Housing Estates: Breaking new grounds

The rising popularity of housing colonies has not only gripped the Kathmadu valley but also other major cities outside the valley.
Currently, between1,200 to 1,300 families are living in around 45 housing estates, says Dilip Neupane, managing director of Surrise Developers Pvt Ltd, referring to the number of families living in housing complexes. As pressure on land shoots up and there are substantial changes in the social, economic and political conditions prevailing in the country, the housing and real estate sector in Nepal has received a fresh shot in the arm.
Raju Kumar Siwakoti, managing director of Jawalakhel Real Estates and Housing Company Ltd thinks that the performance of real estate business has been 'commendable' over the years.
The emerging housing industry is offering a comfortable and hassle-free accommodation to a large number of customers. According to housing developers, the concept of housing business took root after 1995 in Nepal. Since then, the sector has been posting a continuous growth, despite an extremely 'uncooperative' government policy, feel industry players.
The culture of living in housing colonies and apartment, which has been only witnessed in the valley earlier, has now spread across the country. The housing business is steadily gaining momentum in other major cities like Biratnagar, Birgunj, Pokhara, Dharan and Bhairahawa.
Industry watchers aver that this is primarily due to the palpable drop in the fear psychosis that had kept all development and building activities in areas outside the valley at a standstill.
As normalcy returns to most areas and people feel that there is a possibility of long-term peace, people who were either sitting on their plans of building houses or moving into the valley, are abandoning both the attitudes.
The Pioneers of the concept of 'community living' in Nepal, Comfort Housing has just started building a housing project in Dharan. Though small in size, with 15 units, the project is an expansion of the Kathmandu-centric housing business.
“The company will be keenly watching the project's fate which will decide the future of other planned projects in other important cities in Nepal,” says Om Rajbhandari, chairman and CEO of Comfort Housing.
Bijaya Agrawal has also recently started Triveni Gopal Complex in Birgunj. “As Birgunj is the business hub, we started this complex targeting businessmen. We are happy that we are receiving a good response,” he says.
Similarly, Annapurna Developers Pvt Ltd has been able to corner a large chunk of the market in Pokhara with its flourishing business in the beautiful tourist city.
Even as building and real estate market picks up across the nation, Kathmandu valley, the traditional hub of all such activities, is also showing signs of a new-found vigour.
Rapid urbanisation and space constraints are leading contributors to this new trend, claim industry insiders. Increase in purchasing power and a busy urban life style have also pushed the graph northwards of housing colonies in the last couple of years across the country.
“Gone are the days of building your own house with much tears and a lot of sweat. Now ready-to-move in houses are on demand,” says Umesh Thapa of Habitat Development Engineers, the builders of The Paradise, at Gulfutar, Kathmandu.
Today's urbanites have no time for such things like building houses, rather they use the time for more income generation. Saving time is today's greatest concern. Life in an apartment house could prove to quite hassle-free in comparison to constructing a house.
Apart from this the housing boom has been encouraged by a rising investors' dependence on safer and smaller projects because investment on land and house is a wise investment, according to developers.
Agrees Bipin Chitrakar of Housing & Developers Pvt Ltd, the builders of Shuva Homes, “An independent house that we sold for Rs 27,00,000 some years back costs Rs 34,00,000 at present.”
'Housing' as an industry itself is a new concept for Nepalis, to whom home had traditionally meant a house built personally on a personal piece of land.
Some traditional consumers, thus, think housing companies are selling expensive dreams. “One can build a two-storey bungalow on a plot of four-annas of land for much lesser than the developers are selling flats for," says one consumer, who after comparing the prices is now planning to build a house himself. But price is not the determinant for those who buy houses in the colonies. “It should be judged from what we are offering,” says Thapa.
“It is a package deal. We sell not only a house or a two-bed room flat on such and such ropanies or annas of land, but also provide round-the-clock security, electricity, smooth supply of water, proper sanitation and a host of other facilities,” adds Agrawal.
For some, its security and for others its a good community and privacy that has lured them to buy houses in colonies despite the high prices. The price can vary according to what facilities they offer. “It should be worth the money,” says a resident at the Sunrise Homes.
Most housing estates claim to offer 24-hour security, treated water supply, beauty parlour, fitness centre, department store and electricity back-up among others. "There is also an investment guarantee on land or housing estates,” Raju Kumar Siwakoti, managing director of Jawalakhel Real Estates and Housing Company Ltd adds.
Right now Comfort Housing is building a high-rise apartment block next to Radisson Hotel at Lazimpat, primarily keeping in mind those people who already have experience of living in apartment accommodation.
”As the available land area in Kathmandu becomes scarce while the number of people looking for quality accommodation continue to spiral, we have little option but to look to grow vertically. It is what all the capitals around the world opt for, at least in select areas,” Raj Bhandari adds.