Buying your first home can be quite an emotional decision for many. But you cannot forget that this would be one of the biggest legal transactions of your life, and stay vigilant to protect yourself from undue stress.
Whether you are a first-time home buyer or looking to purchase a resale property, the legal process for buying a residential property includes the following steps:
• Property search
• Legal due diligence and documentation
• Negotiation and agreement
• Home loan approval
• Registration
• Possession and handover
Although the specifics of these steps may vary, you will be following this process in general; and you cannot afford any missteps – especially when it comes to legal due diligence and documentation.
So what are some of the key legal aspects and requirements you must understand to safeguard your investment and ensure a clear title on your residential property?
The first and most important step is to verify the property title with the necessary documents going back at least 30 years (minimum 12 years if previous documents are not available). These documents can help you verify:
• The title documents (indicating the transfer of title over the years)
• Nature of the title
• Development agreement or power of attorney
• Pending and past litigations against the property
This can help you ensure the nature and marketability of the title and establish a clear title free from encumbrance.
The next – and equally important step – is to identify the seller and their ability to convey the property. This includes information like:
• Residential status of the seller (in case you may need special government authorization for the sale)
• Identity and consent of all owners (in case of jointly held properties)
• Court order authorizing the sale and appointing a guardian (in case of property held by a minor or an individual of unsound mind)
Documents like Aadhaar numbers, PAN, passports, or income tax returns can help you ascertain the identity(s) of the seller(s) and establish they have the proper authority to sell the property.
Many state and national laws restrict the ways land can be used, making ascertaining the type of land the property is on – residential, commercial, industrial, or non-agricultural – essential. So ensuring the property stands on non-agricultural residential land is essential as non-agriculturists may get in trouble for purchasing agricultural property.
Additionally, you must ensure that the property complies with the zoning plan. If the actual land use differs from the zoning plan, getting the necessary approval from the Town Planning Authority for a change of land use is mandatory.
In case you are buying an apartment or a constructed building, validating the construction plan and necessary approvals from relevant authorities is crucial. This includes approval and NOCs from different departments – like the Pollution Board, Environment Department, Traffic and Coordination Department, and many more – to ensure access to infrastructure facilities – like water, electricity, sewage, environmental clearance, fire safety, and more.
Occupancy certificate – indicating the property meets all regulatory and statutory requirements and is fit to occupy – from the competent authority is mandatory. Use – or sale – of property without such approval leaves buyers vulnerable to penalties and risk of demolition.
Non-payment of taxes can affect the marketability of a property. So ensuring the seller has cleared all their dues – tax and utilities – is crucial. Otherwise, the buyer will be liable to clear all pending dues against the property.
Be sure to check any registered encumbrance on the property before buying the property. You can search at the jurisdictional sub-registrar office, the website of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (in case of a corporate seller), or issue a public notice to find any third-party claims against the property.
It is advisable that a buyer undertakes a physical survey to confirm the extent and measurement of the property against the information provided by the seller.
Especially when purchasing land, identifying the boundaries, access, and any other physical attributes can help ensure you can enjoy your property properly.
Any project falling under the scope of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) has to be registered with the RERA authority. So be sure to check the RERA registration of the property – and the real estate broker – before purchasing the property to establish the credibility of the project and the seller.
In case you are buying a resale property, be sure to verify whether there is a loan outstanding against the property. You can ask the seller to clear the outstanding loan amount to get the original property documents from the bank and register the property in your name to get a loan of your own. Or you can apply to transfer the loan from the seller’s name to yours and continue to make payments. In any case, be sure to get copies of the title documents, loan outstanding statement, and no dues certificate from the bank to ensure a clear title.
This is a general legal checklist you must consider before buying a property in India. However, it is advisable to work with a skilled legal expert to conduct proper due diligence, examine every small legal facet, and ensure the safety of your investment.
Need help to understand the legal requirements when buying a property? Squarea expert team can direct you to the right resources and help safeguard your real estate investment. Get in touch with us today to find the home of your dreams.
For more details on this subject, please email hello@squarea.io
India’s ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs) are refining their investment approach toward commercial real estate (CRE). The reassessment currently underway is a strategic recalibration of how capital is deployed, into what it is deployed, and the role commercial real estate plays in a future-proofed portfolio.
Several macro and structural trends are fuelling this shift:
Together, these forces represent a fundamental repositioning. CRE is no longer viewed in isolation as a high-yielding asset. It is now being evaluated as a strategic wealth tool, one that must perform across cycles, align with ESG norms, and support liquidity and succession planning. The reassessment is not about exiting the market, it is about upgrading the playbook. Let’s delve into each aspect shaping this transition.
