Look around in Delhi and you will notice that beautifully constructed houses are present in every nook and corner of the city. But, the moment you start searching for a nice place to stay, you begin to realise that all the decent residences are already occupied and there’s nothing left for you to call a home!
The house hunt experience, however, can be turned into a smooth ride with the help of social media. Other easy options to search apartments are mobile applications and websites.
While searching an apartment, location options and budget always happen to create roadblocks. To complicate matters further, brokers are forever ready with the promise of good places in return of a hefty sum. Generally, brokers charge anything between half a month’s rent to the full rent as their commission.
Next time, when you start looking for a house, these easy-to-use options will help:
Social media platforms are proving to be real saviours when it comes to finding a suitable house.
There are groups on Facebook dedicated to specific areas of Delhi-NCR. Some of the popular ones are: Flat and flatmates (South Delhi chapter), Flat and flatmates (Gurgaon chapter), Flat and flatmates (Noida) and Flat and flatmates (Delhi chapter).
These groups generally connect you to people who are residing in an apartment and are looking for flatmates to occupy the vacant rooms in the flat. An ordinary post in any of these groups, for instance, would read like, one room vacant in a 3bhk, fully furnished, rent Rs.15000, plus other expenses. Generally, pictures of the flats are also attached along with the post.
The advantage of these groups is that you directly connect with flatmates or house owners, so you can understand the temperament of individuals with whom you will stay in a house or landlords with whom you have to deal in future and take a decision accordingly.
Also, brokers often pose as house owners or flatmates in such groups. Sometimes authentic images are not provided. So, it is important to be careful, shortlist a few houses and then inspect the apartments before shifting. Another aspect one needs to keep in mind is to not share numbers with strangers. If required, one can chat using Facebook messenger and then decide.
Mobile Applications and Websites
There are an array of websites and mobile applications which one can refer while hunting houses in the capital. But, many websites do not offer much help, so it’s better to know which applications to install and websites to scan in order to avoid wasting time looking for options in the wrong place.
Here’s a list of the websites and applications that are reliable:
Magicbricks:
What makes Magicbricks stand out in the crowd is the fact that it provides a variety of options in every budget range across Delhi. There are many filters that one can apply while searching an apartment.
The specifications that the portal usually asks users to fill are – location, type of apartment required and budget. Along with information like size, number of bedrooms and whether the apartment is furnished or not, the number of the agent or owner is also provided on the website. Generally, Magicbricks is a good option while one is in the lookout for an apartment and not a shared flat.
Nestaway:
This is a one-stop shop for finding furnished apartments in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida and Faridabad.
In Nestaway, the apartments’ occupied by boys and girls are clearly specified. This portal is suitable for individuals who are single and are looking for a room in an apartment which is already occupied by others.
Besides the rent, the security that one needs to deposit is also mentioned. Also, the amenities that are on offer are listed.
Nestaway is a clear winner when it comes to a no-brokerage policy. Usually, property owners and individuals looking for apartments make their profile on the portal specifying their requirements.
There is a unique three days trial policy that this portal offers. Basically, if a tenant does not intend to stay in an apartment or dislikes the apartment within three days after moving in, then one just needs to pay move out charges (Rs.999) and the rent of the number of days’ that one occupied the house. The notice period and lock-in rules do not apply, if one vacates the apartment within the first three days, when booked through Nestaway.
However, one should always schedule a visit and inspect an apartment before signing the contract and making the payment.
Zocalo:
If you are new in the city and do not know which localities are nice and liveable, then Zocalo can guide you in the best possible manner.
In the portal, community members write reviews on localities and a neighbourhood profile is also provided along with pictures.
The options that are on offer on the portal are shared apartments, rental apartments and paying guest accommodations.
By specifying the requirements on the website, application or making a call to the portal owners, one can find a suitable flat. Their services can be availed for making rental agreements and they also provide the facility to shift luggage from one part of the city to another.
However, one major drawback is that the filter option doesn’t work very smoothly, especially on the mobile website, and one needs to search through the multiple options that are provided instead of looking for a specific locality.
But, authentic information provided by Zocalo and extra facilities made available truly makes them a perfect place to look for the ideal home.
