✦ Insider Knowledge
What's Negotiable When Buying
Builders don't volunteer this information. Here's exactly what you can push back on — and what you can't.
🏢 Floor Rise Charges Save ₹2–8L
Negotiable
HIGH
- ✅What: Builders charge ₹20–100/sqft per floor above a base floor (usually 4th or 8th).
- 💡Tactic: Ask to waive floor rise for floors 10–15. Above 20, negotiate 50% reduction. Builders often agree near quarter-end to meet targets.
- ⚠️Reality: Floor rise is 100% builder-defined (not regulated). It's pure margin for them — highly negotiable.
🅿️ Parking Charges Save ₹3–10L
Negotiable
HIGH
- ✅What: Parking costs ₹3–10L+ per slot. Builders sometimes bundle free parking as an incentive.
- 💡Tactic: Always ask for parking included in the deal. If buying 2+ units, demand free parking. For high-floor units, parking is often waived.
📜 Stamp Duty & Registration
Negotiable
NO
- ❌Government mandated. Cannot be negotiated. Currently 6% stamp duty + 1% registration in Maharashtra.
- 💡But: Some builders absorb stamp duty as a promotional offer ("zero stamp duty offer"). Always ask — it's essentially a 7% discount.
🧾 GST (Under Construction)
Negotiable
NO
- ❌5% GST applies to under-construction properties without input tax credit. Not negotiable.
- 💡Strategy: If a project is close to OC (Occupancy Certificate), wait for it — GST drops to 0% once OC is received.
💳 Payment Plan / Schedule Save ₹5–15L
Negotiable
HIGH
- ✅Subvention: 10:90 / 20:80 / 5:95 schemes where you pay less upfront. Builder pays your EMI during construction.
- ✅CLP vs TLP: Construction-Linked Plan offers 4–6% lower total cost. Ask for CLP with milestone payments.
- 💡Tactic: Offer to pay more upfront (30-40%) in exchange for a per-sqft discount. Cash flow is king for builders.
🛋️ Furnishing Packages Save ₹5–20L
Negotiable
VERY HIGH
- ⚠️Builder furnishing is typically 30–40% overpriced compared to doing it independently.
- 💡Tactic: Decline the furnishing package. Either negotiate it as a freebie, or hire your own interior designer for 30–40% less.
🔧 Advance Maintenance
Negotiable
MEDIUM
- ⚠️Builders charge 2–3 years of maintenance upfront (₹2–6L depending on project). This is common but negotiable.
- 💡Tactic: Negotiate down to 1 year advance. Once society forms, maintenance is set by residents.
💡 Pro Tip: The best time to negotiate is end of quarter (March, June,
September, December), especially March and December. Builders have sales targets to meet and are most
flexible then.
🚫 Never do: Don't pay in cash. Don't agree to
undervaluation in agreement. Don't skip your own lawyer's review. These "savings" can cost you 10x in
legal trouble.