39 terms · A to Z
The property glossary.
The words you'll meet in sale deeds, bank letters and builder brochures across Bengaluru, Gurugram and Chennai, each in one plain sentence, with a full explainer where you need more.
A
B
- Betterment charges
- A fee paid to the local body towards civic infrastructure. In Bengaluru it is the main cost of converting a B-khata property to an A-khata. Read more
- Built-up Area
- Built-up area is carpet area plus the thickness of internal and external walls and the balcony/utility — typically 10–15% more than carpet area, and less than super built-up. Read more
C
- Carpet Area
- Carpet area is the actual usable floor area inside your home — wall-to-wall, excluding external walls, balcony and common areas. Read more
- Chitta
- A Tamil Nadu revenue record listing the owner, extent and type of a piece of land. It is now issued together with the patta as a single patta-chitta extract.
- CIBIL Score for Home Loans
- Your CIBIL score (300–900) signals creditworthiness to lenders. Read more
- Circle rate
- The minimum value at which property can be registered in a given area, set by the state. Stamp duty is charged on it or on the deal price, whichever is higher. Called guidance value in Karnataka and guideline value in Tamil Nadu. Read more
- CMDA
- Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority: the body that approves layouts and building plans within the Chennai Metropolitan Area.
- Completion Certificate (CC)
- A Completion Certificate is issued by the local authority confirming a building was constructed per the sanctioned plan. Read more
- CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone)
- CRZ rules restrict construction near India's coastline, directly affecting Chennai's ECR corridor. Read more
D
- DC Conversion Certificate
- A DC (Deputy Commissioner) conversion certificate confirms agricultural land has been legally converted to non-agricultural/residential use. Read more
- DTCP
- Directorate of Town and Country Planning: the state department that approves layouts and building plans outside metropolitan development authority limits. In Haryana it also licenses the colonies in Gurugram.
E
F
- FAR / FSI
- FAR (Floor Area Ratio) or FSI (Floor Space Index) is the ratio of total built-up area a plot is permitted, versus the plot area. Read more
- Floor-Rise & PLC Charges
- Floor-rise charges add a per-floor premium for higher units; PLC (Preferred Location Charge) adds a premium for park-facing, corner or better-oriented units. Read more
G
- GST on Property
- GST applies only to under-construction homes: 5% for regular and 1% for affordable housing, with no input-tax credit. Read more
- Guidance value
- Karnataka's name for the government-set minimum property value used for stamp duty and registration. Read more
- Guideline / Circle / Guidance Value
- The guideline value (also circle rate or guidance value) is the government's minimum notified price for a locality. Read more
K
- Khata
- A Khata (Bangalore/Karnataka) is a civic record identifying a property owner for tax purposes. Read more
L
M
- Maintenance & Sinking Fund
- Monthly maintenance funds day-to-day upkeep; the sinking (corpus) fund is a one-time reserve for major future repairs. Read more
- Mother Deed
- The Mother Deed traces the chain of ownership of a property back through successive transfers. Read more
- Mutation (Khata/Patta Transfer)
- Mutation updates the civic/revenue record to show you as the new owner after registration, so property-tax bills come in your name. Read more
O
- OC vs CC
- The Completion Certificate confirms a building was built to the sanctioned plan; the Occupancy Certificate then certifies it is safe and legal to live in. Read more
- Occupancy Certificate (OC)
- An Occupancy Certificate certifies that a completed building meets the approved plan and is legally fit to occupy. Read more
P
- Patta
- A Patta (Tamil Nadu) is a revenue record establishing legal ownership of land, issued by the Tahsildar. Read more
- Possession Certificate
- A Possession Certificate records the formal handover of a property from builder to buyer. Read more
- Pre-EMI vs Full EMI
- On an under-construction home with disbursement in stages, pre-EMI means you pay only interest on the amount disbursed until possession; full EMI means paying principal + interest from the start. Read more
- Property Tax
- Property tax is the annual civic charge levied by the municipal body (BBMP, MCG, GCC) based on your property's size, use and location. Read more
R
- RERA
- RERA (Real Estate Regulation and Development Act) is the buyer-protection law that requires developers to register projects, quote carpet-area prices, keep 70% of funds in a project escrow, and compensate for delays. Read more
S
- Sale Deed
- The Sale Deed is the core legal document that transfers ownership from seller to buyer. Read more
- Stamp duty
- The state tax paid to register a property purchase, charged as a percentage of the deal price or the circle rate, whichever is higher. Rates differ by state, and some states charge women buyers less. Read more
- Super Built-up Area
- Super built-up area is carpet area plus wall thickness plus your proportionate share of common areas (lobby, stairs, clubhouse). Read more
T
- TDS on Property Purchase
- For property above ₹50 lakh, the buyer must deduct 1% TDS on the sale value and deposit it (Form 26QB) when paying a resident seller. Read more
- TSLR (Town Survey Land Register)
- The TSLR is the town survey land register maintained for properties within Chennai (and other TN city) survey limits. Read more
U
Written and reviewed by Property Point Advisory. Read our editorial standards and how we source our data.