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Research Methodology

How we source data, score projects, and ensure independence.

Data sources

Every Brickplot score is built from public-record data. Primary sources:

  • Legal & title: Sub-registrar encumbrance certificates (30-yr), Bhulekh/DLR land records, NCLT/IBBI admitted cases, eCourts case search, ED/SFIO press releases, khata/patta records.
  • RERA: State RERA portals (QPRs, Form-3 CA certs, complaint dashboards, extension history) — Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, UP.
  • Builder financials: MCA-21 annual filings, CIBIL Commercial, listed-company quarterly results, CRISIL/ICRA bond ratings, SPV vs parent net-worth gap analysis.
  • Construction: Drone/satellite imagery (monthly cadence), RERA QPR vs actual progress comparison, OC/CC validity, snag-list density for RTM projects.
  • Bank approval: APF lists from SBI, HDFC, LIC HF, ICICI, Axis — updated quarterly.
  • Location: Sanctioned master plans (BDA/HMDA/DDA), metro DPR timelines, Sentinel-2 satellite imagery (5-year series), commute isochrones.
  • Price: Sub-registrar transaction data, Brickplot price tracker, segment-normalised velocity.
  • Buyer sentiment: Site-visit surveys (n≥30), possession-cohort follow-ups at 6/12/24 months, RWA interviews, Google Reviews with bot-filter applied.
  • Approvals: Environmental clearance, fire NOC, AAI height NOC, water/sewage NOC, plan-sanction validity.

Scoring process

Each project is scored on 9 axes. Weights are fixed by the formula — no analyst can override them. Hard caps fire automatically if a tripwire is met (e.g. no valid RERA → score capped at 4.9). The score is segment-normalised: a ₹50L flat is graded against Affordable peers, not against a ₹5Cr luxury tower.

Scores are recomputed whenever material new data arrives — a new QPR, a court order, a rating downgrade. The published score always reflects the latest data we have verified.

Editorial independence

Brickplot accepts no money from builders, developers, brokers, or anyone with a financial stake in a project's score. Our revenue model is reader-supported (brochure access) and does not depend on builder relationships.

If a builder disputes a score, they may submit a written request with contradicting public-record evidence. We review and update the score if the evidence is verifiable. We do not remove negative scores on request.

Limitations

  • Data from state RERA portals may lag by 30–90 days for QPR submissions.
  • Sub-registrar transaction data is available in some states (Karnataka, Maharashtra) and estimated in others.
  • Buyer sentiment surveys require a minimum of 30 respondents per project. Projects below this threshold have sentiment weight reduced and a data-gap flag displayed.
  • Scores do not constitute investment advice. Past construction performance does not guarantee future delivery.
See the full scoring rubric →Editorial policy →