New Delhi may still be the capitol of India, but it might not be the quite the center of the country that it once was. To find the beating heart of modern India, more and more people (especially young ones) are looking a mere 30 kilometers south of New Delhi. Welcome to Gurgaon.
In 2000, Time Magazine named it The Millennium City, and fifteen years later Gurgaon still lives up to that name. It is the undisputed economic and industrial capitol, not just of Haryana but of all India. The city is home to 250 Fortune 500 companies (a little over half of the full set), which attracted the United Kingdom to set their first UK-Indian Business Center there just two years ago. With so many lucrative opportunities in business, technology, and finance, (not to mention a thriving nightlife) it’s no surprise that Gurgaon attracts ambitious young job-seekers, looking to find a home and live the Gurgaon dream. But finding a flat in such a unique city brings along a host of unique challenges. What should a prospective homeowner (or a prospective seller) keep in mind before jumping into Gurgaon’s real estate game?
Convenience
Convenience and ease of transport is one of the biggest draws of Gurgaon. Just ask Kamayani Singh, who told Hindustan Times that she swapped an hour-plus commute in Delhi for a mere 15 minutes in Gurgaon. The young professionals who flock to Gurgaon in search of work love the convenience of having everything nearby, and the gated communities that make up much of the housing market in the city are tailor made for them. High-rise residential areas by firms like Unitech, which include sport facilities, pools, clubs, and in some cases even grocery stores and hospitals, are extremely attractive to the young professionals, many of whom chose Gurgaon to avoid the hectic traffic of bigger cities like Delhi. It’s an important factor for anyone hoping to sell apartment space in the city, and something for a first-time home-owner to look for. Most first-time buyers (over 60 percent) prefer apartment spaces, and many communities offer a mix of housing types: apartments or flats, individual floors, or villas and townhouses for more space and flexibility.
Culture
Hand in hand with that love of convenience comes a love of the culture and the active night-life Gurgaon can offer. In a city where the average age is 25 to 35, access to Gurgaon’s wide variety of restaurants, clubs, and music venues will be a major factor those young buyers look for. Since 2013, the amphitheater in Biodiversity Park has been a huge destination for some of the best music India (and the rest of the world) has to offer, and it’s a very attractive spot for Gurgaon’s young population. For those hoping to sell residences, flats closer to the hotspots of nightlife will be easy sells, especially as the city’s median income continues to climb and its residents have more money and time available for leisure.
Safety
Like any fast-growing city, Gurgaon has its share of problems to be faced. The city’s rapid growth and exploding population have also lead to a rise in crime. The police have committed to bringing those numbers down, but many homeowners will still look to builders and residential communities to keep them safe in the meantime. This is yet another factor that makes gated communities so attractive, especially to young working women and parents with children. Having most necessities within walking distance, especially services like hospitals and pharmacies, is an advantage in safety as well as convenience.
Prospective buyers in Gurgaon also pay close attention to the security service that their building or community can offer. The best security systems, like those in the majority of Unitech flats for sale in Gurgaon, include multiple tiers of screening, access controlled from video-phones, and lifts that require SmartCards to operate. Since blackouts and power interruptions are a common issue in urban India, buyers should also look for buildings or communities with 24/7 backup generators to keep the electricity running during a service interruption. In gated communities, the generators will also keep clubs, gyms, and other facilities up and running as long as the power is out.
Find Your Dream, and Your Dream Home
It’s no surprise that Gurgaon is a buyer’s market, and a haven for students, immigrants, and young professionals looking to get their start in the world. They’re looking for convenience, safety, and the freedom to enjoy what their new city has to offer, and Gurgaon’s new and growing residential communities are more than ready to accommodate them. Anyone can come to Gurgaon and find their dream job, their dream community, and their dream home – especially if they know exactly what to look for.
