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Sarjapur Calling!

sarjapur-calling

The nation’s IT capital Bengaluru has established itself as a prime real estate destination for Grade A office space as well as residential options at competitive prices. The phenomenal growth of Bengaluru has led to the development of several micro markets and Sarjapur in the south-east corner of the city is one such prominent hub. Well-connected to key IT cluster areas like Whitefield, Electronic City and Outer Ring Road, Sarjapur is witnessing rapid development of commercial and residential projects. Continue reading “Sarjapur Calling!”

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The Handy Pest Control Guide For Your Home

pest control guide

Pest infestation is any home owner’s worst nightmare and can lead to major problems such as structural damages and serious health consequences for you and your family. Keeping your home free from pests including rats, termites, moles, house mice, ants, cockroaches, and squirrels is absolutely essential. Always remember that pests are usually attracted to warm spaces and seek water in your house. These unwelcome guests move to a place where they can survive and their needs are met.

If left unchecked, pest problems can get out of hand and spread to neighbouring apartments and houses. Instead of detecting and handling the pest problem every time it strikes, it is advisable to have a solid prevention strategy in place. Continue reading “The Handy Pest Control Guide For Your Home”

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Terrace Gardening, an Urban Movement

Rapid pace of urbanization has led to an equally rapid decline of greenery in Indian cities. The effects of reduced green cover, like high ambient temperatures and increased dust pollution, are getting worse by the year. It has forced citizens, especially in urban areas to take matters into their own hands.

Take the example of Dr. Vishwanath Kadur from Bengaluru. He is not only the founder of the wildly popular Organic Terrace Gardening group on Facebook but also the founder of ‘Oota from your Thota’, Bengaluru’s urban organic growers’ congregation.

terrace gardeningCourtesy – Oota from your Thota

When he observed the open, unused spaces on rooftops in Bengaluru, he realized that they could be easily converted into green roofs. This would not only make the house a little cooler, it would also provide fresh, unadulterated fruits and vegetables to the residents. And the idea of terrace gardening was born.


Courtesy – Oota from your Thota

Like Dr Kadur, many citizens have adopted terrace gardening in a big way. With growing concerns about the ill effects of pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables, growing your own food has now become a movement in many parts of India.

happy new year 2020 images

A survey by Trace One found out that 92% of consumers reported that it is somewhat or very important to know where their food is coming from. Aware of the fact that staples like rice and wheat cannot be grown in-house, they have started growing vegetables, herbs and even fruits in their backyards, rooftops and even balconies.

No rooftop, no problem!

Small spaces or lack of space is not an excuse anymore for urban farmers. It is an opportunity to improvise. From turning old dressers into multi-level planters to adding tiny terrariums to their home decor, apartment dwellers are finding innovative ways to go green. Some are even taking up vertical gardening by mounting pots, planters and jars on the walls of their balconies.

Hanging pots and baskets from the ceiling of the balcony is another great way to save space. Attaching planters to balcony railings frees up floor space and doesn’t hinder movement in compact spaces.

Some urban farmers are also using mason jars, pickle jars and even old bottles, instead of heavy garden pots. These tiny, affordable and easily available objects are perfect to plant herbs as they take up less space and can be accommodated almost anywhere.


Roll up your sleeves!

With a growing number of online social forums sharing tips and tricks of terrace and balcony gardening, starting your own little home farm is now easier than ever. Whether you live in an apartment or an independent house, all you need is a little patience, a bit of imagination and the willingness to get your hands dirty!

 

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Get on the Move

Last year, Bengaluru began one section of its Namma metro service in the east-west corridor, carrying 100,000 commuters a day, giving an escape from the overcrowded Bangalore roads. The city breathed a sigh of relief!

Bengaluru has an underlying association with constant traffic. Its traffic-choked roads have seen the addition of roughly 500,000 vehicles in every financial year. In 2016-17, the total number of vehicles in the city crossed the 60-lakh mark.

