Home Buyers Speak: When Nature Became The Deal Clincher For This Artist
Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay, Watercolour Revivalist, New Delhi
Born in Steel City, Jamshedpur, Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay is an Arts graduate from Govt College of Arts & Crafts (GCAC) , Kolkata (1990) . As an artist, he has always been drawn towards nature and its colours. In fact, his love for greenery became the deal clincher when he bought his home in Dwarka, where he now lives with his wife, Sushmita. After working as an advertising professional until 2011, Rajat took up painting full-time to pursue his burning desire of reviving water colours in India. He works out of a small studio, which he has created within his home.Read excerpts from an interview:
PropGuide: Can you describe your new home for our readers?Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay: When we began house hunting with a small budget, we were looking for a compact home in a safe locality. And, this home turned out to be a right fit. Our home is on the fifth floor of Sargodha Apartments, Sector 7, Dwarka. The society has the largest green space within its premises. And that was my deal clincher!We have a beautiful view of the airport runway with lush greenery around the apartment. Moreover, its proximity to the domestic and international airports and the metro station along with other immediate facilities, makes it a destination of choice.
PropGuide: How did you find this home?Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay: After shifting from one place to another for many years, we decided to have our own permanent address. As we are a middle-class family, we had set a modest budget . So, we decided to speak to a few property dealers and real estate developers in our circle. Thankfully, there were a number of property classifieds available. We short-listed a few and began with our search. After a couple of visits to various sectors in Dwarka with the help of a property broker (who is now a good friend) , we found this flat. It was a perfect setting in terms of access, budget and safety.
PropGuide: How much did the property cost you? How did you manage the finances? Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay: We bought this 2BHK home for around Rs 17 lakh about eight years ago. We used some savings for it and took bank loan at a low rate of interest.
PropGuide: Could you share with our readers your home buying experience?Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay: We got in touch with one of the best brokers, who helped us buy the property. We had no prior experience of home buying. Hence, we learnt it step-by-step (brick-by-brick, in this case!) . We had to arrange for documents, funds, witnesses, and other necessary requirements to be able to go ahead with the buying process. Home buying and investing in a home of our own was a satisfying experience for us. In fact, we also learnt real estate jargons during the process.
PropGuide: Is this your dream home? What is your definition of a home?Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay: Without a doubt, it is the best decision we could have taken. It gives us a permanent address on earth and a safe place to live with the family. It is my definition of home.
PropGuide: What is your advice to the new home buyers?Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay: Be sure of your purchase decision. Research and fact finding is a must, even before you invest time and money for property visits. Before investing, ensure that the property has no litigation that might be a cause of concern later. Think long-term when finalising a particular size for a home so that you can accommodate any additional members or guests in future. Moreover, natural light and proper ventilation in the house is a must.