A salaried employee's story

52-year old Rajesh Pandey, a software engineer by profession, and a resident of Mumbai, is very unlike his peers. Despite hailing from a middle-class background, today he is the owner of two flats in Mumbai. Those who don't know him, often wonder how he invested such a considerable sum in real estate despite earning a moderate salary.

The answer is simple. Planning. Rajesh started his career at the age of 22 (in 1985) as a junior executive. With a little guidance from his friend who was a real estate agent, he soon booked a 2 BHK flat in Mumbai Suburbs. His monthly income financed the loan EMI. The 15-year home loan that he had availed got squared off by the time he reached the age of 37 i.e. by the year 2000. Amazed to see the market valuation of the house, booked fifteen years ago, Rajesh decided to invest further in real estate and purchased a flat at Thane, the loan for which will be squared off this year. And, he still has many more years of service left.

Basics of Real Estate Investment

Speaking about the planning required for a real estate investment, a representative from Vijay Group and Suraksha Realty, Thane's leading real estate joint venture, said, "We advise buyers to follow the Rule of ELL -

* Invest Early
* Invest for a Long-term
* Select a Location with Good Connectivity and Infrastructure

Selecting the right location is crucial." He also added, "Not only should the place fare well on ELL parameters but should also have potential for future growth."



An ideal example of such a place, that fares high on the list of real estate investors like Rajesh, is that of Ghodbunder Road, Thane - a 20-km long stretch that connects the Eastern Express Highway and the Western Express Highway.

Here's why this location is being preferred by homebuyers:-

Thane's Prosperous Legacy: Previous Trends and Future Projection

While property prices in Thane have seen a hike, none have witnessed a hike as steep as the Ghodbunder Road (GB Road), mainly due to its proximity to nature and fast pace of development coupled with Government's proposed plans to enhance connectivity. The corresponding graph tracks the price pattern on GB Road since 2009. Real estate experts believe that property buyers here have enjoyed a 300% growth in the last five years!Economic advisors and analysts suggest an estimated 40% increase of employment opportunities in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including Thane. Such a predicted hike in jobs would entail a major increase in the demand for housing and subsequently could generate further capital appreciation for real estate investments in Thane .

Thane's Connectivity: Now and the Future

Thane enjoys superb connectivity to Navi Mumbai as well as to the Eastern and Western Suburbs of Mumbai via Ghodbunder Road, JVLR, SCLR, Eastern Freeway, NH 8, Mumbai-Nashik Highway and the Thane-Belapur Road. Besides, the Central Harbour Rail Line, Thane-Panvel Rail Line and Central Railways connect Thane to Mumbai's railway network.

Future connectivity plans include the proposed metro rail that would run along the Ghodbunder Road with more than 10 halts within Thane itself. With the metro, the travel time between Thane and Wadala is expected to reduce by half. Other infrastructural developments on the cards include construction of the Thane-Diva Road, the flyover at Bhiwandi bypass, metro-3 project to Kalyan and Mira - Bhayander areas and parallel roads from Thane to Kalyan along the metro line.

Thane's Optimum Mix: Residential and Commercial

Mr. Vikas Jadhav, a 35-year old businessman, who recently settled in Thane, shared his experience with us. He said, "For the past few years, me and my family had started to feel the strain of Mumbai's fast-paced life. Commutation to my workplace at CST took 4 hours daily. My children too ended up spending unproductive time in travelling to their school, which was the only good school in a 10-km radius from our home. I wanted to relocate my house and my business unit to a place that offered good prospects for business, superb connectivity for my employees and that which would be ideal for my family's needs."

After taking a break to attend an official call, he continued, "I shortlisted Thane as I felt this suburb had seen holistic growth. It had many renowned schools and colleges. Besides, its cosmopolitan culture, presence of famous hospitals, easy accessibility of mega multiplexes and great weekend getaways for family made us look no further. Our decision was made." He smiled and said, "I can simply walk to my workplace now."

Speaking of Thane as a hub for residential and commercial purposes, a representative of Vijay Group and Suraksha Realty, said, "Our project, Orovia - The Land of Prosperity, is located off Ghodbunder Road at Thane. The place, coveted as a residential location, has also been attracting commercial organizations due to the development of many business parks and presence of efficient social and civic infrastructure." He further added, "Thane enjoys nature's scenic beauty. It offers amusement parks, botanical gardens and river-side promenades to its residents. Besides, Thane's central location, adequate public transport and multi-lane roads have undoubtedly made it a viable choice for both, home and office buyers."