Growth of gated communities - Need of the inhabitants in Mumbai city asserts Mr. Sandeep Raheja, Chairman, K Raheja Realty

Greater living standards have fueled a strong desire for larger homes and a better living environment without sacrificing safety and security. Outdoor amenities such as parks and jogging/walking tracks ensure that children do not have to go out for their nightly entertainment and that seniors can take a morning stroll within a secure perimeter. Today many believe that investing in a gated community is a wise decision because they offer a higher resale value and the promise of a better lifestyle.

There is a visible trend among the younger generation to relocate to a location with excellent amenities. Buyers of gated community properties are expected to increase in the coming years. As demand increases, prospective investors would see improved architecture, services, facilities, aesthetics and sustainable designs. Gated communities foster a holistic vision that is beneficial to the entire family, making them an excellent choice for many homeowners.

As cities become more crowded, home buyers are increasingly turning to gated communities. Currently, large cities house a large volume of the population, and it’s expected to rise as more people relocate to metropolitan areas in search of better opportunities. Gated communities are far more common than single-family homes or neighborhoods. The primary reason for this is that the total cost of home ownership is less.

Raheja Residency and Interface Heights, both premium projects by K Raheja Realty are adorned with every necessary convenience of city life. With security, gardens, club houses for creating social interactions and CCTV cameras, gated communities like these help create a safe environment for families.

Many complexes also provide backup power, treated water, and solar-powered heating systems, among other necessities. A well-planned community may also include commercial complexes to meet the required necessities of its residents. Shopping malls, schools, and hospitals located in or near the community help to increase the demand for such projects. Having said that, there appears to be a gradual increase in demand for gated communities as a result of the numerous benefits they offer.

Mr. Sandeep Raheja, Chairman, K Raheja Realty strongly feels, that the number of gated communities in Mumbai has increased rapidly in recent years, though the trend began in the late 1990s and early 2000s, following the information technology boom. People are increasingly feeling the need for secure, private, and self-sufficient living managed by a democratically elected body of people or association.

This style of living took the form of gated communities in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, as it did in the Delhi National Capital Region, Noida, Gurgaon, Chennai, Bangalore and Pune. While these communities provide first-class excellence in lifestyle, K Raheja Realty has pioneered the growth of gated communities, understanding the requirements of the inhabitants of the city.

People are willing to buy properties within gated communities in any of these suburban regions, even if they cost 10% to 15% more than a regular house for the lifestyle, safety and social infrastructure. Working employees typically want to be as close to the workplace as possible, and because larger technology workspaces are concentrated in these regions, property prices in those areas are high.

Mumbai currently lacks lush greenery, public spaces and sidewalks for any physical activity due to a variety of unfair causes. Owners of standalone structures should consider that grocery shopping, going to a sports club, or seeing a doctor take a significant amount of time for residents. As a result, people nowadays look for a home with such amenities in the nearby vicinity. These benefits within and around the society eliminate the society's marginal limits of being located outside of a major city centre.

Social connections among society members are practically non-existent in a freestanding system where people rarely cross paths. That is not the case in townships, where residents frequently exchange views and ideas in a gregarious and communal exchange. This is due to frequent gatherings that foster a sense of brotherhood in the community and strengthen the bond through a variety of shared activities, sports and festive celebrations.

Mr. Sandeep Raheja asserts the number of buyers of gated community residences is expected to rise in the coming years. With increased demand, better architecture, services, amenities, decor, luxury flats and sustainable design would be on display for prospective investors.

Gated communities promote a holistic vision that is ideal for the entire family, making them the ideal choice for many homebuyers. This increase in numbers is not limited to our domestic market; there has been a twofold increase in sales for the same project in the NRI market compared to the previous festive season. These figures provide a clear picture of what the future holds for gated communities.