“Luxury apartments for sale,” announced the caller with the enthusiasm of someone who’d just discovered gold in their backyard. Apparently, he was the sales manager for some upcoming real estate project—one with a modest goal of selling 1,000 units.
“2 BHK starts from ₹1 crore onwards, 3 BHK from ₹1.5 crore,” he added, like he was announcing a festive discount on mangoes. “Just pay ₹10,000 to book, and the rest as construction progresses. We have tie-ups with major banks—you know, in case you don’t have a crore lying around in your sock drawer.”
Curious to see what magic lay in a 2 BHK that cost over a crore, I visited the gated community project somewhere south of Bhubaneswar. A sharply dressed agent welcomed me with the line, “This is our model apartment. It gives you the feel of the real one you’ll own.”
Looking around, I had a different feel: the bathroom in my current government quarters was bigger than the so-called master bedroom. I asked the agent about the carpet area.
“850 square feet,” he said, with the pride of someone revealing the surface area of the Taj Mahal.
I quickly did the math. That’s over ₹11,000 per square foot. My curiosity shifted gears. I glanced at the decor and asked, “Do you handle interior design too?”
“Oh yes, we’re partnered with world-class designers. They’ll do it for just ₹5 lakhs extra,” he replied with the casualness of someone asking for a tip.
So... that’s a no. Not included.
Now I was genuinely intrigued. What does come with ₹11,000 per square foot?
“World-class amenities!” he declared. “Swimming pool, kids’ play area, community hall for functions, elevators with power backup, and an indoor games area.”
“Ah, so those are included in the ₹11,000 rate?” I asked hopefully.
“Oh no, Sir! Those are extra. You’ll need to pay a deposit and monthly maintenance fees.”
Of course.
“What about parking?” I asked, clinging to a final shred of optimism.
“Yes, each apartment comes with one dedicated parking spot.”
“Great! That’s included?”
“You’re hilarious, Sir,” he said, laughing. “That’s ₹2 lakhs extra. But wait! If you book today, your second parking spot is at 50% discount!”
Wow. Generosity clearly lives here.
Still baffled, I asked about the materials used for construction. He proudly mentioned good old concrete and brick—known for generating and trapping heat like a solar oven. I asked if the walls had insulation. He looked at me like I’d asked if the building could fly.
“And each apartment comes with a balcony!” he added brightly.
After looking at the master plan, I realized the balconies could double as express routes to your neighbor’s house—just one jump across the railing, and you’re there. Very community friendly.
So, here’s the deal: you pay ₹11,000 per square foot to live in a shoebox, extra for “community” features so you can feel like you belong, extra to park your car, extra to decorate the box, and then even more to cool it down because it’s built like a tandoor oven.
Suddenly, from the office microphone, a voice shouted, “Congratulations to our new owner—flat number 317!”
The buyer beamed like he’d just booked a one-way trip to the moon. And honestly, at these prices, lunar property might be the more affordable option someday.
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