Selling your South Delhi home from abroad
Papers first, from wherever you are. Most owners fly down once, to close the sale.
By Ashutosh Bhogra · Updated 27 October 2026 · Buying from abroad instead? That is here
Fix these first
The three gaps we see most often with owners abroad. Fix them before the home is offered.
Six steps to a completed sale
01A first callTell us about the home, the owners and your timing. We tell you the likely price, time and papers.
02Papers checked firstEvery deed back to the first owner, and the mutation — fixed before the home is offered.
03Power of attorney, only if neededNotarised and apostilled where you sign it, then stamped in Delhi. It is not registered. The stamping takes a few days.
04An agreed priceThe home is offered at a price we agree with you. Every rupee through the bank.
05Buyers and negotiationWe find serious buyers, run the visits and negotiate. You hear from Ashutosh.
06Tax, deed and money homeThe buyer holds back the tax, the deed is registered, the money reaches your NRO account, then abroad.
Where the money goes
Since 1 October 2026, a buyer who is a resident individual pays this tax with their PAN, without a TAN.
Selling from abroad, on paper
- The three paper problems, and how to fix them
- The order, and how long each step takes
- What a buyer will ask, and the money
What we will ask you
How long does the power of attorney take?
It is notarised and apostilled in the country where you sign it, then stamped in Delhi before use. It is not registered. The stamping in Delhi takes a few days. Most owners fly down once to close the sale, so many never need one.
Why is TDS on the full price and not the gain?
TDS is a withholding mechanism. The buyer deducts from the whole price under section 393(2) of the Income-tax Act 2025 (was section 195); your eventual tax position is determined separately when your return is filed.
Can the buyer pay part in cash?
Our clients prefer transactions through banking channels specifically, and every rupee is documented through the bank. For a seller abroad, that also makes the tax and the transfer of money out of India simpler.
How long does the whole sale take?
With papers ready before listing, a sale generally runs 60–90 days from listing to registration and three to five months end to end including preparation. Unprepared sales can run six to twelve months.
What is a Lower Deduction Certificate and should I apply?
A certificate under section 395(1) of the Income-tax Act 2025 (Form 128, was Form 13) can reduce withholding where the facts support it. Your CA should assess and apply before the transaction timetable closes.
What forms does the buyer complete when purchasing from an NRI?
A buyer who is a resident individual or HUF pays the tax with Form 141 (Schedule E) using their PAN, and gives you the tax certificate on Form 132. A company, firm, LLP or non-resident buyer still needs a TAN, files Form 144 (was Form 27Q) and gives Form 131 (was Form 16A). Grey Beard coordinates the process with the buyer’s side; the buyer and seller should obtain independent tax advice for their own obligations.
How do I repatriate sale proceeds?
Sale proceeds are received through the NRO account. Repatriation is then handled with the bank and CA using Forms 145 and 146 (were 15CA and 15CB) under the USD 1 million facility, subject to the facts of the case.
What documents do I need to provide from abroad?
The usual starting pack is your passport copy, PAN, applicable OCI or PIO record, title papers and, where needed, a specific Power of Attorney. Grey Beard provides a transaction-specific checklist after the first review.
Selling from abroad, in full
What owners abroad face
Distance. You cannot be at every viewing and meeting, so someone you trust on the ground handles them. Most owners fly down once, to close the sale.
Tax held back. The buyer must hold back tax on the whole sale price under section 393(2) of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (earlier section 195), not just on the gain. For a long-term gain it is 12.5% plus surcharge plus cess, which is 14.95% at the prices we work with. Without a lower-deduction certificate, that money stays with the government until your tax refund.
Foreign exchange rules (FEMA). Taking the sale money out of India needs specific papers and the right accounts. Errors here can hold your money up for months.
Papers. The title search, the mutation record, and how ownership has passed down: the papers for a South Delhi sale are many, and they must be right.
Trust. Grey Beard is a named, registered practice with a record you can check.
The six steps, in full
01 · First conversation. You describe the home, your situation and your timeline. Ashutosh reviews the details and tells you a realistic price, a likely timeline, and which papers will be needed.
02 · The papers and the title. We check the title: the sale deed, the mutation record and the chain of owners, and find what must be fixed before the home is offered. The three problems we see most often with owners abroad: the older sale deeds, back to the first owner, are missing; there is a will but no registered no-objection from brothers and sisters; the house is divided by floors with no share of the land written down, which needs new registered papers.
03 · Power of attorney, only if needed. Most owners fly down once and close the sale themselves, and many buyers prefer that. If you cannot come, a power of attorney is made for a person you trust in India, where the buyer agrees to it. It is notarised and apostilled in your country, then stamped in Delhi before use. It is not registered, and the stamping takes a few days.
04 · How we work, and the price. Every rupee through banking channels. The home is offered at an agreed price, exclusive or open to the market. We take a few homes at a time, so yours gets real attention, not a database entry.
05 · Buyers and negotiation. We find serious buyers, run the viewings and negotiate for you. Ashutosh leads the talks himself.
06 · The sale, the tax and the money home. The buyer holds back tax under section 393(2) (earlier 195) at 12.5% plus surcharge and cess on the whole price, unless a certificate under section 395(1) (Form 128, earlier Form 13) or a decision under section 395(2) lowers it. The buyer pays stamp duty of 7% (a man) or 5% (a woman) plus 1% registration; the stamp duty calculator works it out.
With an adviser, and without one
Title check: with us, done before the home is offered; without, often skipped or done late.
Tax held back: with us, planned with the buyer's CA; without, left to the buyer, and errors are common.
Lower-deduction certificate: with us, applied for where it makes sense; without, rarely, and money is left locked up.
Foreign exchange rules: with us, set up right from the start; without, dealt with after problems arise.
Taking the money out: with us, the CA's papers are ready; without, delays of months are common.
Who you speak to: with us, Ashutosh Bhogra; without, junior staff, or no updates.
Papers: with us, complete at every stage; without, gaps found at the registration.
Time: with us, 3 to 5 months, planned; without, hard to say.
What we will need to understand
The home: its exact size, the bedrooms, bathrooms and parking, the age of the building, and whether it is a house, a builder floor or an apartment. The approach differs for each.
The title: how ownership has passed from the first owner to you. We will ask to see the documents, to make sure the title is complete and will not cause problems in the middle of the deal.
The rest: your timeline, whether there are other co-owners, and any title gap, dispute or complication we should know about before we begin.
Before anything is committed, we need to understand your situation, and you need to understand how we work. The first conversation is just that: a conversation. No documents, no forms. If both sides are comfortable, we go ahead. If not, we tell you directly, and that saves everyone time.
Describe your situation
Selling from abroad or buying back into India — Ashutosh will reply himself.