Reasons for Buying a Small House

Recently my friend bought a smaller flat and this past week, I got to see it for the first time, During our stay, I was surprised at how often my friend commented that they “ they just love their smaller flat”. I was not so surprised that he felt that way but I was surprised at the frequency of the comment, he kept repeating the same thing time and again.

I sat down with him and asked him to list all the reasons, why he is so happy in a smaller apartment the reasons he gave is what I like to share.

The main reasons people buy larger apartments/homes:

•  They “outgrow” their small one.

•  They hope to impress others.

•  They think that a large home is the home of their dreams.

• Another reason people keep buying bigger homes is that nobody ever tells them not to, nobody gives them the reasons that they may actually be happy in a smaller home.

So, let us try and give reasons why you`ll actually be happier in a smaller house, before listing the reasons let me narrate a story:

Warren Buffet one of the world`s richest man lives in a five bedroom house bought in 1958, today valued at $700,000 today , almost ten per cent Indians would be living in a house more expensive than that. The man whose known public wealth is $53 billion and counting can easily afford the biggest of the houses possible but believes that wealth is not created by investing but also by avoiding unnecessary expenses.

The inference that we draw out of this story is that we can be comfortable and happy in a smaller flat, and it could turn out to be a smart choice as well.

Now let us go through the reasons for buying a smaller apartment/house.

•  Easier to maintain: Anyone who has owned a house knows the amount of time, energy and effort is required to maintain it, the bigger the house the whole effort of maintaining it gets magnified even more however a small house requires less of your time, energy and effort to maintain it.

• Less Expensive: Smaller houses are pocket friendly hence are less expensive to purchase and subsequently the recurring expenses like maintenance, electricity bills, house tax etc. are lesser.

• Less temptation to accumulate: If your house is small the temptation to acquire new things will be less since there will be no room, this will stop all the unnecessary expenses which you would otherwise do if you have a bigger house.

• Increase of Nuclear Families: With the concept of nuclear family is on the increase in India a smaller flat makes more sense than bigger ones.

• Less Debt: If you go online you will find so many sites on EMI calculators they will give you exactly how much you will have to pay every month as your EMI based on your net income, savings, if there are any current loans etc. You will be surprised to see that no matter what your net income is the risk incurred in buying a small house/flat is relatively less and the amount you would be saving can be used frugally somewhere where you get good returns and become financially stable and happier.

•   Environment Impact: A smaller house requires less resources to build hence environmentally it benefits all of us.

•  Family Bonding: A smaller home actually encourages family bonding because it results in family members socially interacting even more than it would in a bigger home, this brings families closer.

• Resale:A smaller house is an affordable house that also means that it is also affordable to a large percentage of population making it easier for you sell it if you want to, effectively and quickly.

Buying a house is a very personal decision that you make and in a small blog you cannot sum up the all the factors, as end user or an investor only you will know all the variables that will come into play when you are making your decision.

Are Indians ‘Flat’ over the Flat Culture?

In the ever changing world, nothing is constant but space. The population is increasing, the wishes and desires of people are increasing, but the space available for them is just the same as it was before. Why do you think the culture of ‘havelis’ and ‘bungalows’ is perishing in India? The unmanageable population? The rising trend of nuclear families? 

 

Each of these reasons is a possible explanation for the increased demand of flats in India. People are preferring small 2-3 BHK flats in comparison with bungalows or duplexes. What has made Indians move away from the ‘luxury’ of bungalows to apartments?

The first one is obviously lack of space. India’s population is so high that if everyone settles for a bungalow, we would someday have to move out of our country for space. This necessity gave rise to the tall apartments that shelter many families in spite of not taking up much ground space. The problem of scarcity of space has been dealt with very well in this way.  Also, with growing culture of nuclear families, people started settling for smaller houses, flats instead of large ones. As it is, when you have a very large house, maintaining it requires a lot of time and attention. Not to mention an enormous amount of money. It is said that lakhs of rupees have to be spent for the maintenance of the bungalows on Alipur Road and Sainik Farms etc. in Delhi. So why not go for a comfortable 3BHK flat and spare ourselves the horror of cleaning and maintaining each nook and corner of the house? With more and more families having two earning members or more, the trend for a small cosy home has really shown magic with apartments being a big hit in many cities.

