House hunted

Many of my age group are just stepping into the The Great Indian Workforce. Housing for young kids like us is a real challenge. We are, as I see, not yet there to make a down payment and pick up a property to pay EMIs yet. We make good money to pay some reasonable rent. We are picky and choosy about whom we live with. We want to live independently and 'live it our way'. Food is important, but not as much as unwinding after a tiring week's work. For some of us, our private space is far more necessary than saving on those couple of thousands.

As I've been house hunting in Chennai for about 3 days now, I see that rentals have gone through the roof here for no apparent reason. Most of the houses that are now flying off the shelf didn't have takers a year ago, or maybe even 8 months ago. In 2007, houses that cost 2K are going for a bargain rent of 5k today. All this despite the fact the starting incomes have actually dipped. Work out the economics and it will show you that the situation is bizarre.

I responded to an ad for a single BHK house in Central Chennai (close to my work place in Nandanam). When I did end up at the location, I found the house to be well located, as in the approach road being tidy (which is a rarity here; no offence). The owner was a courteous gentleman who woke up from a relaxing siesta to show me the house. It was a cute little thing just right for a single person. I loved it. I could 'see' myself 'living' there. The house was 7 minutes walk to my office. It had a little hall, a cute little kitchen to fix the dishes and a small room. "Perfect!" I thought for a minute and decided to take it. I paid the owner a token of Rs 101 and told him I would arrange for the advance in 2 days time for which the gentleman kindly consented.

I came to my aunt' place with a sense of achievement. My first real estate deal was just finalised; it was a rental one, but a deal is a deal! I called on my mom to tell her that I had booked the place. Later in the evening as I sat discussing the place with my aunt, something hit me.

The house I was going to be living in had no windows. Not one. It dawned on me that I'd be spending the next couple of years in a box. And I don't plan to befriend Claustrophobia.

This morning, I called the owner and cancelled. At least, you want good cross ventilation in the house you live in. Coming to think of it, when the owner opened the door of the house for me to see, it was pitch dark as a burrow at 3 in the afternoon. As he turned on the lights, the darkness went out of the door along with my common sense.

In case your hunting for houses, I would suggest you to go with a prepared checklist of things your looking for in it. It makes life easier.