This glossary defines the everyday terms of Indian real estate channel partner work in plain English: EOI, channel partner, commission slab, dead pool, site visit, lead reactivation, RERA, CP payout and presales. Each definition is short enough to quote and practical enough to use, whether you are new to the business or training a team member.
An Expression of Interest is a form and cheque a buyer gives a developer, usually before a project launch, to show serious interest and get priority when unit allotment opens. It is not a booking. If the buyer does not take a unit, the EOI amount is generally refundable as per the developer's terms.
Read the full guide: what is EOI in real estateA channel partner is an independent real estate firm or broker who sells a developer's properties to buyers and earns commission from the developer on each booking. Channel partners source buyers through portals, ads and their own networks, conduct site visits, support the buyer through booking, and get paid in stages as the buyer completes payment milestones.
See Leadvio for channel partnersA commission slab is a tier in a tiered commission structure. Instead of one flat percentage, the developer pays a higher commission percentage as the channel partner delivers more bookings in a project or period. For example, the first few bookings may earn the base rate, and bookings beyond that earn a higher rate.
Read the channel partner commission guideA dead pool is the set of leads that have been marked inactive: not interested, not responding, or postponed. Dead pool leads are not worthless. Buyers go quiet for many reasons, and a share of them return when the timing, price or inventory changes. Good teams review the dead pool regularly instead of forgetting it.
A site visit is when a prospective buyer physically visits the project site, usually with a sales agent or channel partner, to see the property, sample flat, location and amenities. It is the strongest signal of buying intent before booking, and for channel partners the visit record supports their commission claim.
Read the site visit management guideLead reactivation is the process of re-engaging old or inactive leads with a fresh reason to talk: a price drop, a new launch, newly available inventory matching their requirement, or simply a well-timed check-in. It works on the dead pool and on long-term nurture leads, and it produces buyers from leads the business has already paid to acquire.
Covered in the lead management guideRERA is the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, the law that regulates India's real estate sector. Under RERA, developers register projects with their state RERA authority, buyers get standard protections and disclosures, and real estate agents also register. Buyers can verify a project's registration and documents on their state RERA website.
A CP payout is the actual release of commission money from the developer to the channel partner. Payouts usually happen in stages linked to the buyer's payment progress, not all at booking. Tracking payouts means knowing, for every booking, how much commission is expected, how much has been received, and how much is still pending.
See commission and payout tracking in LeadvioPresales is the stage of the sales process before booking: lead capture, qualification calls, follow-ups, nurturing and site visits. Presales teams and channel partners work the presales stage to turn enquiries into site visits and bookings, while post-sales work, such as payment collection support and documentation, happens after booking.
Carpet area is the net usable floor area inside a flat, the area where a carpet can actually be laid. It excludes external walls, balconies and terraces, but the exact inclusions have varied by builder and state over the years, which is why RERA later gave it a standard definition. For a channel partner, carpet area is what the buyer will actually live in, so quoting it clearly avoids size disputes after booking.
Super built-up area is the built-up area of a flat plus a proportionate share of the common areas of the building, such as the lobby, staircase, lift and corridors. Prices were historically quoted on super built-up area, also called saleable area, which made flats look larger on paper than the space inside the flat. For a channel partner, knowing which area a price is quoted on is essential before comparing two projects for a buyer.
Built-up area is the total floor area of a flat including the carpet area, the thickness of its walls, and areas such as a balcony or terrace attached to the flat. It sits between carpet area and super built-up area in size. For a channel partner, built-up area helps explain why the same flat is described with three different sizes in different documents.
RERA carpet area is the carpet area as defined under the RERA Act: the net usable floor area of a flat, excluding the area covered by external walls, service shafts, exclusive balconies or verandahs and exclusive open terraces, but including the area covered by internal partition walls. Developers must state this figure in RERA filings and sale documents. For a channel partner, RERA carpet area is the safest size figure to quote because it follows one legal definition across projects.
A Construction Linked Plan, or CLP, is a payment plan where the buyer pays the developer in instalments linked to construction progress, such as on completion of each slab or on reaching a defined stage. Each stage triggers a demand for the next instalment. For a channel partner, the CLP stage decides when the buyer must pay and when the next part of commission usually becomes due, so it drives post-sales follow-up.