For nuclear families, as they are quite common, more than joint ones, buying a nice cosy flat is easier in monetary terms than waiting to collect money to buy a bungalow. As per the demands of the buyers, the flats can be bought in easy installment plans, without putting much pressure on the customer’s shoulders.

Another perk of living in a flat is that it makes you mix up with people from different cultures, states and religions. As it is, you do not control who is going to be your neighbour when you buy a house. And most of the times, the Residents Welfare Associations of different colonies organise any get together parties and other functions that allow you to mix with different families in the neighborhood and lead a healthy social life. People living in apartments together become like families, a feeling that is often missed in many colonies. And for today’s work-prone-recreation-deprived families, mix-ups like these are very important. 

Living in apartments also instils a feeling of security among the residents. It becomes very inexpensive and trouble-free to hire security personnel for the whole apartment, or to leave the children under neighbors’ care if something urgent comes up. 

Various real estate companies have undertaken projects to construct apartments in various cities in India. The Flat Culture is full-on successful in major cities, and it is growing every day to reach the innermost cities of India. And with years passing, the designs and architecture of these flats have become so less space consuming and efficient. People can build so beautiful homes in the limited space they have. Also, architects have come up with designs that make even small spaces look bigger and open. The culture has developed so much that every day new designs for construction are being approved in the remotest cities of the country.

One such company that takes into account all desires and dreams of the people while making designs is ‘Mona Townships’. All its ongoing projects, Mona Greens and Mona Greens II in Zirakpur, and Mona City and Jade Business Park in Mohali are perfectly suited to the desires and wants of its customers. Carefully planned and designed, Mona Townships’ Projects make sure that the residents of the flats have the time of their life during their stay in the flats. The interiors and exteriors are all set according to the expectations of the residents, making full and efficient use of the space and land provided. And the best part of it, is the location of the projects. All the real estate projects are situated in major areas in Mohali and Zirakpur, Mona Greens on VIP road in Zirakpur, Mona City on famous Khazar-Landran Road in Mohali and Jade Business Park in sector 90, Mohali.

 

 So if you really are ‘flat’ over the flat culture, and are planning to buy a 3/4 BHK flat in Mohali, Zirakpur and nearby areas, you know what and where to search for.

Go for comfort that you will always remember.

The Unmatched Confidence built over the years

The story behind the success of all achievers in the world is the story of confidence and hardships. The same goes for the achievers of Mona Townships, one of its kinds. The leaders behind the project of Mona Townships, Mr. Tejinder Pal Setia and Mr. Warangan Kr. Ralhan are the assets of the company. Three decades ago when they began with construction business, imagine the kind of hardships they must have gone through. There are so many things that go into paperwork itself. Experience gained in these three decades is what is coming out as perfection today.

Let’s have a walkthrough of the life of youngsters today.

Comparing the leaders with today’s youth.

When we youngsters face mess in our lives, we go on to create a fuss about it. Girls tend to become the drama queen and men store their frustrations only venting it out on the wrong people. We can well imagine the negative consequences of such behaviours. Creating drama out of a little inconvenience in their lives is the sign that they are not strong enough to face the hard facts of life. The young boys who easily get frustrated when work is not done according to their ways, their frustrations come out in the wrong shape. Today’s youth in general do not have much patience and want success at the earliest. For the youth longing for success at an instant, there can never be a guarantee of long term stability. Without creating a base or a foundation, the concrete walls is ought to collapse. 

The Foundation

Youngsters think that they can have their own ways of dealing with the success and success is all about money and just money. No doubt money defines power, but without re-defining your own skills the walls can topple down anytime. Money comes and goes, but skills can never be taken away from you. And that should be the motive of every youngster. On the contrary what they do is settle for jobs that are high paying, but is discouraging and atrocious making them feel as if the world of self respect never existed and yet they keep on working in the decrepit environment. The reason being that their bills are being paid and it’s solving most of their family issues. They don’t have enough courage to realize that their self- respect is being damaged by such jobs. To chase money is the work of a fool. Damaging the self-esteem has never done well to anybody.

