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Land transactions can be a labyrinth of confusing terms, especially when checking records online. In this simplified guide, Genuine Plots unravels key terms, empowering you to make informed decisions and ensuring smooth navigation through the world of land transactions. Let's embark on this journey together, where understanding land records becomes as easy as a walk in the park.
Jamabandi
Nakal
Khata
Khasra or DAG Number
Khewat
Mauza
Bainama
Khatauni
Patta
Khudkasht
Embarking on a land transaction journey can be daunting, but armed with these simplified explanations, you'll be better equipped to decode the complexities of land records.
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In the last few years, the air quality in cities like Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune, and Mumbai has continued to deteriorate gradually. It is no longer a surprise when the AQI figures go beyond 150, 200, and even 300. This means that the air we inhale daily is becoming increasingly hazardous, particularly for children, the elderly, and people with underlying health conditions. It is no longer a regular occurrence; it is now normal. As the environment deteriorates, so does the level of stress and discomfort.
People living in urban areas are beginning to ponder how much longer they will have to live within this environment. The traffic congestion, dust particles, sounds of horns and machinery, and the ever-present pressure to move and compete create an environment that is already hard to live with. Even the air that is breathed inside is no longer guaranteed to be safe.
Alongside this change in awareness, there has been an apparent change in what people perceive regarding homes and investments. Increasingly, individuals and families believe that having a retreat from the city environment is no longer a luxury but a necessity. This has triggered a steep demand for plots and second homes in environments that are cleaner and greener. Natural surroundings comprising trees, a cool breeze, and expansive space are becoming the paramount choice for a weekend home, a retirement, or a long-term investment solution.
Investing in land away from the polluted city means an individual gains peace of mind. An apartment, unlike land, lacks flexibility, privacy, appreciation, and a healthier environment. Land becomes a retreat where one can unwind, take a break, or even decide to live there eventually.
With the increase in levels of pollution in the state of Maharashtra, buyers are seriously contemplating the future. When you purchase a plot of land in a region with plenty of nature around, you get pure air, reduced noise, and a healthy rate of living. With an increase in pollution and a higher increase in the number of people in cities over the coming years, a plot of land in a natural region will be even more valuable.
RERA stands for Real Estate Regulatory Authority, which has been brought under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, in order to bring transparency, accountability, and safety to the real estate sector in India. Every state has its own RERA authority, for instance, MahaRERA in Maharashtra.
RERA applies to:
All projects have to be registered with RERA before developers can sell any land or plots.
This makes sure that:
RERA compels the developer to disclose :
A builder cannot advertise or sell plots or unapproved schemes unless the project is registered at RERA and has a valid RERA number.\
Developers must maintain 70% of buyers' money in a separate bank account for:
Land development and infrastructure
They are prohibited from making transfers to other projects.
Protection: It keeps projects from being delayed or abandoned.
Severe Penalties on Developers for delays in development, illegally changed outlays or failure to deliver what was promised.
RERA can fine it, freeze accounts, or cancel the project registration.
Buyers can submit grievances directly to RERA online for delays , fraud, non-delivery or wrong information.
RERA resolves cases faster compared to civil courts.
Protection: Consumers receive fast, inexpensive justice.
RERA mandates a standard sale agreement, preventing developers from including unfair clauses.
If the developer delays work beyond the committed timeline, the buyers are entitled to compensation.
Interest Refund in case of exit (if they wish to)
Safety: The buyer's investment remains secure.
Land is one of the few assets that appreciates consistently when supported by the right set of external factors. Its value seems static but through time, it gets shaped by infrastructure, location, policy changes, and socio-economic demand. Here are the seven major factors that influence long-term appreciation.
The most important factor influencing land value is still location. Plots near developing cities, planned highways, transportation hubs, or industrial corridors appreciate considerably more quickly. Increased demand and consequently higher prices are the results of improved connectivity, such as new expressways, metro links, widened roads, or airport improvements.
Improved logistics, shorter travel times, and increased residential and commercial interest are all benefits of improved access. This frequently results in a discernible rise in real estate prices even before infrastructure projects are finished.
Availability of water supply, electricity, road access, drainage, and telecom connectivity adds immediate usability and desirability to land. Even raw plots with easy access to utilities enjoy a higher valuation.
The areas in which local authorities invest, such as streetlights, sewage systems, waste management, or road widening, become naturally more attractive for both developers and end-users. Infrastructure development often initiates multi-year appreciation cycles in surrounding land.
Government zoning policies directly impact the value of land. Land zoned residential, commercial, or industrial sells at a higher price than strictly agricultural areas because of the higher development potential.
Prices for land that can be lawfully rezoned or converted—for instance, from agricultural to residential or commercial—usually rise quickly. In a similar vein, clear title deeds, uncontested ownership, and the absence of litigation boost marketability and buyer confidence, which drives up prices.