Every year there is constant increase of 5 lakh vehicles on road

With an increasing number of private vehicles hitting the roads in a city that can barely handle existing traffic, the metro is expected to give some respite to regular commuters. According to the RTO Karnataka lists, 61,08,936 vehicles operate in the Bengaluru Metropolitan area as of March 2016. In March 2015, 55.59 lakh vehicles were recorded while a year earlier, the vehicle numbers were 50.50 lakh.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has set out to change exactly that.

The inception of Namma Metro in or Bengaluru has made it easier to travel to different parts of the city including outlying suburbs, riding over traffic jams. Once the entire 42 km stretch becomes operational, the ridership is expected to grow from 1.8 lakh to 5 lakh per day. The metro is now used by 7 plus crore commuters using it since its inauguration in 2011.

Considering that a good majority of them use it at least 5 times a week, the metro will play a large role in reducing traffic congestion. It also provides those who work far from home with a convenient travel option, as well as an alternative mode of travel during ab/bus strikes. A good example of this was last year’s transport strike the metro helped around 2 lakh commuters travel safely to work as well as get home.

The Red metro line to save us from Manyata congestion

The expansion plans of Metro aim to ease traffic on busy roads such as the Outer Ring Road. The proposed red metro line will have three stations—Hebbal, Yelahanka and KIA—with a possible chance of a station near the Manyata Tech Park, an upcoming IT hub. With techies frustrated that it takes an hour just to get out of the Tech Park, the Metro service in the area will definitely improve commuting times. Not only that, the Metro service will also give residents in the area a quick and convenient mode of transport to reach the heart of the city. The proposed new metro line and stations will be in close vicinity to areas like ORR, Nagavara circle and Thanisandra main road, allowing upcoming housing projects to be well connected within the area as well as to places like MG Road and the airport.

The Metro will bring convenience of commute for all its residents in the area and make it easier to travel to the heart of the city as also provide a means to get to the airport faster. With our latest project called Here & Now, off Thanisandra Road, we have a contemporary and comfortable home with an excellent social infrastructure. To know more, https://www.assetzproperty.com/hereandnow/

 

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Whitefield- Drivers for Residential Property

Introduction

If one were to note down all that makes Bangalore a city that catches attention for all the right reasons, they would end up with an exhaustive list. Leading in spheres of Information Technology, outsourcing, education and cleanliness- to name a few- the Bangalore conglomerate houses cosmopolitan crowds, expats, businesspeople and more. If the influx of 1000 people a day isn’t testimony enough to its liveability, its 10% economic growth per year surely is. (Knight Frank)

The city has the lowest vacancy levels amongst seven major office markets (Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Chennai, Kolkata). Developers have not only consistently kept up with the market dynamics but have also successfully had occupiers take up any new supply that they have put out. (JLL India)

Introducing Whitefield

Whitefield Main Road
Image Source: Magicbricks  

Like most success stories, Whitefield started at the bottom and was once a barren, hardly inhabited land.  When the then Maharaja of Mysore, Chamraja Wodeyar IX- 200 years ago- gave away a portion of the land to Anglo Indians and Eurasians, not only did Whitefield get its name, but also its identity. In-fact, with the IT boom to aid this transformation, Whitefield went from being the least frequented land to one of the most sought-after localities in Bangalore. What was once barren is now abundant with IT-Parks.

A major suburban locality in Bangalore, Whitefield is also one of BBMP’s (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) most important parts. However, rapid growth and IT presence has had its toll on Whitefield. The luxury of self-sufficiency turns into a necessity in Whitefield since it’s known for not just extremely slow moving traffic, but absolutely stagnant traffic for hours on end. Projects are underway to ease this with decks being cleared for two grade separators at Kundalahalli Gate and Hope Farm Junction as well widening of the Graphite India Junction amongst others.

