Every Pune brochure quotes an area. Few say which one. Since the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, developers must sell homes on carpet area, but brochures and listings still show larger figures beside it. Knowing the difference can change which project looks better value.
What carpet area means
Under RERA, carpet area is the net usable floor area of a home. It excludes the external walls, service shafts, exclusive balconies or verandahs and exclusive open terraces, but it includes the internal partition walls. In plain terms: it is the floor inside your walls.
It is also the figure printed in the MahaRERA registration and in your agreement for sale, which makes it the only area you can verify.
The three numbers you will see
Take the 3 BHK Grand at Gera’s Avive Towers. The developer’s brochure gives these figures for the same home:
| What is counted | Area |
|---|---|
| RERA carpet area | 985.44 sq ft |
| Plus utility (24.00) and balcony (52.64): total usable area | 1,062.08 sq ft |
| Plus proportionate share of common areas (371.73) | 1,433.81 sq ft |
The third figure is about 45% larger than the carpet area. Older listings call it “super built-up” area. It is not space you live in: it is your share of the lobby, staircases, lifts and clubhouse.
How to compare projects
Divide the all-in price by the RERA carpet area. That gives the price per square foot of carpet, and it is the only rate that compares like with like.
For the same Avive home at ₹1.37 Cr, the rate is about ₹13,900 per sq ft on carpet area, but only about ₹12,900 if you divide by the total usable area. A project that quotes rates on a larger area will always look cheaper than it is.
Every project on Rathod Estates shows its lowest price per square foot of carpet. Sort the project list by “Price per sq ft”, or put three projects side by side on the compare page.
What to check before you book
- Ask for the carpet area of the exact unit you are booking, not the typical plan.
- Check that the agreement lists carpet area, balcony area and any terrace separately.
- Match the carpet area to the figure in the project’s MahaRERA registration. Our guide on checking a project on MahaRERA shows where to find it.
- Walk the sample flat with a tape measure if the developer allows it. Sample flats sometimes use thinner walls or open up spaces that will be closed in your home.
