I have had the good fortune to find a home for many retired and serving armed forces personnel.
I come from Himachal Pradesh and 4 people from my small village (population 60) serve in the armed forces in various capacities.
I have always had a special inclination and love for the Armed forces and in that sense I have been lucky enough to have helped multiple officers get a house in the Tricity ( Mostly Zirakpur and Mohali).
What do the Armed Forces Personnel Like in a property ?
First and foremost a retired officer likes a property where he/she can visualise themselves spending their retired age in peace and comfort.
While there may be many other things, I have identified five major attractions that an officer from the armed forces like in their homes:
- Greenery
- Space
- Neighbourhood in terms of development
- Commercial/residential properties that have good rental value.
- Bigger Brands that offer good amenities and maintainence
Why does Chandigarh attract veterans?
Chandigarh and it’s surroundings satellite towns offer one of the best lifestyles in the country.
Many officers spend a tenure at Chandimandir and are well aware of the city and the lifestyle opportunities.
Also, Haryana, Himachal and Punjab have many officers in the armed forces and Chandigarh is a convenient destination for all these three states.
I think there are 5 major reasons that attract so many armed forces veterans to the Tricity.
- Chandigarh is planned, Mohali is mostly planned, New projects in Zirakpur are planned. Defence personnels like things that are orderly and well laid out.
- Education, health and other facilities are top of the class. Kids can get great education and sports facilities, elderly can get good medical care. Command hospital and CSD canteens are within 10 to 15 minutes drive from any corner in Zirakpur or Mohali.
- The satellite towns offer very good connectivity options. For example, most of Zirakpur lies 500 metres from the radius of Ambala highway. Shimla, Kasauli, Delhi, Manali are all approachable. Railway stations, airport and by road connectivity is very good.
- Zirakpur and Mohali offer well planned 2 and 3 bhk options in a variety of budgets. These apartments area a good options to settle as well as invest and earn rental income. Multiple investment options in the commercial segment also attracts the armed forces officers.
- The cost of living is comparatively low, the air is comparatively clean and standard of living is generally higher as compared to other comparable options.
How to go about searching for a property?
I understand that the defence personnel’s are usually on a tight schedule and have to utilise their time very efficiently.
There are two ways to go about searching for a property.
1. Hire an expert or a broker
I have written exclusively about brokers in some of my earlier blogs. Some bigger companies such as Sushma work exclusively through authorised service partners and you will need to visit via a broker.
Kindly spend some time reading these blogs that will help you understand how this whole thing works.
- Decoding the role of a good property dealer in Zirakpur
- I am an Authorised service partner for Sushma Group Zirakpur
- Is this the right time to invest in Zirakpur?
- Important update
Advantages of hiring a broker
- You will save a lot of time on pre and post sales formalities as a good agent will provide you these services
- An honest broker can prove the difference between a good and a bad investment
- A good agent will provide honest feedback and help you get a good price
Disadvantages of hiring a broker:
- A bad broker will sell you what he wants and not what suits you
- An agent can be a source of unwanted real estate calls to an extent that you will get very irritated
- A clever agent will not give you the proper discount and can sell you a property for a high rate
2. Do It Yourself:
I have written a blog where I point out some uncomfortable truths about the real estate industry in Zirakpur and Mohali.
One point in the above blog is that knowingly or unknowingly you will invariably end up becoming an agent’s client.
There are 3 main reasons for it:
- You may have spoken to someone regarding a property and that someone may have been an agent without disclosing so
- You may have left your number on bigger property portans such as Mbricks or 9 acres and your data has been sold to agents
- The salesman at the project is friends with an agent and has a fixed cut for putting a direct deal in the agent’s kitty.
All these are real life scenarios and I speak from experience so the second method may be okay to an extent wherein you will shortlist properties but in 9 out of 10 cases you will be an agent’s client.
The Solution
The solution to this problem is quite simple:
Choose an agent you trust and stick with him.
Ask your agent to prepare a schedule of visit and send to you beforehand.
On the designated day take a look around and see all the properties. Keep enough time for the visit, It is an important decision of your life.
Do not finalise anything in the first visit. Shortlist the properties and visit a property at least thrice brfore finalising.
Don’t trust your agent blindly and verify the rates he quotes. Negotiate hard on price. Call me to find what is possible and what is not.
If you get a better rate tell your agent and get a better rate.
Do not speak to multiple people regarding your property requirements because a.) it will only drive your prices up and b.) You will fall into the Analysis Paralysis conundrum and will be left utterly confused.
About Me
I am a blogger cum broker working in the real estate industry in Zirakpur and Mohali.
You can read my google reviews here: Flatooz Google Reviews
I offer a best price guarantee on multiple products in the tricity and I will be priveleged to help and armed forces officer in any way that I can in buying a home or an investment.
You acn read more about me here: About
Feel free to call me on 6283060221 and get any information that you would like.
