2026-07-20

Franchise

How to Start a Real Estate Business in India: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Introduction: 

14 years ago, in month of July, I searched Google for "How to Start a Real Estate Business in India." I found almost nothing except a few newspaper articles. There was no detailed content or video explaining how to start a real estate business in India.

Like many aspiring entrepreneurs, I was also planning to enter the real estate industry. I reached out to several people for guidance, but nothing worked out. There was no mentorship, no training, no support, no team, and no clients. I had zero knowledge about the real estate industry.

Everything i learned on trial and error. I didn't have a registered company or any formal setup. I started my journey with one mobile phone.

The first thing I did was approach one of the top real estate developers in Noida. It took me several days to get an appointment. When I finally met him, I waited for six hours outside his office. He thought what someone like me could do in the real estate business.

I asked him about the channel partner process. His response was simple: "Bring me 5 bookings, then we'll talk." After a discussion of 10 minutes, I left his office.

The next challenge was finding customers.

At that time, our cheapest marketing were bulk SMS campaigns . Second was free property listings on platforms like Quikr and Locanto. We would send none lakh SMS messages and receive only around 6-8 enquiries. We also spent hours making cold calls to directory numbers.

I had to manage customers, developers, lead generation, site visits and negotiations.

After few months, I finally secured my first booking for a 1 BHK apartment. My bad luck booking got cancelled.

Finding the right micro-market, choosing the right developer were all major challenges. At that time, the real estate industry was unorganised . Many developers operated without systems or processes. They used to work like lala company.

I learned everything on my own, and it took 4+ years to understand how the business worked.

if I had mentor , training, leads, and support in choosing the right market and developers. I believe my learning curve could have been shortened .

From my childhood, I was always fascinated by the real estate industry. I saw many people build wealth by buying, selling, trading and investing in properties. They didn't become rich—they became wealthy. They owned luxury cars, acres of land, and travelled the world.

Watching their success inspired me to enter this business.

Let's be honest money is one of the biggest motivations for starting a business. If someone says they are not starting a business to create wealth, I find that difficult to believe. There is nothing wrong with wanting to build wealth, achieve financial freedom. Real estate business has all answer.

A Brief Introduction About Me

My name is Vivek Raman, and I am the Co-founder and Managing Director of Regrob.

Regrob is a technology-enabled real estate brokerage company .Regrob is IIT & IIM alumni. we work with 400 + developers across India . We have facilitated hundreds of entrepreneurs build successful real estate businesses .

In this guide, I will share practical insights from my 14 years of experience. You can start your own real estate business.

Over the last 14 years, I have solved some of the biggest challenges in the real estate . We have improved 1000X our business model.

We have develop ready-to-use solutions for aspiring entrepreneurs. We have 100 +successfull real estate franchise partners under the Regrob brand.

During this journey, we have solved thousands of business challenges. Here , I will focus on the key aspects you need to consider before starting a real estate business. Growth depend upon capital ,resource and. team.

If you ask local brokers who will simply tell you, "Open an office, collect a few property listings, and start selling." That is exactly how I started without proper systems, standard operating procedures , technology, . That was not scaleable business .

Today, after 14+ years of practical learning through trial and error, I want to help you avoid those mistakes and build your business.

Let's take an example. Suppose you want to start a real estate business in Bengaluru.

Like most people, you would probably start by talking to local brokers, friends. Next, question which segment of the business to enter

Resale

Rentals,

Developer Projects

Over the last 14 years, We have interacted with 1,000 +aspiring real entrepreneurs . They reached us to take a Regrob franchise and start real estate business.

Interestingly, almost everyone asks the same questions on segment of real estate.

Will you work in the primary market or the secondary market?

The primary market involves apartment ,plots, commercial in First sale

The secondary market involves resale and rental properties

My 90% of our business comes from primary sales. 10% comes from secondary market

I say this because I started my career in rentals and resale, and I understand the challenges.

The biggest challenge in the resale business is acquiring inventory. First, you need to convince property owners . Getting inventory is biggest challenge . Then, you have to match buyers with sellers, negotiate the deal, and convince both parties to complete the transaction. This is much tedious process.

The resale market is unorganised, and every property is different. Customer preferences constantly change, making it a much more complex business. In many ways, selling a resale property is like selling a customised product. Closing takes lot of time.

That is why, if you are entering into real estate business , start with primary market . They offers a much better opportunity for long-term growth.