The Roads To and From Whitefield

Whitefield Railway Station
Image Source: India Rail Info

Whitefield is bordered by Mahadevapura, Marathahalli, Bellandur and Krishnaraja Puram. These areas are lined with big names in the IT-world like Saint Gobain, Tata, IBM, Intel, Life Tree and more. Considering the importance of an IT-zone such as Whitefield, connectivity was one of the biggest focus points of this area as it was being developed (and today).

As a result, the area is well connected, be it via road, rail or (in the future) metro.

In terms of railways, the Whitefield Railway station which is situated in Kadugodi witnesses a flurry of trains going from its platform every day. This primarily involves trains to and from  Mysore, Chennai and Kolar. The station is also expected to be elevated in status to being a junction once the quadruple lines being laid are completed. Yeshwanthpur Railway Station is an hour’s drive away, while the Marathalli station is 7 km away.

When it comes to roadways, 3 km from the Railway station is the Whitefield Bus-stop. BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) buses provide easy intercity access from Whitefield with both regular and Vajra (AC) buses frequenting all bus stops in the area. The more popular ones are Vydehi Hospital Bus Stop, Forum Value Mall Bus Stop and the Whitefield Bus Stop. Airport buses frequent these major bus stops as well. The locality also has two four-lane roads, namely Whitefield Road via Mahadevapuram and HAL (Old Airport) road via Marathahalli, that connect Whitefield to other parts of the city.

Whitefield couldn’t do without a metro line and hence in the proposed Phase II of Namma Metro, there will be a line connecting Byappanahalli to Whitefield, which is expected to take the ease of connectivity a step further.

What Whitefield Has To Offer

VR Bengaluru, ITPL Main Road
Image Source: BuzzInTown

Often known to make its residents self-sufficient and self-contained, Whitefield-despite its excellent connectivity- leaves no reason for long distance travelling due to its excellent social infrastructure and amenities. Infact, considering peak-hours traffic, this was a requirement for the area that it has stepped up to.

In terms of education, there are schools affiliated to all boards (national and international) and the more popular options are Whitefield Global, Ryan International, St. Thomas and The Deens Academy School and Ryan International amongst others. Colleges and institutions for higher education include Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, and Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Institute of Bioinformatics.

High-end healthcare options are available with major hospitals like Narayana Multi-Speciality Hospital, Columbia Asia Hospital, Cloudnine Clinic, and Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital in the area. Needles to say the region also has quite a few specialty clinics and pharmacies.

Vivanta by Taj, Whitefield
Image Source: Pinterest

Coming in an arguable third in terms of food joints and restaurants (after Indiranagar and Koramangala) Whitefield has big names in the hospitality sector like Vivanta by Taj, The Zuri Whitefield, MGM Mark Whitefield, Royal Orchid Suites, and Bengaluru Marriott Hotel. In terms of good food and nightlife, it has restaurants like The Bungalow, The Egg Factory, Burger King, Herbs & Spices, The Fat Chef, and Ji Hazoo and the more popular Windmills Craftworks, The Biere Club, Harry’s Bar + Café, The Irish House, Whitefield Socials, Oliver’s Pub & Diner and more.

When there’s a good commercial belt in an area, shopping and malls are an imperative. Whitefield has the best to offer with Phoenix Market City, Forum Value Mall, VR Bengaluru, Inorbit Mall, Ascendas Park Square and more. PVR Cinemas and INOX offered at Phoenix and VR Bengaluru are frequented by residents. VR Mall is known to have the only H&M store in Bangalore and the only other Adidas Originals store in Bangalore (after Brigade Road) Whitefield is known to have India’s first entertainment and retail mall Virginia- partnership between Virginia Developers and Smaaash Entertainment. Needless to say the area also has abundant numbers of hypermarkets, supermarkets, grocery stores and general stores as well.

Clubs like the Whitefield club, Palm Meadows club apart from parks are available as well.

What Whitefield Promises To Have

What makes an area worth appreciation is the promise of future growth and potential. The proposed Metro railway line aside, Whitefield continues to grow.

