Many NRIs start a sale by searching portal names. That makes sense: portals are where Indian buyers look. But the portal's job usually ends around the handshake, and everything that decides how much money you keep comes after.
This is general information, not tax advice. Rules are as of October 2026; check your own facts with a qualified adviser.
Can an NRI list property on NoBroker, 99acres or MagicBricks?
Generally, yes. Indian law does not stop a non-resident from advertising property they own, and listing portals are open to owners as well as agents. Sign-up steps vary by portal, so check current terms.
Three points matter more than which portal you pick:
- Who can buy. Residents, NRIs and OCIs can buy residential or commercial property from an NRI. Agricultural land, plantation property or a farmhouse can only be sold to a resident Indian citizen.
- Who shows the property. Usually a family member, caretaker or local broker.
- Who signs. Unless you fly in, you need a specific Power of Attorney.
What a portal does vs what an NRI sale actually needs
A listing portal is a marketplace. An NRI sale is a tax, legal and banking process with a buyer at the start of it.
| Stage | What a listing portal typically helps with | What an NRI sale actually needs |
|---|---|---|
| Finding a buyer | Listing, photos, enquiries, lead flow | Screening that the buyer can legally buy (e.g. resident citizen only for agricultural land) |
| Price agreement | Comparable listings, negotiation channel | A net-of-tax view: what you keep after TDS, capital-gains tax and transfer costs |
| Tax deduction | Not part of a listing | Buyer gets a TAN; TDS on the full sale price unless you hold a Form 128 certificate |
| Lower TDS | Not part of a listing | Form 128 (earlier Form 13) applied for and issued before payments start |
| Signing | Not part of a listing | Specific PoA, notarised and apostilled (or consulate-attested), then adjudicated in India within 3 months of arrival |
| Registration | Sometimes general guidance | Sale deed drafted, stamp duty paid (normally by the buyer), registration at the sub-registrar |
| Receiving money | Not part of a listing | Payment into your NRO account (or NRE only up to the foreign currency originally paid in) |
| Moving money abroad | Not part of a listing | Forms 145/146 (earlier 15CA/15CB) with a CA certificate; up to USD 1 million per financial year from NRO |
| Tax after the sale | Not part of a listing | Indian ITR to claim back excess TDS, Section 54/54EC planning, and reporting in your country of residence |
Portals connect buyers and sellers well. The NRI-specific steps are where the money is.
Why the TDS step is the one that hurts
When the seller is a non-resident, the buyer must deduct TDS on the full sale price, not just on your gain. Form 26QB is not available, so the buyer needs a TAN.
On a long-term gain (property held more than 24 months), the NRI rate is 12.5% without indexation. Add surcharge (10% above ₹50 lakh, 15% above ₹1 crore) and 4% cess, and the effective TDS lands at roughly 13% to 14.95%. On a short-term gain it can be around 30% plus surcharge and cess.
›Illustrative example: TDS on full price vs actual tax
Illustrative figures only, simplified (ignores costs of transfer and improvement).
- You bought a flat in 2014 for ₹60 lakh. You sell it in 2026 for ₹1.2 crore.
- Long-term gain: ₹1.2 crore − ₹60 lakh = ₹60 lakh.
- Without Form 128: the buyer deducts TDS on ₹1.2 crore at about 14.95% = ₹17,94,000.
- Tax actually due on the gain: ₹60 lakh × about 14.3% (12.5% + 10% surcharge + 4% cess) = ₹8,58,000.
- Excess held by the tax department: ₹17,94,000 − ₹8,58,000 = ₹9,36,000.
You can claim that ₹9.36 lakh back, but only after filing your Indian ITR, and refunds typically arrive months later. With a Form 128 certificate in place, the buyer deducts at the lower rate the certificate allows, and the money stays with you. Run your own numbers with the NRI TDS calculator, and see the full mechanics in our TAN and TDS guide for NRI property sales.
How to use a listing portal safely as an NRI seller
Find the buyer on the portal, then:
- Get your documents in order before you list. See our documents checklist.
- Set up the Power of Attorney early. Notarise and apostille it abroad (US, UK and, since January 2024, Canada) or attest it at the Indian consulate, then adjudicate it in India within 3 months of arrival. See our PoA guide for NRIs.
