SUPPORT & ANSWERS

Frequently Asked Questions

40 most common questions across buyers, sellers, builders, and the platform itself.

🛒 For Buyers

Is BharatLocal free to use as a buyer?

Yes. Browsing listings, contacting builders/sellers, EMI calculator, Compare Properties — all free. Optional Premium at ₹99/mo unlocks Property Insights, future-price forecast, unlimited AI Assistant, and Saved Search alerts.

What is RERA Verified and why does it matter?

RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) is the government body every developer must register with. Our backend nightly-syncs from state RERA portals — when a listing carries the green ✅ RERA Verified badge, we've matched its RERA number against the live registry. Listings without this badge are unverified — treat with caution.

How is AI Buy Score calculated?

A 0-100 score from 7 factors: price vs locality median (25%), builder reputation (20%), RERA status (15%), 7-year locality growth (15%), EMI affordability for ₹50k-1L income brackets (10%), property age/possession (10%), amenities (5%). Tap the gauge on any listing to see your specific score per factor.

How accurate is the future-price forecast?

It's a regression model based on 7-year YoY locality price trend + RERA new-launch supply pipeline + macro signals (Metro extensions, IT corridor). Best used as a directional indicator — "Madhapur trending up faster than Manikonda" — not as a guaranteed price target. We show confidence bands so you see uncertainty.

Can I trust seller listings (not just builders)?

Look for the green 🛡 Owner Verified badge — that means the seller passed Aadhaar + PAN + selfie KYC reviewed by admin. Verified listings get ~3× more inquiries because buyers trust them more. Run our AI Document Verification on the seller's sale deed before paying token money.

Will builders or brokers call me without my consent?

No. Your phone is shared with a builder ONLY when YOU tap Call, WhatsApp, Visit Request, or Save on their listing. No "lead-selling" to multiple brokers like other portals.

What does True Monthly Cost include?

EMI (assuming 20% down, 20-year tenure, 9% interest) + monthly maintenance (₹3-4/sqft for the locality) + average property tax. Tap the chip on a listing to expand the breakdown.

What's Group Buy?

When 5+ buyers express interest in the same project, we coordinate with the builder for a group discount (typically 3-7%). You're not committed until you sign individually. Useful for under-construction projects where the builder has bulk inventory.

🏷 For Sellers (individual home owners)

Do I pay anything to list my property?

Listing is FREE. Receiving unlimited inquiries is FREE. Owner Verified KYC is FREE. AI Document Verification is FREE. You only pay if you choose to Boost (₹499/7d or ₹1,299/30d for featured slot). Zero brokerage.

How do I get the Owner Verified badge?

Profile → KYC Verification. Upload Aadhaar (last 4 digits + photo), PAN (number + photo), Selfie. Admin reviews in 24-48 hours. Approved → green badge attaches to every listing you have, current and future. One-time.

How long does it take for my listing to go live?

Auto-approved (instant) if you have Owner Verified KYC + valid RERA number. Otherwise admin review within 24 hours. RERA number auto-fills builder + project + locality from our synced state RERA database.

How many photos can I upload?

Up to 20 per listing. Minimum 4 (required). Recommended 8-12 — listings with fewer than 6 photos get 40% fewer inquiries based on our data.

What does Boost do?

Pushes your listing to the top of search results for that locality with a gold ⭐ Featured chip. Gets 3-5× more views vs regular listings. ₹499/7 days or ₹1,299/30 days. Usually pays for itself with 1 extra qualified inquiry.

Can I edit or pull down my listing?

Yes. My Listings → ✏ Edit (changes go live immediately for minor edits; price drops >25% or address changes need re-review). Or Mark Sold / Pause / Remove anytime.

How do I respond to buyer inquiries quickly?

Profile → Buyer Interest shows all leads. Tap any → 💬 WhatsApp opens pre-filled with property link + a template you picked. Your average response time is shown publicly to buyers — fast = trusted.

