Why are smart IT Engineers in Hinjewadi booking a 2 BHK Flat (Rs. 66 - 73 Lakhs) / 2.5 BHK Flat (Rs. 80 Lakhs) / 3 BHK Flat (Rs. 91 - 97 Lakhs) in Pethkar Projects' Siyona at Punawale?:
There are some first time home buyers who consider 'a few more things' than just the location & the budget. I am always curious to know - what are these 'few more things' which play important role in home buying decision.
In fact, now, I have become more curious.
Some 10 - 15 years ago, when I was real estate salesman, it was easy to go beyond - location & budget.
At that time, Aundh & D P Road were the most prefered locations among Hinjewadi IT engineers. But, 'undeveloped areas' like Rahatani & Pimple Saudagar were offering Row Houses and flats - which were not available on D P Road and were less costly than a flat in Aundh. So, the smart first time home buyers took a risk of booking in Rahatani & Pimple Saudagar. Which were called Aundh Annexe, in those day. Now, they are happy about their decision.
Today, the undeveloped areas (Sorry! the developing areas!!) in PCMC, Tathawade - Punawale - Ravet - Kiwale, do not offer Row Houses. The current prices in these upcoming areas in PCMC ('Upcoming' sounds better than 'Developing', right?) are not exactly 'within the budget' of the majority. It is possible to book here only if both husband & wife are working and/or parents can support.
In this situation - when there is no unique property on offer - like a Row House - and the prices of the flats are not really within the budget - how come so many IT engineers in Hinjewadi decide to book a flat at Pethkar Projects' Siyona at Punawale?
Which are those 'few more things' - these smart flat buyers consider while booking a 2 BHK Flat (Rs. 66 - 73 Lakhs) / 2.5 BHK Flat (Rs. 80 Lakhs) / 3 BHK Flat (Rs. 91 - 97 Lakhs) at Siyona at Punawale? I was curious to know.
"Jitu Sir, why do people book at flat in Siyona?," I asked.
"Ask the flat buyers!," Mr. Jitendra Pethkar of Pethkar Projects, the developer of Siyona at Punawale said.
"Jitu Sir, you have disappointed me! I was expecting something like this - Ravi Karandeekar, people book at Siyona because of your blogs. One about the environmental clearance and one about the fair & transparent terms of transactions!!," I said.
"I am sure, you will be happier if the flat buyers say so! Right?," Jitu Sir said.
"Yes! You are right!," I had no option but to accept.
Engineering Karo...Shadi Karo....Ghar Kharido.....Sutras of Hinjewadi IT Engineers' Life:
"These three flat buyers are IT Engineers in Hinjewadi. They have done a group booking. They have done thorough research of all projects near Hinjewadi. I am proud of their bookings because they were very aware - well informed - & tough negotiators," Jitu Sir said.
"As good as the guys from Indian Real Estate Forum who did group booking at the launch of Siyona?," I asked.
"Yes! Talk to them!!," said Jitu Sir and organized a meeting at the site office of Siyona.
I was curious to meet these 3 guys. After a long time, I was going to meet the guys who have taken an informed decision. Otherwise, you know, recently, I have interviewed guys who have taken wrong decisions and have become victims of builders.
In these blogs on the victims of the builders - you come to know what not to do while booking a flat. Now, I am going to write about what to do while booking a flat.
This blog on the flat buyers in Siyona, for sure, would be positive & useful for the home buyers. (Afterall, providing useful information to the flat buyers is the main purpose of my blog.)
It was a pleasure meeting Mr. Abhishek, Mr. Bhavya & Mr. Ankit - 3 flat buyers of Siyona. Ankit had come with his baby. So, he couldn't participate in the interview. Abhishek & Bhavya gave the interview. If you view their video - Our journey of group booking flats in Pethkar Projects Siyona at Punawale - you will agree with me that - both of them have represented all of them - 3 couples of 6 IT Engineers - very well!
Before recording the interview, I had a long discussion with them. In that discussion, I found out exactly what were the "few more things" they have considered. These "few more things" were information about the infrastructural services, construction practices, policies & systems in Siyona.
Since, these guys have gathered this information by interviewing the builder - Jitu Sir - I decided to ask these questions to Jitendra Pethkar and make a separate video based on those questions - 8 Questions every flat buyer in Pune should ask a builder.
