Casagrand First City

Casagrand First City stands at Cheran Nagar in Perumbakkam, Chennai 600100, a residential area close to Sholinganallur. Sholinganallur is a hub of the OMR technology belt, with a large share of the city's IT offices. For shopping and errands, a drive takes you to Velachery or Medavakkam.

No distances or travel times have been published, so we do not give any. If you work on the corridor, drive from the gate to your office at your usual time, then return in the evening rush. Sholinganallur junction is one of the busiest points in south Chennai, so the trip may vary a lot by hour.

Schools, hospitals and shops are spread across the surrounding localities. Before you book, pick the school you would use, the hospital with an emergency ward you would go to and the market you would shop at. Time each trip from here.

With 1,693 homes, rush hour at the gates is a real factor. Ask how many entrances and exits the township has, which one serves your block and how visitor parking is handled. Check whether buses or shared autos stop near the gate for anyone in your household who does not drive.

Casagrand First City offers six layouts. The published sizes are not labelled carpet or saleable, so ask for both.

• 1 BHK, about 646 sq ft, from Rs. 30.3 Lakhs
• 2 BHK, about 987 sq ft, from Rs. 43.2 Lakhs
• 2 BHK, about 1,264 sq ft, from Rs. 61.9 Lakhs
• 3 BHK, about 1,360 sq ft, from Rs. 63.9 Lakhs
• 3 BHK, about 1,846 sq ft, from Rs. 90.1 Lakhs
• 4 BHK, about 2,320 sq ft, from Rs. 1.13 Crore

On these starting prices, the 1 BHK comes to about Rs. 4,700 per sq ft and the smaller 2 BHK to about Rs. 4,400. The other plans fall between about Rs. 4,700 and Rs. 4,900. Starting prices usually apply to lower floors, so ask for the rate on the unit you want.

Homes that hold an occupancy certificate carry no GST. Stamp duty and registration are extra in all cases. Ask for a cost sheet showing:

• Base price and the area it is charged on
• Floor-rise and facing charges
• Car parking and number of bays
• Club membership and maintenance deposit
• Stamp duty and registration

Casagrand First City has no RERA registration number published so far. Ask Casagrand for it and search it on the TNRERA website, where you can see the promoter, the registered blocks and the completion details. A township of 19 blocks may have been registered in phases, so ask which registration covers your block.

Since construction is complete, the key question is whether your block has its occupancy certificate. Before paying, ask for:

• The occupancy certificate for your block
• The approved building plan showing your flat
• Title documents and an encumbrance certificate for the land
• A draft sale deed with the carpet area stated
• Details of the parking bay allotted to you

A completed home is registered with a sale deed, not an agreement for construction. If you are taking a home loan, the bank's legal team will review the same set, which gives you a second check at no extra cost.

After registration, transfer the property tax assessment and the electricity connection into your name. Join the residents' association too, and ask for its latest accounts and the sinking-fund balance.

Casagrand First City has 19 blocks rising as high as 16 floors across 15 acres, arranged around shared green space and a club that Casagrand calls its largest. Images you see are renders as planned by the developer, but with the project finished you can compare them with what stands on site.

A typical morning here might mean a run on the jogging trail or a session in the gymnasium, then a swim before work. If you work from home, the business centres give you a desk and a meeting room away from the family. Retail spaces inside the township cover daily shopping without a drive.

After school, children can use the play area and the hobby zone, or join a game on the outdoor courts. On a rainy day, the activity area and indoor games room keep them busy. Landscaped gardens run between the blocks for an evening walk.

Birthdays and festivals can go to the party areas. With nearly 1,700 households sharing these spaces, the big question is upkeep. Ask how the club is managed, what the maintenance charge is and how bookings for the pool and party areas work at weekends.