DDA
Saket And Vasant Kunj Is South Delhis Major Real Estate Destinations
South Delhi has two major real estate destinations that were primarily residential in nature but took on a distinctly commercial flavor recently, thanks to a large land auction in early 2000 by DDA.
Vasant Kunj and Saket were both considered premium residential areas with a large number of residential options. However, with clusters of premium retail malls developing here, both Vasant Kunj and Saket have evolved as major retail destinations. The affluent residential populace in the region has led to a high-profile positioning for the malls and a healthy rate of footfalls. Both areas are also on the Delhi-Gurgaon Metro link and are expected to see an enhancement in the number of footfalls to its retail malls.
Vasant Kunj
Vasant Kunj has always been an indemand locality of South Delhi with values remaining high. It has always benefited from good infrastructure and ambience. Its proximity to the commercial hub of Gurgaon and the airport, as well as being at sniffing distance with one of South Delhi’s most affluent plotted areas -Vasant Vihar – has resulted in a sustained positive real estate outlook.
Vasant Kunj has rapidly grown as a commercial hub. With the DDA auctioning land in the area for mall development, it has also become a retail hub now. Malls like DLF’s Emporio and the Ambi Mall, under construction by Ambience Developers Pvt Ltd; Vasant Square Mall by Suncity and DLF’s Promenade or Palace, offers ample shopping options to customers. There is something for each type of buyer. Demand for office space here has also increased in the past few months. Values are either stable or have seen minor changes.
Being the upscale locality of South Delhi, property values have always been high. There has been an increase in the rate of transactions since August 2009 and values have increased by 15% since November 2009.
It is centrally located with good infrastructure and transport facilities. The commissioning of the Delhi Metro rail’s Gurgaon link will enhance its connectivity from end-January 2010. This is expected to further enhance footfalls in retail malls here. Since many malls are expected to be ready by this time, it may well compete with Gurgaon as a retail hub. Local brokers are also expecting a hike in real estate values in the future.
Saket real estate segment
Saket is the other destination in South Delhi that has rapidly evolved as a commercial hub. With a cluster of retail and office spaces coming up in the community centre area it has emerged as one of the most expensive shopping and entertainment centers of South Delhi.
Saket has a large bank of residential populace of its own, besides being in close proximity to densely populated areas like Malviya Nagar, Sheikh Sarai, etc. Therefore, malls like Select City Walk, MGF Metropolis, The Square One Mall, The Courtyard Mall, all within the same complex, have opened multiple shopping options for visitors. Investors also prefer malls compared to local shopping complexes. Rajeev Goel of Comtel Association, a local realtor, says: “Retail values have increased by 20-25% since 2008. In late 2008 and 2009, due to the economic slowdown, investors were moving out of malls. But, now, the situation has improved and retailers prefer malls to local markets. It has not only drawn visitors from South Delhi, but also NCR, like Gurgaon, Faridabad and Noida.”
An interesting result of the cluster of new retail developments is the drop in footfalls in Anupam PVR complex, both in the multiplex as well as the shopping complex.
Residential market has also improved in terms of transactions and values. Due to its proximity to Gurgaon and Faridabad, and also owing to the soon-to-open Delhi Metro station in the locality, residential real estate values have received a boost. The value of residential apartments and builder floors has risen by 15% and plot values by 15-20%. Apartment rental values have remained stable since November 2009.
The Real Estate Market Of Rohini
After a lot of research Jyoti, 32, and Ramesh Aggarwal, 36, have decided to purchase a two-bedroom, 1,000 sq ft apartment in a society complex in Sector 9, Rohini for Rs 38 lakh. Not only did they compare prices in their research, they also looked at factors that affect general day-to-day living, such as level of congestion, availability of greenery and open spaces, likelihood of water shortages during summers, and travel time to important destinations. Finally, took a decision and bought an apartment in Rohini.
There are many reasons why one would like to purchase a home in Rohini. And one of the main reasons why anyone would feel attracted to purchase a property in Rohini is because of its connectivity with the metro.
After the Metro became operational, prices have risen by 40-60%, according to a property broker of the area.
A property dealer based in Netaji Subhash Place explains the price rise in terms of reduced travel time. He said that till a few years ago, it took one-and-a-half hours to travel from Rohini to central Delhi areas like CP and ITO, so its property was available at a low price. After the coming of metro, the travel time is now only 40-45 minutes, and the commute being far more comfortable than a road journey, Rohinis society apartments now boat of a price of Rs 3,150-4,500 per sq ft. This is at par with prices in areas like Patparganj in East Delhi which are only a 30-minute drive from CP.
Not only metro, of late Rohini has witnessed a lot of commercial development as well, which has led to overall development of north-west Delhi. In fact, entertainment-wise Rohini has given newer options to people residing in the nearby areas.
There are some common factors that have contributed to an increase in prices in Rohini like easy availability of bank loans, high salaries commanded by young professionals, and the massive influx every year of people from other states into Delhi.
Rohini has options for every pocket: If you think you can afford one, go for a society apartment. These kinds of apartment boast of better-quality construction, high-maintenance, comparatively more open areas compared to DDA flats, and of course better security arrangements. The up-market complexes, about a dozen within Rohini, are equipped with lifts and have power backup system.
Such society apartments are mainly located in sectors 7-14 and out of these, sectors 9, 13, 14 and Prashant Vihar are available at a very high price, because of the quality of development and due to proximity to Metro stations (East and West).
Other option is DDA apartments that usually cost less than society apartments. 1 BHK LIG apartment costs around Rs 2,000 per sq ft, and prices of two-bedroom MIG apartments range between Rs 2,350 and Rs 2,900 per sq ft. The construction quality of a DDA apartment is usually inferior as compared to a society apartment, so you may have to spend some amount before you can actually start living in one. DDA flats are located in sectors 2-8, 15-18, and 24.
For people who are looking at low-budget options, they are available in sectors 23, 24, 25 and 28. These sectors are a little far from the Metro line. According to Mr. K.K. Wadhwa of Wadhwa Property, a plot of 32 sq m would cost around Rs 18 lakh in Sector 7; in Sector 28, the same plot-size would cost you just Rs 9-11 lakh in this sector.
A development that is sure to attract people from all over west Delhi to Rohini is Planet Pogo, a theme park, which is being developed in Sector 10. The company that developed Appu Ghar, Unitech Amusement Parks, and Turner International India are partnering this project. It is scheduled to be launched in the last quarter of this year. As far as shopping and entertainment options are concerned, Rohini has M2K Mall in Sector 3, and PVR Complex in Prashant Vihar. There is also a district court at Madhuban Chowk in Rohini.
So, if you are looking to buy or rent a house in west Delhi, you should definitely consider all the options available within Rohini. It undoubtedly has quality housing, good connectivity and all the amenities one expects in a well-developed area.