Arvind Skylands

Arvind Skylands stands on Shivanahalli Village Road, pincode 560064, where Jakkur runs into Yelahanka on the north side of Bengaluru. By the developer's figures the main road is roughly 1.2 km away and Kogilu Junction roughly 1.8 km, so you are a short hop from Airport Road without living on it. That last stretch is a village road, so drive it once in the rain before you decide.

The airport is the obvious destination and is reachable by road, though the developer has not published a drive time. Jakkur is described as a fast-growing residential area with green surroundings, which is worth testing on foot. The developer says schools, hospitals, workplaces, malls and banks exist in the wider area, without naming any. Ask the residents which ones they actually use and how long each takes at school-run hour.

Working out the commute is the real job of a site visit here. North Bengaluru has grown fast, and Airport Road carries much of that growth at peak hours. If your office is in Yelahanka, at Manyata or near the airport, the position works. If it is in Whitefield or Electronic City, the drive across town is long, and you should test it before you fall for the price.

Arvind Skylands publishes three layouts, all quoted as built-up area: roughly 1,057 sq ft for the two-bedroom flat, 1,284 sq ft for the 2.5 BHK and 1,482 sq ft for the three-bedroom flat. Carpet areas have not been published. Since the flats are built, take a tape measure and check the bedrooms yourself; the half room in the 2.5 BHK is the one whose real size decides whether it is a study or a cupboard.

Starting prices run Rs. 66 Lakhs, Rs. 82 Lakhs and Rs. 93 Lakhs for the three layouts in that order. Divided by the published areas those come to about Rs. 6,200, Rs. 6,400 and Rs. 6,300 per sq ft. The developer also states a rate of Rs. 3,899 per sq ft, which does not reconcile with those prices. Both numbers are given here; ask which is current and on what area it is charged.

A completed flat in a block with its occupancy certificate carries no GST. Stamp duty and registration apply to every purchase. Ask for a cost sheet that shows:

• The price of the exact unit, with any floor or facing premium
• The area the rate is charged on
• Car parking and the number of bays
• Clubhouse membership and the maintenance deposit
• Monthly maintenance per sq ft as the association charges it today
• Stamp duty and registration on the full consideration
• Written confirmation that no GST applies

Arvind Skylands lists BBMP/BDA approval, but the developer has not published a RERA registration number. A project handed over from March 2020 may or may not have needed registration, depending on its launch date. Ask Arvind Smartspaces for the number and check the Karnataka RERA website (rera.karnataka.gov.in). If there is no entry, the occupancy certificate becomes the document that matters most.

For a finished flat, whether bought from the developer or an owner, ask for:

• The occupancy certificate for your block
• The sanctioned building plan showing your unit and floor
• Khata and the latest property tax receipt for the flat
• Title documents and an encumbrance certificate covering the five acres
• A draft sale deed, since a completed flat registers on a sale deed, not an agreement to sell
• The parent deed and the developer's original allotment, if you are buying resale

From an owner, add a no-dues certificate from the residents' association, proof that the parking bay is transferred with the flat, and copies of the electricity and water bills in the seller's name. At registration, get the khata moved into your name and keep the receipt with the deed.

Arvind Skylands spreads eleven blocks of nine floors across five acres, with 417 homes and the shared facilities between them. The open-space share has not been published, but because the project is finished you do not need a drawing. Walk the grounds and see how much is garden, how much is driveway and where the visitor parking is. Ask for the sanctioned layout anyway, so you can confirm that what stands matches what was approved.

A morning here could start with yoga or a jog on the track, then the gymnasium or a few laps in the swimming pool before work. The basketball court and the outdoor courts fill up after school, while the smaller children have the play area and an activity space of their own. Retail spaces within the compound handle the bread-and-milk errands without a trip to the main road.

Evenings go to the clubhouse, with its games room, table tennis and indoor games, or to the spa on a slow weekend. The community hall and the party area handle birthdays and the festival calendar, and landscaped gardens fill the space between the low blocks. CCTV covers the compound and security is round the clock. With the residents' association now several years old, ask for its accounts, its maintenance rate per sq ft and its record on repairs.