PIC / Sameer Markande

It's very difficult for a prospective home-buyer to get the house of his dreams, especially in Mumbai. There's nothing like a perfect house for the average home-buyer.  However, there are a few things that everyone should keep in mind.

Firstly, check the reputation of the developer.  This will save you a lot of trouble. Decide on the amenities that you will need on a priority basis. For example, you can always sacrifice a little on amenities if you feel that you are getting a better location, which might prove more advantageous.

If you really like a house, go ahead and buy it, rather than waiting for the prices to drop. Market fluctuations shouldn't be a criterion for you to delay your house-hunting or home-buying process. 

While some people find it tough to zoom into the perfect house, others can't even think of buying property in Mumbai. Housing in the city is well beyond the reach of the MIG.

In fact, any person with a budget less than Rs 50 lakh finds it tough to buy a house in proper Mumbai. The builder fraternity knows that the prices are beyond the reach of the average person, but creating mass housing in Mumbai is impossible.

The government should come forward with better initiatives if it wants to secure a home for one and all. Mass housing will be possible only when the government increases the FSI and makes it feasible for builders to construct in the peripherals of the city.

Then, we can come forward to make economy township projects in such areas. But we are yet to see a plan where certain areas are earmarked for residential projects. As of now, there's no demand for housing in the peripherals due to lack of basic infrastructure. People move to these areas only because they can't afford to buy in Mumbai.

So, what we need is good basic infrastructure here. It shouldn't take a person more than an hour to commute from such places to downtown Mumbai. This will boost demand for housing, which will encourage the builders to construct in such places. Also, once the right infrastructure is in place, the government should earmark areas for residential township projects. Mass housing won't be possible unless these requisites are met.

Look out for Runwal's wishlist for Mumbai next week