The primary market is organised, and inventory is available. A single developer may have 500, 1000, or even more than 1,000 units available for sale. Unlike the resale market, you don't have to spend time hunting for inventory.

With one developer, you can offer customers a complete range of options, including 2 BHK, 3 BHK, and 4 BHK apartments, all within the project. In the resale market, however, you might find a 2 BHK in one society and a 4 BHK in another.

Another major advantage of the primary market is that your job is to bring customers to the developer's sales office. The developer's team takes care of everything.

Lead registration

Project presentations,

Site visits, ,

Negotiations,

Documentation and booking.

This makes the sales process much easier and allows you to focus on generating more business.

Step 2: RERA Registration is mandatory

Once you choose the primary market, the next important rule is RERA registration.

As a real estate agent, you must get RERA registration in the state where you plan to operate. For example, if you want to sell properties in Bengaluru, you need to apply for Karnataka RERA.

The application process requires several documents, including GST registration, company registration documents. You also need office address proof, identity documents, and other statutory compliances. The registration fee depends on the state and whether you are applying as an individual or a company. For your company , obtaining Karnataka RERA registration cost approximately ₹2.5 lakh. Please check RERA website for details

It is important to understand that RERA registration is state-specific. For example, Karnataka RERA is valid only within Karnataka. If you also want to operate in Hyderabad Property, you must get a Telangana RERA registration. Since real estate is a state subject, every state has its own RERA authority and regulations. We have RERA for all State almost.

From my personal experience, RERA registration can be a lengthy and challenging process. When we applied several years ago, it took almost seven months . Many document clarifications and compliance requirements.

For example, our office was in a co-working space at World Trade Center. Our application was rejected . They rejected because co-working business address is not accepted . We also faced issues related to GST registration and several other documentation requirements. There were many rounds of objections before our application was finally approved. Every five year you have to renew again with all docs.

Without RERA registration, most developers will not appoint you as a channel partner. You cannot market RERA-registered projects .

RERA has introduced strict guidelines for both developers and real estate agents. While the registration process is complicated. This plays an important role in bringing transparency.

Step 3: Choose the Right Market and the Right Developer

The third and one of the most important steps is choosing the right micro market and the right developer. This is not an easy task. It requires extensive research before you begin your real estate business . You need to find potential area within bangalore.

At Regrob, we have a dedicated team that analyses different real estate markets and developers across India. Choosing the wrong market or partnering with the wrong developer can cost you years of hard work. If you select the right market and the right developer, you can earn good amount of money.

I have seen many entrepreneurs make mistakes at this stage.

One important piece of advice is to always operate close to the market you serve. Real estate is a on ground business, and site visits are part of the sales process. A customer may request a site visit at any time. Staying close to your target market saves both time and travel costs. Suppose you are staying in north bangalore . Imagine client say i am coming in one hour to see property in mysore road .

Another important point is that finding the right developer is not a one-time activity. It is an ongoing process. New developers and project we keep on adding time to time . I am still involved in evaluating developers and identifying the best project.

Remember, in the primary real estate market, inventory is your product. If you don't get right inventory from the right developers, you cannot win the game.

Step 4: Build a Solid Lead Generation System

The Biggest challenge in the real estate business is lead generation.

The biggest question is: How will you get customers?

Today offline marketing are over. Today, almost everything is digital marketing.

When I started my journey, Google was the primary source of online leads. Some paid property portals Today, everything is completely changed.

We generate leads

Quora,

Medium

YouTube

Pinterest,

Paid ads

Twitter

Meta

and many others.

Over the years, we have developed deep expertise in these platforms. I have mastered Quora and Medium. Other team members specialise in YouTube, pinterest . Today, we have a dedicated team 50+ professionals working on digital platform . Everyday something new come up in digital.

With the rise of AI, search behaviour is changing . More and more people are searching on platforms like ChatGPT and other AEO platform. Search is declining on google.

I have sold property around ₹100 crore through content published on Quora and Medium . However, these platforms need consistency and patience. They are not easy to master.

If you are starting real estate business, I would recommend start with YouTube. Original Video generate higher and quality leads. I record two to three videos every single day. Content creation has become one of the biggest investments in our business. This is our our biggest competitive advantages.

However, remember that success on YouTube requires much more than simply recording videos. You need proper video editing, keyword research, thumbnail design and content planning. We have 5 people exclusive for youtube marketing.

