Kanchipuram: Low-Cost Houses and Plots in the Silk City

Kanchipuram is a pilgrimage and weaving centre about an hour or two by road from Chennai. Nearby markets are Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur and Vellore, while Chennai is the big city and job centre. The area has industrial parks along the Chennai corridor.

Non-resident foreigners generally cannot buy Indian real estate without Reserve Bank approval, but NRIs and OCI cardholders can buy residential and commercial property, not farmland or plantations. Check title, encumbrances and land use carefully, since village plots can have unclear records. Registration and stamp duty apply; confirm the Tamil Nadu rates. See the India guide and financing.

Tamil Nadu land records include the patta, chitta and encumbrance certificate, and all three should match the seller's name and the plot area. Beware of plots in unapproved layouts, which can be hard to get utilities for. A local lawyer should search the registry for at least thirty years of past transactions. Remittance and tax rules differ for NRIs, so involve a chartered accountant before sending funds.