Gachibowli
General & Places
A western Hyderabad area adjoining the Financial District, known for IT campuses, universities and a large pool of residential projects. It is widely considered part of the city's corporate belt.
Example & agent tip
Example: A professional compares renting in Gachibowli with buying farther out and weighs the daily commute.
Agent tip: Look at the actual status of the building permissions and the RERA registration, not just the address.
Related:
HITEC City
HMDA
TGRERA (Telangana)
Rental Yield
Gair Mumkin
Land Records
Land recorded as not fit for cultivation, such as paths, ponds, wells or village roads, in the revenue records of several northern and western states.
Example & agent tip
Example: A plot marked "gair mumkin" in the Jamabandi cannot be sold for housing without the proper change of status.
Agent tip: Refuse deals on land that shows gair mumkin unless the record has been changed in the proper manner.
Related:
Jamabandi
Agricultural Land
Change of Land Use (CLU)
Gaj (Square Yard)
Measurement
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 & agent tip
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
Gala
General & Places
A small industrial or commercial unit in Maharashtra, often a workshop or shop in an industrial estate or market.
Example & agent tip
Example: A buyer in Mumbai purchases an industrial gala of 400 sq ft.
Agent tip: Check whether the gala is approved for industrial or commercial use.
Related:
Industrial Plot
Warehouse
Gaothan
Land Records
Also called: Gavthan, Gaon Thana
The village settlement area in Maharashtra, set aside for homes and village use and kept separate from farmland. Plots there are usually shown on a property card and are exempt from agricultural assessment, so an NA order is not needed inside the gaothan limits.
Example & agent tip
Example: A buyer in a village near Pune finds that the plot lies inside the gaothan, so no NA order is needed, but the village panchayat records must show the seller's name.
Agent tip: Check the gaothan record and the panchayat assessment extract. Loans for gaothan houses are easier when the property card is clear.
Related:
Abadi Deh
Property Card
Panchayat
NA (Non-Agricultural) Order
Garden Apartment
Property Types
A ground-floor flat with a private garden or lawn attached, often sold at a premium. The garden may be a sold area or an exclusive-use area of the common land, which should be spelt out in the agreement.
Example & agent tip
Example: A buyer in a Zirakpur society picks a ground-floor garden apartment with a 300 sq ft private lawn for her elderly father.
Agent tip: Clarify whether the garden is part of the sold area or only a right to use, and whether it is charged by area.
Related:
Apartment
Flat
Terrace Area
Gata Number
Land Records
The number of a land parcel in Uttar Pradesh revenue records. A khata groups the gatas held by the same holder.
Example & agent tip
Example: A deed gives "Khata 218, Gata 340". The same numbers should appear in the khatauni.
Agent tip: Always check gata and khata together.
Related:
Khatauni
Survey Number
General Power of Attorney (GPA)
Documents
A POA giving broad authority to act in many matters for the principal. For property, buyers should be careful. A GPA sale does not transfer title.
Legal basis: The Supreme Court in Suraj Lamp and Industries v. State of Haryana (2011) held that GPA sales and similar arrangements do not transfer ownership.
Example & agent tip
Example: A seller offers a flat through a registered GPA. The buyer insists on a registered sale deed in the seller's name.
Agent tip: Do not recommend GPA-based purchases. They carry title, stamp duty and tax risks.
Related:
GPA Sale
Power of Attorney (POA)
Sale Deed
Ghaziabad
General & Places
An industrial and residential city in western Uttar Pradesh on the eastern edge of Delhi, within the NCR. Property talk here usually covers Indirapuram, Raj Nagar Extension, Vaishali and areas along the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor.
Example & agent tip
Example: Sunita works in Delhi and compares flats in Ghaziabad near a metro station against similar flats farther away, checking commute times by train.
Agent tip: Within Ghaziabad the approving body differs by locality (development authority or private colony rules). Verify the authority and RERA registration for the specific project.
Related:
NCR (National Capital Region)
UP-RERA
Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)
Metro Rail
GIFT City
General & Places
Also called: Gujarat International Finance Tec-City
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, a planned business district near Gandhinagar that hosts India's first operational International Financial Services Centre. It has special regulatory arrangements for financial units, and offices and housing are being built there.
Example & agent tip
Example: A fund manager checks the office rules in GIFT City and learns that the financial entity rules are different from those in the rest of Gujarat.
Agent tip: Rules for units inside the IFSC and rules for the wider area differ. Check which notification applies to a specific building or use.
Related:
Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
Office Space
Township (Integrated)
GujRERA
Gift Deed
Documents
Also called: Hibbanama, Dan Patra
A document by which an owner transfers property to another person without payment. A gift of immovable property must be in writing, signed and registered, and the donee must accept it.
Legal basis: Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (Sections 122 and 123).
