Buying Property with White Money? Why Many Tech Professionals Are Hitting a Wall

Many salaried professionals struggle to buy real estate legally due to black money demands from sellers. Here's a real-life story from a techie who got stuck trying to do things the right way.

Buying Property as a Tech Professional: When White Money Isn’t Enough

If you work in tech or any other salaried profession, chances are your income is fully transparent — what we call “white money.” It’s clean, taxed, and traceable.

So you’d think buying a property should be straightforward, right?

Not always.

Across many Indian cities, real estate transactions still involve large amounts of black money, leaving honest buyers stuck — even when they have full financial capability and home loan approvals.

Real Story: A Techie's Struggle to Buy Property Legally

One of our readers, a software engineer working at a leading IT company, recently shared his experience. After a long home search, he finally found a property that fit his needs and budget. His finances were in order — salary slips, loan pre-approval, down payment saved up — all ready to go.

But when the deal reached the negotiation table, the seller demanded something unexpected:

“20% of the total price should be paid in cash — off the books.”

In other words: black money.

As a salaried employee, he simply didn’t have unaccounted cash — nor did he want to participate in an illegal transaction. When he insisted on paying 100% in white money, the seller walked away.

The Bigger Issue: Real Estate Black Money Practices

This isn't a one-off case. Many professionals trying to buy property with white money are being pushed out of deals due to:

• Sellers looking to avoid capital gains tax,

• Underreported property valuations,

• An outdated system that still favors cash-based transactions.

For someone with a clean income trail, this is not just frustrating — it's disheartening.

Why This Matters for India's Property Market

If India wants to encourage transparency and build a future-ready real estate sector, buying property with white money should be the norm — not the exception.

More regulation, stricter enforcement, and digital transparency in real estate transactions can make the process easier and fairer for buyers who play by the rules.

Final Thoughts

Until then, countless salaried professionals — especially in tech and IT — will keep facing roadblocks when trying to invest their hard-earned money in real estate.

Have you faced similar challenges in buying property with white money?Share your story with us — the more we talk about this, the more we can push for change.