My Return to India (R2I) story > R2I Chapter 2.1
Relocation housing and living for returning NRIs
Among the big-ticket items to budget for while planning a relocation to a new country is housing and healthcare. The rent or mortgage can account for the greatest component of one’s monthly expense. Most questions in online forums also center around housing options in India and I thought its worth sharing my experience on this topic.
Where are we going to live?
My parents lived in RMV II Stage which is a well-developed suburb in the northern part of the city. The reason for relocating to Bangalore was “to be around” for my parents, and it made sense to live in the vicinity of RMV, perhaps within the radius of 2-3 kilometers. I began googling housing options in the subdivisions in Bangalore North.
The internet makes it easy to search for almost any kind of
information, if you know what you are looking for. But it is also easy to get
lost in the deluge of information online. Therefore, I decided to restrict my
search to a few prominent Indian house-hunting sites like MagicBrick, 99Acres
and nobroker.in where one can select options based on location and housing
preferences. This is not an endorsement of these websites, but rather general
tips for you to start searching.
There are a wide range of housing options in urban India catering to budgets and preferences. Upwardly mobile techies prefer to live in “gated communities,” complex of flats with amenities including security access, parking, club house, play area for kids etc. Many of these communities have provisioned for reliable power and water supply along with wiring for high-speed internet access. Other apartments are very basic - essentially multi story flats built in a residential neighborhood and flats may lack the sense of security and community of a gated enclave but provide the flexibility of living in a residential neighborhood. Depending on the amenities, the rent of an apartment can range from Rupees 30,000 to 300,000 per month ($400 - $4,000).
Variety of living options
Some folks also opt for independent houses (a.k.a villas) in
residential neighborhoods, similar to the house where my parents lived. Depending on the neighborhood and amenities,
rental for such houses can range from Rupees 40,000 to 300,000 per month ($500
- $4,000). Unlike living in a flat in a gated community, those living in a
villa need to manage all the basic logistics including managing garbage pickup
and service and maintenance of the surrounding compound.
The real-estate sector in India is highly fragmented. Unlike
the US where formal enterprises manage apartments and housing complexes,
governed by strict regulations, most of the houses and flats are rented by
individual owners. Some owners are tech savvy and post listings on portals
online but most rentals are managed by word-of-mouth or by local agents. In
many residential neighborhoods, people also post ‘To Let’ signs outside their
houses to entice walk-ins.
I tried searching for suitable rental options online but
wasn’t too happy dealing with agents remotely. Most of the owners were vary of
online scams and were hesitant to deal with me remotely, especially when I said
I was calling from the US. My dad gave me a few references of local estate
agents who also said the same - “Come down and we can look around in person.”
After a bit of search, my parents and I agreed that it would make sense for us to move back and live with them; at least initially. The house was spacious enough to accommodate us. As it was designed as two units – the main house and an additional unit in the back, it would afford a much-needed privacy for our nuclear family. Living close to my parents had an added benefit - Vijay would enjoy quality time with his grandparents too.
Also of interest: Photo Essay - Coconut trees at home in Bengaluru - Labor of love in 2021
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