Buying a Pre-Launch Apartment in Bangalore: A RERA Checklist

What “Pre-Launch” Really Means

A pre-launch project is one that has not yet had its formal launch. The developer is usually still finalising the plan, the approvals and the price list, so the sizes, prices and dates you are given are indicative. Some projects at this stage are not yet registered with the real estate regulator, and some are.

That is not a reason to avoid pre-launch projects. It is a reason to treat every number as provisional and to get anything that matters confirmed in writing. A project such as Sobha Mullur is at this stage, and the notes below apply to it as much as to any other.

Step 1: Ask for the RERA Registration Number

RERA is the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, and every state has a regulator under it. In Karnataka that is K-RERA. A registered project is given a registration number, and Karnataka project numbers begin with PRM/KA/RERA and contain “PR” for a project. Agents carry their own numbers, which contain “AG”, so check which one you are being shown.

Under the Act, a developer is expected to register a project before advertising or selling it. So if a project has no number yet, ask when it will be registered. Register your interest if you like, but do not pay any booking or token amount until you have a number you have verified yourself. An expression of interest is a way to receive updates. It is not a purchase, and it does not carry the protections of a registered agreement.

Step 2: Verify the Number on the Karnataka RERA Portal

Never rely on a number printed in a brochure or quoted on a call. Search for the project on the Karnataka RERA portal using the project name or registration number, and check three things. The promoter named on the portal should be the developer you are dealing with. The project name and location should match what you were told. And the proposed completion date on the portal should match the possession date you have been promised.

Look at the project details too, including the number of units and the approvals listed. A project that appears with different details from the sales pitch is a reason to stop and ask questions.

Step 3: Respect the 10 Per Cent Limit

Section 13 of the Act says a developer cannot take more than 10 per cent of the cost of an apartment as an advance or application fee without first entering into a written agreement for sale and registering it. On a ₹2 Cr apartment, that means no more than ₹20 lakh before the registered agreement.

If you are asked for more than 10 per cent before the agreement is registered, do not pay it. Ask for the agreement first.

Step 4: Read the Agreement for Sale Before You Sign

The agreement for sale is the contract that governs your purchase until the sale deed. Read it with these points in mind. It should state the carpet area, because RERA requires apartments to be sold on carpet area, which is the usable area inside the walls. It should give a possession date and a payment schedule tied to the stage of construction rather than fixed calendar dates. And it should set out what happens if either side is late.

Look closely at the delay clauses. If the penalty for a late buyer is far heavier than the compensation for a late builder, ask for it to be balanced. Check the specifications and the amenities named in the agreement too, because a brochure is not a contract.

Step 5: Know Your Rights if Possession Is Late

Section 18 gives you a choice if the developer fails to hand over on the agreed date. You can withdraw and claim a refund of what you have paid, with interest, or you can stay in the project and receive interest for every month of delay. RERA also makes the developer responsible for structural defects that appear within five years of possession, and it requires 70 per cent of the money collected from buyers to be held in a separate project account to be used for that project’s construction and land cost.

These protections apply to registered projects. That is one more reason the registration number comes first.

Step 6: Compare Prices on the Same Basis

Two prices can look very different and be the same. One may be a base rate per sq ft, another an all-inclusive rate, and a third may be quoted on a saleable built-up area while the agreement is on carpet area. Before you compare, ask what each price includes, and convert them to the same basis. Ask for a written breakup of the all-inclusive rate so you know what it covers. Our guide to Sobha Mullur configurations shows how a flat per-sq-ft rate turns into the extra cost of each step up in size.

Step 7: Check the Land and the Approvals

Ask which authority approved the project and the approved plan. Ask for the title documents and an encumbrance certificate, which shows whether the land has any loans or claims against it. Ask what type of khata the property will have. Then ask when the commencement certificate was issued and what the timeline is for the occupancy certificate. A lawyer can check these quickly, and they are worth the fee.

Pre-Launch Offers: How to Think About Them

Early offers can be worth having, but only if you understand what you are committing to. A discount is only a discount if the final price is lower than it would have been. Ask for the offer in writing, with its conditions, its expiry and what happens to it if the launch price changes. And ask what you are expected to pay now. If the answer is a booking amount before registration, go back to Steps 1 and 3.

How This Applies to Sobha Mullur

Sobha Mullur is a pre-launch apartment community on Sarjapur Road, and its sizes, prices and dates are tentative. Its RERA number will be shared once the project is registered, and you should verify it on the portal on the day. Meanwhile, you can read about the area and about how the layouts compare and ask the sales team any of the questions above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to buy a pre-launch apartment in Bangalore?

It can be, if you verify the RERA registration, keep payments within the 10 per cent limit until the agreement is registered, and read the agreement carefully. It carries more uncertainty than a project that is registered and launched, because the details can still change.

Can a developer take a booking amount before RERA registration?

The Act expects a developer to register a project before advertising or selling it. If a project has no number yet, do not pay a booking or token amount. Register your interest and wait for a number you can verify.

How much can a developer take before the agreement for sale?

No more than 10 per cent of the cost, and only as an advance or application fee. Anything beyond that needs a written, registered agreement for sale first.

How do I check a RERA number in Karnataka?

Search for the project on the Karnataka RERA portal by name or registration number, and match the promoter, location and completion date to what you have been told.

What is an expression of interest?

It is a way to tell the developer you are interested and to receive updates, such as launch dates and price lists. It is not a booking, and you should not treat it as a purchase.

What if possession is delayed?

Under Section 18 you can withdraw with a refund and interest or stay and receive interest for each month of delay. Keep the agreement and your payment receipts safe.

Ready to Look at Mullur?

If you are shortlisting homes in Mullur, our page on Sobha Mullur apartments has the project details, and you can ask the sales team for the latest on registration, pricing and availability.

This guide is general information and not legal or financial advice. Laws, rules and project details can change, so confirm them on the official portal and with a qualified professional before you commit.