Real Estate Norms in Kerala & its Hill Station

Kerala’s growth as a tourist destination is an inspiration for the whole of India. By earnest efforts of the state government, Kerala has achieved a unique position in the minds of travel aspirants. The word Kerala resonates with its lush green plantations, diverse wildlife, gleaming waterfalls and beautiful backwaters. It also brings in a sense of calmness and quiet. This image indeed is the motivation for real estate investors to invest in Kerala real estate. But they will have a fundamental question.

Can anyone buy a property in Kerala?

The answer is YES!

Any Indian citizen is free to purchase land, property or estates in Kerala. For this reason, together with cities, Kerala’s hill stations are growing to be of attraction to South Indian middle-aged working population.

The second most important question is

What are the advantages of real estate invest in a Kerala?

Buying property in Kerala especially in hill stations has proven to be profitable. This can be seen from two perspectives. One from the affordability of initial investment and two, the revenue generating potential of the property in terms of rent and leasing. An analysis made reveals that hill stations like Munnar, Vagamon and Wayanad are much affordable in terms of property rates, across property types as compared to major cities. It is also interesting to note that the growth in number of tourists visiting these places is also phenomenal. Especially in 2019 Kerala broke its own record by hosting highest number of visitorsin 24 years.Thus, by owing a property in these places one joins an exclusive group of people that hold a precious resource.

In recent times a lot of emphasis is laid on the house’s architecture. Interior design or aesthetics and ecofriendly construction materials are widely spoken about in online forums. This knowledge has driven a considerable number of buyers towards purchasing a land and constructing their own house in Kerala because it is well known for construction of houses with eco friendly materials and architecture.

How is land measured in Kerala?

Land is usually measured in Cents in Kerala.

What is the construction materials and methods commonly used in Kerala?

• When it is a hill station, it becomes easy to source natural building materials
• The ones commonly used in Kerala are Timber, Stone, Clay and Granite
• Rammed earth construction is also used for foundation, walls and floors while
• Clay tiles are commonly used for roofs to with stand all sort of weathers
• Coconut palm fronds and Bamboo are also used for the roof.

What is the list of documents needed for property registration in Kerala?

If you have decided to invest in land or a built-up property, the immediate legal procedure that follows is property registration. Before we start, we must understand that different states have different governing laws and clauses for property purchase and subsequent registration. At Kerala registration of immovable property is governed by Section 17 of the Indian Registration Act, 1908. The Registration Department of Kerala is the authority for registration or transfer of property. The following are the list of documents needed for registration,

• Ownership proof
• Original sale deed, assessment, or mutation (copy)
• Identity proof of the individual (Aadhar card, ration card, voter card, driving license or PAN card)
• No objection certificate (NOC), wherever required
• Encumbrance certificate
• Witness’s ID proof of 2 individuals
• Map Plan and description of immovable property
• Digital Photograph of the land/property
• Power of Attorney (POA) if a person is representing the buyer or seller

What are the factors you have to check while buying a Kerala Hill property?

When you want to buy property in Idukki, Wayanad, Munnar, Vagamon, Thekkady and other hill stations of Kerala, you have to check the permissible gradient for construction, land sliding zones, wildlife area, environmental norms with respect to forest, permission for construction, building approval norms of specific hill station be it Idukki / Wayanad / Munnar / Vythiri / Vagamon / Silent valley / Thekkady / Other hill station of Kerala, access to the property, water source, etc.  Either you need to have knowledge about such things or take the help of experts like Hills & Wills. When you want to buy  a bigger extent of estate there, the land ceiling act and the return on investment from the plantation whether it spices / tea / rubber has to be taken into serious consideration in addition to the above parameters. Similarly, when you want to sell property in Kerala hill stations, you may have to produce additional documents as it may be required.

How to do property registration in Kerala?

The offline registration process involves submission of documents to the sub-registrar’s office. The government of Kerala has taken steps to decentralise powers to all sub-registrars within a district. This means property buyers can register property at any sub-registrar’s office within a district. On the other hand,for ease of use, the government of Kerala has set up an online document registration facility through the website https://keralaregistration.gov.in/pearlpublic/index.php. The information pertaining to stamp duty and registration fee can be obtained on this portal. The Encumbrance certificate can also be viewed or downloaded from this portal.