The number on a property listing is almost never the total amount you'll actually spend to move in — and underestimating the gap is one of the most common sources of financial stress for first-time buyers. Here's a complete picture.
**Stamp duty and registration (6-8% of property value).** In West Bengal, stamp duty typically runs 6-7% depending on the corporation zone, plus a 1% registration fee — a substantial cost that many first-time buyers underestimate or forget to budget for separately from the down payment itself.
**GST, for under-construction properties only (as applicable).** Ready-to-move properties with a completion certificate are exempt, but under-construction purchases attract GST at the applicable rate depending on the property category — factor this into your comparison between under-construction and ready-to-move options, as covered in more detail in our dedicated GST guide.
**Home loan processing fees (0.5-1% of loan amount).** Most lenders charge a processing fee, sometimes with a minimum flat amount regardless of loan size — ask for this figure upfront when comparing lenders, since it varies and directly affects your total borrowing cost.
**Legal and documentation charges.** Property lawyer fees for document verification and agreement review, typically a modest but real cost, particularly worthwhile for resale purchases requiring more extensive title verification than a fresh developer sale.
**Maintenance and society deposits at possession.** Many developments require an advance maintenance deposit (sometimes covering 1-2 years) plus a one-time society formation or corpus fund contribution at handover — this can add a meaningful lump sum on top of the property price itself.
**Parking charges, if not included in the base price.** Some developments price parking separately from the unit price — confirm whether your quoted price includes parking or whether it's an additional line item, since this varies by developer and project.
**Interior and furnishing costs.** Even a "ready to move" flat typically needs modular kitchen fittings, wardrobes, and basic furnishing before it's genuinely livable — budget a meaningful amount for this separately, since it's easy to spend this on credit or informally without accounting for it in your overall financial planning.
**Moving and incidental costs.** Packers and movers, utility connection charges, and miscellaneous setup costs (curtains, basic appliances if not already owned) add up to a real, if smaller, additional line item that's easy to overlook in the excitement of a major purchase.
**A practical rule of thumb:** budget an additional 10-15% above the quoted property price to cover the full range of costs above, and treat this as part of your total required capital, not an afterthought to figure out once you've already committed to the base price.
Our team at Lanivas Properties provides a full cost-sheet breakdown for every listing, so you can plan your true total budget upfront rather than discovering these costs one at a time.