Home buyers search for the right residence across the year, but a substantial portion of them look to invest and/ or move into a property during a festive occasion or phase. The fortnight to twenty days during Gudi Padwa or the days between Dusshera and Diwali are preferred for ‘festive home shopping.’ Like Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) category products, residential real estate also has various incentives coupled with lower interest rates on home loan or benefits on registration fees and stamp duty to make the proposition more attractive.
One is surely spoilt for choices, but it is also important to ensure that the decision is driven by a thorough understanding of what really matters. Focus on finding a home that offers something better so that you derive that satisfaction on moving into the same. Upcoming or ongoing projects provide the flexibility to plan the shift and move from the existing location in a phased manner.
The advent of digital communications has made it unnecessary to move out for the necessities of life – food, clothing and shelter – with the online process facilitating all three requirements. When it comes to shelter, while the information is available online, and one can do the virtual tours with 360-degree views, walkthroughs and so on, a physical visit to the project site, to have a first-hand look and feel of remains a given.
For most Mumbaikars, despite the access by railway and road, a journey beyond Borivali station by train or Dahisar Check Naka by vehicle, was akin to an event. One usually only saw those stations or crossed the city limits while travelling upcountry. However, in recent years, the enhanced connectivity and rising pace of development have changed perceptions and made people more willing to go the extra mile for a better quality of life.
Santosh Bhat, who currently stays in a standalone residence near the IC Colony in the western suburb of Borivali west with his family, is one such individual. He decided to book a property in Naigoan east, a suburb in the Palghar district and part of Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The residential development and location were chosen due to the combination of high-end amenities at competitive prices. Being able to enjoy better air quality with less pollution while still being connected to all facilities was the deal clincher.
He zeroed in a property that is just about five kilometres from Naigaon railway station east (western line), a five -minute walk from Juchandra railway station on the Vasai Road–Diva-Panvel Route (central line) with the East-West Bridge providing easy access to Vasai. It can also be easily accessed by road from Borivali via the Western Express Highway. The other factors that made it an attractive deal were upcoming infrastructure developments like access to three metro lines that would provide excellent connectivity to locations at Mumbai and Thane.
Santosh will continue to stay in his present residence this year and move to Naigoan in December 2024. “With about 44 amenities listed on a single page of a brochure, for me it will be like moving into an areas of self-sufficiency, what one would refer to as a township,” he says.
The writer is a Trend Science, Communication & Marketing Consultant
