Owning a home is a financial goal that transcends religion and nationality. Once the requisite financial planning is done and necessary savings accumulated, the next question is whether to buy an apartment or an independent house. Generally, area crisis and excessive charges in metros compel maximum residential purchasers to have a look at apartments as their favored choice. These come slightly cheaper than independent property which could be in the form of a villa or an assortment of floors built on a plot. While it is common knowledge that the latter comes at a price, there are some marked differences between the two.
Let’s take a look at what should be considered before purchasing any residential property.
Apartment
Apartments are the most popular type of property across cities in India because of reasons like contemporary looks, modern-day amenities, in-house maintenance services and better security. Apartments are a good choice for self use, renting as well as for investment purposes. Apartments are at par with independent houses in all respects and as far as customization is concerned, it can be done at a small scale without altering the basic set-up of the apartment.
Independent House
Independent houses or villas are preferred by those who want the privacy of an independent unit but also want to avoid the hassle of constructing a home. Some developers even offer premium units in gated communities with individual or shared amenities. Owner has privacy and control over the design and architecture of the house along with cost effective use of materials used and the quality. One can build multiple floors and self-occupy one floor and rent out the rest which would be a good source of income but will be taxable. Maintenance charges are a self bearing cost for a lifetime and safety and security of the house has to be taken by self only. Land has great appreciation and resale value if one has the patience to keep for the long term. It is also an heirloom which will be beneficial for the future generations.
Apartment vs Independent House –
- The cost of buying an independent house is much higher than that of buying an apartment hence in case of a home loan the requirement will increase in a corresponding manner. It would include the price of the plot, the stamp duty to be paid to the Govt., the clearances required from various authorities, the cost for an electricity connection, raw materials, labour costs depending on city, and the architect fees in case of renovations. In case of an apartment, the builder takes care of the technical formalities and buyer just has to pay the requisite amount for the apartment and move in whenever one desires.
- While an apartment property comes with added values, such as security, enough parking space, power back-up, water systems and fire safety mechanism in place, an independent property needs extra effort for setting up of these services. This would also include an extra cost of 2-3% of the total property value on these amenities around an independent villa property. This would include setting up of a small power back-up in the form of an inverter or a generator set and your water mechanism.
- Banks sanction loans for independent properties only after strict scrutiny of borrowers which is time consuming and may lead to losing out on the desired property. Loans for apartments are readily available as builders have tie ups with various banks to make it a more hassle free process.
- Owning a property needs financial resources and constant efforts for maintenance, cleanliness and construction & repair whereas in a society with apartments they have a dedicated in-house maintenance team which takes care of everything and are available round the clock at a reasonable expense due to the pooled resources.
- When it comes to independent houses or villas, capital appreciation is not be as high as an apartment. This is largely due to the high initial capital involved and the limited demand as compared to apartments. For the same reason, it is difficult to sell an independent house. Apartments on the other hand are always in demand and easy to sell or rent out.
- If one is an inexperienced new buyer, one could fall prey to title fraud and scams when purchasing an independent house. In case of apartments, buyers can check the reputation and past record of the builder of delivering projects and their quality and can also fact check with the existing residents. This helps in investing the hard earned money in a trustworthy project.
- Living in an apartment complex encourages communal harmony and societal living as no discrimination is made on the basis of caste or creed. Society members from all walks of life are welcomed which is lacking in independent house living.
Thus, if you decide to buy property, do your groundwork on these parameters. While you may choose one option, always consider that there is no specified time for property investment. So do not wait for it.
