Meeting Mr. Kapil Gandhi! Ooh La La!!
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| Mr. Kapil Gandhi, M.D., Sigma One Landmarks Pvt. Ltd. - promoters of Grand Stand on the other side of Mumbai Bangalore Bypass, next to 'Wonder Funkey' at Kothrud Pune 411 038 |
On Tuesday noon, i visited Grand Stand (www.grandstand.co.in). With an idea to meet the builders - either Mr. Chandrakant Bharekar, Chairman, or Mr. Kapil Gandhi, M. D., Sigma One Landmarks Pvt. Ltd. Developers of Grand Stand - on the other side of Mumbai Bangalore (Bengaluru) Bypass, next to Wonder Funkey - in Kothrud Pune 411 038. And you know what? Ooh La La! I met Mr. Kapil Gandhi!!
Mr. Kapil Gandhi himself explained the concept of 'a la carte Homes' - means, in short, a 2 BHK, a 2.5 BHK and a 3 BHK Flat in Grand Stand comes in 3 versions - 1) Standard 2) Club 3) Suite. 'Standard Flat' comes in a default layout and has standard specifications. Whereas, in the "Club" & "Suite" versions of the same flat, along with the changes in the layout (without any extra charges) of a flat , you get extra & higher specifications. Of course, you have to pay extra (Rs. 240 / 360 per sq.ft.) for these higher specifications.
I liked Mr. Kapil Gandhi's idea of offering 3 versions of each type of a flat in Grand Stand. Actually, more than the 3 versions, i liked that Mr. Kapil is giving importance to the property buyer's choice. In the days of "No Changes" policy - offering 3 options is too much!
In my many visits to their previous project - Sigma One, near MIT College, on Paud Road - site engineers, supervisors & sub-contractors have told me a lot about Mr. Kapil Gandhi's 'quality consciousness'. I have seen how sincerely they were developing it. But, at 'Sigma One' i never got an opportunity to meet Mr. Kapil Gandhi. So, though i knew that he had tried 'tailor-made flat' concept in Sigma One, it was a pleasure to hear it's refined version as 'a la carte Homes' in Grand Stand from him. I liked his passion to 'create' a good home. I appreciated his enthusiasm to take 'extra efforts' to satisfy the property buyers.
If i had been that Ravi Karandeekar - who was working in real estate advertising and marketing - i would have instantly become Mr. Kapil's fan! But, since i have stopped assisting builders to sell their projects and started helping property buyers to buy a home in Pune and writing Ravi Karandeekar's Pune Real Estate Market News Blog - to become a fan of any builder some juvenile idea and glamorous specifications are not enough. Now, Ravi Karandeekar looks for a well designed home, more carpet area at a competitive property price, construction technology & systems which assure smooth functioning and a long life of a property.
Property Rates of Grand Stand! Ooh La La!!
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| Grand Stand - next to Wonder Funkey - Kothrud Pune 411 038 - view from Mumbai Bangalore Bypass |
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| Grand Stand - on the other side of Mumbai Bangalore Bypass, next to Wonder Funkey - Kothrud Pune 411 038 - from NDA Hills |
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| Site & Office of Grand Stand - on the other side of Mumbai Bangalore Bypass, next to 'Wonder Funkey' - at Kothrud Pune 411 038 |
View Grand Stand, on the other side of Mumbai Bangalore Bypass, next to Wonder Funkey, Kothrud Pune 411 038 in a larger map
Mr. Kapil Gandhi told me that around 50 flats in Grand Stand were booked on the day of launch - on 4th April, 2011 - Gudi Padwa. All 3 BHK Flats booked! Initially, Mr. Kapil had opened only one building - 11 stories, 4 flats per floor - but because of the response, he had to open one more!
"I am not surprised! I was expecting such a huge response to your Grand Stand. But, your launch property rate Rs. 3851 per sq.ft. was a big surprise!," i told Mr. Kapil.
"That's our strategy! We always start at the lowest rate and go up. You know at what rate we launched Sigma One?," Kapil Gandhi asked.
"I think at 2700 & today, it's 5500. But, Mr. Kapil, your Grand Stand is in Kothrud. Not, in the river bed of Ram Nadi in Bavdhan or like SKYi Iris on the hills of Bavdhan! So, 3851 was too less," I said.
"From today, our rate is 4200 + floor rise & add extra for "Club" or "Suite" versions! We are reasonable. Those who booked at the launch are happy!," Kapil Gandhi said.
You may feel that i was trying to flatter Kapil by saying property rates at Grand Stand were low. No! I was trying to guess how sorry he was feeling for not having a good approach road to Grand Stand!!
Like many projects on the Mumbai Bangalore Bypass, Grand Stand also doesn't have a service road and no proper facility to cross the Bypass. Yes, now, i have stopped considering Mumbai Bangalore Bypass as a bad location. Because, in Pune real estate market, I know, small builders can develop projects only at 'not so good' locations. Because, all good plots - prime lands are grabbed by the 'Big Boss'. So, the small builders have to be happy with the 'leftovers'. So, the home buyers have a choice to live or not to live on Mumbai Bangalore Bypass. Builders in Pune - don't!