Today, our YouTube channel, Regrob, has more than 8,000 original property videos.

You can also buy paid leads . The cost varies significantly depending on the market and property type. In my experience, lead costs can range from ₹600 to ₹10,000 per qualified lead.

One thing I have learned is that every platform serves a different purpose. There is no single platform that works for every type of real estate .

For example, I have generated leads for high-ticket properties through Quora and Medium. Meta have worked better for lower-ticket properties.

You should build an in-house digital marketing team . Completely outsourcing your marketing from the beginning can become expensive . This may not deliver the desired results.

If you're starting from scratch, YouTube is one of the best platforms to begin with.

Step 5: Learn from Industry Experts

The fifth step is to invest in training.

I st recommend learning from experienced industry professionals. The knowledge you gain can save you years of trial and error.

One of the best ways to learn is by working with a reputed real estate brokerage . You can do a Job in that company . You will gain experience in customer , site visits, negotiations, follow-ups, and closing deals.

When I started, there was no one to guide me. I learned everything through trial and error. It took me almost 2 years + to develop the basic skills required to survive in this industry.

At Regrob, we have built a dedicated in-house training team . They provides structured training to our employees, franchise partners . Offline and online training are given to everyone . Our goal is to shorten their learning curve so they can avoid the mistakes that took us years to overcome. We have RFSA (Regrob Franchise Success academy .

Step 6: Company Registration and Office Setup

The sixth step is setting up your company and office.

There is no rocket science involved in this. You can register your business through a Chartered Accountant (CA) or a lawyer . You can set up office based on your budget. In beginning starting office is also not required.

If you are starting and want to keep your costs low. I would recommend beginning as a Proprietorship or a Partnership Firm. A Private Limited Company comes with higher compliance requirements, regular audits. However, before you register your business, think carefully.

Suppose you start today as a Sole Proprietorship and, after one year, decide to convert your business into a Private Limited Company. In that case, you may have to repeat several processes from scratch.

You will need to:

Apply for a new RERA registration.

New GST registration.

Open a new bank account.

Sign fresh Channel Partner Agreements with all the developers.

Update all your legal and business documents.

Developers will pay your brokerage only to the company that is registered with RERA .

I made this mistake in my own business, and it resulted in a lot of additional paperwork and delays. I had to take new RERA for new company for all state. It was huge loss for me.

Step 7: Build Strong Relationships with Developers

The seventh step is building strong relationships with builder . This is one of the most important aspects of running a successful real estate business. In this business you do not own the product. Product is inventory of devleoper.

If you have a good relationship with developers, you will receive several advantages. developer give you access to better inventory, priority support from their sales team. They give faster responses, and sometimes marketing budgets to help promote their projects. Last a good relationship ensures timely payment of your brokerage.

You should also negotiate your brokerage . If you are new to the industry, You may get receive around 3% brokerage. As your sales volume increases and your relationship with the developer becomes stronger. You can negotiate for higher commissions, exclusive inventory, or additional incentives. Everything depends on your performance and transaction volume.

In the starting , I would suggest focusing on one or two developers. Donot try to sell all Project. This allows you to develop deep product knowledge and deep relationships.

At the same time, maintain relationships with all major developers in your city. Even If you are not selling their projects today, staying connected is important. Tomorrow, they may launch a high-demand project, and your customer may ask about it.

Remember, relationships take years to build but can create opportunities for decades.

One of the biggest lessons I learned in my real estate journey...

A long time ago, a developer approached me to become their channel partner. At that time, I was busy with my existing developer relationships. I kept ignoring their multiple calls and emails. One of the mistakes of my career.

Almost a year later, I received an inquiry from a client looking to invest ₹7 crore. I showed him a project from one of the developers I was already working with .We were almost ready to close the deal.

One day before the booking, the client called and said:

"I'm also considering another project. Do you have any information about it?"

It was the same developer who had approached me a year earlier to become their channel partner. By then, I had lost their contact details. I tried reaching them through cold calls and e got connected—but it was too late.

My client had already contacted another channel partner and closed the deal.

That experience taught me a lesson I'll never forget: Almost loss of 39 lakh

Relationships are assets. Never ignore genuine business opportunities because you're busy today.

You never know which conversation today could become your biggest deal tomorrow.

Understand the Revenue Model

One of the reasons I like the real estate business is its high-margin revenue model. This is not a volume-driven business. Here you donot need thousands of transactions to make good money.