This includes the upcoming Embassy Mall on Whitefield Main Road as well as Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train special services between Yeshwanthpur and Whitefield.

Considering traffic-issues, road widening projects have also been proposed for Kadugodi Road and Chinapanahalli.

The Case of Sai Baba Ashram Road

Sai Baba Ashram Road
Image Source: Image Mitula

Development flurry in the core of Whitefield has left little space for much else. As central Whitefield moved out of bounds, the focus shifted to an area that’s just off Whitefield, the Saibaba Ashram Road. This area is rapidly developing and witnessing new residential projects from several noteworthy developers. Reasons for appeal of Saibaba Ashram road include – improved six-lane connectivity to the city and direct connectivity to the airport via Budigere cross. Few office and IT Parks are already functional here such as the Beary’s 1 million sqft global research park. This has led to the prices of Apartment, Villa and Plot in Sai Baba Ashram to rise.

Why Invest In Whitefield

Whitefield Road
Image Source: WikiMedia

Nothing shows promise like a property close to IT-sectors. With Whitefield being in and surrounded by them, the worth of the area goes only higher. Giants like Wipro, IBM, CS and Oracle have set shops in the area and with its proximity and connectivity at an all time high, the demand for homes in Whitefield has always been high. Expats, businesspeople, IT professionals come in every day in Bangalore and would desire a home close to work spaces.

Considering the client description of the average property buyer in Whitefield, most homes offer luxurious spaces and comfort of living. If one were to closely study patterns in properties in Whitefield, they would notice high-end projects delivering the best of all worlds.

Since Bangalore is growing on all sides and further away from the centre, it’s but understandable for buyers to want an all exclusive space that reduces every need for travel even as they maintain to notch facilities.

Hence the most interesting properties are those that offer various conveniences within gated complexes. Also considering the traffic that Bangalore, and particularly Whitefield is known for, most buyers look for homes that are self-sufficient, offer green spaces (Whitefield) and that limit travel to the maximum.

An apartment in the area is easy to rent out, keeping in mind how most people who travel to Bangalore for work, would look at the area as their top preference. Properties here are available from Rs. 4500-8500 per sq ft (Knight Frank, 2016).

The more popular builders in this area are all based in and around Sai Baba Ashram Road, which include Assetz, who have their project Marq offering 2,3 and 4 BHK apartments with self-sufficient facilities of a commercial complex and school for every neighbourhood in their 28 acre project, Adarsh Serenity with 3 and 4 BHK all inclusive villas and Prestige White Meadows which include apartments as well as villas offering ultra luxury.

Other builders in the area include Sobha, Nitesh, Keystone Properties, Sterling, Mahaveer, Mantri, Janapriya, Goyal and Co, Hariyana Group and Goel Ganga Group.

With relative property value stability and steady development, Whitefield is a good choice for property investment. Most builders in Whitefield are top notch and hence ensure that they are through with necessary legalities and paper works, thus easing the burden on non-residents.

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Assetz Marq- Specifications

Whitefield- An Introduction

Bangalore’s popularity for being the IT-capital and a leader in the spheres of outsourcing, education and cleanliness often collides with its notorious traffic. For a city that experiences a growth rate of 10% every year (economic), it’s no surprise that more than 1000 people make the city their home, every day. The Silicon Valley in the East is home to several IT Parks and start-ups as well. The process of the city turning into a concrete jungle is directly proportional to the increase in traffic on the roads. Home buyers, hence, look for townships that offer not just location benefits of being close to their workplaces but also have good social infrastructure to minimize travel as much as they can.

Whitefield’s popularity as an IT-hub comes from its connectivity to Mahadevapura, Marathahalli, Bellandur and Krishnaraja Puram apart from being home to several IT-Parks itself.   With big names like Saint Gobain, Tata, IBM, Intel, Life Tree and more in close proximity, Whitefield is at the top of the list for most people who come into the city.  This led to development of social infrastructure and public infrastructure. Whitefield has some of the most popular malls in the city, good schools and restaurants as well as a well-connected network of roadways, railways and (in the future) the Bangalore metro.