Hard Work, from which many run away, thinks that easy money is the only solution. They have a mindset that lives are based out of luck and there is no prime importance given to hard work. There is simply no substitute to hard work. Instead work on skills empowerment, work on things that make you different from the rest, and the realization that there are just so many things in the world to explore your skills with. Even if getting an education is not under your budget, then keep improving the skills that you have and there will definitely be a market where you can sell your skills, then see the change it will bring in your personality and you can savor the taste of hard work.

This is what a foundation is defined as, for any person who is oriented towards making a good career out of their lives. Building up skills is the only foundation one can think of. For even constructing houses, the prime importance is to build the foundation without which the house will soon face its disastrous results; similar concept goes with the lives of human beings.

Willingness to endure 

Life has ups and downs, During the time of struggle when there is need for endurance, most of us back out at the thought of crisis. But that is not how it should be. For enduring with circumstances is when we know we have to become stronger. Running away from crisis can never be a solution to it. If life has its happy moments, it’s obvious that it has its own set of tough times.

Times, when we begin enduring the tough times is also when we get stronger and then we are aware that we can handle just any situations of life. That is how many leaders have taken risks, crossed the barriers and have stood through times easily. That is when stability and sustainability comes to play.

Experience Counts so does sustainability

When we commence doing any work, we are ought to face the nuances of the jobs that is assigned. Once we deal with a hindrance, the next time if a similar kind of hindrance needs to be dealt with it will not be a problem. Gradually there will be thousands of hindrances that need to be dealt with. If anyone quits while facing these problems, then there is no chance that one can reach anywhere. However, for non-quitters this is the sign of great endurance level which eventually begins to show signs of success.

Considering all the factors that go behind making great people proves that how these two great gentlemen, the chairman of Mona Townships, Private Limited Mr. Tejinder Pal Setia and Mr. Warangan Kr. Ralhan have reached the apex.

The progress over the years. Learning from mistakes, and never making them again enhances their professionalism. Over the span of three decades the projects in their bags are mainly concentrated in the Northern states especially Punjab. Projects are mainly concentrated near Chandigarh as seen below: 

Projects in Zirakpur:

1.     Mona Aero View - Constructions has been completed and is ready for the buyers to move in.

2.      Mona Greens – 2 BHK, ready to move in, 3 & 4 BHK, possession next month.

3.      Mona Greens – II – Full swing construction going on.

Projects in Mohali: 

1.       Mona City – Full swing construction going on.

2.       Mona Paradise Apartments - The project is sold out entirely.

3.       J90 – Latest project launched by Mona Townships

Considering the way they are scaling the ladder of success, we can only expect miraculous projects from them in the near future.

Celebrating Lohri at Mona Greens, Zirakpur, Punjab

Don’t you miss the heaps of Moongfali (peanuts), bowls full of candies, Rewri, Gajak and Jaggery, the all-night dance and party with the ‘dhol’ and the ‘blazing bonfire’? Yes, we are talking about one of the most famous festivals of Punjab and this time it was the time to perk up this festival with Mona Townships at its Mona Greens premises in Zirakpur. The festival was held on 11th January 2014. Families and friends were gathered around a bonfire in traditional clothes for an evening of rituals, dance, music and food. Lohri, also celebrated in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, is believed to be the longest night of the year. It was mainly done under the roof of Mona greens which was given a tribal look that included Dhol, Cot (Chaarpai), dancing sticks that touched everyone’s heart in the function. A buffet was organized for all the guests with one of the best North Indian curries and other dishes to make the night a memorable one.

The evening was further lightened up with the gracious presence of the below mentioned guest of honor.

1. Mr Iqbal Singh Sandhu (President, Youth Akali Dal, Tarantaran)
2. Justice R.K.Nehru

The celebrations started with the lighting up of the bonfire by the President followed by the Justice then by our Mona Townships Chairman and many other guests who were accompanied by the office staff. Ritual of offering, the Prasad like peanuts, jaggery to the pious fire was performed first. The mood in the place was upbeat and the guests were totally absorbed in the festive spirit of Lohri. Everyone danced to the beat of the dhol around the bonfire to mark the gaiety of this auspicious festival. All had a party time. 

