Back in the day, buying property in Maharashtra felt like diving into murky waters. You never quite knew what you'd get brochures promised one thing, the site visit said something else, and once the booking amount was paid, well, good luck getting straight answers.
But that’s changed quite a bit, thanks to something called MahaRERA.
If you're looking to invest in a flat, a commercial shop, or even a plot in Maharashtra in 2025, MahaRERA is a term you simply can’t afford to ignore. It stands for Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority, and it's become something of a watchdog for the real estate sector in the state.
It’s been around since 2017, but in recent years, especially now, it’s started to show its real impact. And if you're planning to put in your hard-earned money into a housing project, knowing how this works isn't optional it’s essential.
What Exactly does MahaRERA do?
At its core, MahaRERA ensures that builders and developers stay honest. It brings rules to the chaos. Before this system, many builders would start advertising before they even got proper permissions. Buyers had no clue what they were actually paying for. Delays were common, and legal recourse? It barely existed.
Now, every real estate project that wants to be sold in Maharashtra has to be registered on the MahaRERA portal. If it's not on the site, it shouldn't even be on your radar.
On the portal, you’ll find important things like project layouts, deadlines, builder details, and any legal disputes involved. All that is out in the open now.
What changed in 2025?
Well, a few things. For starters, enforcement has become tighter. MahaRERA isn't just a stamp on paper anymore developers now know they’ll be pulled up if they don't stick to commitments. There are real penalties, and some builders have already faced fines or even public blacklisting.
The rules aren’t exactly new, but the way they’re being followed now? That’s what’s different.
Let’s take a look at the key things you should know especially if you're thinking of booking anything in the next few months.
First, you should know about carpet area. This might sound small, but it’s a big deal. Earlier, builders used to throw around terms like “super built-up area” or “saleable area” basically inflating the numbers so it looked like you were getting more space than you actually were.
Now, thanks to MahaRERA, builders are only allowed to talk in terms of carpet area which is the usable area inside your flat. No balconies, no walls just the space you actually get to live in. It makes comparing properties a lot more honest.
Another thing that’s been a game-changer? The 10% advance rule.
Developers can’t ask for more than 10% of the total cost before the official agreement is registered. It used to be that buyers would pay 30%, even 40%, just based on a promise.
Now, until the agreement is registered with the sub-registrar, builders legally can’t take more than 10%. This protects you from rushing into a bad deal or losing money before paperwork is in place.
Then there’s the escrow rule. If you’re new to this, here's what it means: builders are required to keep 70% of the money they collect from buyers in a separate bank account, and that money can only be used for that project.
Before this, it was common for developers to collect money from one project and use it to fund another. That’s one of the main reasons delays used to happen. But with MahaRERA in place, your money can’t be diverted. It’s locked to the project you’re investing in.
Delays , that's another area where things have improved. If a project gets delayed beyond its promised possession date, the builder has to pay you interest for every month the delay continues.
This rate is linked to the SBI lending rate plus 2%, which in 2025 sits around 10.15%. Not a small amount. It means the developer now has real incentive to stay on schedule.
What’s also helpful is that builders are required to update progress every quarter. This is something investors really value. You no longer have to go by what the site supervisor tells you. Updates are uploaded online along with site photos every three months.
You can check it all on the MahaRERA portal. It’s public. No login or approval needed.
Now, let’s say even with all this, something goes wrong. Maybe the flat you booked looks different. Maybe the builder stops responding. This is where dispute redressal comes in.
You can file a complaint
On the MahaRERA site right from your laptop. And most of these are addressed within 60 to 90 days, which is faster than you'd ever get in a regular court.
There’s even a mobile app in 2025 that lets you track your case and receive updates in real-time. For buyers, that’s a huge comfort.
Also worth knowing agents too have to be registered. This is often overlooked, but it's crucial. That smooth-talking broker who’s trying to push a “pre-launch” offer? Ask for their MahaRERA agent ID. If they can’t provide one, think twice.
Registered agents are bound by rules. If they mislead you, they can be penalized. Unregistered ones? You’ll have no support if things go south.
Another smart rule in place is that developers can’t change the layout or structure of a project after selling units unless at least two-thirds of existing buyers agree in writing. So, if you booked a garden-facing apartment, they can’t just change that to a wall view later without consulting buyers.
This protects your purchase from last-minute surprises.
And finally, MahaRERA has the authority to fine, suspend, or blacklist developers. These aren’t just empty threats. There have been real cases where projects were stalled, and developers were fined crores for violations.
If your builder gets blacklisted, it’s published publicly on the MahaRERA website so always double-check before investing.
Final thought
Buying property isn’t just about money it’s about trust. For years, that trust was one-sided. Buyers paid in advance and hoped for the best. But with MahaRERA, that balance has shifted. The buyer now has a voice, a system, and legal protection that actually works.
So, if you’re looking to invest in real estate in Maharashtra in 2025, let MahaRERA be your first stop before any site visit, any brochure, or any sweet-talking agent.It won’t tell you where to buy. But it will help you figure out where not to.And sometimes, that makes all the difference.
