Buying property in Mangaluru: a step-by-step guide
A plain guide to buying a flat, house or plot in Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada, from setting a budget to registering the sale.
1. Set a budget that includes the extra costs
The asking price is not the whole cost. In Karnataka you also pay stamp duty, cess, surcharge and a registration fee. On a resale flat these add about 7.6% to the price. A ₹75 lakh flat in Mangaluru needs about ₹5.7 lakh more. See Stamp duty and registration charges in Karnataka for the full working.
Add a lawyer's fee for checking the papers, any brokerage if you use a broker, and for a new flat the charges the builder adds (car park, maintenance deposit, connections).
2. Choose the area
Mangaluru city runs from Ullal and Thokottu in the south to Surathkal and Mulki in the north, with central areas such as Hampankatta, Kodialbail, Kadri, Bejai and Kankanady between. Beyond the city are the towns of Dakshina Kannada: Bantwal, Puttur, Moodbidri, Belthangady and Sullia. See Areas of Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada.
3. Find property and compare prices
Search by area, budget and property type on mangaluruproperties.com. Every listing shows the price first and an estimate of the cost to buy. You call or WhatsApp the owner or broker directly.
4. Visit before you pay anything
- See the property yourself, in daylight and, if you can, once in the monsoon.
- Check that it matches the photos and the size in the listing.
- For a flat, look at the common areas, the lift, parking and the water supply.
- Walk the boundary of a plot and ask the neighbours who owns it.
- Do not pay a "token amount" to hold a property you have not seen with its original papers.
5. Check the papers
Ask the seller for these, and have a lawyer read them before you sign anything:
- Sale deed and the earlier deeds, so you can follow the ownership back, usually 30 years.
- Encumbrance certificate (EC) from the sub-registrar, for the same period. It shows any loan, mortgage or claim registered on the property.
- e-Khata from the local body. A sale cannot be registered without it. See e-Khata in Karnataka.
- RTC (Pahani) for land, from the Bhoomi records, showing the owner and the kind of land.
- Conversion order for a plot, and the approved layout (in and around the city, layouts are approved by the planning authority, the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority).
- Approved building plan, and for a flat the occupancy or completion certificate.
- Latest property tax receipts, and for a flat a no-dues letter from the owners' association.
- K-RERA registration for a new project with more than 8 apartments or on more than 500 square metres of land. Check the number on rera.karnataka.gov.in.
Near the sea, a river or the backwaters, ask about the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). It limits what can be built close to the water.
6. Agree the deal in writing
Write the price, the advance, the payment dates and the date of handing over in a sale agreement. Pay by bank transfer, not cash, so there is a record. If you take a home loan, the bank will also check the papers.
7. Register the sale
The sale deed is registered at the sub-registrar office for the area where the property is. You book a slot and pay the duty and fee through Kaveri Online Services (kaveri.karnataka.gov.in). Buyer, seller and two witnesses attend with photo ID.
8. Transfer the khata
After registration, apply to the city corporation, town council or gram panchayat to put the e-Khata in your name, and pay property tax from then on.
Questions people ask
How much extra does it cost to buy a flat in Mangaluru?
About 7.6% of the price for a resale flat or house in the city: 5% stamp duty, 10% of the duty as cess, 2% of the duty as surcharge, and a 2% registration fee. On ₹75 lakh that is about ₹5.7 lakh. Confirm the final amount at the sub-registrar office.
Which papers should I check before buying property in Mangaluru?
The sale deed and earlier deeds, an encumbrance certificate, the e-Khata, the RTC for land, the conversion order and approved layout for a plot, the approved plan and occupancy certificate for a building, recent tax receipts, and the K-RERA number for a new project. Have a lawyer read them.
Where is property registered in Mangaluru?
At the sub-registrar office for the area where the property is. Slots and payment of stamp duty and the registration fee are handled through Kaveri Online Services.
Should I pay a token amount to hold a property?
No. Do not pay anything before you have seen the property and its original papers.