1070+ property terms explained in plain words: RERA, land records (Fard, Jamabandi, 7/12, Patta), documents, law, tax, finance and state-specific vocabulary. Each term has its legal basis, an Indian example and a tip for agents.
Reviewed 16 October 2026 · 1073 terms · 14 topics
A land measurement equal to 43,560 sq ft or about 4,047 sq metres. It is the standard unit for large land parcels and township projects.
Example: A 10 acre township contains 435,600 sq ft of land before roads and common areas are deducted.
Agent tip: Convert regional units such as bigha, kanal or guntha into acres when you compare projects across states.
The projecting or recessed outdoor space attached to a flat. Under RERA the exclusive balcony is not part of carpet area, so builders show it separately.
Legal basis: Section 2(k) and its explanation in the RERA Act, 2016.
Example: A 2 BHK lists 780 sq ft carpet area and 70 sq ft of balcony. The buyer should not pay carpet-area rate on the balcony if the agreement treats it separately.
Agent tip: Read the agreement to see whether balconies are charged at full or reduced rate.
Related: Carpet Area Built-Up Area
Also called: BM
A fixed reference point of known height above mean sea level, marked on a permanent object. Surveyors and engineers use it to set the levels of roads, floors and drains in a project.
Example: The engineer used a nearby benchmark to set the plinth level of a Panchkula house well above the road to avoid water entering.
Agent tip: Plinth level against the road matters. A house built below road level can get flooded in heavy rain.
Related: Contour Line Plinth Topographical Survey
A traditional land unit whose size differs widely by state and even by district. It may be roughly a sixth of an acre in one place and more than half an acre in another.
Example: A "5 bigha" farm in Rajasthan is a very different size from "5 bigha" in Assam or West Bengal.
Agent tip: Never quote bigha without the state. Ask for the local conversion in the revenue record before pricing the land.
Related: Biswa Kanal Khasra Number
A subdivision of a bigha, commonly 1/20 of a bigha. The size depends on the local bigha used in that state or tehsil.
Example: In parts of north India land is described as "3 bigha 5 biswa" in the revenue record.
Agent tip: If a seller uses biswa, ask for the equivalent in sq yards or sq metres from the revenue record.
Related: Bigha Khasra Number
A small traditional land unit used in northern India, one-twentieth of a biswa. It appears in revenue records of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, where land is recorded in bighas, biswas and biswansis.
Example: A khatauni in western Uttar Pradesh recorded a family's share as a few bigha, some biswa and a few biswansi.
Agent tip: Sizes of bigha, biswa and biswansi differ by state. Check the local conversion in the revenue office.
Also called: Property Boundary Survey
A survey that fixes and marks the exact limits of a plot on the ground, checking them against the title papers and revenue maps. It shows encroachment, gaps and overlaps with neighbours.
Example: A boundary survey in Zirakpur showed that a neighbour's wall stood a foot inside the buyer's plot.
Agent tip: Insist on an on-ground boundary survey with the neighbours present before buying land or paying the final instalment.
Related: Demarcation Mojani Shajra
Carpet area plus the thickness of external walls and the exclusive balcony, verandah and open terrace. It is larger than carpet area and is the area the unit actually covers on the floor plate.
Example: A flat has 900 sq ft carpet area, 60 sq ft of wall thickness and a 40 sq ft balcony. The built-up area is 1,000 sq ft.
Agent tip: Built-up area is a convenient industry number but it is not the RERA price basis. If a brochure leads with built-up area, ask for the carpet figure.
Related: Carpet Area Super Built-Up Area Plinth Area
Also called: Village Map, Field Map
A map that shows land parcels with their boundaries and identifying numbers, used by the revenue department to record ownership. The village map shown by the patwari is a typical example.
Example: A buyer in Haryana used a cadastral map to see how a field fitted between neighbouring parcels.
Agent tip: Match the plot number on the cadastral map with the number in the sale papers before paying.
Related: Shajra Survey Number Khasra Number
The net usable floor area inside an apartment, measured wall to wall. It includes the thickness of internal partition walls but excludes the external walls, service shafts, the exclusive balcony or verandah and the exclusive open terrace.
Legal basis: Section 2(k) of the RERA Act, 2016. Promoters must advertise and sell on carpet area, not super area.
Example: Mr. Dhillon is offered a 3 BHK at "1,850 sq ft" in Zirakpur. The RERA registration page shows a carpet area of 1,120 sq ft, so the true usable space is far smaller than the headline number.
Agent tip: Always quote carpet area first. Ask for the RERA-registered carpet area figure and compare it with the agreement for sale before you discuss price.
