Most buyers evaluate properties on 3 things: price, size, and proximity to a relative. Experienced investors evaluate on 6 dimensions.
Location within a location matters more than the city itself. Two properties 500 metres apart in the same pin code can have a 15% price difference that's entirely justified.
Don't just evaluate "Powai" or "Baner" — evaluate the specific street, floor, and facing. Micro-location factors include: upcoming metro or road access within 1 km (check MMRDA/NHDP project maps), school and hospital within 3 km, distance to the nearest major commercial hub (where your target tenant works), water supply (tanker-dependent areas have serious resale issues), and past flooding records. IGR data often shows micro-market appreciation variance of 2–4% per year within the same pin code.
You cannot easily assess structural quality without a structural engineer, but you can look for: (1) Grade of concrete used (M25 or higher is standard). (2) Brick vs AAC block (AAC is better for thermal insulation). (3) Plumbing material (CPVC is better than GI). (4) Waterproofing of terrace and bathrooms (ask to see the waterproofing warranty). (5) Electrical fittings (branded switchgear matters). A site visit where you check bathrooms, windows, and corridor floors in a completed unit reveals more than any brochure.
Check: (1) MahaRERA / state RERA for number of projects registered and their current status. (2) CIBIL RERA data — many states now publish builder CIBIL scores. (3) Consumer court databases for pending cases against the builder. (4) Talk to residents of previous projects — ask about possession delay, common amenity quality, and maintenance. A builder with 3+ completed projects delivered within 6 months of promised date is meaningfully different from one with delayed delivery on every project.
Never rely on the builder's pricing alone. For primary sales, compare with: RERA-registered price of neighbouring projects, IGR circle rate (minimum government valuation), and recent resale transactions in the same building on the sub-registrar website. For secondary sales, check 3–5 comparable recent sales on MahaRERA or IGR website. The spread between list price and IGR-registered transaction price tells you the negotiation room.
Even if you're buying to live in, ask: "Could I rent this easily? Could I sell this in 5 years?" A property that ticks lifestyle boxes but has poor rental demand and weak resale liquidity is a lifestyle purchase, not an investment. Good exit indicators: developer's previous projects resell above initial price, rental occupancy in the building is >80%, the project is approved by 3+ banks for home loans.
Score each property out of 10 on: (1) Location fundamentals, (2) Construction quality, (3) Builder track record, (4) Price vs market, (5) Amenity quality, (6) Exit potential. Any property scoring below 6 on track record or title verification should be disqualified regardless of other scores.
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