1. Understand the Land Category
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Before investing in land, identify the type of land you're buying.
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Types of Land include in Karnataka are residential plots and agricultural plots.
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Converted land refers to agricultural land that has been legally converted for residential/commercial use.
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Revenue sites: usually hazardous, without approvals.
What You MUST Check
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Check that land use fits your purpose.
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Ask for a DC Conversion certificate for non-agricultural use.
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Avoid unconverted or illegally converted land.
2. Ownership and Title Details Verification
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Essential Ownership Checks
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Obtain the Mother Deed/Title Deed.
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Verify chain of ownership for 20–30 years.
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Confirm whether the property is jointly owned.
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Obtain signatures from all owners/co-owners on the sale agreement.
Warning signs
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The original title deed cannot be produced by the seller.
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Disputes between family members.
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Abrupt ownership changes just before the sale.
3. Check Legal Clearances & Documents
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Encumbrance certificate
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Khata Certificate / Khata Extract
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Tax Receipts
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Sale Agreement draft
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Verify Layout Approvals
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Ensure layout is approved by:
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BDA: Bangalore Development Authority
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BBMP / Municipal Corporation
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Gram Panchayat with proper document
Avoid
Unapproved layouts, plots without official survey numbers and plots based only on notarised documents.
4. Check Encumbrances & Liabilities
What to Check
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The outstanding bank loans on the land.
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Cases filed in the courts or pending disputes.
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Legal claims by relatives or tenants.
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How to Check
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Obtain the EC from the Sub-Registrar Office.
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Check online on the Karnataka land records portal.
5. Understand the Location & Infrastructure
Site-Level Checks
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Ensure the plot has legal road access.
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Match plot boundaries with survey sketch.
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Ensure road width as promised.
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Look for drainage, sewage and electric poles.
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Locality Factors
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Close to schools, markets, and hospitals.
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Water availability: Groundwater levels vary in Karnataka.
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Distance from highways and growth zones.
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Avoid Plots Near
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Lakes or lake buffer zone (highly protected).
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Forest areas or government lands.
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High-tension electrical lines.
6. Confirm Market Value & Pricing
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Compare with the prices of surrounding properties.
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Check the government guidance value or stamp duty value.
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Understand the future development plans for the area.
Be Cautious Of
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Very low-cost plots - often illegal.
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Pressure sales (“book today or price will increase”).
7. Registration & After-Purchase Formalities
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Get the sale deed registered at the Sub-Registrar's office.
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Pay the stamp duty and registration fees correctly.
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Apply for a Khata transfer to your name.
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Start paying property tax after registration.
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Keep Copies Of
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Registered sale deed
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EC after registration
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Payment
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All previous owner documents
8. Common Mistakes First-Time Investors Make
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Purchasing plots based on brochures without verifying the approvals.
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Not checking on EC and Khata.
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Buying revenue sites based on the expectation that they will "get approval later."
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Paying a token/advance prior to document verification. Not physically visiting the plot multiple times.