What should I check before buying from a new or small developer?

Confirm the project is RERA-registered with a valid permit and escrow account, ask what the developer has already completed, then visit a finished building. Be wary of below-market pricing, vague payment schedules, large off-escrow upfront payments, high-pressure sales and any guaranteed-return promises, which RERA prohibits. A first-ever project with no delivery history carries materially higher risk.