I requested Abhishek & Bhavya to tell the story of their property search. Of course, they have taken names of other projects. But they haven't said anything negative about them. Because, the intention was not to compare & prove that the Siyona is better than all other projects.
The intention of the interview was to describe - how these guys started their flat search based on the location and the budget - like all IT Engineers in Hinjewadi - but how they realized that there are a "few more things" which should be considered while booking a flat and how their journey ended at Siyona.
In this Hindi cum English interview, Abhishek & Bhavya, share a few important tips about buying a flat. For example - advantages of group booking, choosing the right type of the flat, buying resale flats, deciding the budget & saving for the down payment, right time to book a flat, searching online property listing portals for collecting information, usefulness of online property reviews, negotiating property rates & discounts, doing research about the builder's track record, the importance of interviewing the builder, how to rationalize your expectations about your dream home, how husband & wife have to respect & deal with each other's expectations and beliefs, baby or flat - what comes first, etc.
And an unique idea of - setting the deadline! If you want your dream home - you have to convert your dream into a goal - you have to set the deadline - because - goal is nothing but a dream with the deadline!
View their video interview. I am sure, you will enjoy it.
And, please, remember, without going on 'site', these 3 IT Engineer couples have succeeded in following three sutras of life - Engineering Karo...Shadi Karo....Ghar Kharido!
8 Questions every flat buyer should ask Mr. Jitendra Pethkar before booking a flat in Siyona at Punawale:
After interviewing Abhishek, Bhavya & Ankit, I met Mr. Jitendra Pethkar & told him my plan.
"Jitu Sir, I am going to play the role of a flat buyer & ask you a few questions about Siyona. Are you ready?," I said.
"Yes! I am ready!!," said Jitu Sir.
"Do you want to know what are the questions?," I asked.
"No. I am ready - always ready - to answer any question about Siyona. You know? Sometimes - if some buyer doesn't ask - I suggest to him to ask the particular question to me!," said Jitu Sir.
"Why?," I asked.
"See... I want the flat buyer to take an informed decision.....whatever that decision might be - booking a flat in Siyona.... or not booking in Siyona....the decision should be based on facts - not on misinformation or misunderstanding," said Jitu Sir.
Wait.... wait.... some of you might feel that Mr. Jitendra Pethkar is 'a flat buyer friendly builder'........Let me warn you.....Jitu Sir is a very shrewd businessman.....Jitu Sir is not trying to be a good friend of a flat buyer.....Jitu Sir....is protecting himself......safe guarding his interest......Jitu Sir knows that you can't hide anything from today's aware & assertive flat buyers..... as a builder - you can't succeed without 'Win Win' relationship with the flat buyers!
Jitu Sir is not pretending to be "A Good Builder" - you were always looking for.
Jitu Sir is making you a "A Good Flat Buyer" - so that you take the responsibility of your decision and never blame him for anything!
So, before you go ahead, ask yourself:
- Do I have the guts to become a good flat buyer?
- Am I ready to take the responsibility of my own decision?
Always remember that booking a flat in under construction project has some inherent risks. Still you are going ahead and booking a flat only because:
- 1) you know for sure that there is no risk from the builder's side and
- 2) you want to enjoy the benefits of booking a flat at under construction stage.
If you want to avoid the risk of booking a flat at under construction state - don't worry. Jitu Sir, is going to sell a few flats in Siyona at the ready possession stage! I know for sure. (And, of course, there is a second phase of Siyona - which will be launched when the first phase is ready for possession.)
My purpose is also the same. To make you a good flat buyer. I want you to make a decision of booking a flat in any project - only after asking these questions directly to the builder and only if you are satisfied with the answers! (Of course, if you wish, you are always free add a few more questions!)
After this disclosure, let us consider the questions - every flat flat buyer should ask before booking a flat.
1) Stability of RCC Structure & Safety Precautions at the Construction Site:
You know why this question has become important. Yes, because of the recent accident at Park Xpress at Balewadi. Not really. The fact of the matter is - quality of construction was always important for the flat buyers. But it was only about the constructed flat - mostly about the fittings, fixtures & finishing. This incident only amplified the question and made you to find out - what precautions a builder takes while constructing the RCC structure of the building.
Quality is the result of manpower and materials. That's why Jitu Sir says that his engineering team is working with him for more than 10 years. It means that, his team is experienced & committed. Jitu Sir also talks about the equipments - batching plant, labs & 7 days & 28 days cube tests of materials - in house as well as third party - at Siyona which assures quality of the materials.
