Bengaluru is an amazing city with a pleasant climate, beautiful parks, gardens, religious places, commercial areas, architectural landmarks, lakes, and more around most of the localities. It is an adopted home to numerous people coming from various towns and cities of India and even abroad. Hunting a house in Bengaluru, situated in a convenient location, with proper transportation and close to all local amenities, is a big deal. We made our hunting in Bengaluru two months ago and shifted here last month. We looked for a peaceful and premium locality near Whitefield. Here in this article, I’m giving some points from our personal experience in hunting a house in Bengaluru. So keep these things in your mind while hunting.

Locations

Bengaluru is one of the most preferred destinations for young professionals, students and couples. It provides varieties of residential areas for those who wish to settle here with the best educational institutions, hospitals, cafes, restaurants, clubs, and tree-lined avenues.

The most preferred residential areas in the city are

• Koramangala, located in southeast Bengaluru, is surrounded by residential areas like Ejipura, HSR Layout, and BTM Layout. It is an affluent residential area with wide, tree-lined boulevards.
• Indra Nagar, an established residential area and commercial locality, is located in the east of the city with good connectivity with the prime locations of the city. The nearest metro station is Indranagar station on the purple line.
• Whitefield, located in the east of the city. Whitefield is the home of many of the big IT companies and is preferred by IT professionals. The nearest metro station is Whitefield station under construction on the purple line extension.
• Jayanagar, situated on the southern side of Bengaluru. It is a propertied residential area, has both commercial and institutional sectors, Jayanagar consist mostly of independent house and multi-storey apartments. The nearest metro station is Jayanagar metro station on the green line.
• HSR Layout, popular in the southeastern region of Bengaluru. Today it is one of the most sorted out residential areas with a decent mix of apartments and independent houses. The nearest metro station is HSR Layout station, under construction on the blue line.
• BTM Layout, located in south Bengaluru. There are many hospitals, schools and eateries in the neighbourhood, also very good road connectivity makes BTM Layout a perfect area for families and working professionals. The nearest metro station is the BTM Layout metro station under construction on the yellow line.
• Electronic City, located in south Bengaluru. It is the hub for India’s largest electronic industrial park. Electronic city is well planned, situated a little away from the main city, but compensates its residents with a meagre cost of living. The nearest metro station is the Electronic City metro station under construction on the yellow line.
• Bellandur, a developed, well-placed area surrounded by HSR Layout, Koramangala, Harlur, Sarjapur Road and HAL Military airport which is an important residential and business area. The nearest metro station is Bellandur metro station, under construction on the blue line.

Transportation

Transportation in Bengaluru is enabled by intracity commute modes like BMTC buses, ‘namma metro’ train service, cars, taxis and auto-rickshaws. Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) operates various special and ordinary buses. Commuters commonly use the bus. It’s a cost-effective way of getting around the city but is affected by the traffic condition and congestion. Google maps provide real-time information about the buses. It helps to know which bus to take, the journey duration, the location of the bus stop etc., while planning for a journey around the city.

App-based taxi services like Ola and Uber become the most convenient way of getting around. The cost is affordable and the availability is better.

Bengaluru metro is called ‘namma metro’ which connects commercial and residential areas. Metro transportation is punctual, faster and more comfortable than road transport. Phase 1 of the plan is operational, phase 2 is under construction and phase 3 is under deliberation.

• Line 1 (purple line) of phase 1 connects Bayapanahalli and Mysore Road
  • Line 1 (purple line) got an extension to Chellagatta and Whitefield
• Line 2 (green line) runs between Nagasandra and Yelachanahalli
  • Line 2 (green line) got an extension to Anjanapura and Madavar
• Line 3 (yellow line) of phase 2 connects RV Road and Bommasandra
• Line 4 (pink line) between Kalena Agrahara and Nagawara
• Line 5 (blue line) of phase 2A connects KR Puram and Central Silkboard
  • Line 5 (blue line) of phase 2B connects KR Puram and KIAL Terminal (Airport)

Rent

The demand for rental houses in Bengaluru has seen rapid growth in the last few years. The working professionals prefer to rent a house, as they need to stay near their workplace. Bengaluru has rental houses available in all budget ranges.

Housing amenities

1. Water supply

The Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSD) is responsible for providing water supply to 800 square kilometres of BBMP territory. The government of Karnataka allocated 19 TMC of water from the Cauvery river for the water requirements of Bengaluru city. Presently BWSSB is supplying treated Cauvery water to Bengaluru city under Cauvery Water Supply Scheme. Though water supply coverage is better across most of the city, a few areas that lack Cauvery water supply include Banaswadi, Bellandur, Varthur, Mahadevapura, Whitefield, Hennur, Bannerghatta Road and many others. As per the statistics, it’s mentioned that only 22,000 apartments in the city get Cauvery water. Areas such as Jayanagar, Banashankari, JP Nagar, and Indiranagar get proper water supply.

2. Recreational and Commercial areas

Considering Recreational areas while house hunting is like the dessert section in a buffet. Bengaluru boasts fabulous options for recreational outdoor activities, that keep the young and the young-at-heart clasped without any complaints.

The most gorgeous gardens and beautiful parks where you can spend your relaxing time justify Bengaluru’s title ‘Garden City of India’.

• Cubbon Park - Kasturba Road
• Lal Bagh Botanical Garden - Mavalli
• Bannerghatta Butterfly Park - Bannerghatta
• Indra Gandhi Musical Fountain Park - Raj Bhavan Road
• JP Park - JP Nagar
• Bugle Rock Park - Basavangudi
• Chinnapanahalli Lake Park - Marathahalli
• Nandavana Children’s Park - Jayanagar

Apart from these magnificent parks, every residential area has mini parks and beautiful lakes nearby to take a brisk morning walk to start your day fresh.

For people who are shopaholics and craze shopping, explore busy shopping areas like Commercial street in Shivaji Nagara and Chickpet. Here you can buy clothing and jewellery, home decor, homewares, accessories and stationary things at a cheap and affordable rate. For the ones who like to prep up their shopping experience, plenty of Malls exist in almost every locality

• Orion Mall - Rajaji Nagar
• The Forum Mall - Koramangala
• Phoenix Market City - Whitefield
• Bengaluru Central - Jayanagar
• Royal Meenakshi Mall - Bannerghatta Road
• Mantri Square - Malleswaram
• Cosmos Mall - Kundanahalli
• Total Mall - Madivala
• Park Square Mall - Whitefield.

3. Security

Basic security provision is essential in every living community and ensures the safety of the inhabitants. Some communities also have CCTV cameras for security purposes. Unsecured apartments are a bad choice for renting.

4. Lift

In multi-storey apartments with more than two floors, lift service is important. It should be accessible with more than one lift with the necessary power backup. Lifts are particularly helpful for elderly people and for shifting things.

Closing thoughts

The selection of the location could depend upon the distance of you or your spouse’s workplace, distance from your children’s school or other needs. So before finalising a home in the city you must consider the factors like travelling time, travelling mode, and budget. After all, before shifting in, explore the area in person and have an idea about your locality and neighbourhood.

Happy hunting!