🏗 For Builders / Developers

What's the difference between Free / Basic / Premium?

Free (₹0): 3 projects, 30 inquiries/mo. Basic (₹4,999/mo): 15 projects, 500 inquiries, 3 featured slots, Verified badge, Analytics. Premium (₹14,999/mo): Unlimited projects + inquiries, 10 featured slots, CSV export, unlimited team seats, priority support. Yearly billing gets you 2 months free on Basic/Premium.

How many team members can I add on Premium?

Unlimited seats. Each sales rep gets their own login under your one ₹14,999/mo subscription — no per-seat fees. Roles: Owner / Manager / Agent / Read-only.

What does the Reputation Score factor in?

RERA verification (25%), past project on-time delivery % (20%), avg buyer rating (20%), lead response SLA (15%), number of completed projects (10%), Verified badge + recent diary posts (10%). Recomputed nightly.

Can I downgrade or cancel my subscription?

Downgrade is blocked during your paid period (e.g., on Premium until Aug 15 → switch activates Aug 15). Cancel auto-renewal anytime from Dashboard → Subscription. Your current paid period stays active till expiry. No refunds for the current cycle.

How do leads come in?

When a buyer taps Call / WhatsApp / Visit Request / Save on your listing, a row is created in your Lead Inbox with the buyer's name, phone, and which property. Push notification fires immediately. Status flow: new → contacted → qualified → converted/lost.

Do you take commission on sales?

No. Subscription fee is our only income from builders. The sale itself is between you and the buyer.

⚙ Platform & Account

Which languages are supported?

English, Hindi (हिन्दी), Telugu (తెలుగు). Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Bengali coming. Pick on first launch; change anytime under Profile → Language.

Why Android-only? When is iOS coming?

Built on Flutter, so the codebase is cross-platform. iOS build pending Apple Developer Program enrollment + TestFlight setup. Expected within 2-3 months.

Which cities are covered?

Strongest: Hyderabad. Growing: Bangalore, Chennai, Pune. Listed but light coverage: Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Kolkata. State-by-state RERA sync is the bottleneck — adding 1 new state every 2-3 weeks.

Is my data safe?

Yes. Encrypted in transit (HTTPS) and at rest (Postgres column encryption for KYC docs). No data sold to third parties. DPDPA-compliant. Full privacy policy at /privacy.html.

How do I report a bug or wrong listing?

In-app: Profile → Support. Or WhatsApp +91 83285 88235. Or email support@bharatlocal.app. Include a screenshot if possible.

Who runs BharatLocal?

Kopps Software Solutions Pvt Ltd, registered in Hyderabad. See /about.html for the team + mission.

Didn't find your answer?

WhatsApp us — we usually reply within an hour during business hours.

💬 WhatsApp +91 83285 88235
Early Access · Pilot Mode · Important disclaimers

BharatLocal is currently in pilot testing. Features, prices, and availability may change without notice. Use at your own risk.

  • No financial / investment advice. AI Buy Score, Fair Price chip, future-price forecast, EMI calculator, and loan compare are indicative tools, not professional advice. Consult a SEBI-registered advisor before any property investment decision.
  • No legal advice. AI Document Verification is a sanity-check tool only. It is not a substitute for a qualified lawyer's title search, encumbrance review, or contract opinion. Always engage your own advocate before signing or paying token money.
  • Data accuracy. Property listings, RERA data, locality scores, and price benchmarks are best-effort from public sources. Verify independently before any transaction.
  • Provided AS-IS. No express or implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for purpose, or uninterrupted service during the pilot phase.
  • Pricing is provisional. Pilot prices (Premium ₹99/mo, Builder Basic ₹4,999, Builder Premium ₹14,999, Boost ₹499/₹1,299) may change at general-availability launch.

Full terms: /terms · Privacy: /privacy · Refund: /refund · Grievance Officer: admin@bharatlocal.app