Documents to check before buying a house in Vadodara
Before you buy a house in Vadodara, check the land record (the 7/12 and 8-A extracts and the mutation entries, on the state's AnyROR portal), the order converting the land to non-agricultural use, the building permission and approved layout, a lawyer's title search, any loan or charge on the land, the jantri value, and every clause of the agreement to sell.
None of these papers is hard to read once you know what each one is for. This page explains them in the order you would check them. It does not replace your own lawyer, and every developer, including us, should be glad to show you all of them.
Written by Kinjal Mehta, civil engineer (MSU Baroda) and partner, TAM Developers.
Published: · Last reviewed:
We build townhouses on this road. Lake Tree Avenue is our project, so read this guide knowing who wrote it.
What does the land record show?
- Village Form 7/12 (the satbara). The basic record of a piece of land: its survey number, area, who holds it, how it may be used, and any rights or charges recorded against it, such as a bank's loan.
- Village Form 8-A. The list of all the land held by one account holder in the village. It helps confirm that the seller actually holds what the 7/12 says.
- Village Form 6, the mutation register. The history of changes to the land: each sale, inheritance or conversion, entered with a number and a date. Read it backwards to see how the present owner came to hold the land.
- Property card. In city areas, the urban record that takes the place of the 7/12.
You can see these records yourself on the Gujarat Revenue Department's AnyROR portal, under the rural land record (for 7/12, 8-A and the mutation entries) or the urban land record (for property cards), and order digitally signed copies. Ask the developer for the survey number and village, and look it up.
Has the land been converted for housing?
Most land around Vadodara was farmland. Before houses can be built on it, the use must be converted to non-agricultural under section 65 of the Gujarat Land Revenue Code. The permission is applied for online through the state's iORA portal, and the result is an NA order.
Read the NA order for: the survey number and area (do they match the 7/12?), the purpose (it should say residential), and any conditions attached. The conversion should also appear in the mutation entries.
Is there a building permission for these houses?
Ask which authority gave the building permission, and see it with the approved layout plan. Check that the plot numbers, plot areas and road widths in the brochure match the approved plan, and that the house you are buying is on it.
When construction is finished, the authority issues a completion or occupation certificate. On an under-construction project, ask when the developer expects it, and make it a condition for possession in your agreement.
Who checks the title, and how far back?
A title search is your lawyer's job, not yours. The usual practice is to trace the chain of ownership back about 30 years, through the sale deeds, inheritance and mutation entries, and to confirm that nobody else has a claim.
Your lawyer should also confirm the developer's right to sell. A developer may own the land, or hold it under a development agreement or a power of attorney from the landowner; each needs its own papers. The bank that gives you a loan will do its own legal check too, but that protects the bank first.
Is there a loan or charge on the land?
Look at the rights and charges recorded on the 7/12, and ask your lawyer to search the sub-registrar's records for registered mortgages. Many projects borrow for construction against the land. That is normal, but you need to know the lender, and that your house will be released from the charge (a no-objection letter from the lender) when you pay in full.
What is the jantri value, and why does it matter?
The jantri is the government's market value for land in each area. Stamp duty and the registration fee are charged on the higher of the jantri value and the price in your sale deed, so look it up on the state's GARVI website before you agree a price. The rates in force are those revised on 15 April 2023. The full arithmetic is in the cost of buying a home.
How do you read an agreement to sell?
The agreement to sell (often called the banakhat) is the document that binds you before the sale deed. Read every clause, with your lawyer, before you pay more than a booking amount. Check these in particular:
- The parties: who is selling, and on what authority (owner, development agreement, power of attorney).
- The property: the plot number, plot area and boundaries, matching the approved layout.
- The price and every separate charge, each with an amount: development, documentation, GST, the meter deposit, maintenance.
- The payment schedule, linked to stages of construction, not just to dates.
- The possession date, and what happens if it is late.
- The specifications, attached as a schedule, not described in a sentence.
- The clause on changes: how far the developer may change dimensions, design or specifications, and how you will be told.
- Cancellation: what you get back, and when, if either side cancels.
- The maintenance society: when it is formed, what it covers, and when the common areas are handed over.
In Gujarat an agreement to sell that gives possession is charged stamp duty like a sale; the Gujarat High Court has held that duty paid on it counts towards the later sale deed, so the same price is not taxed twice. Ask your lawyer which kind of agreement you are signing and what duty it carries.
What can you see at Lake Tree Avenue?
The NA order, the building permission and the title are available to inspect. Ask us, bring your lawyer, and we will show you each of them before you book. Our disclaimers are published in full, including the clause on changes, so you can read them before you see the agreement.
This page explains the documents as we understand them, from the sources below, as of 12 October 2026. It has not yet been reviewed by an advocate; when it has, their name will appear here. It is not legal advice; have your own lawyer check the papers for any property you buy.
Questions on this topic
What is a 7/12 extract?
Village Form 7/12 is the basic land record in Gujarat. It shows the survey number, area, holder, permitted use and any rights or charges on the land. You can view it on the AnyROR portal.
What is an NA order?
The order that converts land from agricultural to non-agricultural use, under section 65 of the Gujarat Land Revenue Code. Houses can be built only on land that has been converted.
How many years of title should be checked?
The usual practice is about 30 years of the chain of ownership. Your lawyer does the title search and gives you a written opinion.
Can I see the papers before booking at Lake Tree Avenue?
Yes. The NA order, building permission and title are available to inspect. Ask us, and bring your lawyer.
Where the numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked on 12 October 2026. Rules and rates change; check them again before you sign.
- AnyROR land records portal (Revenue Department, Government of Gujarat)
- iORA, integrated online revenue applications (Government of Gujarat)
- NA permission in Gujarat: process and timeline (Bhatt & Joshi Associates, 2026)
- Gujarat High Court: stamp duty cannot be levied twice on the same sale consideration (LiveLaw, 2024)
- GARVI: jantri values and stamp duty (Government of Gujarat)
More guides like this
- The cost of buying a home: Every cost on top of the price: GST, stamp duty, registration, developer charges, loan costs and upkeep.
- Plot, carpet and built-up area: What each area figure means, how to compare a house with a flat, and our own plot table.
- Questions to ask before booking: A first-time buyer's checklist, and the usual steps from booking to keys.
Come and stand in it.
A floor plan is a drawing. A picture is a picture. Neither tells you how the living room feels at four in the afternoon.
Tell us when you can come. We will keep the house open, keep an hour free, and walk the avenue with you. Site visits happen every day.