Real Estate Quotation Format: How to Make a Property Cost Sheet Clients Trust
Every section a property quotation needs, from the RERA or licence number to the payment schedule, with a worked cost sheet for a flat in ₹ and a short AED example.
Key takeaways
- A good property quotation has twelve parts: header, licence/RERA number, client, property details, cost breakdown, taxes, discount, grand total, amount in words, payment schedule, validity and terms.
- List every charge on its own line. Hidden extras are the fastest way to lose a buyer's trust.
- Write taxes and government charges as 'as applicable' unless you are certain of the current rate for that property.
- Always give a quotation number, a date and a valid-till date so old prices can't come back to haunt you.
- You can build the whole quotation once as a template and send it as a PDF on WhatsApp in under a minute.
A buyer asks, "What will this flat actually cost me?" The answer you send next is a quotation, and it does more work than most agents realise. A clear real estate quotation format answers the money questions before they are asked, shows that you are organised, and gives the client something concrete to discuss with family and the bank.
A vague one does the opposite. A single number scribbled on a brochure, or a WhatsApp message saying "approx 85L all inclusive", invites suspicion and endless back-and-forth.
This guide walks through every section of a property quotation (also called a cost sheet or price sheet), with a worked example for a flat in India, a short UAE example, the mistakes to avoid, and a quick way to produce one as a PDF from your phone.
What a property quotation is for
A property quotation is a written, itemised offer of price for a specific unit, valid for a limited time. It is not a sale agreement and it is not a legal document. Its job is simpler:
- Remove surprises. The buyer sees every charge before the booking, not after.
- Make comparison easy. Buyers shortlist two or three properties. The one with the clearest numbers often wins.
- Support the loan conversation. Banks and buyers both need to know the total and the payment timing.
- Protect you. A dated, numbered quotation with a validity period stops "but you told me 80 lakh in March" arguments.
It usually goes out right after a site visit or a serious phone call, which is why it sits at the heart of the site visit follow-up.
The property quotation format, section by section
Here are the twelve parts, in the order they normally appear on the page.
1. Header and business details
Your business name and logo at the top, then phone, email and office address. If you are a solo agent, use your own name and a professional email. The client should be able to call you straight from the PDF.
Below that, add a quotation number and date. A simple pattern like QUO-20261021-001 (date plus a running number) makes it easy to find later.
2. Licence or RERA number
In India, include your RERA agent registration number, and the project's RERA registration number where it applies. In Dubai, brokers are regulated by RERA under the Dubai Land Department, so include your licence or broker registration number. Elsewhere, add whatever licence number your market expects. It is a small line that signals you are legitimate.
3. Client details
Client name, mobile number and, if you have it, email. Write "Prepared for Mr. Ravi Kumar", not "Dear Sir". A named quotation feels personal and is easier for the client to forward to a spouse or parent.
4. Property details
Everything that identifies the unit:
- Project name and developer
- Location or address
- Unit type (2 BHK, 3 BHK, villa, office) and unit or tower number if allotted
- Floor and facing
- Area, with the basis stated clearly (carpet, built-up or super built-up in India; usually square feet)
- Possession status: ready to move or under construction, with expected handover
Always say which area figure you are using. Two cost sheets with the same per-sq-ft rate on different area bases are not the same price, and buyers know it.
5. Cost breakdown
One line per charge. Typical lines include the base price, floor rise, preferential location charge (PLC) for corner, garden or sea-facing units, car parking, clubhouse membership, and maintenance deposit. Only list the charges that actually apply to this unit, and use the developer's own names for them so the client can match them to the developer's paperwork.
Show the price per square foot as well. Buyers compare on it whether you show it or not.
6. Taxes
Put tax on its own line with its name: GST in India, VAT in the UAE, sales tax where it applies. In India, GST typically applies to under-construction property and not to completed property with a completion certificate, but rates and rules depend on the property type and can change. Unless you have confirmed the rate for that unit, write "GST as applicable".
Government charges such as stamp duty and registration are paid separately and vary by state or emirate. List them as "extra, as applicable" so the buyer budgets for them without you quoting a figure you are not sure of.
7. Discount
If there is a festive offer, a waived charge or a negotiated reduction, show it as a separate line with a label ("Festive offer", "Floor rise waived"). A visible discount feels like a win for the buyer. A discount buried inside a lower base price is invisible.
8. Grand total
The final figure, in bold, clearly marked as inclusive or exclusive of tax and government charges. If anything is excluded, say so right next to the total.
9. Amount in words
Write the total in words, the way it would appear on a cheque: "Eighty-Five Lakh Rupees Only" in India, or "One Million Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dirhams Only" elsewhere. It prevents misread zeros, which is easy to do with lakh and crore figures.
10. Payment schedule
When the buyer pays what. For a ready property this may be just booking amount and balance on registration. For under-construction property it is usually construction-linked: booking, agreement, then stages such as slab completion and possession. Copy the developer's actual schedule rather than inventing one.
11. Validity
"This quotation is valid until 4 November 2026." A valid-till date creates gentle urgency and protects you when prices or offers change.
12. Terms and notes
Keep this short and plain. Common lines:
- Prices are subject to availability and the developer's final confirmation.
- Stamp duty, registration and other government charges are extra, as applicable.
- Taxes are as applicable at the time of payment.
- This quotation is not an offer of allotment or a sale agreement.
Add a notes line for anything specific to this client, such as "Rate held as discussed on site visit, 20 Oct".
