Land buying checklist Maharashtra — 12 checks before you pay token
Most land disputes in Maharashtra start with a check that was skipped — a pending ferfar nobody asked for, a nakasha that doesn't match the plot, a NA order that was never obtained. This is the 12-point checklist we run on every plot before a client pays a single rupee. Run it yourself with free tools, in the order given.
1. Confirm the seller matches the record
Pull the 7/12 (सातबारा) and read the owner column — then ask for the seller's Aadhaar and match names letter by letter. Inherited plots need the death entry and the mutation that put the current name on the record; a sale deed chain that skips a generation is the single most common deal-breaker. Verify the 7/12 live with our free 7/12 reader — it shows the official extract with source and retrieval time, and deep-links the government portal so you can re-check on your own.
2. Read the ferfar register before you trust the 7/12
The 7/12 shows today's position; the ferfar (फेरफार, mutation register) shows how it got there and what is pending. An entry marked received or uncertified means the record you are reading may change. Decode the official status codes — 1 received, 2 accepted, 3 rejected with reason, 4 generated — in our ferfar register guide, then search the village register and the seller's application by token. A rejected entry with an official Marathi reason is a red flag worth a lawyer's hour.
3. Pin the exact parcel with its ULPIN
Survey numbers repeat across villages; the ULPIN (Bhu-Aadhaar) does not. Resolve the parcel forward from district → taluka → village → survey, or reverse from an 11-digit ULPIN quoted in a document, and make sure both sides of the deal quote the same number. If a document's ULPIN fails the checksum (last digit ≠ sum of the other ten mod 10), it was mistyped — stop and re-verify. The ULPIN guide explains the structure; the land-intelligence tool runs both directions live.
4. Match the nakasha to the physical plot
The village map (नकाशा) is where paper meets ground. Download the gat map, plot the boundaries, and walk the site: does the fence sit on the survey line? Are the gat/hissa parts numbered the way the 7/12 lists them? A plot that measures smaller on the ground than on paper starts its problem here. Our nakasha & gat-number guide covers how to read the map; the parcel-map tool fetches the official drawing.
5. Convert the area correctly — in sqft
Revenue records mix units: 7/12 in hectares, the deed in guntha, the broker in sqft. Fix one unit and convert everything — 1 guntha = 1,089 sqft, 40 guntha = 1 acre. Our guntha-to-sqft converter handles guntha, acre, hectare, are, sqm and the district-variable aankad. Quotes and price-per-sqft comparisons only work after this step.
6. Verify NA / gunthewari status
Agricultural land needs Non-Agricultural (NA) permission before residential construction; gunthewari plots carry their own regularisation track. If the plot is farm-rated and the builder says 'NA will come', price the wait — 90 days to a year in some talukas — and read the deemed-NA rules before accepting the promise. The NA & gunthewari checker tool and our NA permission guide walk the file.
7. Check the zone on the development plan
The same survey number can be residential, agricultural, or reserved (garden, road, school) depending on the sanctioned development plan. Reserved land sells cheap and builds never. Get the zone from the planning authority — PMC, PCMC or PMRDA depending on jurisdiction — and match it to the intended use before negotiation.
8. Confirm road access and frontage
A landlocked plot with a 'proposed road' on paper is the classic trap. Access must be from a recorded road — a private gully needs a documented right of way registered in the deed chain. Physical frontage and legal access are two different checks; do both.
9. Read the urban records if inside municipal limits
Inside PMC, PCMC or PMRDA limits the plot runs on a CTS number and a property card, not a 7/12. The card shows the holder, area, classification and mutation chain — the urban counterpart to everything in check 1. Read our property card guide for PMC/PCMC plots and the Index II (SRO) guide for the registered-deed side.
10. Trace the title, not just the record
A clean 7/12 is not a clean title. Run a 30-year title search through a lawyer, check for court stays, bank charges and acquisition notices, and read every Index II in the chain. Our land buyer brief service does exactly this — the tools above surface the signals, the lawyer confirms the chain.
11. Check the seller-side files for Baramati, Daund & Indapur plots
On the Pune rural belt — Anjanagaon, Baramati MIDC, Daund, Indapur — plots change hands fast and records lag. Anchor every deal to the village ccode (the 18-digit code all mutation services key on), resolve the ULPIN, and verify the ferfar entries for the last three years, not just the current one. The land-intelligence tool gives village codes and live ferfar statuses for the whole district.
12. Put the findings in writing before the token
End the checklist with a one-page note: ULPIN, 7/12 extract date, ferfar status codes found, area in sqft, NA/zone status, access status. Attach the extracts. If any check is unresolved, the token agreement should say who fixes it and by when — or you walk. A plot that survives this list is a plot you can build on; the construction cost guide takes over from there.
Real questions, real answers.
What should I check before buying land in Maharashtra?
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At minimum: owner match on the 7/12, pending ferfar entries, ULPIN pin, nakasha match, area in sqft, NA/gunthewari status, development-plan zone, road access, urban records (property card / CTS) where applicable, and a 30-year title search. The guide above walks all 12 in order.
How do I check if a plot has pending mutation (ferfar)?
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Search the village's ferfar register by district, taluka and village code, and check the application by token if the seller has one. Status 1 (received) or an uncertified entry means the record can still change — read the official codes before paying.
Is a clean 7/12 enough to buy land?
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No. The 7/12 shows the current revenue position but not pending mutations, court stays, bank charges or the deed chain. Treat it as check 1 of 12 — the title search and Index II review confirm the rest.
How much does land due diligence cost in Pune?
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The online record checks (7/12, ferfar, ULPIN, nakasha) are free with the tools on this site. A lawyer's title search typically runs ₹5,000–15,000 depending on chain length — cheap against a plot price.
What is the safest way to pay for land in Maharashtra?
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By cheque or bank transfer against a registered agreement, never full cash, and never before the checklist is closed. Keep the token small (1–2% of price) until checks 1–10 are done.
Do I need NA permission before buying?
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No, but you should know its status before you price the plot. Farm-rated land without NA costs less but adds 90 days to a year and fees before construction can start — factor it into the deal.
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