Buying a luxury apartment - key points to remember

 The HNI Indian home buyer is being wooed like never before. Hardly a day passes when some of India’s marquee names in realty don’t try to reach out to this growing class with either an SMS, a beautifully designed brochure, hoardings, sales calls, you name it. In all this, the word ‘Luxury’ gets dropped casually and often, but does the tag really befit every property being advertised out there? Not necessarily. So what is the serious buyer to do? What does he or she use to filter the run-of-the-mill from the truly uber-luxurious? How to sift out that haven among homes in which to invest? Look for a prime neighbourhood– Whether for investment or for one’s own use, a truly luxury property cannot claim the tag if it doesn’t sit in a prime and accessible neighbourhood. Key factors to look out for are an easy driving distance to the airport, schools, business districts, main highways and hospitals. Next, ensure easy entry and exit from the property itself, all the luxury and amenities within the development fall flat if entering and leaving it will entail being caught in a snarl of traffic right at the gate. Take a drive around the development you intend to invest in and ensure that it’s in a crime-free vicinity that’s reasonably noise and pollution-free surroundings having good green-cover. Ambience of the property– We’ve all seen ‘Luxury’ projects consisting of building after building with a warren of apartments in each, all leading to a feeling of extreme density. The mark of a truly upscale project is a well-considered limit to the number of dwellings – there isn’t a fixed formula for the ideal number, but about 60 home per acre is a reasonable rule-of-thumb to go by. That covers the feeling of exclusiveness of the building. Now coming to the homes themselves, a major factor is floor-to-ceiling height. Anything less than 12 ft. seriously hampers the warmth and openness of the home and will come in the way of achieving a relaxing ambience. The mod-cons you need– Most luxury projects leave no stone unturned nowadays in offering all the mod-cons available – concierge services, business centres, indoor games, play areas and facilities, landscaped areas, convenience stores et al. The sky’s the limit for the discerning buyer and it’s really up to one’s own requirements as far the conveniences are concerned. Discreet Security– Luxury homes offer security, both in terms of personnel and electronic surveillance, but unobtrusively. This aspect is key to luxurious living; the absence of jarring elements in ensuring residents’ safety, especially ugly window grilles. High build-quality- The check-list should include earthquake-resistance factors built into the property, fire-safety measures in place, quality of the bathroom and modular kitchen fittings, tiling, attention paid to recycling water and waste etc. Navigating India’s complex market of ‘luxury’ offerings is a lot easier if the above points all are met satisfactorily. Happy home-hunting.