Example & agent tip
Example: A father gifts a flat to his son through a registered gift deed. Stamp duty rates for gifts to close relatives are lower in many states.
Agent tip: Check the family-relation concessions in the state stamp law. Tax treatment differs for gifts from relatives.
Related:
Registration (Property)
Stamp Duty
Will
Girdawari
Land Records
A record of crops and possession kept by the revenue department in northern states, showing who actually cultivates a field each season.
Example & agent tip
Example: A girdawari shows a tenant farming a plot that the seller claims is empty.
Agent tip: Girdawari helps to confirm who is in possession. A mismatch can signal a dispute.
Related:
Khewat and Khatoni
Jamabandi
Patwari
GMADA
Authorities
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority, the development authority for Mohali (SAS Nagar), Zirakpur, Kharar and nearby areas of Punjab. It plans, approves and develops residential and commercial areas.
Example & agent tip
Example: A plot buyer in a Mohali sector checks that the plot is in a GMADA-approved layout.
Agent tip: Verify the approval on GMADA's records, not only the builder's brochure.
Related:
Development Authority
PUDA
Approved Layout
Goa RERA
Authorities
The Goa Real Estate Regulatory Authority, which regulates projects and agents in Goa.
Example & agent tip
Example: A buyer in North Goa checks a villa project on the Goa RERA portal.
Agent tip: Check the zone and coastal status of the land.
Related:
RERA Authority
Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)
How to become a RERA agent in Goa →
Gochar Land (Grazing Land)
Land Records
Also called: Gauchar, Charagah, Gomal
Village land set aside for common grazing of cattle, protected as community land by the gram panchayat in most states. Gochar land cannot normally be sold or used for building, and encroachments can be removed.
Example & agent tip
Example: A broker sells a roadside field near Mehsana which the 7/12 shows as gochar. After a complaint, the panchayat removes the fence.
Agent tip: Never buy land recorded for grazing or common use. The panchayat can reclaim it, and the buyer loses the money.
Related:
Gair Mumkin
Shamlat Deh
Panchayat
Revenue Record
GPA Sale
General & Places
A sale of property through a General Power of Attorney and related documents instead of a registered sale deed. The Supreme Court has held that it does not transfer ownership.
Legal basis: Suraj Lamp and Industries v. State of Haryana (Supreme Court, 2011).
Example & agent tip
Example: A seller offers a plot through an agreement, a GPA and a will. The buyer insists on a registered sale deed.
Agent tip: Avoid GPA sales. Banks do not lend against them and the title remains with the seller.
Related:
General Power of Attorney (GPA)
Sale Deed
Registration (Property)
Grace Period
General & Places
Extra time allowed in an agreement before a delay counts as a breach, often used in builder agreements for possession. The length and fairness of the period depend on the agreement and RERA rules, so read its wording carefully.
Example & agent tip
Example: An agreement allows a six-month grace period after the promised date. The buyer disputes it before the RERA authority.
Agent tip: Check whether a grace period is in the agreement and whether the RERA registration date already includes it.
Related:
Possession Date
Delay Interest
Builder-Buyer Agreement
Grade A Office
General & Places
A modern office building with good location, strong specifications, central air-conditioning, backup power and professional management. Grading is a market convention, not a legal category.
Example & agent tip
Example: A multinational leases floors in a Grade A tower in Gurugram.
Agent tip: Ask the broker to state the criteria used for the grade.
Related:
Office Space
Pre-Leased Property
Grading of Projects and Promoters
RERA
The Act lets the Authority recommend a system of rating promoters and projects, for example on delivery record or compliance. Whether a state publishes grades depends on its own rules and practice, so a buyer should not assume every portal shows one.
Legal basis: Section 32 of the RERA Act, 2016.
Example & agent tip
Example: A state portal publishes a compliance score for each registered project, and a buyer compares two Kharar projects before booking.
Agent tip: Use any official grade as one input beside site visits, approvals and delivery history. Never present a grade as a guarantee.
Related:
Section 32 (RERA)
Quarterly Update
Defaulter Promoters List
Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA)
Authorities
A body created under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act to oversee civic governance in Bengaluru. It replaced the BBMP in 2025, with the city divided among several city corporations that handle local services, taxes and building approvals.
Legal basis: Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024.
Example & agent tip
Example: A buyer in Bengaluru finds that old property papers refer to the BBMP and asks which city corporation now covers the ward.
Agent tip: Old documents may still cite the BBMP. Confirm which corporation and ward now apply before paying tax.
Related:
BBMP
Municipal Corporation
Khata (Karnataka)
Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA)
Authorities
The authority that plans and allots land in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, including residential, commercial and industrial plots. Many builders buy land from it on lease, and buyers should check dues and transfer rules.
