Once you are satisfied about the title of the property, the key issue to examine is whether the plans of the developer have been approved by the concerned local authorities. The approval process is normally done in steps and in the first step, the plans are approved from the perspective of the overall layout. The approving authorities call these approvals by various names, for e.g., in Mumbai the initial approval is known as "Intimation of disapproval". Essentially, this document lists out the conditions that the developer needs to comply with before permission can be accorded for the construction to commence. At this stage, the developer is free to start basic infra-structure development, which, more often than not, forms a part of the conditions he has to comply with under the IOD. After this approving authority provides the developer the Commencement Certificate. The authority concerned would give its approval for the proposed development after taking into account various factors (including the total potential / permissible area that can be constructed on a given plot).