The Lohri Blast was co hosted by 94.3 My FM, with Radio Jockeys Meenakshi and RJ Jassi electrifying the whole environment. They hosted the function from 6 PM till 11 PM and made everyone enjoy the function to the fullest.

Lohri is one of the greatest festivals of Punjab and Haryana. It is celebrated after the harvesting of the Rabi (winter) crops, Lohri involves cheerfulness and joviality. Traditional bonfire, music, dances and cuisine which heightens the festivity were added to the day. Makki ki roti and sarson ka saag composed the dinner. To fire up the Lohri Eve people danced on the tunes of Bhangra Music with all the musical instruments like Dhol & Manjeera. Many traditional sweets were served like kheer on this auspicious occasion. Everyone was eagerly waiting to celebrate Lohri and had planned the entire event all among themselves. 

This festival is marked by a range of traditional exciting activities such as lighting the ritualistic bonfire during the evening, dancing on the beats of the dhol, traditional handmade dishes, singing popular folklore around the bonfire and enjoying sumptuous feast. The folklores are also an integral part of Lohri which is all about expressing gratitude to the good harvest season and the natural elements such as water, wind and fire. 

Lighting the bonfire in Lohri symbolizes offering prayers to Lord Agni (god of fire) to shower blessing on the land with abundance of crops and prosperity. The Lohri feast includes popular traditional feast such as makki-di-roti and sarson-da-saag. It was a fun filled festivity celebrated in Zirakpur,Punjab.Festival of Lohri has become so famous that people of all caste and creed celebrate it with great joy. Both the guests said that the whole function was a mixture of modern and traditional culture and heritage.  It is now celebrated by everyone. Bhangra was performed by Professional Bhangra dancers who were especially called to give a charm to the festival. The performance forced the gathering to stamp feet with the ongoing performance. Also, the decor was turned for a posh club to a village with earthen pots and kites all around the venue. Finally, it was time for some dancing. On the nagara beats, members Iqbal Singh Sandhu (President, Youth Akali Dal, Tarantaran) and Justice R.K Nehru, were seen enjoying this great event.

Despite of all the dhol guys, there was DJ who had put together a mixture of some cool bhangra tracks including the traditional food. Place was colorful as everyone chose the most colorful dress in wardrobe that seemed to be the official dress code. They all gathered enough energy  when the dhol began to play. The bhangra session began when everyone tried to match the step of another. It was a great time of the evening to see great joy on everyone’s face and all dancing with happiness at different corners of the premises.

Final Touch 

Everyone was seen gathering around a bonfire, singing songs, and offering rewdi, peanuts and popcorns. Both the guests were seen enjoying the party till wee hours. Good music and sumptuous refreshments made this event a hit amongst the guests as they bonded over good food and music. Lohri is big for everyone when we make it a point to get together and celebrate it every year with others. After lighting the bonfire and performing the rituals, everyone was offered vermilion, 'kheer' (rice pudding) and 'bataashe' (a sweet).

All the guests and staff were very happy to be a part of this ceremony organised by Mona Townships and 94.3 MY FM. Lohri is the festival of Punjab, famously known as the bread-basket state of India. Thus, people residing in Punjab attach a great significance to Lohri, the festival of feasts and foods. This harvest festival is celebrated to mark both celebration and sharing. Lohri festival prompts people to be thankful for God’s provisions and to celebrate his creations; its main focus is on farming” said one of the guests. Lohri keeps us in touch with our traditions and customs. Lohri is the time of amusement and excitement. Significance of Lohri is no more restricted to celebration only but also implies a wonderful time for people in the community to rejoice and rejuvenate themselves from their chore and unite to share some fun and relieve the cultural values. People exchange Lohri wishes to spread and celebrate the spirit of festivity. 

Party View In Mona Greens

Like other members/ residents  of the society of Mona Greens property, I was a privileged one to get to attend this function and had a wonderful time to remember for a life time. I thank and wish Mona Townships to keep organizing such functions for the togetherness and happiness of all.

See all pictures of the event at Pinterest: Mona Townships Zirakpur