Vaishnavi Houdini

Vaishnavi Houdini is at Abhyudaya Nagar in Bandlaguda Jagir village, pincode 500086, on the west of Hyderabad, a belt that expanded as the IT offices moved this way. The closest neighbourhoods are Narsingi and Kokapet. The developer has not published distances, so time your own journeys before you commit.

If you work in the Financial District or Gachibowli, both are reached by road, and that drive will shape your weekdays. Leave the gate at your normal start time and time the trip, then drive back in the evening peak. Three towers of households leaving together can slow the gate, so watch it around eight in the morning.

For everyday life, the surrounding neighbourhoods have schools, hospitals and shopping, and a supermarket inside the complex covers basic groceries. Pick the school you have in mind and drive there at drop-off time. Find the nearest hospital with an emergency ward and note how long it takes at night. Because the towers are lived in, ask a few residents how their own commutes work out. Walk the approach road after dark as well, to check lighting.

Vaishnavi Houdini has eight plans, all quoted as built-up area. The 2 BHK homes measure about 1,193, 1,269, 1,437 and 1,476 sq ft, starting at Rs. 76 Lakhs, Rs. 80 Lakhs, Rs. 90 Lakhs and Rs. 92 Lakhs. The 3 BHK homes measure about 1,804, 1,909, 1,963 and 2,028 sq ft, from Rs. 1.10 Crore, Rs. 1.16 Crore, Rs. 1.19 Crore and Rs. 1.23 Crore.

That comes to about Rs. 6,400 per sq ft on the smallest home and about Rs. 6,100 on the largest. Carpet areas have not been published, so ask for them and a dimensioned plan of the actual unit. Floor and facing can shift the final price above these opening figures.

A completed home with an occupancy certificate carries no GST, but stamp duty and registration apply to every purchase. Ask for a cost sheet that shows:

• Base price and the area it is charged on
• Floor-rise and facing premium for your unit
• Cellar parking and the number of bays included
• Clubhouse membership and maintenance deposit
• Society transfer fee on a resale
• Stamp duty and registration on the full value

Vaishnavi Houdini has no RERA registration number published by the developer. Ask Vaishnavi Group for it and check the entry on the Telangana RERA (TS-RERA) portal before you pay any token amount. The entry shows the promoter, the approved plan and the completion details for the towers.

Because construction is finished, you are buying a completed home. Ask for:

• The occupancy certificate for your tower
• The sanctioned building plan showing your flat
• Title documents and an encumbrance certificate for the survey numbers
• The latest property tax receipt for the flat
• A no-dues letter from the residents' association
• A draft sale deed to read before registration

The land is recorded under several survey numbers, 46/AA/1, 46/E/1, 46/EE/1, 46/U/1 and 46/UU/1, so make sure the title search covers all of them. If you buy from an owner, ask for the earlier sale deeds and proof that any home loan is closed. After registration, move the property tax and utility accounts into your name, which serves the purpose a khata does in other cities.

Vaishnavi Houdini holds three towers of 15 floors each, built over two cellar levels and a stilt floor, with 585 homes in all. The share of land kept open and the total site area have not been published. Since everything is built, compare what you see on the ground with the brochure images, which were renders as planned by the developer.

A weekday could start on the jogging track or in the gymnasium, followed by a swim. The clubhouse, at 27,000 sq ft, is the centre of the community. A supermarket inside the complex handles the milk and bread run, and children have their own play area and the landscaped gardens to run around in.

Evenings and weekends have more on offer than usual. Vaishnavi Cinemas, the in-house theatre, covers movie night without leaving home. The spa and steam bath help after a long week, while the multipurpose sports courts and indoor games room keep teenagers busy. Birthdays and festivals go to the multipurpose party area. A clubhouse this size costs money to run, so ask for the monthly maintenance charge, how bookings work, and see how well the facilities are kept today.