Today, in most metro cities, it is difficult to find a new apartment priced below ₹1.25 crore to ₹2.5 crore. Premium properties often range between ₹3 crore and ₹10 crore, or even more.

Let's take a simple example.

Suppose your team sells properties worth ₹5 crore in a month, and your average brokerage is 3%. That single month's business can generate approximately ₹15 lakh in brokerage income.

Apart from apartments, don't ignore plots ,Farm house and land. The demand for plotted developments has increased .They often offer attractive brokerage opportunities.

You should also focus on high-ticket transactions whenever possible. Some of our franchise partners have earned ₹10–15 lakh in brokerage from a single transaction.

As you old in this industry, your knowledge, reputation, and network will continue to grow. You will gain access to better projects, better builder , and Better inventory .

One thing I have learned over the last 14 years is that almost everything in this industry is negotiable .

One more important point want to add

I always keep three type of inventory which I regularly market . When you are starting start with one type of inventory and later you can add product . I generally keep average ticket size of Apartment like 1.5 cr to 2 cr more in demand in tier 1 city. Here you can earn 3- 5 lakh per Apartment depend upon tie up . Second I keep ticket size of 10 cr , 20 cr onwards . In this ticket size customer are very less in market . You need to specific marketing to acquire leads . This is not easy to crack but not tough also . If you do 1 or 2 deal( high end ) even in quarter with 3 % brokerage. The kind of money you will make.

Home Loans: Your Second Revenue Stream

Home loans are your second major revenue stream .Most property buyers want a home loan. Here you can help your customer by arranging loan . This is your second revenue model . You also become a one-stop solution for their property-buying journey.

You can partner with leading finanical institutions such as

ICICI Bank,

HDFC Bank,

SBI,

PNB Housing Finance,

Tata Capital, and many others.

They 0.4% to 1.5% as commission to real estate agents for sourcing home loan customers.

There are two partnership models:

Connector Model – refer the customer to the bank or NBFC. In this model, you generally earn around 0.4% commission.

DSA – In this model, you play a more active role in the loan process. You can earn up to 1.5% commission. This depend on the type of loan, such as a home loan or a Loan Against Property (LAP).

You have lot of advantage in working with multiple lender . If one bank rejects a customer's loan application, you can refer the customer to NBFC with different lending criteria. This increases your loan approval rate and improves the customer experience.

Let's look at a simple example.

If you facilitate ₹20 crore worth of home loans in a year. You can earn approximately ₹10–15 lakh.

This help you cover your expenses, including office rent, internet costs & staff salaries

As company Regrob ,We have tie up with all major bank and NBFC for our real estate franchise partners.

CRM: The Backbone of Your Real Estate Business

A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is one of the most important tools.

Without a CRM, managing leads becomes extremely difficult.

A good CRM helps you manage your entire sales process, including:

Lead management and tracking

Automated follow-ups

Calling and call recording

WhatsApp automation

Connected calls

Database churning

Lead optimization

Email and SMS marketing

AI-powered calling and lead qualification

Team performance monitoring

Running a real estate business without a CRM is like driving a car without a dashboard . This give clear visibility of you business.

At Regrob, we have a dedicated team that trains employees and franchise partners on CRM . A well-implemented CRM gives you complete visibility into your business. You know where every lead came from, which salesperson is handling it, what stage it is in. You can review your team through crm.

We had implemented a CRM four years after starting our business. This was our biggest mistakes That delay cost us a significant amount of money . We lost leads, poor follow-ups, and missed opportunities.

Every lesson I share comes from my own experience so that you don't have to pay the same price. Learn from the mistakes of others—it is far less expensive than learning from your own.

Join Real Estate Associations and Build Your Network

One of the biggest assets in the real estate business is your network.

I recommend joining local real estate associations and networking groups. Build good relationships with other real estate agents . They can provide valuable market information, project updates, and business opportunities. Real estate associations are especially beneficial for beginners.

A strong broker network is important. Sometimes you may be working in one micro-market. Your customer may be looking for a property in another area. Instead of losing the business, you can collaborate with trusted real estate agent . You can complete the transaction together.

Your network can help you generate business that you could never achieve alone.

A Real Example from Our Company

One of the biggest advantages of our franchise model is cross-selling

A franchise partner in Lucknow had a customer looking for a property in North Bengaluru. He informed our central support team.