Same about the safety. Construction is an accident prone activity. Being aware about the risks and being responsible about the risks - is the only way to avoid an accident. That's why at Siyona every engineer is responsible for the safety of the workers in his building. And to maintain this awareness, Jitu Sir conducts joint meetings of the engineers & the contractors regularly.
At one of the recent events organized by the builders association, one of the leading RCC consultants practically reprimanded the builders for not visiting their construction sites regularly and for not providing basic facilities to the construction workers as well as to the site engineers. "If you don't care for your workers - why would these workers work carefully?," The leading RCC consultant questioned the builders.
Point is - Visiting site sales office is not enough - visit the engineering office and labour camps at the site.
2) Civil Construction, Basic Infrastructural Services in the Project & in the Neighborhood:
Once upon a time specifications & amenities in the project were important considerations. Now, local authorities expect that every project must develop it's own basic urban infrastructural services so that the burden on municipal services are reduced. That's why before booking a flat, you have to know about water, sewage, garbage, power, fire fighting, parking, storm water services planned in the project.
In an area like Punawale where the process of urbanization has recently started, it's obvious that you would like to know when Punawale would be as developed - means as urbanized as - Pimple Saudagar. But besides transformation into urbanization, you have to ask what kind of basic urban infrastructural services are planned - yes, not only the D P Roads - but the water, sewage, garbage, power, fire fighting, public utility spaces like gardens - vegetable market - municipal dispensary - public transport etc - in Punawale, Ravet, Kiwale. Says Jitu Sir.
It means that your home buying decision should not be based only on the proximity to Hinjewadi - distance from Hinjewadi - but on the basic infrastructural services offered in the project & in the neighbourhood. If you don't do that you will end up paying irrational property price for buying a flat in Sus & Tathawade - the areas which are geographically close to Hinjewadi - and find that these areas are unsuitable to live because there are no basic urban infrastructural services.
3) Cracks, Leakage & Seepage in the flat:
You get possession of the flat. Within a few days / weeks / months after you shift in that flat you notice that curtain rods fall down, walls have cracks and there are leakages & seepages in ceiling & walls - outer as well as the walls between the bedroom and the attached toilet. When there are no rains - from where is the water seeping in on my livingroom walls? You start wondering. Unfortunately, you have no option but to live with it. You are living in your new flat but you are unsatisfied - you feel cheated by the builder. This has become a common tragedy. Yes! I have seen how ashamed & unsatisfied many flat buyers are about their new flats!!
You face these situations mainly because of careless construction done by the contractors and cost cutting & lack of supervision by the builder. In most of the projects the walls are plastered only on the outer surface. Not on the inner surface. POP is directly applied on the inner surfaces of the walls.
But at Siyona, outer as well as inner surface of the walls are plastered!
The cracks appear wherever two types of materials join each other - like a wooden frame & a brick wall - an aluminium window frame & a brick wall - RCC Beam & brick wall - including electrical pipes running through the walls. At Pethkar Projects standard construction practice is- first, chicken or fiber mesh is applied at these joints and then the plastering is done on the internal surface of the wall and then the POP is done. Now, though the two types of materials expand differently - cracks on the walls are prevented considerably.
See that - to cut the construction cost - your builder does not directly apply POP on the internal surface of the walls - without applying chicken mesh on the joint and the plaster on the internal walls.
To prevent leakages in the toilets, at Pethkar Projects, along with the conventional brickbat procedure, a chemical coating is also done.
You see water seeping marks on the walls of the flats because of the process of osmosis - the water in the materials under the flooring tiles raises up on the wall. To prevent this from happening - at Pethkar Projects chemical coating is done immediately after the brickwork is complete. So, that at the time of flat possession - you do not see yellow patches on the walls.
These steps assure that you will get satisfaction and value for money. Certainly, I am sure, you will proudly invite your friends & relatives in your new flat in Siyona.
4) Importance of Environmental Clearance & GRIHA:
Before you step out to search a flat you should check two things.
1) Loan sanction letter from your bank
2) Environmental Clearance Certificate of the project
Stepping out to search a flat without a loan sanction letter & EC is like going to the airport to catch a plane to USA without your passport & visa.
Everyday, I give this example to practically every alternate flat buyer who calls me on 91 98600 44110 - who seeks my advice about buying a flat in Pune.
