Not too far into the future, you would be able to drive into your apartment at Sushma Pristine on the outskirts of Chandigarh in your electric car, plug it in for charging at the common charging docks across the condominium. Or if you live at Gulshan Dynasty in Delhi NCR, your grocery needs will be taken care of by the in-house hydroponic farming facility within the complex. Built-in sanitisation, air filters, automation, etc are now standard features at upcoming Omaxe projects across North India, while one realty player is even planning a rooftop cinema for residents in Noida. Another envisages a garden with more than 50 medicinal plants.
A dedicated office space within your flat with noise-cancellation facilities and 'resembling' a typical office cubicle? Elementary nowadays, my dear Watson!
“Future homebuyers will be giving more attention to factors like health, hygiene and wellness and will probably go for areas that, according to them, would provide a better access to services like health and safety,” says Rajesh Pandit, managing director (property management, India) with the global real estate consultant CBRE. Agrees Surendra Hiranandani, chairman and managing director of leading real estate player House of Hiranandani: “The unprecedented situation caused by Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged developers to refine or recreate products to meet the new requirements of buyers.”
With major prop up measures from the government, including funding for affordable housing, reduced repo rates and credit-linked subsidy schemes, the real estate industry feels that the slowdown of the past few years could change for the better, ironically right in the midst of a pandemic. The reason? The change in trends with the middle-class salaried realising the importance of having one's own living space.
But that's not the only change the pandemic has brought forward. Akin to every other food product on the supermarket aisle suddenly being billed 'immune boosting', the offerings by realty players have also veered towards facilities attuned to the 'new normal'.
So, at upcoming properties of the Sushma group near Chandigarh, apartments are coming up with basement carbon monoxide sensors, electric car charging points and zero discharge development for controlling and processing waste generated. Sushma group executive director Prateek Mittal adds, “integrated townships would become the most preferred choice for many due to its convenience and accessibility to the necessities within one premise.”
Having an integrated complex with spacious living spaces to maintain social distancing (no more narrow corridors!), open living spaces (gyms are out, yoga pyramid space is in!) as well as all basic requirements, even your daily veggies, right within or at least close by is now in demand. This means some developers are now looking at doing organic farming of essential veggies right within the complex, using hydroponic or terrace farming techniques.
Lincoln Bennet Rodrigues, founder and chairman of Bennet & Bernard group, explains the novel amenities they've kept in mind while designing holiday homes in Goa. “Versatile workspaces, community vegetation, contactless delivery and self-sustenance,” he says are the key aspects. This means the 'office area'—a key requirement for those working from home and house-hunting post the pandemic—need to be designed ergonomically, maintaining privacy and offering a noise-free ambience. Another interesting 'healthy' addition? Usage of copper vessels, to enhance wellness.
“The pandemic has changed the preference of Indian home buyers,” analyses Sudhir Pai, CEO of Magicbricks, “Amenities such as club, gym and common areas, which used to be the major deciding factors even a year back, have lost their sheen.” Gated community is now the first criterion in the property shortlisting process according to Magicbricks, followed by proximity to local markets and schools. With work-from-home becoming a norm, demand has spiked in even peripheral areas outside city limits, as distance from office areas is not an issue anymore. These areas also offer more supply of ready-to-move-in properties that are not only more spacious, but also more affordable.
