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Hi,

I am trying to understand what is good between building own house and buying apartments
So far I was not interested in apartments and bought a site instead. When I have to construct, the effort involved in getting everything planned and BBMP approvals, contractors etc, are making me see nightmares..

As I have tuned a little towards apartment buying, if this forum experts can help me in evaluating postives and negatives with apartments, that would be of great help. I searched in the net. But I couldn't find this exact detail.
Also I am thinking ready apartments are better as you are saving on huge rents and also bank interest during waiting period.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Regards
Raghavendra

Hi,
I have been staying in an apartment for the last 3 years (my own apartment) and been saving up to buy a site and build an independent house for myself. All reasons may not be applicable to you.
Disadvantages of apartments:
1. First and foremost thing important to me is to have plenty of greenery around. I would love to grow my own vegetables and flowers for pooja etc. In apartments it is very difficult to have plants. I have filled my entire balcony space and still not very happy with it.
2. If you love to keep pets particularly dogs, it will be very uncomfortable to have them in your flats. All though my apartment allows me to have pets at home, and we love pets, we have opted not to get a dog till we move out to own independent house. The reason being dogs need plenty of space (with non-smooth surface) to move around which the apartment cannot offer.
3. You have to abide by association rules, even if you dont like them. For eg: in my apartment complex they collect money (Rs 200 to 400) for all festivals like Ganesh chaturthi, ayudh pooja, independence day, republic day etc. My problem is, on all these festivals I will be out of town and celebrate festivals at my home town hence I feel its a waste to contribute to such celebrations in apartment.
4. My mother and wife dislike the punjent smell of garlic and fish but its unavoidable when some neighbour cooks it and my house gets filled with the smell. This happens around 3-4 days in a week and lasts for 1-2 hours when it does. In such situations we end up closing all doors and windows and spray room perfume like crazy. Again its a personal problem and I am sure our neighbours get irritated when we cook something similar and fill their houses with punjent smell.
5. Last and most important thing for me kind of lack of privacy. Folks above my flat are usually noisy and their noise continues till late in the night. The noises include loud tv, music system, talking loudly (the couple fight every now and then:() and worst they dont think twice about others when they plan to drill a hole in wall or do some such noisy things late in the night).

Now some advantages in apartments:
1. First and foremost is security, particularly if all members of the family go out to work keeping the house locked all through the day. Also if you are a frequent traveller and either aged parents and/or only ladies have to stay at home in the night then they would feel a bit secure in flats than in independent houses.
2. You get lot of people to socialize particularly kids get plenty of friends in an apartment.
3. You can share a few tasks like picking up kids for schools or busstops with neighbours who got kids going to the same school.
4. You will have access to common gym, swimming pool etc if wish to use one and if your apartment have them.

Again, all the points mentioned above are based on personal experience and may not be applicable to all. Good luck!

rrrangrej wrote:Hi,
As I have tuned a little towards apartment buying, if this forum experts can help me in evaluating postives and negatives with apartments, that would be of great help. I searched in the net. But I couldn't find this exact detail.

This topic has been discussed in various forums all over the place. It is a very common dilemma especially in Indian cities when one wants to buy a home. I have been living in apartments for the past many years and am in the process of constructing an independent house where I would be moving in a few months. It wasn't a easy decision..
The more you think and research about it, you realize that both of them have their own advantages and disadvantages and ultimately it depends on the wants and needs of the individual.
Main advantages of living in apartments in good communities -
-security
-community living and a good social life
-amenities like gym, tennis courts, swimming pools etc

Advantages of independent house
- Freedom (can build your house whichever way you want, live whichever way you want without having to worry about owners association etc)
- Space to indulge in gardening type activities
- Property appreciation