When someone asks my opinion about any project in Maan - Hinjewadi - Sus - Tathawade - Pirangut - and of course, Wagholi - I ask him -
"You are working in IT. You are buying a 50 - 60 lakh flat. Great! Are you married? No. Good. Would you like to marry my sister? My sister is tall, slim, fair, great cook, has a job, earns around 50K per month. Only problem is she has a small - very small - hole in her lungs, her liver doesn't function well, her kidney has failed, her heart needs angiography, that's all.!"
"Will you say - "Yes, Ravi! I will marry your sister!!"
"NO! Right? You will refuse to marry my sister!"
"You will tell me - "Ravi, your sister is my sister! How can I marry her? You better take good care of her. Right?"
"Same about this project! How can you think of booking a flat in this project which doesn't have basic urban infrastructure services like water, garbage, sewage, waste, power, fire management services? Don't you know that all these services are as important as lungs, heart, liver, kidney in a human body? Can you remain fighting fit without these systems in your body? No! Same about this project. You will get a flat but you can't live in it - if these systems are not functioning properly. Agree?"
Till today, no one has said - "No. I don't agree!"
In his video interview, Jitu Sir, puts this mildly. He says that environmental clearance is about the environmental friendly basic infrastructural services and GRIHA is about efficient performance of these services.
To know more about Environmental Clearance of Siyona, please, click here to view his video interview in Marathi. (You can also visit my blogs on the violation of environmental clearance scam of builders, politicians & bureaucrats in Pune.)
Jitu Sir is one of the few builders in Pune who is serious about not only getting pre-certification but he is 100% committed to actually implementing it in Siyona. Of course, this is not just a promise. In his previous project - Pethkar Samrajya in Shivtirth Nagar on Paud Road Kothrud, he has implemented it quite well. (I am proud of him for that, because I live in Shivtirth Nagar!)
You know? Besides comfortable & sustainable living conditions - your flat in Siyona will give monetary benefits too! Your property will appreciate well and according to star ratings of GRIHA - PCMC will give you discount on property tax!
5) About policies, systems & transparent transactions in Pethkar Projects' Siyona at Punawale:
1) Siyona No Infrastructure & Development Charges -
Remember Vijay Sagar's Hindi YouTube video on the Tips & Precautions for the first time home buyers in Pune? It is one of my most popular videos. Nearly 24,000 views & 330 likes. In that video Vijay Sagar has described how builders in Pune extort money from the flat buyers under the name of infrastructure & development charges and has appealed to the flat buyers to refuse to pay these charges to the builder.
Many aware & assertive flat buyers took it seriously and refused to pay these charges to the builder. However, most of the salesmen at the site told them that if they want to book a flat then they have to pay the infrastructure charges.
Obviously these flat buyers asked me - "Ravi, do you know at least one builder in Pune who doesn't take infrastructure & development charges?" -
"Yes, of course! Pethkar Projects' Siyona do not take infrastructure & development charges. Jitu Sir is not collecting these charges way before I recorded this video!," I used to tell them. Here is the link to the cost sheet of Siyona - have a look!
Siyona Cost Sheet -
2) Siyona 30 % Loading on the Carpet Area of the Flat -
Yes! The cost sheet is available on the website of Pethkar Projects' Siyona!
On cost sheet of Siyona, you will find the flats numbers opened for booking at this point of time.
The carpet area of the flat - yes, carpet area - the area inside the four walls on which you can lay your carpet - is mentioned.
In the next column - you will find the area of terrace.
Yes. Like some criminal builders in Pune, area of the terrace is not added into the carpet area of the flat.
Since, some criminal builders in Pune are still coating illegal saleable area of the flat - for the flat buyers' convenience of comparison - saleable area of the flat is also mentioned in the cost sheet of Siyona.
You will admire Jitu Sir for giving the formula of how he has calculated the saleable area - Saleable Area = 1.3 x Carpet + Terrace
It means that at Siyona loading is only 30 per cent. That 30 per cent loading is only on the carpet area of the flat.
Loading is not charged on the terrace.
I am sure, you will congratulate Jitu Sir for it.
3) Siyona - No Stamp Duty, No Registration Charges, No Service Tax, No VAT - Offer -
Since, there are no infrastructure & development charges at Siyona - after the column of agreement cost - you will find columns of stamp duty, registration, service tax and vat. Of course, at this point of time, Siyona is offering - NO Stamp Duty+ No Registration Charges + No Service Tax + No VAT Scheme - it means that if you book today - you can save minimum 8 lakh rupees!
