It all started with a walk-in closet

While there are myriad reasons for owning a home, ours was a purely emotional one. Some say it is wise to own a home rather than pay rentals through your teeth. It makes sense. Even in a non-metro like Chandigarh, rentals have skyrocketed in the last decade. Many also believe (and correctly so) that owning a home is a solid investment and security.

My wife, Samhita, and I are college sweethearts. We got married pretty young. Like all young couples, we spent our early marital years traveling and having fun. We had no regrets, but as they say, just one moment is enough to alter your life. For us, that moment arrived on an overcast September day. I still remember the day both of us were back from work—plopped onto the couch and watching TV. We chanced upon a British TV show that showcased house makeovers. In that day’s episode, the hosts had transformed a dreary storeroom into a swanky walk-in closet. We were both floored! Clothes are our creative self-expression. Both of us love to dress well, and we dress up for the tiniest of occasions. So I turned around to Samhita and suggested that we could also look at converting our spare room into a walk-in closet.

“But ours is a rented house Kanan! Besides,the landlord would never allow it. Don’t you remember the uproar he created the last time?” She said with a frown on her face. Samhita was right. Our landlord refused our request to install wooden tiles on our balcony even at our expense. We had wanted to convert the balcony into a Zen corner in the house.As we sat in silence, we understood that the kind of space we dreamed of living in can only be created if we owned a home. Since then, we have strived for a new beginning.

We saved up, with a single-minded focus on our goal of owning a home. Then, when we thought we had enough to take the plunge, we started our search for our ideal apartment. We were ecstatic that our dream was going to come true.

But our search continued for months.We had not realized the most significant obstacle until then. Out in the market, the flats were sold at the construction stage. So there were hardly any ready to move in projects. The possession timeline was a year, but from the experience of our friends who are homeowners, we knew that many times this can be extended by a couple of months. This was a major setback for us. Well-off as we were, we could not afford to bear the added burden of the rent to the EMI.

The few flats which were available in the completed projects did not interest us. Moreover, the quality of the fixtures and materials seemed unsatisfactory in these apartments. I was desperate to own our “dream home.” I even considered buying one of these ready-to-move-in flats and replacing the materials to our liking (at our expense) over time. But as usual, my wise wife drew my attention to the illogicality of my idea. After all, it was sheer madness to buy a flat that was not well made.So we took a step back in disappointment.

Once you want something, you have to have it, or you will not be at peace. This was the case for us. We had put our dreams on hold, and yet we were uneasy with the wait. Then, a turning point came in our lives when we heard of the unique offer by Sushma Developers. They encouraged the buyers to take the plunge while ensuring that they will pay the home buyer’s rent until the possession.  In the offer, the developer paid the rent up to INR 28000 until they hand you over the keys to your new home. This was an opportune moment for us, and we took the leap. We availed of their offer and purchased a flat that would be ready in six months. Until then, we would be worry-free about the rent.

As we wait for the possession, we excitedly plan for the décor of our new home and our new life. Samhita and I have decided that we will not hold back in creating a space that will nurture our lives together in times to come. And yes, we will finally install that walk-in closet we had always wanted!