hub, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Chembur: a guide for home buyersFlats in Chembur explained: an established eastern suburb, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Mulund: a guide for home buyersFlats in Mulund explained: the greener eastern edge towards Thane, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Ghatkopar: a guide for home buyersFlats in Ghatkopar explained: the rail and metro junction on the eastern side, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Mira Road: a guide for home buyersFlats in Mira Road explained: Mira-Bhayandar's value belt on the Western line, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Vasai: a guide for home buyersFlats in Vasai explained: Vasai-Virar's affordable, fast-growing belt, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Kharghar: a guide for home buyersFlats in Kharghar explained: Navi Mumbai's planned node near the airport, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Vashi: a guide for home buyersFlats in Vashi explained: Navi Mumbai's established commercial hub, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Ulwe: a guide for home buyersFlats in Ulwe explained: the airport-side node and its connectivity projects, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
- Buying property in Majiwada: a guide for home buyersFlats in Majiwada explained: the Thane West junction on the highway, who the area suits, how it connects, and what to check with MahaRERA before you book.
Dubai
- Buying property in Dubai from India: costs, process and risksHow Indians buy property in Dubai: freehold areas, the 4% Dubai Land Department fee, payment routes from India, tax on both sides, and checks on the project.
- Off-plan property in Dubai: how it works and what to checkEscrow accounts, Oqood registration, payment plans and handover: how off-plan purchases work in Dubai, and the checks that protect your money.
- Dubai Golden Visa through property: what to know before you buyThe property route to a UAE long-term residence visa: the value threshold, what qualifies, what the visa does not do, and how to confirm the current rules.
Dubai communities
- Buying property in Dubai Marina: a guide for Indian buyersDubai Marina for buyers from India: waterfront towers, who the community suits, holiday-home rules, service charges and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Downtown Dubai: a guide for Indian buyersDowntown Dubai for buyers from India: apartments around the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, who it suits, ready and off-plan choices, and what to check before booking.
- Buying property in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), DubaiJumeirah Village Circle (JVC) for buyers from India: a mid-market community of apartments and townhouses, who it suits, off-plan risks and what to check first.
- Buying property in Dubai Hills Estate: a guide for Indian buyersDubai Hills Estate for buyers from India: villas, townhouses and apartments around a golf course and park, who it suits, and what to check before you book.
- Buying property in Business Bay: a guide for Indian buyersBusiness Bay for buyers from India: canal-side towers beside Downtown, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Palm Jumeirah: a guide for Indian buyersPalm Jumeirah for buyers from India: villas, apartments and beach clubs, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Dubai Creek Harbour: a guide for Indian buyersDubai Creek Harbour for buyers from India: the waterfront community on the creek, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Arjan: a guide for Indian buyersArjan for buyers from India: the mid-market community near Al Barsha, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Al Furjan: a guide for Indian buyersAl Furjan for buyers from India: the family-friendly community with a metro link, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Jumeirah Lakes Towers: a guide for Indian buyersJumeirah Lakes Towers for buyers from India: lake-side towers close to the Marina, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Dubai South: a guide for Indian buyersDubai South for buyers from India: the airport-side district and Expo City, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Dubai Silicon Oasis: a guide for Indian buyersDubai Silicon Oasis for buyers from India: the technology-park community, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Mohammed Bin Rashid City: a guide for Indian buyersMohammed Bin Rashid City for buyers from India: the park-and-lagoon district, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Dubai Harbour: a guide for Indian buyersDubai Harbour for buyers from India: the marina district by the Palm, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Dubai Islands: a guide for Indian buyersDubai Islands for buyers from India: the new waterfront islands off Deira, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Town Square: a guide for Indian buyersTown Square for buyers from India: the family-focused community in Dubailand, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Mirdif: a guide for Indian buyersMirdif for buyers from India: an established suburb and its ownership rules, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Dubai Sports City: a guide for Indian buyersDubai Sports City for buyers from India: the sports-venue community, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Motor City: a guide for Indian buyersMotor City for buyers from India: the motorsport-themed community, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
- Buying property in Jumeirah Village Triangle: a guide for Indian buyersJumeirah Village Triangle for buyers from India: the quieter villa area by JVC, who the community suits, service charges, and the checks to make before you book.
NRI and overseas
Choosing an advisor
- How to choose a property consultant in India: 10 questions to askHow to tell a useful property consultant from a salesperson: how they are paid, which projects they cover, and ten questions to ask before you share your number.
- How property consultants get paid, and why it matters to youWho pays a property consultant on new launches, resale and rentals, how that can shape the advice you get, and how to ask for full disclosure before you commit.
Tools and reference
Want a second opinion on your shortlist?
Message Ambish with your budget and area. You get a short list with prices, payment plans and possession dates side by side. No pressure to book.