The journey from seeing a promising 3 BHK in Kolkata to becoming its legal owner contains several distinct steps. **Booking, agreement for sale, loan approval, registration and possession** are not synonyms. A clear timeline helps buyers manage deposits, reduce document surprises and avoid unnecessary pressure to pay before essential verification.
Step 1: Shortlist and verify the property
Compare the project's legal identity, exact tower and unit number, sanctioned layout, RERA registration where applicable, carpet area, promised possession and current work status. Use the **WBRERA** portal to examine registered project details, and request the developer's full cost sheet. For resale, review the seller's registered title and building documents instead of assuming the original builder's advertisement is sufficient.
Step 2: Understand the booking amount
Obtain a written booking or application form identifying the unit, quoted consideration, payment schedule and refund rules. **Section 13 of RERA** restricts a covered developer from taking more than 10% of the apartment, plot or building cost as an advance without first entering into and registering an agreement for sale. Have your lawyer verify applicability and the actual agreement rather than treating this threshold as a universal cancellation policy.
Step 3: Agreement for sale and conditions
Read the agreement carefully with a lawyer. It should address carpet area, specifications, possession date, payment milestones, delay remedies, allocation of parking or storage and cancellation terms. Check how taxes, floor-rise or location premiums are presented. If the purchase is financed, coordinate the lender's sanction and legal-technical review before payment commitments become irreversible. Pre-approval is not the same as a final disbursement authorisation.
Step 4: Schedule disbursements and inspections
For an under-construction property, the agreed instalment schedule may relate to verifiable construction stages. Ask for stage evidence and the lender's disbursement conditions. For a completed resale property, coordinate the final seller payment with lien release, title-document handover and deed execution. Do not transfer large amounts solely on the strength of screenshots, verbal assurances or a draft receipt. Retain bank references for every payment.
Step 5: Calculate stamp duty and register the deed
West Bengal's official **Directorate of Registration and Stamp Revenue** provides procedures, valuation and fee services. Obtain transaction-specific estimates instead of using an assumed citywide percentage. Confirm the correct parties, identity details, property schedule, consideration and any bank-related requirements before appointment or e-deed execution. Follow the government's current prescribed process for execution, payment, registration and collecting the registered document.