Related: Super Built-Up Area Built-Up Area Loading Factor Balcony Area
A land unit common in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. One cent is one hundredth of an acre, or 435.6 sq ft. In Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha the same value is called a decimal.
Example: A 5 cent plot in Kochi is 2,178 sq ft.
Agent tip: South Indian buyers think in cents or grounds. Quote both the local unit and square feet.
Related: Ground (Tamil Nadu) Decimal Acre
Also called: Gunter's Chain
An old surveying unit of length, 66 feet, used by revenue surveyors and still present in some land records and field maps. The English acre is defined as ten square chains.
Example: An old village map near Karnal showed field boundaries in chains and links, which the surveyor converted into metres.
Agent tip: When working with old maps, convert chain measures with care. A small error over a long boundary becomes a large one.
Related: Acre Shajra Survey Number
A small traditional land unit in Bengal and eastern India, a sixteenth part of a katha, used for house plots and homestead land in cities and villages.
Example: A plot in a Kolkata suburb was sold as two kathas and a few chataks.
Agent tip: Local units differ even within a state. Ask for the plot area in square feet for the sale agreement.
Related: Katha Biswa Square Foot
The parts of a project shared by all owners: lobby, staircases, lifts, corridors, terrace, garden, club house, parking driveways and services. Owners hold them jointly and they cannot be sold separately.
Legal basis: Defined in Section 2(n) of the RERA Act, 2016.
Example: The society's swimming pool and gym belong to every flat owner in proportion to their share. The builder cannot sell the pool as a private unit.
Agent tip: Check what the builder lists as common area in the agreement. Anything promised in the brochure should appear there.
Related: Super Built-Up Area Loading Factor Amenities
A line on a map joining points of equal height above a reference level. Closely spaced lines show steep ground, widely spaced lines show gentle slopes, and engineers use them to plan drainage, roads and cut and fill.
Example: A contour map of a hill-side plot in Solan showed a steep drop, which raised the cost of retaining walls.
Agent tip: Ask for the contour map for any sloping land. It helps estimate development cost before you pay.
A plot at the junction of two roads. It usually has better light, access and visibility and commands a premium, but it may need extra setback on both sides.
Example: A corner plot in a gated Kharar sector sells at a 10 to 15% premium over the same size mid-block plot.
Agent tip: Premium is called preferential location charge (PLC) in builder projects. Make sure the buyer knows the exact amount.
Related: Preferential Location Charges (PLC) Frontage Setback
Also called: Cum, Cubic Meter
A unit of volume equal to a cube one metre on each side. In construction it measures concrete, earthwork and sand quantities, and water tanks are often sized in cubic metres or in kilolitres.
Example: A basement excavation of a Mohali tower was estimated in cubic metres to price the soil removal.
Agent tip: When comparing contractor quotes for earthwork or concrete, make sure all use the same unit, cubic metres or cubic feet.
A land unit equal to one hundredth of an acre (435.6 sq ft), used in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.
Example: A 10 decimal plot in Ranchi is 4,356 sq ft.
Agent tip: Treat decimal and cent as the same value. Make sure the buyer does not read it as a decimal fraction of a different unit.
Also called: Differential GPS Survey
A survey that uses differential global positioning to fix locations on the earth to within a few centimetres. It is used for large land parcels and projects where precise coordinates of boundaries matter.
Example: A highway authority used a DGPS survey to mark the centreline and boundary points of a new road passing through farm land.
Agent tip: A DGPS report with coordinates is useful evidence in boundary disputes over large plots.
Related: Total Station Survey Demarcation ULPIN (Bhu-Aadhaar)
A survey using drones with cameras or sensors to produce maps, 3D models and measurements of land from the air. It is faster than ground surveys on large or rough sites and helps check progress during construction.
Example: Under the SVAMITVA scheme, drones mapped village inhabited areas so that residents could receive property cards.
Agent tip: Drone images help show site progress. Ask your developer for dated aerial images during construction.
Related: SVAMITVA Topographical Survey Property Card
Also called: Plate Efficiency
The share of a building's floor area that is usable inside units compared with the total built area, including lobbies, corridors and shafts. A higher ratio means less area lost to common spaces.
Example: Two towers in Mohali had similar built-up areas, but one gave buyers a higher carpet share because of a better layout.
Agent tip: Compare carpet area to saleable area across projects. It shows which layout wastes less of what you pay for.
Related: Loading Factor Carpet Area Saleable Area
The width of a plot along the road it faces. A wider frontage usually gives a higher price, and local building rules set limits on frontage and setbacks.
Example: Two 150 sq yard plots in a sector may differ in value because one has a 30 ft frontage and the other has 20 ft.
Agent tip: For commercial plots and SCOs, frontage often matters more than total area. Quote it with the plot size.