The first visible shift is a clear move from aggressive expansion to strategic consolidation. Earlier, UHNIs were key participants in land aggregation and greenfield office investments. Today, they are narrowing their focus to high-performing, fully built, income-yielding Grade A assets.
This reflects not just a change in risk appetite, but in investment philosophy. Asset quality, tenant profile, and compliance readiness have taken precedence over speculative upside.
This recalibration is supported by market data. Capital deployment into Indian real estate reached USD 11.4 billion in 2024, a 54% year-on-year growth, largely driven by completed assets and well-located land acquisitions (CBRE).
The new mandate is clear: fewer assets, stronger fundamentals, and consistent rental performance. The next layer of this shift involves how UHNIs prefer to own these assets.
Alongside asset preference, the structure of ownership itself is transforming. UHNIs are moving away from direct, individually held assets or co-invested fragments in family partnerships. Instead, they are leaning into institutional models like REITs, Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), and managed discretionary platforms.
These structures offer several advantages:
A prime example of this evolution is the scale at which REITs are being capitalised. Embassy Office Parks REIT, India’s largest, has announced plans to raise USD 400 million to meet growing demand for institutional-grade office assets (Reuters).
For UHNIs, these platforms deliver transparency, reduced administrative burden, and exposure to well-performing assets without operational complexity. But ownership models are only one part of the equation, asset performance is increasingly being driven by sustainability metrics.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors have moved from being soft preferences to hard investment filters. Whether driven by SEBI’s Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) norms or global LP mandates, ESG now shapes portfolio construction.
As of end-2024, 66% of Grade A office stock across India’s top six cities was green-certified, amounting to 503 million sq ft. More notably, over 75% of all leasing in 2024 took place in green-certified buildings, underscoring a structural market shift, not a passing trend (Colliers).
This growing preference for sustainable assets is not confined to new supply. Developers are actively retrofitting older buildings to improve ESG scores, unlocking a market opportunity worth over INR 425 billion (Colliers). This ESG integration is not only about compliance. It is now a strategic lever for:
Air quality monitoring, energy efficiency systems, waste reduction, and wellness infrastructure are now prerequisites for future-ready CRE portfolios. This reorientation towards quality and compliance also aligns with a deeper concern: preparing assets for smooth intergenerational transfer.
A critical driver behind the reassessment is the growing need for estate readiness and wealth continuity. UHNIs are increasingly viewing CRE through the lens of transferability, ease of governance, and long-term asset hygiene.
Family offices are prioritising:
This is particularly relevant as the first generation of Indian wealth transitions to the next. Structures that offer transparency, liquidity, and minimal transfer friction are being favoured over legacy holdings that are operationally burdensome or non-compliant. CRE is no longer just a source of income, it is now also a critical estate planning tool.
As India's commercial real estate evolves, UHNIs are sharpening their lens, filtering for transparency, yield resilience, and ESG alignment. The shift is not about cutting exposure, but about elevating the quality of exposure.
At SQUAREA, we specialise in helping investors navigate this next cycle. From REIT entry strategies to pre-leased Grade A assets and co-investment platforms, our advisory ensures alignment with your long-term capital goals and risk appetite.
To learn more or build your next strategic CRE allocation, connect with us at hello@squarea.io or call +91 90 9641 9641.
Dubai is no longer just a regional powerhouse. It has become a magnet for global wealth migration. With over 7,200 millionaires relocating to the UAE in 2024 alone (Henley & Partners), the city continues to attract global citizens seeking more than just a residence. They are drawn by the promise of long-term value, enhanced security, and greater global mobility.
This movement is mirrored in Dubai’s real estate performance, particularly in the ultra-luxury space. From waterfront addresses like Palm Jumeirah to the estates of Emirates Hills, Dubai has emerged as one of the world’s most desirable second-home markets.
The continued inflow of global wealth is directly influencing Dubai’s prime real estate transactions. These are not short-term purchases, they are strategic moves by UHNWIs securing global bases for family and capital. Supporting this trend are record-setting figures:
These exceptional figures reflect not just transactional momentum but the deeper structural advantages that continue to position Dubai as the preferred second-home destination for global investors.
What makes Dubai stand out among other international hubs like London, Singapore, or New York? The answer lies in a combination of access, security, tax neutrality, and lifestyle quality, each carefully embedded into the city’s long-term master plan.
These frameworks offer the predictability, control, and legal clarity that high-net-worth individuals expect when allocating capital across borders.