However, in case of Grand Stand, having a good approach road was a matter of just a few meters! If they could have managed to connect to Ved Vihar Road, which is just half kilometer away, Grand Stand would have direct approach road from the Paud Road. There was no need to go to Chandani Chowk and use Mumbai Bangalore Bypass! And the launch property rate of Grand Stand would have been at par with the property rates in Kothrud - not at par with the underwater real estate in Bavdhan!
"To some extent, we, the builders, are responsible for the roads. How can PMC construct the roads if we don't handover the land?," referring to the other approach road through Mahatma Society to Grand Stand, Kapil said. Isn't it sad that the builders who actually benefit from the infrastructure and who pay substantial development charges to Pune Municipal Corporation are as helpless as we, property tax payers, are?
Considering the profile of Mr. Bharekar, Chairman, Sigma One Landmarks Pvt. Ltd., i realized that hoping for a proper approach road and a subway to cross the Bypass for the Grand Stand and for any project on Mumbai Bangalore Bypass is just day dreaming! Either, you don't go for these properties - or, if you book, say "Ooh La La! I have something which Prime Minister of India doesn't have! A Grand Tunnel!"
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| In the Grand Tunnel under Mumbai Bangalore Bypass to Grand Stand, Kothrud Pune |
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| Grand Tunnel to Grand Stand - on the other side of Mumbai Bangalore Bypass, next to Wonder Funkey - Kothrud Pune |
Related Links:
1) Telephone Numbers of Grand Stand 91 8600 001 001/ 002 /003
2) Email: sales@grandstand.co.in
3) Visit to Grand Stand Kothrud Pune 411 038 - Photo-walk on Flickr
Related Stories:
1) SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2011
1st Quarter of 2011 - Most popular blogs on Ravi Karandeekar's Pune Real Estate Market News Blog
2) SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2011
March 2011 - Most popular blogs on Ravi Karandeekar's Pune Real Estate Market News Blog
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its nice Blog
ReplyDeleteaap ki blog me pune ke property ki bahut si jankariya hai
Very good stuff u have posting.. keep posting
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the above blog, Mr. Kapil Gandhi, M. D., Sigma One Landmarks Pvt. Ltd. reminded me a few points about "a la carte homes in Grand Stand Kothrud Pune 411 038. Mr. Kapil writes:
ReplyDelete"A la carte options do include options in floor plans like 'standard', 'club' and 'suite' and we do not charge anything extra for change in floor plans !
A la carte options also include change in specifications of internal flat like Italian flooring instead of RAK tiles, options in wooden floor, options in paint shade, different grades of bath fixtures like standard Kohler vis a vis Kohler Flip style and different modes of bath styles, mood lightning instead of standard Schneider switches, Italian sills instead of black granite and much more...
While our standard specifications are already high end, that is same as Sigma One Near MIT college, we give various options in upgrade of specifications !
These upgrade specifications come in three categories- "Standard" ( same as sigma one, Paud road ), "lifestyle" ( combination of Italian, RAK, Schneider mood lighting, Kohler premium range etc ) and " Avant-garde" ( full italian floor with combination of wooden floors, Flip range Kohler bath fixtures, Italian window Frames and much more )
While our " Standard " specifications are included in flat cost, " Lifestyle " and " Avant-Garde " will be charged extra at a nominal @ 240-360 /- per SFT !
We believe a persons home should be his own reflection, his style, his identity. This is why we are providing these options in floor plan, shades, styling and specifications!
We have a vision that no two flats in a project should be identical!"
Hello Mr. Ravi. We had visited Grand stand project on the first day of launch. We liked the project but were sceptical about other things like location and other resources. We had called you immediately to ask your opinion. You told us that, the price for that location is high. There are water issues and stuff like that. You said it's not worth investing there. That opinion, COMPLETELY mismatches with this blog of yours. Can you explain why is that?
ReplyDeleteDear Ashwini, does the blog say it's worth investing here? Do you expect me to be so direct on the blog as i am on the phone?
ReplyDeleteGood project ! beautiful
ReplyDeleteI visited grand stand in may this year and felt poor that I couldn't afford the price. 2.5 bhk was at around 56L start. and the when i said I need it for investment the salesman immediately said its not worth it (amazed by his honesty. and it is true as it is a place to live). but the approach was really difficult. stone throw away on the other side of expressway the access/facilities are good with property prices skyrocketing at 6K PSF at the least.
ReplyDeleteRavi sir! you never mentioned one disadvantage of buying societies very next to expressway as you get passing lights from vehicles through into your home all night (depending on the floor) and we witnessed this first hand in a property. I dont know how you would judge when prebooking without the structure where the light is going to pass on or upto which floor