The price of a property is the number people plan for. The cost is 10% to 15% higher, and almost none of the difference can be financed. Here is the full list, on an ₹80 lakh purchase.
Stamp duty — ₹3.2 lakh to ₹6.4 lakh
Charged by the state, between 4% and 8% of the property value. Maharashtra is 6% for men and 5% for women, Karnataka 5%, Delhi 6% and 4%, Kerala 8%. Crucially it is levied on the higher of your transaction value and the state's circle rate, so buying below circle rate does not reduce it. Work out your state's figure with the stamp duty calculator.
Registration charges — around ₹80,000
Typically 1% of the value, capped in some states. Payable at the sub-registrar's office at the time of registration.
GST — nil, ₹80,000 or ₹4 lakh
Ready property with a completion certificate attracts no GST. Under-construction property attracts 1% for affordable housing and 5% otherwise, with no input tax credit. This single line is often the biggest financial difference between a ready flat and one under construction.
Brokerage — ₹80,000 to ₹1.6 lakh
Usually 1% to 2%, and negotiable — particularly in a slow market, and particularly if the agent is also collecting from the seller.
Home loan charges — ₹20,000 to ₹60,000
Processing fee of 0.25% to 1%, legal and technical valuation charges, documentation and stamping on the loan agreement, and CERSAI registration. Some are waived during campaigns — ask.
Society and handover charges — ₹50,000 to ₹3 lakh
Share money, transfer charges, one or two years of advance maintenance, a sinking fund contribution, and in many new projects a club membership fee. Builders often present these late in the process, when you have little leverage.
Interiors, fittings and moving — ₹3 lakh upwards
Even a "ready to move" flat usually needs wardrobes, lighting, curtains, an electric or gas connection and a kitchen. This is where budgets break, because it comes after every other payment has already been made.
The recurring costs that follow
- Property tax: a few thousand to a few tens of thousands a year, depending on the municipality
- Maintenance: ₹2 to ₹6 per square foot per month in most projects
- Home insurance: modest, and worth having
- Repairs: budget roughly 0.5% to 1% of the property value a year over the long run
The realistic total
On an ₹80 lakh ready property with a ₹60 lakh loan, expect ₹20 lakh of down payment plus roughly ₹5.5 lakh of duty and registration, ₹1 lakh of brokerage, ₹40,000 of loan charges, ₹1 lakh of society charges and ₹3 lakh of interiors — around ₹31 lakh of cash before you move in.
Plan against that number, not the price, and keep six months of EMIs in reserve on top. The affordability calculator builds duty and down payment into a single answer.
Frequently asked questions
Stamp duty of 4–8%, registration of about 1%, GST of 1% or 5% on under-construction property, brokerage of 1–2%, loan processing charges, society transfer and advance maintenance, and interiors. Together they add roughly 10–15% to the price.
Generally not. Lenders fund a percentage of the property value only, so stamp duty and registration must come from your own savings.
No. GST applies only to under-construction property — 1% for affordable housing and 5% otherwise. A property with a completion certificate attracts none.