This commitment to quality of life ensures Dubai meets the expectations of discerning residents seeking security, comfort, and day-to-day efficiency.
This strategic geographic positioning reinforces Dubai’s appeal as a seamlessly connected global hub, an essential factor for mobile, asset-diverse investors.
This foundation of monetary and legal stability makes Dubai a credible, future-ready base for strategic asset holding.
These elements make Dubai more than just a part-time residence. It becomes a second base for entertaining, living, and integrating family, leisure, and business with ease.
Dubai’s rise as a preferred second-home destination is no coincidence, it is the result of deliberate, long-term planning around ownership freedom, tax neutrality, and global connectivity. As millionaire migration and wealth redistribution accelerate globally, Dubai is setting a new benchmark for what a second home can represent.
At SQUAREA, we offer discerning investors access to Dubai’s most coveted residential assets, from waterfront villas to branded residences, curated to align with both lifestyle aspirations and capital strategy.
For bespoke opportunities, contact us at hello@squarea.io or call +91 90 9641 9641.
Is it possible to co-own a ₹10 crore vacation home in Goa with just ₹50 lakh, and still enjoy capital appreciation and rental returns? For a growing number of HNIs, the answer is yes. The model making this possible is fractional ownership, an investment framework that offers access to premium real estate without full asset commitment.
Once viewed with caution, this structure is now entering the mainstream. Backed by regulatory traction, it is rapidly gaining credibility, especially among high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and global investors seeking access to marquee residential and commercial assets without committing disproportionate capital.
But as traction grows, the question remains: Is this evolution sustainable or simply a trend riding on short-term enthusiasm?
Fractional ownership allows multiple investors to co-own a high-value property by purchasing equity shares, either through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) or other legally compliant structures. This model enables access to trophy homes, luxury villas, vacation properties or Grade-A offices at a fraction of the cost while offering proportional returns on rental income, capital appreciation.
In residential formats, the model also allows for personal usage rights, typically scheduled in rotation or limited to specific days in a year. In commercial real estate, investors receive passive income in the form of lease rentals, while also benefiting from asset appreciation.
Unlike traditional timeshares, fractional ownership offers true equity ownership with defined rights, responsibilities, and resale potential. Most regulated platforms now offer:
As real estate strategies evolve, HNIs are gravitating toward asset models that offer both lifestyle alignment and capital preservation, a blend that fractional ownership is uniquely positioned to deliver.
The attraction goes beyond mere financial logic. For luxury property investors, fractional ownership presents a unique intersection of aspiration, access, and efficiency.
This format especially resonates with NRIs, CXOs, and HNIs who are seeking secondary homes for limited use, but still expect consistent value appreciation and operational ease. (Rustomjee).
With credibility building across investor categories, it becomes critical to assess how adoption patterns and regulatory evolution are shaping this emerging investment format.
Investor sentiment around fractional ownership is shifting from curiosity to confidence, backed by both market trends and regulatory tailwinds.
A 2024 survey by WiseX revealed that 64% of HNIs prefer the fractional ownership model for commercial real estate (CRE), and 60% of general investors echoed similar preferences (Financial Express). This trend is being reinforced by regulatory movement. SEBI is in the process of formalising norms for Fractional Ownership Platforms (FOPs), expected to significantly enhance transparency, compliance, and investor protection (Hindustan Times).
Equally important, market forecasts are turning bullish. The fractional ownership market in India is projected to grow over 10x to surpass USD 5 billion by 2030, according to a JLL-PropShare analysis (Hindustan Times).
As structures become standardised and disclosures more robust, fractional ownership is moving from an alternative concept to a credible asset allocation tool, especially for second homes in high-demand leisure destinations. However, with growing traction comes the need for a sharper focus on associated risks and governance discipline.
Despite its growing credibility, fractional ownership requires caution. The risks, if overlooked, can affect both yield and investor confidence.
These considerations underscore the need to work with established advisory partners, ensure rigorous legal diligence, and choose only those platforms with transparent processes and institutional-grade asset curation.
The future of fractional ownership, particularly in the luxury residential segment, depends on three key factors:
Given the market forecast to surpass USD 5 billion by 2030, this is no longer a passing trend but a fast-evolving asset class with increasing institutional interest. And at SQUAREA, we work closely with institutional platforms, legal experts, and asset managers to help you assess, vet, and execute luxury fractional ownership opportunities with precision and confidence.
To explore curated access to luxury homes and high-yield commercial properties, connect with us at hello@squarea.io or call +91 90 9641 9641.