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 traditional fortified or large courtyard house of Maharashtra, usually made of wood and stone, built around an open yard. Many have several co-owners or tenants, and redevelopment can be complex.
Example: An investor eyes an old wada in Pune's peth area but finds twelve co-owners and sitting tenants.
Agent tip: Check all co-owners and tenancy rights before discussing redevelopment.
A Pune suburb near Hinjewadi and the Mumbai-Pune highway, with a large number of apartment projects and shops. Many residents work in nearby IT offices, so rental demand is a common topic.
Example: A broker shows a Wakad 2 BHK to a couple who work at the Hinjewadi park and sit in traffic daily.
Agent tip: Check the actual road width and the nearest school before choosing between projects in a built-up area.
Related: Hinjewadi BHK Micro-market PMRDA
A prospect who visits an office or project site without a prior appointment. Such leads are often warm but may also be seen by several agents, so registration rules matter.
Example: A couple enters a Zirakpur project office and the sales desk asks which agent introduced them.
Agent tip: Where possible have clients pre-registered with the developer. Without it the walk-in may be claimed by the developer.
Related: Lead Lead Registration Lead Protection Period
Also called: Wakf, Auqaf
Property permanently dedicated by a Muslim for a religious or charitable purpose under Islamic law. Such property is managed by a mutawalli and overseen by a state Waqf Board. It generally cannot be sold, and the Waqf Act has been amended in recent years.
Legal basis: Waqf Act, 1995, as amended in 2025 and now titled the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995. Check the current text.
Example: A buyer in Lucknow finds that a shop is registered as waqf property in the board's records, and the seller cannot lawfully sell it.
Agent tip: In older city areas, check whether the land is in the state Waqf Board's register. A sale of waqf property without lawful sanction is open to challenge.
Related: Title Legal Title Report Hiba (Muslim Gift) Marketable Title
A storage building used for goods and logistics. Rent depends on location, clear height, loading facilities and access to highways.
Example: A 50,000 sq ft warehouse near a national highway in Lalru is leased to an e-commerce firm.
Agent tip: Confirm land use, fire safety and whether the zone allows storage and logistics.
Related: Industrial Plot Commercial Property Change of Land Use (CLU)
A commercial space with basic services such as flooring, ceiling and air-conditioning ducts in place, but without full interiors.
Example: A warm-shell office needs lighter fit-out than a bare shell.
Agent tip: Clarify what is included in a warm-shell lease.
Related: Bare Shell Office Space
Also called: Water Board NOC
Permission from the municipal water supply and sewerage board to connect a building to public water and drainage lines. Large projects may need a bulk supply commitment and a drainage plan, and may build their own treatment facilities.
Example: A tower in Hyderabad waited for the water board's approval of its sewer tie-in before applying for completion.
Agent tip: Ask how the project will get drinking water and where its sewage goes. Weak answers can lead to water shortage later.
Related: Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) Occupancy Certificate (OC) Rainwater Harvesting
Treatment applied to roofs, terraces, bathrooms and basements to stop water seeping into the structure.
Example: Seepage on a top-floor flat's ceiling leads to a dispute with the builder over poor waterproofing.
Agent tip: Check the waterproofing warranty. Water damage is among the most common post-possession complaints.
Related: Defect Liability Period Snagging
The West Bengal Real Estate Regulatory Authority. West Bengal first passed its own law, the West Bengal Housing Industry Regulation Act (WB-HIRA), which the Supreme Court struck down in 2021 as clashing with RERA. The state then set up WBRERA under the central Act.
Legal basis: Forum for People's Collective Efforts v. State of West Bengal (Supreme Court, May 2021).
Example: A Kolkata buyer who earlier relied on HIRA now checks WBRERA.
Agent tip: Do not quote HIRA as a current law for West Bengal.
Related: RERA Authority Katha
An eastern Bengaluru area known for the International Tech Park, IT offices and many gated apartment communities. Metro extension and road access are regular topics for residents there.
Example: A tech worker living in Koramangala considers moving to Whitefield and tests the commute at peak hour.
Agent tip: Check the khata type and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (formerly BBMP) or BDA approvals for each property, as Bengaluru has many layout variations.
Related: Khata (Karnataka) BBMP Gated Community RERA Karnataka
Also called: Vasiyatnama, Vasiyat
A written document in which a person declares how their property should be distributed after death. It takes effect only on death, and can be changed or revoked during life.
Legal basis: Indian Succession Act, 1925. Registration is optional, but registered wills are harder to challenge.
Example: A grandfather leaves a house to his granddaughter by will. The title passes on his death. Mutation in the revenue records is then needed for tax and loan purposes, but it does not itself transfer title.
Agent tip: Property from a will still needs mutation. Ask whether the will was proved and whether other heirs have raised any claim.
Related: Probate Legal Heir Certificate Mutation
Also called: Writ, Article 226 Petition
A petition to the High Court or the Supreme Court asking it to enforce a fundamental right or to correct an unlawful act of a public authority. In property matters, it is used against actions such as demolition, acquisition or refusal of a sanction.
Example: A homeowner in Delhi files a writ petition after the authority issues a demolition notice without hearing him.
Agent tip: Writs are for actions of public bodies, not ordinary private disputes. Ask the lawyer whether a civil suit is the better route.
Related: Civil Court Unauthorized Construction Land Acquisition (RFCTLARR Act, 2013) Injunction
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