Godrej Lake Gardens

Godrej Lake Gardens has its address at 7th Main Road, Ambalipura, in the Harlur area off Sarjapura Road, pincode 560103. Sarjapura Road is a long-settled residential corridor in south-east Bengaluru. The Ambalipura and Harlur pocket has filled up with towers over the years, so shops, schools and services are already around you.

The flip side of a settled, busy pocket is traffic. Local roads carry a steady flow of cars through the day, and the rush hours can be slow. The developer has not published distances to offices, stations or schools, so none are quoted here.

Treat your site visit as a test of daily life. Drive to your office at the hour you would actually leave, then come back in the evening. Walk the lanes near the gate to see how the approach road copes when schools let out. Since the towers are finished and lived in, you can also talk to residents about the commute. Ask them about water supply and how the area has changed since they moved in.

Godrej Lake Gardens was built in ten plans, all measured in built-up area. There are single-bedroom flats of 752 and 871 sq ft, two-bedroom flats of 1,259 and 1,304 sq ft, and three-bedroom flats of 1,645 and 1,748 sq ft. The three-bedroom duplexes measure 2,203 and 2,236 sq ft. Two larger duplexes, of 2,884 and 3,070 sq ft, are the biggest homes. Carpet areas are not published, so ask the seller.

The developer has no stock left, so there is no list price. You agree a price with the owner, based on plan, floor, facing and interiors. Recent registered sales in the same tower are your best guide.

A resale of a completed home carries no GST, while stamp duty and registration are payable on the sale value. Put these points in the sale agreement:

• Agreed price and advance amount
• Parking bays that belong to the flat
• Maintenance paid up to the sale date
• Any corpus fund transfer
• Association transfer fee and who pays it
• Loan closure by the seller before registration
• Fittings and furniture included

Godrej Lake Gardens has no RERA number published. Ask the seller for the registration details from their original purchase, and look them up on rera.karnataka.gov.in. The entry will show the approved plan and whether the promoter filed completion.

For a resale, the papers of the flat and the seller come first. Before paying an advance, ask for:

• The occupancy certificate for the tower
• The registered sale deed in the seller's name
• Khata certificate and extract in the seller's name
• Receipts for property tax this year
• An encumbrance certificate since the seller bought
• The approved building plan showing the unit
• The loan statement and bank consent, if a loan is running
• A no-dues letter from the residents' association

Have a lawyer confirm the person selling is the person on the deed, and that ownership traces cleanly to the developer. Sign a sale agreement with the price, advance and registration date. After the sale deed is registered, move the khata into your name. Transfer the power and water accounts as well.

Godrej Lake Gardens places two towers of 18 floors on 12.5 acres, with a clubhouse, pool and landscaped grounds between them. Low density leaves generous ground around the buildings. Because everything is built, you can walk the grounds and see which side of each tower faces the gardens and which faces the road.

A normal day could start with a run on the jogging track or a workout in the gymnasium. The health centre is there for anyone who prefers a gentler routine. Children have a play area, and older ones can shoot hoops on the basketball court or use the other outdoor courts after school.

Hot evenings suit the swimming pool, and the games room covers rainy weekends. Birthdays and gatherings fit the party hall. Retail spaces inside the project handle small daily needs without a trip outside.

With 380 households, shared spaces are rarely packed. Ask the association for the current maintenance charge, and look at the gym equipment and pool area for wear. Ask whether any snag work from the handover is still pending.