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Owning a piece of land and building a custom home is a dream for many. Buying a property is an expensive deal, and mistakes made during the process can cost you dearly. 

Buying land can be tricky, and it is essential to exercise caution, especially when the considerations are just so many. This blog is intended to provide information on things you should take care of while choosing a plot to build your new home.

Let us get started.

1.Document verification: For the uninitiated, paperwork can sound like a nightmare. But it is incredibly crucial to have a verified title on paper. Below are the documents that you need to confirm before taking ownership of the land

1.1 Title Deed - Check if the land is in the owner’s name and if they have a full right to sell it. Also, ensure that they are the sole owner of that land parcel.

1.2 Encumbrance Certificate (EC): EC can be obtained from the sub registrar’s office and is needed to confirm that the land is free from legal disputes or unpaid dues. This certificate will also help you verify if the person selling the land is actually the owner or not.

1.3 Property tax receipts – You will need these to verify if all payments are paid in full so that there aren’t any legal complications

1.4 Release certificate – This certificate is issued by the bank and is needed to confirm that the loans on your land are being paid

1.5 Local Approvals: - You will have to ensure that the local authorities have given an all-clear on the land parcel you are looking to buy.

2. Verify the seller’s identity – Before buying the land parcel, you should verify the seller’s identity. Check for the following points: -

2.1 Nationality and residential proof of the seller

2.2 Nationality and residential proof of all the sellers, in case the plot is jointly owned

2.3 Get the power of attorney if the property is held by a minor

3. Plot measurements – Confirm the exact dimensions of the plot before you buy it. This will also help you prevent an unauthorized person from enjoying the property.

4.Drainage connection – If drainage connections are not available in a locality, a person will have to incur an additional cost for constructing a septic tank, which will also require maintenance after every few years

5.Locality – If your plot is located in a newly developed neighbourhood and roads are yet to be developed or if the land’s level is below the road level, the foundation of the house should be laid at an increased height. Doing this will increase your construction cost. In some cases, the soil is filled to raise the height of the plot, in which case, you will have to lay a pile foundation.

6.Readiness – Not all lots have the same readiness for building a home, some are raw and unimproved. Raw plots are speculative investments and not intended for building in the near future. Unimproved lands do not have basic utilities or services, so there could be additional unforeseen problems and expenses to make the plot construction ready.

7.Utilities – Basic utilities include electricity, phone, gas, internet, water and sewage. If there are no connected utilities on your land, getting them in place is not just time and cost-consuming but also a serious hassle. You can purchase build-ready land to avoid the hassle of installing utilities.

8.After-sale documents – After-sale documents are as important as pre-sale documents. Check for the sale deed once the purchase has been made. A sale deed is a document written by a licensed document writer that must be registered in the sub-registrar's office to confirm the sale. You are not legally the owner until the sale deed has happened. Get the receipt of payment of stamp duty charges once the land is registered the land in your name. 

Making a land purchase involves numerous serious considerations. It is something that most individual purchases once in their entire lifetime, so ensure that you investigate all possibilities before buying the land.