Example & agent tip
Example: A Greater Noida buyer checks whether the builder paid the authority's lease dues before the flat is registered.
Agent tip: For authority-leased land, ask for a no-dues certificate. Unpaid dues can delay registration.
Related:
NOIDA
No Dues Certificate
Leasehold Property
Greater Noida West
General & Places
Also called: Noida Extension
A large residential belt in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, west of Greater Noida and part of the NCR. It is known for many high-rise group housing projects and is officially described by the Greater Noida authority's sectors and villages, not by a single master-planned name.
Example & agent tip
Example: Rohit, an IT employee in Ghaziabad, shortlists a few towers in Greater Noida West and asks each promoter for the UP-RERA number and the authority's approved layout.
Agent tip: The area is dense with projects of very different delivery records, so compare possession history, not just brochures. Confirm which authority's plan covers the exact land.
Related:
NCR (National Capital Region)
UP-RERA
NOIDA
Micro-market
Green Belt
General & Places
A zone around or within a city in which construction is banned or severely limited, to protect open space.
Example & agent tip
Example: A plot in a green belt cannot be used for housing.
Agent tip: Check the master plan zone for any plot offered near the city edge.
Related:
Zoning (Land Use Zone)
Master Plan
Green Building
Construction
A building designed to use less energy, water and materials. Ratings in India include IGBC, GRIHA and LEED.
Example & agent tip
Example: A project advertises an IGBC Gold rating for its energy and water systems.
Agent tip: Check that the rating is certified, not just claimed.
Related:
Rainwater Harvesting
Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)
Greenfield Project
General & Places
A project built on land that has not been developed before, often outside the city. It offers modern planning but may lack nearby infrastructure.
Example & agent tip
Example: A developer builds a township on farmland on the city's edge.
Agent tip: Check the plans for roads, water and power connections.
Related:
Brownfield Project
Township (Integrated)
GRIHA Rating
Construction
Also called: Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment
A national rating system, run by the GRIHA Council with support from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, to judge how environmentally friendly a building is. Scores come from site planning, water, energy, waste and materials, and stars are awarded.
Example & agent tip
Example: A government campus in Madhya Pradesh earned a five-star GRIHA rating for its efficient design and on-site waste treatment.
Agent tip: GRIHA and IGBC are different systems. Do not treat their ratings as interchangeable when comparing projects.
Related:
Green Building
IGBC Rating
Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)
Gross Development Value (GDV)
Investment & Valuation
Also called: GDV
The total revenue a developer expects from selling all units in a project at the planned prices. Lenders and investors compare it with the cost of land, construction, finance and approvals to judge viability.
Example & agent tip
Example: A developer in Panchkula expects to sell 120 flats at an average of ₹1 crore, so the project's GDV is ₹120 crore.
Agent tip: GDV is an estimate. Ask what price and sales speed it assumes.
Related:
Residual Land Value Method
Joint Development Agreement (JDA)
Break-Even Point
Ground Coverage
Approvals
The percentage of a plot that the building footprint may cover at ground level. It differs from FAR, which limits total floor area.
Example & agent tip
Example: With 60% ground coverage a 200 sq yard plot allows a 120 sq yard footprint.
Agent tip: Use ground coverage and setbacks to estimate how much a plot can really be built.
Related:
Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
Setback
Ground (Tamil Nadu)
Measurement
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 & agent tip
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.
Related:
Cent
Patta
Group Housing Site
Property Types
A large plot sold by a development authority for building multi-storey apartments by a developer or a co-operative group, as against single-family plots. Conditions cover density, coverage, time limits and the right to sell flats.
Example & agent tip
Example: A developer wins an auction for a group housing site in a Mohali sector and plans 300 apartments on it.
Agent tip: Check payment status with the authority and construction deadlines, since delay can cost the developer the site.
Related:
Cooperative Group Housing
Plot
Development Authority
Gruh Nirman Sanstha
General & Places
Also called: गृहनिर्माण संस्था, Housing Society
A Marathi term for a housing society, usually a co-operative one registered under the state's co-operative law. People use it in documents and society nameboards across Maharashtra.
Example & agent tip
Example: A buyer in Pune sees "Shree Ganesh Gruh Nirman Sanstha" on a board and asks for the society's share certificate.
Agent tip: Ask for the registration certificate, bye-laws and share certificate when buying in a society.
Related:
Co-operative Housing Society
Share Certificate
Deemed Conveyance
Resident Welfare Association (RWA)
GST on Brokerage
Agent Practice
Goods and Services Tax charged on commission for property services if the agent is liable to be registered under GST. Whether an agent must register depends on turnover limits and the notified rates at the time. Check the latest rules with a tax professional.
Example & agent tip
Example: An agent whose yearly commission crosses the registration limit must register for GST and add tax on invoices.