Possession is the formal handover of a flat to the buyer, after construction is complete, required approvals are in place and the buyer has cleared the amounts due. The buyer signs possession documents and takes the keys, and charges such as maintenance often start from this date. For a channel partner, possession closes the deal journey that began with the booking, and buyers often judge the partner by how smooth this last step feels.
An Occupation Certificate, or OC, is issued by the local planning or municipal authority after a building is completed, confirming it was built as per the approved plans and is fit for occupation. Buyers should generally take possession only after the OC is received for their building or phase. For a channel partner, checking OC status protects the buyer and protects the partner's reputation when advising on ready to move homes.
A Commencement Certificate, or CC, is the permission issued by the local authority that allows a developer to start construction of a project or a phase as per the approved plans. Further CC stages may be needed as the building rises. For a channel partner, a project without a CC carries approval risk, so checking the CC is a basic due diligence step before pitching a project to buyers.
Agreement value is the price of the flat recorded in the agreement for sale between the buyer and the developer. Stamp duty and registration charges are calculated on this value or on the government ready reckoner value, whichever applies under state rules. For a channel partner, agreement value is the base figure in most cost sheets and commission calculations, so it must match across every document the buyer sees.
Stamp duty is a tax the buyer pays to the state government on a property transaction, paid through stamp paper or an e-stamp or franking process, which makes the agreement legally stamped. The rate is set by the state and is usually calculated on the agreement value or the ready reckoner value. For a channel partner, stamp duty is a real cost the buyer must arrange before registration, so it should be shown early in the cost discussion, not as a surprise at the end.
Registration charges are the fee the buyer pays to register the agreement or sale deed with the sub-registrar office, which creates the official government record of the transaction. The fee is set by the state and is separate from stamp duty. For a channel partner, registration is a fixed milestone in the booking journey, and helping the buyer complete it on time keeps the deal and the commission trail fully documented.
TDS on commission is the tax deducted at source by the developer before paying commission to a channel partner, under the income tax rules that apply to commission and brokerage payments. The developer deposits the deducted amount with the government and issues a TDS certificate, and the partner claims credit for it while filing income tax. For a channel partner, this is why the amount received in the bank is lower than the commission billed, and the difference should reconcile in the payout record.
A mandate is a formal appointment by a developer authorising a channel partner firm to sell a project, or a defined part of its inventory, for a set period on agreed commercial terms. The mandate document usually covers commission, inventory, marketing support and how leads and walk-ins will be attributed. For a channel partner, a written mandate is what turns a verbal promise into a clear right to sell and earn on that project.
An exclusive mandate is a mandate where one channel partner firm is the only partner authorised to sell a project, a phase or a defined set of inventory for the mandate period. Other partners and sometimes even direct sales for that inventory are routed through the mandated firm. For a channel partner, an exclusive mandate brings focus and a stronger claim on every booking in that inventory, along with a clear sales target to deliver.
A channel partner code, or CP code, is the unique code a developer assigns to a channel partner firm when the firm is registered or empanelled with that developer. The code is quoted on lead registrations, walk-in records and booking forms so the sale is attributed to the right firm. For a channel partner, using the correct CP code on every record is what protects the commission claim on that deal.
A follow-up is the next planned contact with a lead after the previous conversation: a call, a WhatsApp message or a visit reminder, set for a specific date and time with a clear reason. Good follow-up is recorded against the lead, so no buyer is forgotten when an agent is busy or on leave. For a channel partner, follow-up discipline is where most bookings are won or lost, because serious buyers often decide after several contacts, not the first one.
A dead lead is a single lead that has been marked closed or inactive, for example because the buyer is not interested, not responding after repeated attempts, or has bought elsewhere. Marking a lead dead should record the reason, because the reason decides whether the lead is worth another attempt later. For a channel partner, a clearly marked dead lead keeps the active pipeline honest, and the full set of such leads forms the dead pool.
Inventory is the stock of units available for sale in a project at a given time, recorded by unit number, configuration, floor, facing and status such as available, blocked or sold. Developers share inventory with channel partners so partners sell only what can actually be allotted. For a channel partner, working from current inventory avoids promising a buyer a unit that is already sold or held for someone else.
