Before RERA, most projects priced flats on saleable or super built-up area, and the ratio between that and the usable carpet area (the loading) varied widely. Two flats sold as 1,200 sq ft could differ by hundreds of sq ft in usable space.
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 defines carpet area in Section 2(k) and, under Section 4(2)(h), requires the promoter to disclose the carpet area of the apartments when registering; the state model agreements for sale then state the carpet area and the price. Many developers still mention saleable area in brochures, alongside carpet area. Resale listings frequently use saleable area because it is the number on older agreements.
Whenever a price per sq ft is quoted, ask which area it is based on, and convert to carpet area to compare like with like.
Example
A resale flat in Kolkata is listed at 1,300 sq ft saleable area for ₹91 lakh, ₹7,000 per sq ft. Its 1999 agreement shows a carpet area of 960 sq ft. On carpet area, the buyer is paying about ₹9,480 per sq ft, which is the figure to compare with RERA-era projects nearby.
Figures are illustrative, not market rates.
Questions about Saleable area
Is saleable area the same as super built-up area?
In most markets, yes: developers use the two terms for the same thing. Always check the brochure or agreement, because a few use saleable area for built-up area.
Can a builder still sell on saleable area?
For RERA-registered projects, the carpet area is disclosed on registration and stated in the state’s model agreement for sale. Saleable area can still appear in marketing, but compare prices on carpet area.
Sources
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