What do I pay on top of a flat's base price?

Government charges (stamp duty, the registration fee, and GST on a flat that is still under construction) and the builder's own charges, such as parking, floor rise, legal fees, society formation and maintenance paid in advance. Ask the builder for the cost sheet of your exact flat, line by line, in writing, before you pay anything.

Do I pay GST on a ready-to-move flat?

No GST is charged on a flat sold after the project has received its occupancy certificate. A flat sold while still under construction carries GST. Check whether the certificate has been issued, not whether the building looks finished.

Is stamp duty lower for women buyers in Maharashtra?

Yes, by 1% on a residential flat, so about 6% instead of 7% in Panvel. Every buyer on the agreement must be a woman; a woman buying jointly with a man pays the full rate. Since 31 May 2023 she may sell later to anyone without paying the 1% back.

The total cost of buying a new flat in Panvel, beyond the base price

On top of the base price you pay the government’s charges (stamp duty, the registration fee, and GST if the flat is under construction) and the builder’s own charges (parking, floor rise, legal fees, society formation and maintenance in advance). Ask for the cost sheet of your exact flat, every line, in writing, before any token money. The rates below are the government’s; the builder’s charges vary by project and are whatever the cost sheet says.

The government’s charges

Stamp duty

Paid on the value in your agreement for sale, when the agreement is registered.

Rate in Panvel: about 7% of the agreement value, or of the government’s ready reckoner value if that is higher. That is 5% stamp duty, 1% local body surcharge (Panvel is a municipal corporation) and 1% metro cess (Panvel is in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region). Treat it as approximate and confirm the exact figure with the builder’s cost sheet or the sub-registrar.
Women buyers: 1% less, so about 6%, on a residential flat where every buyer is a woman.

Registration fee

1% of the value, capped at ₹30,000. Most new flats in Panvel cost more than ₹30 lakh, so most buyers pay ₹30,000.

GST

Ready to move, with an occupancy certificate: no GST.
Under construction: 5%, or 1% for an affordable flat: one that costs ₹45 lakh or less and has a carpet area of 60 m² or less (the limit for the Mumbai region, which includes Panvel).
Charged on two-thirds of the price. The law treats one-third of the price as land, which carries no GST. So the real cost is about 3.33% of the agreement value, or about 0.67% for an affordable flat. If the cost sheet shows 5% of the full price, ask the builder to explain it.

The builder’s charges

These are set by the builder, differ between projects, and belong on the cost sheet:

Parking: covered or open, allotted or not, and whether it is priced separately.
Floor rise: an extra charge per floor above a certain level, in some projects.
Legal and documentation charges for preparing the agreement.
Society formation and share money.
Maintenance in advance: often a year or two, collected at possession.
Corpus or sinking fund: a one-time deposit for the building’s future repairs.
Utility connection charges: electricity meter, water and gas connections, where the builder collects them.

Ask which of these are included in the price you were quoted and which are not. A quote that says “all-inclusive” should list what it includes.

Charges you may meet outside the builder

Home loan processing fees, charged by your lender.
Your own lawyer’s fee for reading the agreement and the title papers.

How to get the real number

Choose the exact flat: tower, floor and number.
Ask the builder for its cost sheet, every line, in writing.
Add stamp duty and registration at the official rates, and GST if the flat is under construction.
Compare projects on that total, against the RERA carpet area of each flat.

The site visit checklist lists the questions to ask about each line. Nothing here is tax or legal advice; your lawyer and the official sites have the last word. The builder pays our fee when you buy through us; you pay us nothing.