Allotment is the step where a developer assigns a specific unit to a buyer after booking or after the EOI process, and confirms it through an allotment letter that records the unit, the price and the payment terms. Before allotment the buyer holds an interest in the project, and after allotment the buyer holds a defined unit. For a channel partner, the allotment letter is a key proof document that links the buyer, the unit and the partner's booking claim together.
A demand letter is the letter or notice a developer issues to a buyer asking for payment of the next instalment due under the payment schedule, usually linked to a construction stage or a date. It states the amount due, the due date and the bank details for payment. For a channel partner, a demand letter starts a time bound task: the buyer must pay on time, and the partner's next commission stage often depends on that payment clearing.
A payment schedule is the list of instalments a buyer must pay for a flat, with the amount or percentage due at each stage and the event or date on which it becomes payable. It is part of the booking and agreement documents and is the base for every demand letter. For a channel partner, the payment schedule tells the team exactly when to remind each buyer and when to expect the next stage of work and commission on that deal.
Floor rise is an additional charge added to the base price for flats on higher floors, usually charged per square foot and applied above a base floor decided by the developer. The charge reflects the premium buyers place on height, light and view. For a channel partner, floor rise changes the final price of otherwise identical flats, so it must be included when quoting two units on different floors.
Preferential Location Charges, or PLC, are additional charges for a flat with a preferred location or feature, such as a park facing or road facing unit, a corner unit, or a unit on a preferred floor band. PLC is usually charged per square foot and is added over the base price. For a channel partner, PLC explains why two flats of the same size in the same project carry different prices, and it should be named clearly in every cost breakup.
Basic Sale Price, or BSP, is the base rate of a flat, usually quoted per square foot on the saleable area, before floor rise, PLC and other charges are added. Agreement value is built up from the BSP and the applicable charges for the chosen unit. For a channel partner, BSP is the starting number in every price discussion, and confusing it with the all-in price is a common cause of buyer disputes.
A cost sheet is the one page breakup given to a buyer that shows the full cost of a specific flat: the base price, floor rise, PLC and other project charges, followed by stamp duty, registration charges and taxes as applicable, ending with the total payable. A good cost sheet names the area it is calculated on and the payment schedule that applies. For a channel partner, the cost sheet is the document the buyer trusts and compares, so every figure on it must be current and explainable.
A token amount is the initial payment a buyer makes to confirm intent, either with an EOI before launch or at the time of booking a specific unit. What the token adjusts against, and whether it is refundable if the buyer steps back, depends on the stage and the developer's stated terms. For a channel partner, the token is the moment an enquiry becomes a committed deal, so its receipt and terms should be recorded on the lead record right away.
Loading is the difference between the carpet area of a flat and the larger area on which its price is charged, expressed as a percentage or a factor added over the carpet area to account for walls and a share of common areas. Higher loading means a smaller share of the price buys usable space inside the flat. For a channel partner, loading is the honest way to compare two projects whose quoted areas look similar but whose usable space is very different.
A walk-in is a buyer who physically visits a project site, sales office or experience centre, whether arranged in advance or on their own. At the visit the buyer is registered, and if a channel partner sourced or accompanied the buyer, that sourcing is recorded at registration. For a channel partner, correct walk-in registration is often the deciding record in a commission claim, so the partner's name and CP code must be entered before the visit begins.
A channel partner captures a lead, works it in presales with calls and follow-ups, and books a site visit. Serious buyers in a launch give an EOI and then convert to a booking. The booking earns commission at the applicable slab rate, released as CP payouts in stages. Leads that go quiet fall into the dead pool, and lead reactivation brings some of them back into the same journey. Leadvio manages this whole chain in one system, from the first lead to the final payout.
EOI means Expression of Interest: a form and cheque by which a buyer shows serious interest in a project, usually before launch, in exchange for priority in unit allotment. It is not a booking.
A channel partner is an independent broker or firm that sells a developer's properties and earns commission on bookings, handling sourcing, follow-ups, site visits and buyer support.
It is the collection of leads marked inactive or unresponsive. Good teams reactivate dead pool leads periodically because some buyers return when timing or prices change.
Every term on this page is a stage or a record inside Leadvio, from lead to payout.