My cousin bought his dream flat 3 years ago.Or so he thought.
₹1 cr.Good location.2BHK.Possession in 18 months.Everything seemed perfect.
Fast forward to today,he’s stuck waiting 15 minutes for the lift every morning,his car has scratches from the terrible parking layout,and he’s already tried selling twice but no one’s interested at his price.
Last month he told me,”I wish I’d thought this through properly instead of just going by price and carpet area.”
So if you’re looking at flats right now,learn from his mistake.Before you put down that booking amount,run through this quick 4-part check.Takes 10 minutes but could save you literal years of frustration.
Score your flat like an investment,not just a home.
Nothing complicated.Just forces you to look beyond the sales pitch.
1)Comfort Score(Your actual daily life)
Will you feel good living here every single day?
Think about:
1.Does sunlight actually come in or is it blocked by another tower?
2.Noise,is there a school nearby?Temple?Main road?DG room on your floor?
3.Privacy,can your neighbor see into your living room?
4.Can you actually use the balcony or is it just for show?
5.Which floor are you on?Ground floor = dust and noise. Top floor = you’re stuck if the lift breaks.
If this part sucks,even a “premium” flat will feel like jail after a few months.
2)Building Function Score(Does it actually work or just look good?)
This is where builders fool you with fancy lobbies and then you realize the building is a mess.
Check:
1.Lifts,how many are there vs how many floors and flats?You’ll know if you’re gonna wait forever.
2.Are the staircases and fire exits real or just there to pass regulations?
3.Parking,can you actually park without doing a 15-point turn?Can you open your door fully without hitting a pillar?
4.Where’s the garbage room?You don’t want it near your flat,trust me.
5.Water supply and STP,if this is badly designed,you’re paying for tankers and repairs forever.
Nobody talks about this during site visits but you’ll feel it every day after moving in.
3)Future Proof Score(Will this still make sense in 5 years?)
Your flat isn’t a 1-year decision.You’re locking in for at least 5-10 years,maybe more.
Ask yourself:
1.What’s coming up nearby?Metro is great.Flyover construction for 3 years?Not so great.
2. Construction quality,do you see cracks already?Seepage?Bad finishing?
3.Can the society upgrade later?EV charging points,better security,access control?
4.Can you modify the interiors if your needs change?
5.Builder’s reputation,do they ghost you after possession or actually help?
I’ve seen people buy in areas that looked “upcoming” and 5 years later it’s oversupplied and they can’t sell.
4)Money + Exit Score(Real cost + can you actually sell this later?)
This is the part people mess up the most.
Calculate the REAL cost:
1.Base price + PLC + parking charges + floor rise + stamp duty/registration + interiors
Then think about:
1.What’s the actual maintenance?Not what the brochure says.
2.Rental demand,will you get decent tenants?Stable rent?
3.Resale,honestly,will someone want to buy this from you in 5 years?
4.Hidden costs,are you gonna need water tankers?Constant repairs?Dampness issues?
A lot of buyers don’t lose money buying.They lose it trying to exit.
How I actually use this
When I shortlisted flats,I just scored them quickly:
Flat A
1.Comfort:7
2.Building Function:6
3.Future:8
4. Money/Exit:5
Total:26/40
Flat B
1.Comfort:8
2.Building Function:8
3.Future:6
4. Money/Exit:7
Total:29/40
Suddenly it’s not even close.
Here’s what I learned from watching my cousin struggle:
You can buy a beautiful flat in a terribly run building and regret it every day.
Your home isn’t just your 2BHK.It’s the lifts,the parking,the stairs,how they handle maintenance,your neighbors,resale value,everything.
If you’re buying for the first time,just try this once before you sign. It genuinely saves you years of frustration.
That’s it.Hope this helps someone avoid what my cousin went through.