The 5% Ready Reckoner hike lands April 1 — what it costs you to wait

Every April, Maharashtra revises its Ready Reckoner (RR) rates — the government's own valuation benchmark for stamp duty and registration. The 2026 revision adds 5% across most Mumbai localities, and it takes effect April 1.

What this actually costs

Stamp duty in Maharashtra is calculated on whichever is higher: the actual transaction value or the RR valuation. When the RR rate jumps, buyers closing after April 1 pay duty on the new, higher benchmark — even if the sale price itself hasn't moved.

• On a ₹75 lakh resale flat, the difference works out to roughly ₹1–1.5 lakhs in additional stamp duty.
• On a ₹1.5 crore property, that gap widens to ₹2–3 lakhs.

The practical deadline

Registration — not just the agreement — has to be completed before March 31 to lock in the current rate. That means:

• Documentation finalized by mid-March at the latest
• Loan sanction and disbursal timelines confirmed with the lender well ahead
• A sub-registrar appointment booked early, since the last week of March is always the busiest of the year

If you're mid-negotiation on a resale flat right now, this is the single biggest lever on your closing costs this quarter.