Ready vs Under-Construction: The 2026 Trade-off
The classic dilemma, updated for the RERA era: under-construction used to mean "trust the builder"; today it means "read the escrow clauses". Here is how the trade-off actually prices out in Kolkata.
The rent-plus-EMI double drag
Buying under-construction while renting elsewhere means paying both simultaneously. If your rent is ₹25,000/month and possession is 30 months out, that is ₹7.5L of dead spend — which is roughly the stamp duty on a ₹76L flat. If the under-construction discount is smaller than your cumulative rent, the ready flat wins on pure cash math even at a higher price.
What RERA changed
- 70% escrow: your money funds construction, not the builder's next land bank.
- Registered completion dates: delay triggers refund-with-interest at your option — the clause that did not exist pre-2017.
- Quarterly progress reports: construction updates are public filings on the WBRERA portal, not WhatsApp photos.
This is why RealtyIQ listings lead with the WBRERA chip: a registered under-construction asset is a bankable instrument in a way pre-RERA launches never were.
The three-question test
- Can you wait? If you must move in within 12 months, buy ready — full stop.
- Is the discount real? Compare the under-construction price against ready resale in the same micro-market, not against the builder's own "future price".
- Is the paper clean? WBRERA number, filed QPRs, plan approval — three checks, fifteen minutes, covered in the WBRERA verification guide.
Every project card on RealtyIQ shows its launch status — filter New Town projects by ready-to-move to see today's alternatives.