Related: Plot Area Setback Corner Plot
Plot area unit used across north India, where 1 gaj equals 1 square yard (9 sq ft or about 0.836 sq m). Residential plots in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are often sold in gaj.
Example: A 250 gaj plot is 2,250 sq ft.
Agent tip: Buyers from other states confuse gaj with sq ft. State the conversion clearly: 1 gaj = 9 sq ft.
Related: Plot Area Marla Square Foot
A land unit used in Chennai and Tamil Nadu. One ground is 2,400 sq ft. Plots in Chennai are commonly priced per ground.
Example: A 1.5 ground plot in Chennai is 3,600 sq ft.
Agent tip: Do not confuse "ground floor" with "ground" as a unit when speaking to Chennai buyers.
A land unit used in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. One guntha equals 1,089 sq ft (33 ft by 33 ft), and 40 guntha make one acre.
Example: A farm of 20 guntha is half an acre.
Agent tip: Maharashtra 7/12 extracts often show area in hectare-are. Convert before quoting.
Related: Acre Satbara Utara (7/12)
A metric land unit equal to 10,000 sq metres, or about 2.47 acres. Government records and land acquisition notices commonly use it.
Example: A 5 hectare parcel is about 12.35 acres.
Agent tip: When a notification gives land in hectares, convert it to acres so Indian buyers can follow the scale.
Related: Acre Square Metre
Also called: Kanaal
A land unit used in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. One kanal equals 20 marla, or 5,445 sq ft (about 505.86 sq m). Eight kanals make one acre.
Example: A one kanal plot is 5,445 sq ft, which is 605 gaj.
Agent tip: Agricultural land and large farmhouse plots in the Tricity are quoted in kanal. Always check the Jamabandi for the exact area.
A land unit used in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam. In West Bengal one katha is 720 sq ft and 20 katha make one bigha. Other states use different sizes.
Example: A 3 katha plot in Kolkata is 2,160 sq ft.
Agent tip: Katha is not standard across states. Confirm the local measure with the revenue office before pricing.
Also called: Ghumaon
A traditional land unit in Punjab and Haryana, about one acre. Farm land is often bought and sold in killas, and the unit also appears in old revenue records and local land deals.
Example: A farmer near Rajpura sold two killas of agricultural land to a developer for a plotted colony.
Agent tip: Convert killas to acres or square yards in writing before quoting a price. Local usage can vary slightly.
The percentage by which carpet area is increased to arrive at super built-up area. It covers walls, balconies and the buyer's share of common areas, and it varies from project to project.
Example: Carpet 1,000 sq ft and super area 1,300 sq ft means a 30% loading. The buyer pays for 300 sq ft they cannot personally use.
Agent tip: High loading above roughly 40% is a flag worth raising with the buyer, particularly where the project has few amenities.
Related: Super Built-Up Area Carpet Area Common Area
A land unit used in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. One marla equals 272.25 sq ft (about 25.29 sq m), and 20 marla make 1 kanal.
Example: A 10 marla house plot is 2,722.5 sq ft or about 302.5 gaj.
Agent tip: When a Tricity buyer says "10 marla", convert it immediately to sq ft or gaj and write it in the quote.
Related: Kanal Gaj (Square Yard) Jamabandi
Also called: Rectangle Number
A rectangular block of farm land used in Punjab and Haryana revenue records, comprising a fixed number of killas. Village maps are drawn in murabbas, and each field is numbered within one.
Example: A Jamabandi extract for a village near Ambala listed a plot as a numbered field inside a particular murabba.
Agent tip: To trace a plot, ask the patwari for the murabba and killa number as shown on the village map.
The space inside a unit that a person can actually furnish and use, after deducting columns, shafts and similar obstructions from the floor area. It is a practical term and has no statutory definition.
Example: Two flats may both show 800 sq ft carpet area, but the one with large projecting columns leaves less net usable space for furniture.
Agent tip: Use it during site visits to explain why two units of the same carpet area can feel very different.
Related: Carpet Area Built-Up Area
The built-up area measured at the floor level just above the foundation, covering the outer dimensions of the building. Municipal bodies and valuers use it to estimate construction cost.
Example: A single-storey house measuring 40 ft by 30 ft on the outside has a plinth area of 1,200 sq ft.
Agent tip: Valuers quote construction cost per sq ft of plinth area. Know the term when reading a bank valuation report.
Related: Built-Up Area Plinth Valuation Report
The total area of the land parcel as recorded in the sale deed or revenue record, usually in sq yards, marla, kanal or square metres. It is not the same as the built-up area allowed on it.
Example: A 200 sq yard plot in Mohali with a ground coverage limit of 60% allows only a 120 sq yard footprint.
