Developer risk is the largest uncontrolled variable in an under-construction purchase. These six checks are all available to you before you commit.
1. The delivery record
Ask for a list of completed projects with promised and actual handover dates. Then verify independently rather than accepting the list. A developer who has delivered five projects roughly on time is a different proposition from one who has delivered two, both late.
2. Visit an earlier project — unannounced
Not on a guided tour. Walk in, look at the common areas five years after handover, and see how the building has aged. Lift condition, corridor finishes, water stains, parking discipline and landscaping tell you what the construction quality actually was.
3. Talk to residents
Ask two or three people how handover went, whether the specification matched what was promised, how long snags took to fix, and how the society formation was handled. Residents are candid and generally willing.
4. Search for litigation
Consumer forum orders, RERA complaints and High Court matters are public. A single dispute is not disqualifying — large projects generate disputes. A pattern is.
5. Check the RERA record
The Telangana RERA portal shows registered projects, declared timelines and quarterly progress updates. Compare declared progress against what you see on site. A gap between the two is informative.
6. Look at financial capacity
A developer running several large projects simultaneously on thin capital is a risk to all of them. Ask how many projects are currently under construction and how they are funded. Bank-funded projects with a lender monitoring drawdowns carry less risk than those funded purely from customer collections.
Questions that reveal a lot
"Which of your projects took longest to deliver, and why?" A developer who answers this honestly is usually one worth dealing with. Deflection is its own answer.
"Can I speak to a buyer from your last project?" A confident developer will arrange it.
The signal in the reaction
Every question here is reasonable and answerable. Watch how the sales team responds to being asked. Impatience or vagueness on straightforward factual questions is the clearest early warning you will get.
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