Agent tip: Track your turnover each month so you register on time. Late registration brings penalties.
Related:
GST on Real Estate
Commission Invoice
Brokerage
GST on Maintenance Charges
Tax & Duties
Also called: GST on Society Maintenance
GST that applies to monthly maintenance charged by an RWA or housing society to its members when charges exceed the exemption limit per member per month. Within the limit, the charges are exempt. Above it, the whole amount can be taxed.
Legal basis: Notifications under the CGST Act, 2017; the limit has been revised before, so check the current one.
Example & agent tip
Example: A society in Mohali charges ₹9,000 a month per flat, which crosses the exempt limit and attracts GST on the whole amount.
Agent tip: Residents should ask the committee about the exemption rule and registration status before disputing the bill.
Related:
Resident Welfare Association (RWA)
CAM Charges
GST on Real Estate
GST on Real Estate
Tax & Duties
Also called: GST on Property, GST on Flats
Goods and services tax on property sales. Under-construction residential units attract an effective 5% (1% for affordable housing) without input tax credit, with a standard land deduction already built into the rate. A sale made after the completion certificate or first occupation attracts no GST only if the whole price is received after that date. Instalments paid earlier remain taxable.
Legal basis: GST rates for real estate were set in 2019 and unchanged for builders after the September 2025 rate reforms. Check current notifications.
Example & agent tip
Example: A buyer of an under-construction ₹80 lakh flat pays 5% GST. For a ready flat bought entirely after the completion certificate, no GST is charged, but instalments paid before it are taxable.
Agent tip: Ask for the GST break-up on the cost sheet, and confirm whether the project is ready or under construction.
Related:
Input Tax Credit (ITC)
Affordable Housing
Completion Certificate (CC)
GST on Rent
Tax & Duties
GST on renting commercial property is 18%. Renting a residential property to a registered person is taxed at 18% under reverse charge from 18 July 2022, while rent for personal residence is not taxed. Since 10 October 2024, a registered tenant paying rent for non-residential property to an unregistered landlord also pays under reverse charge.
Example & agent tip
Example: A company renting a flat for staff housing pays GST under reverse charge.
Agent tip: Commercial landlords above the turnover threshold must register. Check the rule for each client.
Related:
Commercial Property
Rent Agreement
GST on Under-Construction vs Ready Property
Tax & Duties
Also called: GST on Ready-to-Move Flat
GST applies to the sale of a flat while it is under construction, but not once the completion or occupancy certificate has been issued before the sale. A buyer purchasing a completed flat does not pay GST on it.
Example & agent tip
Example: Ritu buys a flat in a project that already has its occupancy certificate, so there is no GST in her bill, while her friend booking in the same tower earlier paid GST.
Agent tip: Check the date of the completion certificate. It can decide whether your client pays GST at all.
Related:
GST on Real Estate
Occupancy Certificate (OC)
Completion Certificate (CC)
Guarantor
Finance
A person who promises to repay if the borrower defaults.
Example & agent tip
Example: A bank asks a parent to be guarantor for a young borrower's loan.
Agent tip: Warn guarantors that they are liable.
Related:
Co-borrower
Home Loan
Guidance Value
Tax & Duties
The name for the state-fixed minimum property value in Karnataka, used to calculate stamp duty and registration fee.
Example & agent tip
Example: A Bengaluru plot is registered at a price that must not be lower than the guidance value of that area.
Agent tip: Use the Kaveri portal or the sub-registrar to confirm the current value.
Related:
Circle Rate
Stamp Duty
GujRERA
Authorities
The Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority, which regulates projects and agents in Gujarat, including Ahmedabad and Surat.
Example & agent tip
Example: An Ahmedabad buyer checks a project on the GujRERA portal.
Agent tip: Gujarat uses the jantri for stamp duty valuation.
Related:
RERA Authority
Jantri
How to become a RERA agent in Gujarat →
Guntha
Measurement
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 & agent tip
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)
Gurugram
General & Places
Also called: Gurgaon
A major city in Haryana in the National Capital Region, with large residential and commercial development. HRERA Gurugram and the DTCP cover its projects.
Example & agent tip
Example: A buyer looks at a high-rise in Gurugram and checks HRERA registration.
Agent tip: Check licences, RERA numbers and the project's litigation record. Gurugram has many large projects.
Related:
HRERA
DTCP
NCR (National Capital Region)
Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA)
Authorities
The Haryana body for planning and coordinating services across the Gurugram metropolitan area. It handles regional infrastructure such as roads and drainage, while colony licences remain with the state town planning department.
Example & agent tip
Example: A Gurugram buyer asks which body handles the main road beside the project and who maintains it.
Agent tip: Ask the builder who maintains the external roads and services. It affects day-to-day life.
Related:
DTCP
HSVP
HRERA