A home buying festival is designed to make decisions feel easier. You get walkthroughs, offers, support desks, and a faster path to “next step” conversations. Some events even bring loan support and documentation help on-site, with banks present for eligibility checks, plus access to legal documents and RERA details for review.
That is exactly why you need a sharp checklist.
If you’re searching for questions to ask at home buying festival events, you’re not looking for motivation. You want a way to stay calm, compare properly, and avoid booking based on mood, crowd energy, or time pressure.
This guide gives you 15 high-signal questions. They work whether you’re at a property expo, a township festival, a builder-hosted carnival, or any big real estate event. Use them as your booking checklist before you pay any amount.
How to use this checklist (so it actually helps)
- Ask the questions in order. The early ones prevent you from wasting time on the wrong unit.
- Don’t accept “we’ll share later” for anything that influences cost, legality, or timeline.
- Take photos of written answers (rate card, cost sheet, payment schedule, offer terms).
- If an event has documentation support desks and legal details available for review, use them. That’s what they’re there for.
The 15 questions to ask at a home buying festival (before you book)
1) “Which exact unit am I being quoted for?”
Sounds basic. It’s the most skipped step.
Ask for: tower/building, floor, facing, carpet area, and unit number (or inventory code).
Why it matters: “Starting from” pricing and “typical plan” talk can blur what you’re actually evaluating.
What to collect: a written unit reference and the rate card that matches it.
2) “What is the full cost sheet, line by line?”
This is the backbone of your property buying questions list.
Ask for a written breakup that includes: base value, floor rise (if any), parking, club/amenities charges, taxes, statutory charges, maintenance deposits, and any one-time fees.
Buyer tip: If they say “all-inclusive”, ask “all-inclusive of what, exactly?” Then insist on the breakup anyway.
3) “What is included in the home today, and what is an upgrade?”
At festivals, “included” gets used loosely.
Ask them to separate:
- Standard specifications (what every buyer gets)
- Limited-period inclusions (event benefits)
- Optional upgrades (paid add-ons)
What to collect: a spec sheet, plus a written note of event-period inclusions specific to your unit.
4) “Show me the exact payment schedule for this unit.”
This is the first of your payment plan questions.
Ask: is it construction-linked, time-linked, or milestone-based? What triggers each demand? What are the due dates?
If you’re being offered a “special plan,” ask for the schedule in writing, not a verbal explanation.
Why it matters: payment flexibility can be real value, but only when you understand the fine print.
5) “If I pay the booking amount today, what do I receive immediately?”
This is where your booking checklist becomes practical.
Ask what you get on the spot:
- booking receipt
- unit details acknowledgment
- cost sheet signed/stamped
- payment schedule document
- a list of next steps with timelines
If the event encourages on-the-spot booking, this question protects you from walking away with only a receipt and no clarity.
6) “What are the booking cancellation and refund terms?”
Ask for: cancellation window, deductions (if any), refund timeline, and how it is documented.
Buyer reality: Many people only ask this after a change of mind. Ask before you pay.
What to collect: written cancellation/refund policy.
7) “Which approvals and compliance details can I verify right now?”
This is one of the most important builder questions.
At well-structured festivals, legal documentation and RERA details may be openly available for buyer review, and independent verification should not be discouraged.
Ask for:
- RERA details for the specific project phase you’re considering
- the documents they can share for your review at the event
- where those details are published for verification
What to collect: the project’s RERA reference details and any document checklist they share.
8) “What is the exact possession timeline you are committing to in writing?”
Don’t accept “as per RERA” as an answer without asking what date is written in the agreement and supporting documents.
Ask: what is the committed date in the agreement, and what are the clauses around delay (if any)?
Buyer tip: Timelines should be treated as commitments only when documented. Event confidence is not a contract.
9) “What is the escalation and complaint pathway after booking?”
Festivals are busy. After you book, you want structure.
Ask: who is the single point of contact, what is the customer support channel, and what’s the escalation route if you don’t get responses?
What to collect: the name, designation, and official contact details for post-booking support.
10) “Can you map my loan readiness today, and what do you need from me?”
Many home buying festivals include home loan assistance desks, and some even have banks physically present so buyers can check eligibility, get in-principle approvals, and submit documents on-site.
Ask:
- What loan amount do I appear eligible for (based on docs)?
- What rate assumptions are being used?
- What paperwork is needed for in-principle approval?
- What happens if approval is delayed?
Why it matters: A “great plan” is meaningless if your loan readiness doesn’t support it.
11) “What are the exact terms of the event offer, and does it apply to my unit?”
This question separates marketing from reality.
Ask for:
- offer validity dates
- unit eligibility (specific inventory vs all units)
- conditions (loan type, agreement timeline, milestone, etc.)
- what happens if you miss a condition
What to collect: written offer terms that reference your unit or at least your unit category.
12) “What are the recurring monthly costs after possession?”
A lot of buyers focus only on the purchase cost.
Ask for estimates or ranges (as applicable):
- monthly maintenance
- club or amenity fees (if recurring)
- parking charges (if any recurring components exist)
- sinking fund or corpus style charges (if applicable)
Buyer tip: If the answer is “we’ll tell you later,” ask for what has been communicated to existing residents in similar projects (if relevant), or request the standard fee framework.
13) “What exactly is the carpet area, and how is it measured?”
This one prevents confusion during final documentation.
Ask them to confirm carpet area for the unit you’re booking, and request the plan that matches it.
What to collect: floor plan with stated areas, and a written confirmation of carpet area.
14) “What changes can happen between the sample and what I receive?”
At festivals, sample flats and show homes can be persuasive. Your job is to anchor to deliverables.
Ask:
- What is standard specification versus show styling?
- What are the allowances for changes in materials or layouts (if any)?
- What is the process if something changes?
What to collect: specification sheet and annexures that define deliverables.
15) “What should I verify independently before I sign the agreement?”
A strong builder will not discourage independent verification. In fact, some event formats explicitly state that buyers are not restricted from verifying legal and RERA details independently.
Ask them to list what they expect you to verify:
- RERA details
- agreement clauses you should review carefully
- bank sanction prerequisites
- project phase and unit details
Why it matters: This question reveals how transparent the process is. It also gives you a clean “next steps” list after the festival day ends.
A one-page booking checklist you can save (copy this into Notes)
Use this before you pay any booking amount:
- Unit reference confirmed (tower/floor/unit code)
- Cost sheet received (full breakup)
- Payment schedule received (written)
- Offer terms received (validity + eligibility + conditions)
- Cancellation/refund terms received (written)
- Legal/RERA details noted and verifiable
- Loan readiness discussed (eligibility steps clear)
- Post-booking contact and escalation defined
- What you will receive today after paying is confirmed
- Independent verification list is clear
If you can’t tick most of these, treat the festival as a shortlisting visit, not a booking visit.
The takeaway
Home buying festivals can be genuinely helpful because they compress clarity. Some are structured enough to provide project guidance, home loan assistance, documentation support, and access to legal and RERA details for review during the event itself.
But speed only helps you when your questions stay ahead of the excitement.
Keep this checklist open while you walk the event. Ask the 15 questions. Collect written answers. Then book only when the paperwork is as clear as the pitch.