We immediately transferred the lead to our Bengaluru Airport Road franchise partner. He contacted the customer, arranged the site visits, and completed the transaction. The brokerage was shared . A customer c

How I Closed a ₹50 Crore Deal Through My Network

Recently, I worked with a client who wanted to invest around ₹50 crore.

Initially, I approached several developers across Delhi NCR . We couldn't close the deal. They could match the client's exact requirements.

After almost a month, I posted in WhatsApp group of real estate agent . I shared it on my LinkedIn profile.

Within a short time, many real estate professionals contacted me. One real estate agent from Gurugram reached out. He had exclusive access to the exact inventory my client was looking for.

Together, we successfully completed the transaction. Our company earned approximately 2% brokerage on the deal.

This experience taught me an important lesson:

Your network can often create opportunities that your own inventory cannot.

I have covered most of the important aspects of starting a real estate business in this blog . However, every topic discussed here

RERA registration,

Digital marketing,

Lead generation,

CRM,

Client relationship management,

Developer relationships,

Hiring,

Technology

This requires a much deeper understanding and hands-on implementation.

Real estate is a practical business. Reading about these concepts is only the first step. Success comes from executing them .

My suggestion is to build a strong team around these core functions. If you are serious about starting a real estate business in India. Every area requires a different skill set, and as your business grows,. You should develop expertise in each one or hire people who already have that expertise.

Remember, perfection doesn't come on the first day. Every successful real estate entrepreneur starts as a beginner. Learn continuously, improve your systems, and refine your business model with every transaction.

My Final Advice

If you are serious about starting your own real estate business. I recommend finding a mentor who has already built a successful brokerage.

To succeed in this industry, you need to build all the capabilities we have discussed in this guide

Choosing the right market,

Building developer relationships,

Generating leads,

Technology and CRM,

Hiring the right people, networking, negotiating, and delivering an excellent customer experience.

High patience

Trust me, this is one of the most rewarding industries if you are willing to stay patient and keep learning. When I started my journey 14 years ago, I couldn't close a single deal in my first month. I managed to get my first booking in the second month. Unfortunately, the customer cancelled it. At that time, I had no proper lead generation system, no mentor, no training, and no industry knowledge . Luck wasn't on my side either.

Everything I learned came through trial and error.

Finally, after almost six months, I closed three transactions worth around ₹9 crore .

I am talking about 2013. Back then, closing ₹9 crore worth of transactions was a significant achievement .

That first success gave me the confidence to continue.

If this article can save even one year of your entrepreneurial journey, sharing my 14 years of experience will have been worthwhile.

My Personal advice

Seek Advice from People Who Have Actually Succeeded

Donot take guidance from friends or relatives who have no experience in the real estate industry. Most people in your circle may genuinely want to help. Their advice is often based on assumptions rather than real-world experience.

Instead, learn from people who have actually built successful real estate businesses. They understand the challenges, opportunities, and market cycles,

when you seek advice from someone in the real estate business, make sure they have achieved meaningful success themselves. Don't listen to someone because they are in the industry . Learn from people who have delivered results and built a successful business.

The quality of your mentor can significantly influence the quality of your decisions.

We have solved the challenges, and built a strong team to support our franchise partner.

You get access to a proven business model that has been refined through years of experience.

If you are really interested to start a realestate business, plz feel free to call our franchise experts at +91-9870313070

What You Get as a Regrob Franchise Partner

A proven and profitable business model

Plug-and-play business setup

Developer tie-ups with leading brands

Access to the right markets

Customer leads every month (as per the franchise agreement)

CRM and IVR systems

Comprehensive training and complete handholding

Multiple revenue streams

Dedicated mentors

Ongoing business and operational support

We offer three franchise models to suit different investment levels and growth ambitions:

Regrob Elite

Regrob Prime

Regrob Titan

My Final Suggestion

If you are starting your real estate business on your own. I recommend finding an experienced industry mentor. Second get a skilled digital marketing from the very beginning. In house is always preferable for digital marketing.

Doing everything through trial and error can cost you five to six years, just as it did for me.

This is one of most rewarding entrepreneurial journeys . If you stay patient, keep learning, and take consistent action.

I wish you all the very best for your real estate business.

If you are really interested to start a realestate business, plz feel free to call our franchise experts at +91-9870313070

Written By: Vivek Raman

Co-Founder, Regrob | IIM Alumnus | Featured in Forbes | Real Estate CelebrityI Building India’s Largest Real Estate Franchise Network