Sattva Songbird

Sattva Songbird sits in Godavari Estate, along Budigere Road a short way from the Budigere Cross junction, in the Virgonagar and Nimbekaipura area, pincode 560049. This is the eastern fringe of Bangalore, where farmland is giving way to large housing projects. The developer has not published distances to offices or schools, so we give none here.

Your main road out is Old Madras Road. For work, Whitefield and KR Puram are the nearest big job and transport hubs, both reached by road. The airport is also reachable by road, which helps if you travel often. For daily shopping, retail spaces are planned inside the project, but in the early years expect to drive for most errands.

With more than a thousand households moving in over time, the approach roads will get busier. Drive from the site to your office at your usual hour and back again in the evening before you book. Look at how Budigere Road copes at peak times, and ask whether the project has more than one entry and exit.

Sattva Songbird lists seven plans, all as built-up area; carpet areas have not been published, so ask for them. The studio of about 468 sq ft starts at Rs. 67.3 Lakhs, and the one-bedroom of about 753 sq ft at Rs. 1.10 Crore. The two-bedroom of about 1,268 sq ft begins at Rs. 1.82 Crore.

The 2.5 BHK, about 1,389 sq ft, starts at Rs. 1.98 Crore. Three-bedroom homes come in about 1,733, 1,770 and 1,813 sq ft, from Rs. 2.43, 2.48 and 2.54 Crore. On every plan, the starting rate lands between about Rs. 14,000 and Rs. 14,600 per sq ft, with the studio and one-bedroom at the top end.

Since the homes are under construction, GST is charged on top of these prices, along with stamp duty and registration. Ask for a cost sheet that shows:

• Base rate and the area it is charged on
• Floor-rise and facing premiums
• Car parking charge and the bays included
• Clubhouse membership and maintenance deposit
• BESCOM, water and generator backup charges
• GST, stamp duty and registration as separate items

Sattva Songbird has no RERA registration number published for this project. Ask Salarpuria Sattva Group for it and check it on the Karnataka RERA portal at rera.karnataka.gov.in. Make sure the number covers this first phase and not Phase 2, which shares the same address.

While the towers are under construction, ask for:

• The RERA certificate for your tower
• Title deeds and an encumbrance certificate for the 16 acres
• The sanctioned building plan with your unit marked
• A draft agreement for sale with the handover date and delay penalty
• The construction-linked payment plan
• The list of banks that have approved the project

When your tower is finished, the occupancy certificate must be issued before you take possession. Then register the sale deed in your name and apply for the khata. Keep every payment receipt, since stamp duty is worked out on the full value stated in the deed.

Sattva Songbird puts 4 towers, the tallest at 28 floors, on 16 acres in its master plan. That leaves a good amount of ground between the buildings for gardens, courts and more than one clubhouse. The open-space share has not been published, so ask for the sanctioned site plan to confirm. Images you see are renders, as planned by the developer.

With multiple clubhouses, facilities can be spread out rather than crowded into one building. A morning run on the jogging track could lead into the gym or the pool. Children have a play area and an activity area, while older ones can take over the indoor games zone and the sports courts.

Evenings and weekends have more on offer. The mini theatre is good for a film night without leaving the gates, the landscaped gardens make an easy walk, and the party area handles birthdays. Retail spaces planned inside the project cover the everyday shopping list. Ask which clubhouse opens first, since the towers may be handed over at different times.