Before You Build or Buy · LandVolume 1 · Issue 2 · July 2026
Explain & guide
Buying Land, Done Safely
A plot is the biggest purchase most families make — and the one with the most ways to go wrong. This 10-guide library explains the legal side in plain language: how to run due diligence, verify title, read the documents, understand khata and land-use, and register the property. We explain the process; a property lawyer and the sub-registrar do the binding parts, and every charge and rule varies by state.
How to Buy a Plot in India: Step-by-Step Due Diligence, Documents and Registration (2026)
How do you buy a plot in India end to end? Define your budget, evaluate the site, run due diligence on title, documents, encumbrance, khata and land-use, discover the fair price, sign the agreement, register the sale deed and get mutation. Confirm with a lawyer and sub-registrar.
Read itRun your due diligence
Before you commit
Due diligence01Plot Due Diligence in India: The Complete Pre-Purchase Check (2026)
The complete pre-purchase check for a plot in India. Run four pillars - legal, revenue, planning and physical - plus financial dues, with your property lawyer and a licensed surveyor, before you pay. Includes a due-diligence checklist and a walk-away table.
Documents02Land Documents Checklist Before Buying a Plot in India (2026)
The complete checklist of documents to collect and verify before buying a plot in India: title deeds, encumbrance certificate, khata or patta, mutation, survey and layout, land-use conversion and tax dues. What each proves, the red flag if missing, and how names vary by state.
Title03How to Verify Land Title Before Buying in India: Clear and Marketable Title Explained (2026)
How to verify land title before buying in India: what a clear and marketable title means, tracing the ownership chain 30 years from mother deed to sale deed, a lawyer's title search, public notice, the encumbrance check, and the legal opinion. Indicative and state-dependent - confirm with a property lawyer.
The documents that matter
Title, EC, deeds & khata
EC04Encumbrance Certificate (EC) Explained for Buying Land in India (2026)
An encumbrance certificate is the sub-registrar's record of registered transactions on a property. Learn what an EC shows and misses, Form 15 versus Form 16, how to apply online or offline, the 30-year period to request, and why it is not sole proof of clear title.
Deeds05Mother Deed and Sale Deed Explained (India): Chain of Title and What Each Deed Does (2026)
Mother deed and sale deed explained for Indian plot buyers: the sale deed that transfers ownership, the mother deed that traces the origin of title, agreement to sell versus sale deed, related deeds, why the chain must stay unbroken, and reconstructing a lost mother deed.
Khata06Khata and e-Khata Explained: What It Is, A vs B, and Why It Matters (2026)
Khata is a municipal record of who is assessed for property tax, not proof of ownership. Learn A-khata vs B-khata, the move to e-khata, how khata transfer works after buying, and why khata matters for loans, building licence and resale in India.
Use, price & registration
Conversion, circle rate & registering
Land use07Agricultural to Non-Agricultural Land Use Conversion in India: DC / NA / CLU Explained (2026)
Most Indian land is agricultural, and building a house usually needs the land use converted first - DC conversion, NA order or CLU by state. Learn why it matters, who can buy agricultural land, how conversion works, and how to check if a plot is already converted.
Circle rate08Circle Rate vs Market Value (Guideline Value) in India (2026)
Every locality has a government-notified minimum value - circle rate, guideline value or ready reckoner rate - that sets the floor for registration. Learn how it differs from real market value and how the gap affects stamp duty and tax.
Registration09Property Registration Process in India: How a Plot Is Registered in Your Name (2026)
Registration is what legally transfers a plot into your name - an unregistered sale of immovable property does not pass valid title. This guide walks the full sequence: agreement, sale deed, stamp duty and fee, the sub-registrar appointment, registration day, and the mutation and khata that follow.