Whitefield- Properties On Offer


Despite Whitefield having its share of perks with location, infrastructure and connectivity it is notorious for its traffic. As Bangalore continues to grow further away from its centre, an all exclusive space that reduces every need for travel (all amenities and more included) is a given for buyers. To add to this, with most buyers being expats, business people and IT professionals, luxury is expected out of the properties. Considering these needs and desires of the average property buyer in the location- most homes in Whitefield offer luxurious, all-inclusive spaces. One glance at all the properties in Whitefield, and high-end projects delivering the best of amenities and offerings would stand out. A characteristic home in Whitefield is luxurious and limits travel to the offices. The real difference, then, lies in how self-sufficient it is and what amenities it offers. Popular builders in the area include Assetz, Prestige and Sobha.

Prestige Group has its property The Prestige Park View on Hope Farm Junction. The project offers 2 BHK and 3 BHK luxury apartments. The property offers basic amenities like indoor games, swimming pool, gymnasium, maintenance staff, outdoor sports, garden, 24 hr backup, and security along with modern amenities like WiFi, intercom, club house and rain water harvesting. The project also has a temple on the campus.
Sobha Limited’s more popular projects in Whitefield include Sobha Avenue and Sobha Habitech. Sobha Avenue in Whitefield, offering well designed 3BHK apartments. The project has all the basic amenities along with a play area. Sobha Habitech, meanwhile, has 324 units of 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms homes with amenities like a fully equipped gym, multipurpose hall, library, TT court, badminton court and others.

Assetz Marq- Self Sufficient Living


Assetz Group’s Marq takes the need for all-inclusive homes in Whitefield quite seriously. The expansive plans consider the growing pollution and need for space in Whitefield. This is apart from what’s desired in a home in the area- luxury and comfort. Assetz Marq on Sai Baba Ashram Road aims to provide smart homes and luxury living while catering to every possible need of their residents. Shapoorji Pallonji Engineering and Construction Company which has built a stellar reputation for itself in 100 years of their experience, has been entrusted with the construction responsibilities of this project. The project offers 2BHK and 3BHK homes, each ranging 1245 sq ft to 1639 sq ft. Marq’s unique quotient isn’t limited to a single factor and the project offers several things that make it stand out.

The first feature that makes Marq stand out is the fact that it’s a mixed development. The project not only caters to residential needs, but also commercial needs. With a 5 acre large commercial establishment, Assetz is set to feature a school, a food court, service apartments, IT- business shopping complex. This ensures that residents are literally a walk away from their necessities.

The second feature that makes Marq special is its design. The mind behind the project is Mr Ross Bonthorne who brings with him his experience of Australian design and living. His plans offer adequate space and light in each home. The project is also equipped with green technology like rainwater harvesting system and disposal systems. The construction technique used is Mivan Technology which is leagues ahead of the more common Conventional Technology.

The third feature that sets Marq apart is its child-friendliness.  Apart from the school that makes going to school a commuting-free task, child-safety is of utmost importance at Marq. Each building has an open space at the ground level for children to play in. A child-monitoring system by Fibre-to-the-home technology helps parents keep track of their kid’s whereabouts at all times. Children’s play area has also been maximized.

The fourth feature that makes Marq different is its tech-friendliness. Apart from the collaboration with Fibre-to-the-home technology, Marq uses technology to offer ease of living to its residents. This includes entertainment, carpooling arrangements, child safety and amenities.

The fifth feature that makes Marq stand out is its amenities on offer. Marq doesn’t just offer regular amenities- it adds a modern spin to it. Not only does the project have a club house, but it has a clubhouse for each of its neighborhood. Each club house comes with a gym with all modern facilities, indoor and outdoor games.

A self sufficient gated community of the size of MARQ is rare at Whitefield and it comes fully loaded with social and infrastructure amenities one would require for convenient living.