- Guntha
- A unit of land area used across Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh. One guntha equals 1,089 sq ft (121 sq yards, or about 101.17 sq m). Forty guntha make one acre, which is 43,560 sq ft. A 10,000 sq ft plot is therefore roughly 9.2 guntha.
- 7/12 Extract (Satbara Utara)
- The core Maharashtra land record, issued by the state revenue department. Form VII is the record of rights — it names the owner and lists any rights, loans or encumbrances registered against the land. Form XII records cultivation and crop details. An individual 7/12 in the buyer's name is the clearest evidence of undivided ownership of a specific plot.
- FERFAR (Mutation Entry)
- The mutation register recording every change in rights over a piece of land — sales, inheritance, partition or mortgage. Reading the FERFAR alongside the 7/12 shows the chain of ownership over time, which is how a buyer confirms the seller's title is unbroken.
- NA Land (Non-Agricultural)
- Agricultural land in Maharashtra cannot be used for residential construction until the District Collector issues a non-agricultural conversion order. Land carrying a valid NA order is described as NA land. Buying agricultural land intending to build without this order is one of the most common and most expensive mistakes in the second-home market.
- Collector NA Order
- The formal order from the District Collector converting land from agricultural to non-agricultural use, and specifying the permitted use — residential, commercial or industrial. It should be verified in the original, and the permitted use should match what the buyer intends to build.
- Title Search Report
- A report prepared by an advocate tracing ownership of a property back over a defined period, typically 30 years, using registered documents and revenue records. It flags gaps in the chain of title, pending litigation and undisclosed claims before money changes hands.
- Encumbrance Certificate
- A certificate from the sub-registrar listing every transaction registered against a property during a stated period, including mortgages and charges. A clear certificate indicates the land is not pledged as security against a loan.
- Sale Deed
- The registered document that actually transfers ownership from seller to buyer. It is distinct from an agreement to sell, which only records an intention to transfer at a future date. Ownership passes on registration of the sale deed, not on signing an agreement or paying a booking amount.
- Ready Reckoner Rate
- The government-notified minimum value for a property in a given area, published annually as the Annual Statement of Rates. Stamp duty is calculated on the agreement value or the ready reckoner value, whichever is higher — so it sets a floor on transaction cost regardless of the negotiated price.
- Stamp Duty and Registration (Maharashtra)
- Stamp duty is the state tax paid to register a property transfer, calculated on the agreement value or ready reckoner value, whichever is higher. Registration fee is charged separately. Rates vary by local body and by applicable cesses, and are revised periodically — confirm the current rate for your specific location with the sub-registrar or your advocate before budgeting.