The grand total of the flat price is, of course, after discount offered at this point of time.
4) Siyona Same Property Price All Over the World -
Did you notice one thing - while I am writing this blog - Jitu Sir is participating in a property exhibition at Singapore. It means that he is not quoting 'special rate' for the property buyers in Singapore!
Displaying cost sheet on the website of Siyona means you may be in Pune or in New Jersey, in Seoul or in Sydney, in London or L A, in Dubai or in Delhi - you pay the same property price!
5) Siyona No Maintenance Charges -
And the grand total on the cost sheet includes the maintenance deposit. Yes, deposit! Not maintenance charges but deposit. From Rs. 3 to 4 lakhs deposit - you have to pay at the time of flat possession. It means that the builder of Siyona is not going to spend these monies. The builder is only going to collect these monies and handover the entire fund to the society when the entire project is completed. You can read more about this in the question on this topic below.
6) Siyona Possession Dates -
At present, 14 story 6 towers in Siyona are under construction. The date of possession of every tower is mentioned on the cost sheet -Tower B & C - Wing B1 & B2 and Wing C1 & C2 - 31st March 2018 and the possession of Tower A - wing A1 & A2 - 31st December 2018.
These possession dates are commitments - which you are told when you visit the website on the day one! Who does this in Pune? Only Jitu Sir!
7) Siyona Month Wise Time Table of Payments -
Every builder gives you slab wise payment schedule. The cost sheet of Siyona goes one step further and gives you approximate dates too! And if you consider the current status of construction 10th slab is casted - means the construction is going on as per the schedule.
When you know all these details about pricing & payment schedule - the moment you visit the website for the first time - it is very convenient for you to make a decision whether to explore the website further and visit the site or not. Right?
Siyona Take Informed Decision -
"Downloads" on the website of Siyona is a very important section. The download section has PDFs of 4 important subsections which you can download - again - the moment you visit the website of Siyona from wherever you are - at Berlin or Boston - :
1) Siyona Cancellation Policy
2) Siyona Discount Policy
3) Siyona Protocol Policy
4) Banks Approved
5) Brand Approved.
1) Siyona Cancellation Policy -
Entire population on planet earth knows how difficult it is to get your money back from the builder if you cancel your booking or agreement. But not at Siyona!
And the most convenient thing is - you know about cancellation charges & process of refund well before you pay a single rupee to Pethkar Projects!
The moment you visit the website of Siyona - you know everything about cancellation - have a look:
1) Yes! You read that - if you cancel your booking before registration of agreement - the entire amount you have paid - will be refunded to you within 15 days.
The entire amount - no cancellation charges at Siyona - You know? Some criminal builders in Pune charge 10 % of the booking amount. Some criminal builders in Pune charge 10% of the agreement value. Siyona doesn't cut a single rupee. Siyona refunds the entire amount you have paid!
Within 15 working days - Siyona refunds your entire booking amount within 15 days from the cancellation application. You know? Some criminal builders in Pune - refund your booking amount only after your cancelled flat is booked by someone and only when that dude pays that much amount to the builder. It means that, you cancel your booking and till you get back your booking amount keep on singing -
Hare krishna hare krishna, krishna krishna hare hare
Hare rama hare rama , rama rama hare hare
Hare krishna hare krishna, krishna krishna hare hare
Hare rama hare rama , rama rama hare hare
2) Yes! If you cancel your registered flat agreement - Pethkar Projects will charge you only Rs. 25,000 against administration charges and will refund the paid agreement value within 15 working days.
When you cancel the registered agreement - IGR of Maharashtra does not refund your registration charges. You get refund only of stamp duty, service tax & VAT. Of course, you have to do the follow up with IGR.
3) What if you feel that some other flat is better than you have already booked? Yes! You can book that flat - at the rate on the day of the change.
It means that you do not have to wait to book a flat till your parents come down from Bhopal. You can book a 2 BHK Flat - 104 in the Wing A1 of the A building - today and feel free to change to 3 BHK Flat - 904 in Wing C2 of C Building - if your parents insist. Good. Isn't it?