- Pre-qualify buyers. Ask how they will pay (own funds or loan), how soon, and confirm they are eligible to buy this type of property.
- Tell buyers upfront they will need a TAN. Many first-time buyers have never heard of it, and deals stall when they find out late.
- Apply for Form 128 as soon as you have a buyer, before the agreement fixes payment dates, and build its timing into the agreement. Background: Form 13 is now Form 128.
- Never accept cash. Every payment goes by banking channels into your NRO account, with TDS deducted against the buyer's TAN.
- Collect TDS proof. You need the challan and TDS certificate for your ITR and for repatriation.
- Plan repatriation before registration. Line up the CA for Forms 145/146. Our repatriation guide walks through the paperwork.
Can I sell property online in India as an NRI without visiting?
Mostly, yes. You can find the buyer online, negotiate over calls, sign through your PoA holder and receive money into your NRO account without travelling. What you cannot skip: the PoA is physically executed abroad and adjudicated in India, registration happens at the sub-registrar's office, and Form 128 and Forms 145/146 still need a CA.
What about capital-gains planning?
A portal shows an asking price; your real number is after tax. Two reliefs are worth checking before you sign:
- Section 54: reinvest the long-term gain in one residential house in India (buy 1 year before or 2 years after the sale, or construct within 3 years), capped at ₹10 crore.
- Section 54EC: invest up to ₹50 lakh in specified bonds (REC, PFC, IRFC) within 6 months, with a 5-year lock-in.
Section numbers here are the familiar ones from the 1961 Act; the 2025 Act renumbers them but the relief is the same. Mention planned reinvestment in your Form 128 application. Our 2026 capital-gains playbook for NRIs goes deeper.
If you live in the US, UK or Canada, the sale is usually reportable there too, with credit for Indian tax under the DTAA.
Portal plus a single point of contact
The cleanest setup: the portal or a local broker brings buyers, and one person runs everything from TAN onwards. That is what NRiSimplify's property sale service does, from Form 128 and PoA to Forms 145/146 and your ITR.
Related guides
Keep reading: Documents checklist; PoA guide for NRIs; Form 13 is now Form 128; Repatriation guide.
Can an NRI list property on NoBroker?
Generally, yes. Listing portals such as NoBroker, 99acres and MagicBricks are open to property owners, and being a non-resident does not stop you from advertising property you own. Sign-up and verification steps vary by portal and change over time, so check current terms. The listing is the easy part; the TDS, Form 128, PoA and repatriation steps still need to be handled separately.
Does the buyer need a TAN if I sell through a portal?
Yes. How the buyer found you makes no difference. When the seller is a non-resident, the buyer must obtain a TAN, deduct TDS on the full sale price (or at the rate in your Form 128 certificate) and deposit it. The Form 26QB route used for resident sellers is not available. Tell buyers this early so it does not delay the agreement.
Will the portal help me get Form 128?
Listing portals are built to connect buyers and sellers, so lower-TDS certificates are not normally part of what they do. Form 128 (earlier Form 13) is applied for with the income-tax department, usually with a CA's help, once a buyer is identified. Getting it before payments start can stop TDS being deducted on the full sale price instead of on your gain.
How much TDS will the buyer deduct from an NRI seller?
Without a Form 128 certificate, the buyer deducts on the full sale price. For a long-term gain, that is 12.5% plus surcharge and 4% cess, roughly 13% to 14.95% depending on the amount. For a short-term gain it can be around 30% plus surcharge and cess. Any excess is refunded only after you file your Indian ITR.
Which bank account should the sale money go into?
Your NRO account. Proceeds of an NRI sale go to the NRO account, or to an NRE account only up to the foreign-currency amount you originally paid for the property. From the NRO account you can repatriate up to USD 1 million per financial year with Forms 145/146 (earlier 15CA/15CB) and a CA certificate.
Is it safe to accept a cash token from a portal buyer?
Avoid it. Keep every payment, including the token, traceable through banking channels into your NRO account, with TDS deducted on it. Cash creates problems with TDS compliance, proof of sale consideration for your ITR, and repatriation, which needs a clean paper trail. A buyer who insists on cash is a buyer to walk away from.