Worked example: cost sheet for a flat in India
A hypothetical 2 BHK in an under-construction project. The numbers are illustrative only; use the developer's price list for real quotations.
| Item | Basis | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | 1,150 sq ft (super built-up) × ₹7,000 | 80,50,000 |
| Floor rise | ₹100 per sq ft (9th floor) | 1,15,000 |
| Covered car parking | 1 slot | 3,00,000 |
| Clubhouse membership | One time | 1,50,000 |
| Total before discount | 86,15,000 | |
| Festive offer | Floor rise waived | −1,15,000 |
| Net property value | ≈ ₹7,391 per sq ft | 85,00,000 |
| GST | As applicable | As applicable |
| Stamp duty and registration | As per state rules, paid separately | Extra |
Amount in words: Eighty-Five Lakh Rupees Only (excluding GST, stamp duty and registration).
And an example construction-linked schedule, again illustrative:
| Stage | Share | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| On booking | 10% | 8,50,000 |
| On agreement | 10% | 8,50,000 |
| On completion of plinth | 15% | 12,75,000 |
| On slab stages (spread across floors) | 45% | 38,25,000 |
| On possession | 20% | 17,00,000 |
Notice what this does for the buyer: they can see the ₹8.5 lakh they need now, when the loan will need to kick in, and exactly which ₹1.15 lakh they saved.
Short example: a quotation in AED
A hypothetical ready one-bedroom apartment in Dubai, sold through an agency:
| Item | Amount (AED) |
|---|---|
| Property price (780 sq ft) | 1,450,000 |
| Agency commission | As agreed in writing |
| VAT | As applicable |
| DLD transfer and registration fees | As applicable, paid separately |
| Total property price (before commission, VAT and fees) | 1,450,000 |
Amount in words: One Million Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dirhams Only.
The UAE has a 5% VAT, but whether it applies depends on the item (for example, a service fee versus the property itself), so "VAT as applicable" is the safe wording unless you have checked. Put your broker licence number in the header. In the US and other markets the same structure works for any price breakdown you share with a client; just use the local tax name and currency.
Common quotation mistakes
- "All inclusive" that isn't. If stamp duty or tax is extra, say so. The buyer will find out at the bank, and they will remember who told them otherwise.
- No area basis. "1,150 sq ft" without saying carpet or super built-up makes the per-sq-ft rate meaningless.
- Quoting tax rates from memory. Rates and rules change. "As applicable" is better than a wrong number.
- No validity date. An undated quotation can be waved at you six months later.
- No quotation number. When a client says "the one you sent last week", you need to know exactly which version they mean.
- Image-only quotes. A phone photo of a price list is hard to read, hard to forward and easy to doubt. Send a clean PDF.
- Retyping everything for every client. This is where typos in lakh figures creep in. Build each property once and reuse it.
- Sending and forgetting. A quotation is a reason to follow up, not the end of the conversation. Schedule a call for a day or two later.
Tip: Send the PDF with a short message, not on its own. Something like "Here is the cost sheet for the 9th-floor unit we saw. The floor rise is waived until 4 Nov. Shall I call you tomorrow evening to go through it?" Our WhatsApp templates for real estate include versions you can copy.
How to make a quotation in Boring CRM
Doing this in Word or Excel works, but it is slow on a phone and easy to get wrong. Boring CRM, a free Android CRM for real estate agents, has a quotation maker built in. You set things up once, then each quotation takes about a minute.
- Set up your business once. Add your business name, logo, phone, email, address, tax ID (GSTIN in India), RERA or licence number, default terms and how many days quotations stay valid.
- Pick your country. In Settings → Country & Currency, choose your country. The currency and tax label follow it (₹ and GST, AED and VAT, $ and sales tax, € and VAT), and the header shows "RERA No" in India and "Licence No" elsewhere.
- Add properties to your library. For each unit type, enter specs, area, location, the cost breakdown lines, the tax percentage and the payment schedule. Similar units? Duplicate a property and change what differs.
- Create a quotation from the lead. Open the lead, pick the property, add a discount and any notes.
- Check and send. The quotation is numbered automatically (for example QUO-20261021-001), dated, and given a valid-till date. It shows the price per sq ft and the amount in words, in lakh and crore in India and million wording elsewhere. Preview the PDF, then send it on WhatsApp or through any share option.
Because it all lives in the CRM, the quotation sits next to the lead's calls, remarks and follow-ups, and it works offline, so you can send one from the site office with weak signal. See the real estate quotation maker page for screenshots and details.
After the quotation goes out
The quotation is a turning point in the deal. The buyer now has numbers to argue about at home, and the next conversation is usually about price, timing or a loan. A few habits help:
- Schedule a follow-up for one or two days later before you put the phone down.
- When you call, ask "What did your family think of the numbers?" rather than "Did you see the quotation?"
- If they negotiate, send a revised quotation with a new number and date instead of agreeing a price only on chat.
- If the validity date passes quietly, that is a natural reason to get back in touch with an updated sheet.
For what to say in those conversations, see how to convert real estate leads.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cost sheet for a flat?
A cost sheet is a written breakdown of everything a buyer will pay for a flat: the base price, extra charges such as parking or floor rise, taxes, any discount, and the final total. Good cost sheets also show the payment schedule and how long the price is valid, so the buyer can plan their loan and savings.
Should GST be included in a property quotation in India?
Show GST on its own line rather than hiding it inside the base price. Whether GST applies, and at what rate, depends on the type of property and its construction status, so write 'GST as applicable' unless you have confirmed the rate with the developer or a tax adviser for that specific unit.
How long should a real estate quotation be valid?
Most agents use a short validity, often one to four weeks, because prices, offers and availability change. Pick a period you can honour, print the valid-till date clearly, and send a fresh quotation if the client comes back after it expires.
Can I make a property quotation on my phone?
Yes. A CRM app with a quotation feature lets you save your business details and property price lists once, then create a numbered PDF for any lead and share it on WhatsApp. Boring CRM on Android does this for free, and it works offline.