2) Siyona Discount Policy -
In their video interview - Our journey of group booking flats in Pethkar Projects Siyona at Punawale - Abhishek & Bhavya talk about - without any negotiations - on their own - at this point of time - how builders in Pune offer upto 500 rupees discount on the printed price list. That's why they were shocked when Kanchan, salesperson at Siyona, refused to give any discount - other than the standard discount on the group booking - published in the Siyona Discount Policy on the website.
But they didn't give up. All of them demanded to see the builder - Jitendra Pethkar. Assuming that only Jitu Sir has an authority to give more discount than the published discount policy. However, Jitu Sir disappointed them completely! Impressed by his decision these guys did the group bookings at Siyona. Why?
- Only because they were convinced that they were paying the right property rate.
- All of them realized that at Siyona they are going to get the value for their money.
- All them understood that they are booking a flat with a builder whose financial health is very strong.
- All three couples were convinced that Jitu Sir who is refusing to give more discount to get their bookings - will never cut corners to save the construction cost. It means that their finished flat would be exactly as per the concept presented to them at the time of booking.
3) Siyona Referral Policy:
These realizations have opened one more venue for them - The Referral Policy! As a flat buyer in Siyona - after the registration of agreement - they can confidently refer their friends - who have never visited or enquired at Siyona - and earn 1 % commission on the agreement value - after their friends register their flat agreements!!
4) Siyona Rate Protection Policy -
At this point of time, to get the enough number of bookings, builders in Pune have no option but to reduce the property prices. Obviously, if your builder reduces the property rate - the same reduced rate should be applicable to you. Right?
Otherwise, you will be considered as a fool who took a risk of booking at the early stage of the construction by paying much higher rate than those who took less risk & booked at the advance stage of construction and paid less rate than you! Right?
Certainly, no wise Hinjewadi IT Professional would have booked a flat in Siyona if Jitu Sir had not offered Rate Protection Policy. The learned members of Indian Real Estate Forum would not have done group booking at the launch of Siyona!
What about you? At this point of time, would you book a flat with a builder who is not offering rate protection policy?
Nope. Never. Right?
5) Siyona Brokerage Policy -
To sell their junk properties when criminal builders in Pune offer up to 4 % commission to the brokers to catch the naive flat buyers who are financially & intellectually weak, I feel very sorry for theses brokers.
I ask them - when you know that the builder is treating these naive flat buyers like a herd of sheep & goats at the time of the booking - eventually, at the time of possession, is going to butcher them - how can you call yourself property brokers?
The question is not only about morality & ethics. It's about the business.
How can you expect any business from the guy who has suffered because of you?
By misleading someone - you may earn 4 per cent today. But what about tomorrow?
If you want to remain in this business of property broking - better sell flats in Siyona.
You may earn only 1.5 % today. But the same flat buyer in Siyona will keep on giving you his and his friends business for the next 100 years.
Because, the flat buyers in Siyona are financially strong and they are from good families.
My dear broker friends, when you serve successful young guys - you serve yourself. You secure your future.
6) Siyona Protocol Policy -
Most of the time flat buyers are angry with the builder because there is no clarity about the terms of transaction between the buyer & the builder. In the absence of clarity - flat buyer expects something very simple from the builder which builder refuses or avoids to do. The flat buyer takes builder's refusal as an exploitation - an injustice - a crime and flat buyer vs builder fight starts.
Jitendra Pethkar has experienced this at an early stage of his career when he stopped teaching engineering classes and started looking after Pethkar Projects' Samrajya in Shivtirth Nagar on Paud Road in Kothrud. The flat buyers from his projects posted lot of complaints on the web - including on my blog. Jitu Sir replied to all complaints. He started attending every complaint. When flat buyers understood that he is attending their complaints - they stopped posting online.
While dealing with flat buyers' complaints, Jitu Sir realized that the best way to avoid complaints is to publish the terms of transaction between the builder and flat buyer at the beginning itself. And Siyona policies were born. Now, before you book a flat at Siyona, you know exactly what you can expect from the builder and what you cannot. It means that Jitu Sir not only identified & defused the points of clashes between the flat buyers and the builder, but he also gave specific commitments to the flat buyers. As we have seen in the cancellation policy - he has given commitment to refund your entire booking amount - without cutting a single rupee as cancellation charges - within 15 working days.
So, the intention of these policies is not only to remove ambiguity and publish terms of transactions - but also to give specific commitments in writing at the beginning of the flat buyer builder relationship.