Agent tip: Check plot area in the deed against the physical measurement from demarcation before quoting a rate.
Related: Demarcation Ground Coverage Gaj (Square Yard)
The part of an office or shop area on which rent is charged. In commercial buildings it usually includes the usable area plus a share of common areas. Lease agreements should state how it is measured.
Example: An office tenant in Gurugram paid rent on rentable area that was about a fifth larger than the space inside his door.
Agent tip: Ask the landlord how rentable area is measured and who verified it. A small difference changes rent materially.
Related: Net Usable Area Loading Factor Grade A Office
Also called: Running Feet, RFT
A measure of length in feet along a line, used to price items like cabinets, skirting, railings and kitchen counters. It ignores the height or depth unless the rate says otherwise.
Example: A modular kitchen quote in Panchkula was priced per running foot for base cabinets and a different rate for wall cabinets.
Agent tip: Ask what the rate includes, such as hardware and the depth of units. Running foot quotes are not easy to compare.
Related: Modular Kitchen Square Foot Specifications
Also called: Chargeable Area
The total area a developer charges the buyer for, usually the carpet area plus walls and a share of common spaces, often called super area. It is more than the area the buyer can actually use inside the flat. RERA ties the sale price to carpet area, so saleable or super area pricing is the older practice.
Example: A flat in Mohali was sold on 1,350 square feet saleable area, but its carpet area was only about 950 square feet.
Agent tip: Always ask for the carpet area and loading factor as well. Compare projects on carpet area price, not saleable area price.
Related: Super Built-Up Area Carpet Area Loading Factor
Also called: Sarsai
A small land measure used in Punjab and Haryana, one-ninth of a marla. It is used in revenue records when small plots or fractions of land are recorded precisely.
Example: A village record near Kharar showed a sale of a plot of some marlas and a few sarsahi.
Agent tip: When reading old records, convert each unit step by step: killa, kanal, marla and sarsahi.
The most common unit for quoting built-up and carpet areas in India. One square metre equals about 10.764 sq ft.
Example: A flat priced at ₹6,500 per sq ft with 1,000 sq ft carpet area costs ₹65 lakh before other charges.
Agent tip: Always state which area (carpet, built-up or super) the rate per sq ft refers to.
Related: Square Metre Carpet Area Super Built-Up Area
The metric unit of area used in building codes, RERA project thresholds and government records. One sq m equals about 10.764 sq ft.
Legal basis: Under Section 3 of the RERA Act, registration is needed if the land exceeds 500 sq m or the project has more than eight apartments.
Example: A plotted project on 600 sq m of land crosses the 500 sq m threshold, so it must be registered under RERA.
Agent tip: Know the 500 sq m and eight-apartment thresholds. Either one is enough to require registration.
Related: Square Foot Hectare Real Estate Project
Also called: Super Area, Saleable Area, Chargeable Area
Built-up area plus the buyer's proportionate share of common areas such as the lobby, staircases, lifts, club house and corridors. It is also called saleable area or chargeable area, and the loading factor links it to carpet area.
Legal basis: Not a RERA unit of sale. RERA requires the price to be quoted on carpet area.
Example: In a tower with a 35% loading, a 1,000 sq ft carpet area flat is marketed as roughly 1,350 sq ft super area.
Agent tip: Never compare two projects by super-area price alone. Convert both to a rate per sq ft of carpet area first.
Related: Carpet Area Loading Factor Common Area Built-Up Area
The open roof area of a flat or building. A terrace attached to a top-floor flat for exclusive use is excluded from carpet area. A common terrace belongs to all owners.
Example: A penthouse buyer pays extra for an exclusive 400 sq ft terrace, which is shown separately from carpet area.
Agent tip: Clarify in writing whether the terrace is exclusive or common before the booking amount is paid.
Related: Penthouse Carpet Area Common Area
A survey that records the shape of land: slopes, levels, trees, roads, water bodies and existing structures. Designers use it to plan roads, drainage and building positions, and it is often needed for layout approval.
Example: A developer in Kharar commissioned a topographical survey of a plot to plan stormwater drains before submitting the layout.
Agent tip: Ask for the survey drawing before buying a large plot. Low-lying areas drain poorly and can raise development cost.
Related: Contour Line Layout Plan Demarcation
Also called: ETS Survey
A survey using an electronic instrument that measures angles and distances very precisely to map points on land. Results go straight to a computer to draw plans, and it is common for large plots, roads and layouts.
Example: The surveyor used a total station to mark the corner points of a 20-acre layout near Rajpura.
Agent tip: Ask for coordinates of corner points in your survey report. They make later disputes easier to resolve.
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