This time, I’ll summarize the points I received from a real estate agent in India and my friend who lived there on what to be mindful of when choosing a place to live in Gurgaon, while still in Japan.
When looking for accommodation in Gurgaon, it’s common to rent a unit in a condominium (similar to apartments in Japan) and decide based on the facilities and floor plans of each condominium. I used to think, “I wonder if there are any detached houses,” but apparently, such options are rare (laughs).
Obviously, the housing environment is different from Japan, so I want to write about the actual things I confirmed.
Proximity to Workplace or School (School Bus)
For expatriates, a driver is often provided, so transportation is mainly by car. While not as bad as Delhi, there is traffic congestion in Gurgaon too. It’s better to choose a residence as close as possible to the office or school to avoid the burden of daily commuting.
In our case, we registered the address of the apartment suggested by the real estate agent on Google Maps to check the distance from the office or school and confirm the commuting route. Although it may look close on the map, there were routes that took quite a bit of travel time due to road structures (one-way streets, etc.), so it was good to check with Google Maps.
Security
Above all, it’s crucial. However, most apartments in Gurgaon have security checks at the main gate or entrance and security guards.
It seems prudent to confirm the security rules and levels of each apartment, such as emergency contact methods and visitor checks, in case of any incidents.
Floor Levels and Room Orientation
Unlike Japan, there is a preference for lower floors rather than the first floor. The ground floor, known as the Ground Floor, tends to be less desirable due to the high number of pests. Additionally, upper floors are avoided in the summer due to excessive heat.
Regarding room orientation, the north side is popular in the summer for its coolness. However, if sunlight doesn’t penetrate, it can be quite dark.
Personally, I’m not a fan of heights…and high floors can be dangerous for children too. If low floors are popular, there might be fewer vacancies on the desired floor.
Floor Plan
In Japan, there are layout notations like 1R/1K/1DK/1LDK, but in India, you’ll see notations like 1BHK, 2BHK, etc., where “B” stands for Bath room, “H” stands for Hall (living room), and “K” stands for Kitchen, followed by the number of bedrooms. Each bedroom typically has an attached toilet.
While 1BHK is equivalent to 1LDK in Japan, there are few 1BHK or 2BHK properties in Gurgaon, with 3BHK to 4BHK being the most common. The size ranges from 200 sq. meters to 400 sq. meters (2150 sq. ft. to 4300 sq. ft.).
The rooms seem quite spacious with three or four of them. I’m confident that guests from Japan will have no problem staying over. I already have the confidence that when we return to Japan, our home won’t be able to accommodate all our belongings anymore, haha.
Furnished or Unfurnished
When looking for a residence, you can choose between Furnished (with furniture) or Unfurnished (without furniture).
Air conditioning is installed in both furnished and unfurnished units.
Whether there are appliances like refrigerator, freezer, washing machine, microwave, dryer, and dishwasher depends on the owner.
I’ve heard that some apartments have washing machines installed outside (on the balcony), but personally, I prefer rentals where they are installed inside, especially during times of air pollution when I don’t want to go outside.
Bathroom (Bathtub and Geyser)
In India, a geyser is installed to heat water for use.
Whether there is a bathtub depends on the condominium.
Without a bathtub, it seems like children might escape… If it’s for a short period, I can endure, but if I’m living there for more than a year, I definitely want a bathtub.
Clubhouse
Joining a clubhouse gives access to various facilities within the condominium.
Park/playground, children’s play area, gym, swimming pool, tennis court, badminton court, basketball court, restaurant, cafe, mini-mart, beauty salon, bank
Isn’t it basically like a Japanese hotel? I’ve never heard of a beauty salon in an apartment in Japan!! Amazing !
Parks, playgrounds, and pools are the holy trinity for children, so we’ll make the most of them.
Lifelines (Water, Electricity, Gas)
In high-rise condominiums, water, electricity, and gas are usually available. There may be power outages, but there are generators or backup power systems, so restoration is quick.
Since it seems unlikely that I can bring the battery I bought in Japan for earthquake preparedness to India, it seems better to procure it locally.
Pre-Contract Check
- Before signing the contract, confirm the operation of the provided furniture, the condition of the walls, and the presence of water leaks, and request repairs if there are any issues.
- Pre-occupancy pest control
- Presence or absence of telephone or internet connection setup
- Contract terms (11 months is standard) and rent (rent increases annually) etc.
Ideally, I’d like to leave everything to the management company. I can’t imagine how much time it would take if I had to do it myself… And… I didn’t know the word “pest” itself, but it seems to refer to harmful organisms (cockroaches, mosquitoes, fruit flies, mites, termites, etc.), rodents, and nuisance birds (pigeons, crows, etc.). Yikes.
Conclusion
Today, I wrote about the points to consider when choosing a residence in Gurgaon. However, to be honest, you won’t know until you visit in person.