For example, in this protocol policy - Jitu Sir specifies when you can visit your flat and at the same time retains the right to give or not to give permission with himself. It means that, if your childhood friend drops in the city for a day - you may not impress him by taking him to your under construction flat in Siyona - if Jitu Sir refused to give permission and you can not complain against him.
The internal & external changes in the flat is always a big issue between the flat buyer and the builder. Not at Siyona. Because in protocol policy published on the website of Siyona - Jitu Sir has already announced that - no internal or external changes will be accepted. Not only that! Jitu Sir has made it clear that - No item within the flat shall be cancelled. It means that - instead of vitrified tiles - you can not order him to put marble flooring in your living or can not demand - Jitu Sir, please, do not to put vitrified tiles in my living and pay me the cost of tiles! No. You can not demand something like this. You have been informed in advance - before booking - in the protocol policy published on the website of Siyona.
Since these terms of transactions are based on experience - the policies will keep on evolving. New terms would be added. Because the intention is to avoid conflict between a flat buyer and a builder by sharing information in advance. So, before booking a flat read the Siyona Policies carefully.
7) Siyona Login - Information on Your Fingertips -
The flat buyers can login on the website of Siyona and access their account. In this account they can see two things:
1) The registered agreement to sale of their flat and all documents related to it.
2) Payments details.
It means that, when you book a flat at Siyona, wherever you may be, the flat related documents are at your fingertips. Which is very convenient for busy IT Professionals in Hinjewadi and for NRIs.
Keeping flat buyers in the dark about the penalty interest on the late payment installments and demanding it at the time of possession is the common practice of the criminal builders in Pune.
"You will not get possession of your flat unless you pay these penalties" - most of the flat buyers in Pune will tell you that their builder threatened them like this.
Of course, many times payments are delayed. Sometimes, the flat buyer is responsible for the delay. Sometimes the builder. Problem is - by the time of possession no one remembers who was actually responsible for the delay.
At Siyona you will never face this issue. Your payment details will always be available to you in your login account. You will always be in the know. Never in the dark.
Criminal builders in Pune use 'ambiguity' as a weapon to exploit the flat buyers. That's why, you will find that there are very few builders in Pune who provide login facilities to the flat buyers.
Point is never book a flat with a builder who doesn't offer login facility - like Siyona offers.
8) Siyona Photo Gallery -
After every 15 days - photographs of the construction status are uploaded on the website of Siyona as well as on the Facebook page of Pethkar Projects and personal profile of Jitendra Pethkar. Because of this wherever you are - you can monitor the progress of construction.
Actually, shooting and posting photos on the website and on the Facebook is not a big deal. Yes, not a big deal - if the construction is progressing as per the schedule - if the project is not stalled - if the builder considers that he is answerable to the flat buyers!
When most of the builders in Pune don't know that they are in the business of providing service to the flat buyers - why would they bother to report progress of construction to their paymasters?
Actually, it's not about the photos. It's about the builder's attitude.
So, book a flat only with the builder who every fortnightly posts photographs of the construction progress on his website and on his Facebook page.
It means that, like Jitu Sir, he knows that he is a service provider and you are his paymaster.
It's the duty of a builder to report you what he is doing.
6) At Siyona - No Maintenance Charges at the Time of Possession!:
In real estate development business, everyone knows that, profitability is very high. Irrationally high. Builders in Pune believe that considering the high risk in this business they deserve to earn exorbitant profit.
When the profitability is so high - why do these builders do not miss a single opportunity to loot flat buyers? From booking a flat to giving possession of the flat - and even after flat possession - builders keep on looting flat buyers. Sometimes the loot is called - cancellation charges, sometimes charges for NOC, sometimes maintenance charges. The name keeps on changing and looting continues.
But not at Pethkar Projects' Siyona!
I have already told you - at Siyona there are no charges of cancellation of booking, there are no infrastructure charges, no MSEB charges, no development charges, no legal charges, no society formation charges and you know? There are no maintenance charges at the time of possession!
At the time of possession you pay only Rs. 3 - 4 lakhs maintenance deposit. This maintenance deposit will be kept in the separate bank account. Jitu Sir will never touch that account. When the entire project is ready he will handover that maintenance deposit to the society. Look! How rich your society would be. Assuming that there are some 600 flats in Siyona - the society will have maintenance corpus of some 15 - 18 Crores! Just imagine with this corpus how well you can maintain your society and how much property appreciation you can earn!
But, how Siyona will be maintained till the society is formed?
