Mantri Pinnacle

Mantri Pinnacle stands on Cave Temple Road in Hulimavu, pincode 560076, one of the neighbourhoods strung along Bannerghatta Road in south Bengaluru. The developer has not published distances to offices, metro stations, schools or hospitals, so none are quoted here. What you can judge for yourself is the drive, because the tower is finished and the roads around it are in daily use.

Much of your travel will run along Bannerghatta Road itself, which carries heavy traffic at peak hours. Leave the gate at the time you would normally set out for work and note how long it takes to reach the main road. Then make the return trip in the evening, since the two can differ a lot.

A tower of 46 floors means your daily routine starts with a lift ride. Ask how many lifts serve the building, how they are shared between residents and service staff, and what waiting times look like in the morning. Walk the approach lane as well, and check where cabs and delivery riders stop, because in a single tower every trip in or out uses the same entrance.

Mantri Pinnacle has three layouts, all quoted as built-up area: a three-bedroom flat of about 2,200 sq ft, a four-bedroom flat of about 3,595 sq ft and a five-bedroom flat of about 6,350 sq ft. The three- and five-bedroom plans are sold out. Carpet areas have not been published, so ask for them.

The four-bedroom home starts at Rs. 3.68 Crore, which is about Rs. 10,250 per sq ft on its built-up area. Ask whether the unit on offer is unsold developer stock or an owner's resale. A completed flat with its occupancy certificate carries no GST, while stamp duty and registration apply to every purchase. Ask for a cost sheet showing:

• Base rate per sq ft and the area it is charged on
• Floor-rise charge for the unit you are shown
• Car parking bays and any charge for them
• Maintenance deposit and the monthly charge
• Clubhouse or association fees
• Stamp duty and registration on the full price

Mantri Pinnacle has no RERA registration number published by the developer. The tower was handed over in December 2015, which may be before registration applied to it, but do not assume so. Ask Mantri Developers for a clear answer and search the Karnataka RERA website (rera.karnataka.gov.in) by project name.

For a finished home, the papers that matter are these:

• The occupancy certificate for the tower
• The sanctioned building plan showing your unit
• Title documents and an encumbrance certificate for the land
• Khata for the flat and the latest property tax receipt
• A draft sale deed to read before you pay the balance
• No-dues letter from the residents' association, if buying resale

If you buy from an existing owner rather than the developer, add their registered sale deed and the full title chain, and have a lawyer check that the names match. At handover, register the sale deed at the sub-registrar's office, then move the khata and the electricity account into your name.

Mantri Pinnacle is one tall tower on 2.8 acres, with the rest of the plot given to the shared facilities. The developer has not published an open-space share, so walk the grounds and see how much garden there is around the base. With 133 homes in all, the pool and courts are shared by far fewer households than in a multi-block complex.

An early start could be a few rounds of the jogging track or a session in the gymnasium, then a swim. Children have their own play area, and the games room and activity area keep them busy on wet afternoons. Table tennis and the outdoor courts give older children and adults something to do after work.

For celebrations there is a party area and a clubhouse, and the landscaped gardens are the place for an evening walk. Retail spaces inside the grounds help with small daily needs. The tower has been occupied since 2015. Ask the residents' association how the lifts, pumps and common areas are kept up, what the monthly charge is and whether any major repairs are planned.