Accommodation in Delhi

Tips on finding expat accommodation in Delhi

by Alex de Goedern of www.bricks-india.com

The range of rental prices vary according to neighbourhood and also depends on the age of the house, as new buildings can be up to 100% more expensive than the older building next door. For example a 3-bedroom apartment in Greater Kailash I of 6 years old will be around Rs. 40.000, compared to a brand new 3-bedroom apartment in Malcha Marg which will cost around Rs. 3.50.000.

So be prepared for the fact the price is not equated with quality. Also, there is no ‘rule of thumb’ for price calculation of the rental of a property in a certain area, as in many Western countries. Basically the Landlord can ask whatever he wants, so your agent should then be able to tell you if this asking price is in line with the surrounding rents that are being asked for comparable properties.  

The nicest area to live in Delhi is South Delhi and in particular Malcha Marg, Golflinks, Jorbagh, Shantiniketan, Westend, Anand Niketan and Vasant Vihar. These areas are considered to be the best in Delhi.

Other, less expensive but nice areas, are Hauz Khas, Sarvodya Enclave, Defence Colony, Anand Lok, Niti Bagh, Gulmohar Park, Nizzamudin East, Greater Kailash I and II, Panscheel Park, Friends Colony, New Friends Colony.

You can either get a freestanding house with a small garden on a plot of between 250 sq yards up to 900 sq yards or you can live in flat which will be maximum four stories high. The top floor of a flat can be particularly pleasant because normally the roof top terrace (sometimes with a garden) will be included.

If you are more an outdoor type you can also elect to live in a farmhouse. Nice areas are Westend Greens, Pushpanjali and Kapashera (these three areas are near the Suburb of Gurgaon and can be a bit noisy because the airport in neighbourhood), Vasant Kunj is nice and more in the City towards South Delhi, while Chattarpur is the biggest farm house area.
 
A farm house sounds very attractive but you have to be careful, because a farmhouse needs a lot maintenance and staff. Also electricity and water supply to these areas can be very poor. We have a heard many bad stories of expats living in farmhouses, because every day something breaks down.  

Tips for a successful house search:

• Be flexible in your expectations
• Be very clear with your agent what you are looking for (budget, number of rooms, etc), otherwise they will send you on a wild goose chase and you will end up visiting a 100 houses and apartments.
• Make notes of the properties that you have visited, especially when you are working with several agents. Show the list of properties that you have seen to the other agents, so that he does not show the same properties again.
• Do not let anyone push you into making quick decisions, because normally negotiations can take a week or so
• You can negotiate a discount of 10% to 15% of the asking price. In some instances even more if you can offer a longer advance rent and in some cases also security deposit.
• Try to avoid paying too much security deposit, say max 3 months, because when the lease ends you might have difficulty getting the security deposit back.