Is Jitu Sir going to spend money from his own pocket to maintain the 1st phase of Siyona?
No! Like all builders in Pune, Jitu Sir also is in this business to make money. Lots of money. But not to make money like other builders make. Not by looting the flat buyers. Jitu Sir wants to make money like a businessman. He is going to keep your maintenance deposit in the bank - but he is going to use the interest earned on that deposit to maintain Siyona till the society is formed.
But what if the interest earned on maintenance deposit is not enough to maintain Siyona properly?
No problem! If extra money is required - Jitu Sir will spend that much money from his pocket!!
Does Jitu Sir believe in Dan Punya?
No! Jitu Sir is a smart businessman!! He knows that whatever money he will spend on the maintenance - whatever effort he will take on appointing and supervising the maintenance agencies - will pay dividends.
Just imagine - you have taken possession of your flat in the first phase of Siyona - and your friend - who is searching a flat near Hinjewadi - comes to your new flat on the 12th floor in the B Building - what will be the first question of your friend? - "Kitne me liya?" - Right? - and what would be the second question - "Maintenace kitna dete ho?" - Right? - because your friend is as smart as you are - he knows that - Ghar Lena Aasan Hai - But maintain karna is very difficult - just like a marriage - Shadi karna aasan hai - but Shadi nibhana very difficult - Right? - Just imagine - what will be your friend's reaction when you will tell him that you are not paying any maintenance charges! - your friend will say - Mere liye bhi ek book karwa de! - Right?
Whatever extra money Jitu Sir will spend from his pocket - will be marketing & advertising expenses of the second phase of Siyona! Of course, and the commision paid to you for referring your friend!!
Point is - if any builder demands maintenance charges at the time of possession - teach him Jitu Sir's business model of maintenance!
(Any means - any builder in PCMC or PMC. Because if you suggest this model to a builder in the fringe village - he will beg you to give him chullu bhar pani - so that he can end his life by jumping in it right now - I hope you know why this model will not work in the fringe villages!)
7) Impact of RERA on Pethkar Projects' Siyona at Punawale:
Authentication of the project & protection to the flat buyers are the main intentions of RERA. RERA will assure that the builder has all necessary sanctions & approvals before the project starts accepting booking and the builder will use the maximum money collected from the flat buyers for the development of the same project. Because of this the flat buyers' investment will be protected.
Pethkar Projects develops - one project at one time. For example at this point of time Jitu Sir is developing only Siyona at Punawale. Obviously, there is no question of diverting money paid by the flat buyers of Siyona to acquire land for the next project. Claims Jitu Sir in his video interview.
Launching project without obtaining sanctions & approvals is not a practice of Pethkar Projects. Though Jitu Sir has purchased the plot of land, he launched Siyona nearly after one & half years - only after environmental committee gave clearance.
"Even when there was no RERA - I didn't indulge in unethical business practices - protection to the flat buyers - our policies - like rate protection & cancellation policies - are already offering more than enough protection to the flat buyers - so the impact of RERA on me would be minimum," says Jitu Sir.
Point is - law can not stop the crime. Law only punishes the criminal. So, before booking a flat in Pune make sure that the builder follows ethical business practices. Don't book a flat with the builder who accepts pre launch bookings - bookings without obtaining all necessary sanctions and approvals. Don't book a flat with the builder who has launched multiple projects. Don't book a flat with the builder who have violated environmental clearance.
8) Mr. Builder, can we talk?
Jitu Sir is always available for the flat buyers. You can talk with him on Indian Real Estate Forum. You can talk with him on the Facebook. You can talk with him on Twitter. Of course, you can write an email to Jitu Sir. And if you wish you can meet him in person.
In fact, I suggest that you must meet Jitu Sir before signing the agreement of your flat in Siyona.
Why only Jitu Sir?
In whichever project you book - you should sign the agreement only after meeting the builder. And only after confirming that the builder himself is available on Email, on Facebook & Twitter. If the builder is unavailable & unapproachable - refuse to sign the agreement.
If you do not have the guts to refuse to sign the agreement - accept that you are not born to book a flat at an under construction stage of the project.
No problems! Go for a ready possession flat with completion and occupancy certificate. Paisa feko aur ghar kharido.
Yes! To buy a ready to move in flat what all you need is 'money'. Not Jitu Sir. Not Jitu Sir's policies. Not these 8 questions. Right?
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