Hidden Costs of Buying a Flat in Delhi NCR

The price in a builder's advertisement is rarely what you'll actually pay for a flat in the NCR. Cost sheets often include several additional charges. Here's what they mean, so you can compare projects fairly.

Charges in a typical builder cost sheet

• Base price — usually quoted per sq ft; check whether it's on carpet area or super area
• Preferential location charges (PLC) — extra for a park-facing, corner, higher-floor or road-facing unit
• Car parking — covered or open; sometimes compulsory
• Club membership — a one-time charge for the clubhouse
• Power backup — installation charges for the generator connection
• Interest-free maintenance security deposit (IFMS) — held by the builder or society
• Advance maintenance — sometimes one or two years charged upfront
• External and internal development charges — sometimes shown separately
• GST — on under-construction flats

Government charges

• Stamp duty and registration fees — rates depend on the state and sometimes on whether a woman is a buyer; confirm the current rate
• TDS — buyers must deduct 1% TDS on purchases of ₹50 lakh or more from a resident seller

Other costs to plan for

• legal fees for checking documents
• home-loan processing fees
• interiors, furnishing and shifting
• brokerage for resale purchases

How to compare fairly

• ask every builder for an all-inclusive price in writing
• compare on carpet area — see our carpet vs super area guide
• check which charges are refundable (such as IFMS)
• for resale flats, ask about pending maintenance or authority dues

Next step

Plan your budget with our EMI calculator, then browse flats in Noida and flats in Gurugram.

Cover photo: @huynguyen_pch / Unsplash (illustrative).