Land is intrinsically scarce. As populations grow, cities expand, and industries migrate to newer areas, the demand for usable land goes up, but its supply remains fixed.
High-growth areas, especially tier-I and tier-II cities, tend to enjoy sustained demand from both buyers and developers. When demand surpasses supply, appreciation becomes inevitable. This holds true to a large extent in suburban corridors where urban sprawl transforms the countryside into residential and commercial hotspots.
Land appreciation is highly dependent upon the expectations of future development. Announcements related to:
…tend to drive early investor interest and cause value increases even before construction starts.
Speculation is seldom all wrong-it simply mirrors genuine future potential. As a rule, the investors who identify early signs of urban growth usually benefit the most.
Topography, soil quality, access to water, and lack of environmental hazards are highly influential in determining value, particularly for agricultural, resort, or residential land.
The lands that have beautiful scenery, a body of water around it, or even slight slopes command better prices. In contrast, land requiring heavy levelling, environmental clearance, or flood mitigation appreciates more slowly because of the high cost of development involved.
Land demand is boosted by the presence of schools, hospitals, markets, shopping centres, parks, and public services in the area. When an area becomes socially well-developed, it attracts families, businesses, and builders, thereby establishing a long-term upward trend of land price improvements.
Even agricultural land near expanding residential belts can appreciate dramatically once neighbouring regions begin to urbanise.
Accessibility, infrastructure, legal clarity, development potential, environmental quality, and social growth all contribute to an increase in land value. Even though land is a reliable long-term investment, investors can find plots with the highest potential for appreciation by understanding these seven factors. Land can provide substantial returns for decades if strategic research and due diligence are done.
Mother Deed Check and Original Title Deed
Verify the full ownership chain (at least 30 years, if feasible).
Verify that all documents have the same names, survey numbers, and plot details.
Check to see if he has the complete legal authority to sell the property.
Get an Encumbrance Certificate (EC for at least 30 years.
There are no mortgages, liens, loans, court orders, or attachments
Verify with the records of the SRO
Property tax receipts are updated.
Request the last 3–5 years' tax payment history
Check for pending dues: electricity, water, society charges, maintenance
Verify land classification: non-agricultural, NA-residential, NA-commercial, etc.
Check government records for restricted / acquisition zones
Verify property is not under forest land, ceiling land, grazing land, or CRZ restrictions
Check F-Line 7/12 Extract, Property Card, Mutation Entries
Confirm Approvals from Town Planning Department
Ensure that the approved plan/development permission is current
Verify the seller's PAN, Aadhaar, passport, and address proof
If co-owned, check consent from all co-owners
If a Power of Attorney is used, ensure:
Property matches records in the local revenue office
Verify mutation entries for accuracy, and update them
Confirm the property is not marked as disputed / government-owned / encroached
Check the project and builder on the RERA website
Check:
Obtain a legally notarised Affidavit of Title from seller
Examine property lines with a certified surveyor
Verify that the fencing corresponds to the survey numbers.
Consult your neighbours for firsthand confirmation.
Check for disputed pathways or encroachments.
All documents to be verified by a property lawyer
Get a written Title Search Report
Certificate of Legal Clearance Final Step: Safe Payment
Make payments only through bank transfer
Never pay without an Agreement to Sell
Register the property immediately after payment
Vahivat (or Vahiwat) means possession, use, or management of land. It refers to someone who controls and uses a piece of land, even if they are not the legal owner.
Vahivat Ownership
Actual use/possession, Legal title in records
May manage or cultivate land. Has full legal rights to transfer, sell, or mortgage
Not always permanent or official. Officially recognised and documented
A person can have vahivat of land without being its registered owner.
A vahivatdar is the person who physically controls the land, manages, or cultivates it
They are users or managers of the land, not necessarily owners.
Yes.In cases where ownership is unclear or disputed, revenue officials sometimes record the possessor’s name under:
This acknowledges de facto (actual) possession, even if ownership is not settled.
No, vahivat alone does not give ownership.
However, long-term, continuous possession may be used in court for claims like adverse possession.
Yes. Vahivat becomes important in cases related to:
Courts often examine who had actual possession for how long.
A vahivat road is a path or road used by people for many years—
even if it passes through private land.
Long-term public use can make it recognised as a public right-of-way.
Generally, no, unless they also have legal ownership.
A Vahivatdar may:
But cannot legally sell, mortgage, or transfer without proper title.
It matters for:
Many villages still use the terms in everyday land-related discussions.
Because authorities are modernising land records.
Old vahivat-based maps often lack legal clarity.
This is why departments (like in Pune district) are cancelling old vahivat surveys and demanding proper re-measurement.