Can you buy a house just on the basis of seeing the sample flat?

Sample flats seem to be perfect, but are they realistic? After finalising the budget, location and configuration, should you buy a house only on the basis of the sample flat? Find out the list of important things you may miss out on and make costly mistakes if the sample flat forms the basis of your only buying criteria. 

What is a sample flat?

Sample flats are show flats that are constructed by the developer to show exactly how the house looks on completion. Real estate purchase in addition to being an investment has also become an experiential purchase. With the help of the sample flat, a home buyer will not only see the configuration of the house, but also get an idea of how the finished product will look. 

How do sample flats help home buyers?

The sample flat gives an impression to the home buyers on how the blueprint of the house will look in real life, with the exact configurations. With this, the buyer will get to know the usable space he will have and if it fits his list of needs and wants when it comes to real estate investment. 

A sample flat uses exactly the same material in terms of tiles, sanitary fittings and fixtures to let the homebuyer know what he is paying for. Unless left raw deliberately by the developer, the interiors of these houses, especially those in gated communities are mostly done – with the living room, guest room, kids’ room and master room set up completely with all basic and luxury items in the house, to give an idea of how their home will look. It will show the correct placement of plug points, sprinklers, gas and fire detectors, space for refrigerator, washing machine etc.  However, some developers do not provide fittings like AC, modular kitchen etc. as part of the project on sale, which they clearly highlight by mentioning – only for sample flat purposes. 

Problem areas that you may not identify only by seeing sample flat

When you see a sample flat, you will only get an idea of how the house looks- and not how it will be when it is part of the building or how the balcony will seem, etc. It is important to see the blueprint of the project and understand many things that people generally don’t know and not give much attention to. 

Where is the floor that you booked for?

“We had booked on the 2nd floor of a building and once we got possession, we realised that we were on ground floor level- as the building had basements and a lower ground floor. This gives access to all the people walking on the road to peek into our house,” said, Adesh Bajaj, a resident of a gated community in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. 

Idea of the location around

While booking the flat, understand from the developer as to what is the view that you will be getting from your window. It is a good idea to go to the location where the project will be built and survey to see which buildings are there in the neighbourhood, the approach route to the building, the safety aspect, the air and noise pollution caused by the traffic around, presence of generator or water tanks etc. Industry experts mention that before investing in a property, people check if there are slums, butcher shops, liquor shops, etc. in the vicinity and then proceed with the investment on the basis of their choice. 

Saroj Sharma, a resident of Navi Mumbai, said, “There is a chimney that releases fumes occasionally. In the past, it was not a problem, since it was the tallest building around. However, with the chimney shorter than our building and it being designed in a way that it throws the fumes sideways, our entire building is affected. This is something that no homebuyer thought was important to evaluate when buying the house.”

Mystery of service areas

According to Bangalore resident Ganesh N, “The service area was an issue in our case. While these were part of the sample flat, we couldn’t get an idea of how these will look, like the way we got for the rest of the house. At the time of purchase, the developer’s sales people said, we could convert them and use them as washing space, drying space and so on. However, once the real product was seen, we realised that these were constructed in a very inconvenient way that nothing much could be done with them. Also, they have this huge hollow area in them, which is very dangerous, for people living on any floor. For our own safety we have locked these areas, but monetarily, an area worth over Rs 15 lakh is left unused.”

Placement of the organic waste composters (OWC) and a sewage treatment plant (STP)

Organic waste composter (OWC) and sewage treatment plant (STP) for gated communities are mandatory according to government regulations. While these do well to the environment, if not maintained, there is a stench that these leave, which may be unbearable and can also result in health related issues. It is recommended to understand from the developer where these will be installed and if there will be any housing unit on top or around it. 

Natural light and ventilation

The sample flat may be constructed in a direction that ensures it gets the maximum light and ventilation. This may not be true with the actual flat. 

Lift, corridor size and parking

One can never get an idea of the size of the lift and lobby by just seeing the sample flat. You should ask the developer for specifications of the corridor, the lift systems planned to be installed and the area of the lobby if it is part of the project design. 

When it comes to parking, check if these are comfortable to park spaces and how many spaces are being provided by the developer. Check if the parking spaces are open or stilt parking. 

See also: Allotment letter, sale agreement should have parking details: MahaRERA

Fire safety and emergency exits 

Home-buyers should ask for plans on the fire safety and emergency exits planned for the projects, as one cannot make these out by seeing the sample flat. 

See also: Guidelines to implement EV charging stations in housing society in Maharashtra

Maintenance charges

While you will be able to see only the sample flat and the model of the project, this will not give you an idea of what the maintenance charges for this project will be. It is important to ask this important question to the developer to actually know an approximate idea of how much you will be spending every month on maintaining the property. 

What buyers should confirm with the developer before buying the property? 

• Buyers should ensure that the buyer-builder agreement highlights that the actual flat being bought by the homebuyer will have the same layout and same specifications shown in the sample flat – floor height, carpet area, materials of tiles, marbles, granite, paints used, fittings etc., unless the developer clearly mentions otherwise. It is a good idea to ask for a product specification sheet that mentions brand and quality of these materials both at the time of seeing the sample flat and signing the agreement to match. 
• Under the Real Estate Regulation and Development Act, 2016, it is compulsory for developers to provide all project-related information accurately at the time of RERA registration. Home buyers should look up the state RERA portal with the RERA registered ID and understand and collect details about the project from there, and not believe only what the developer promotes. 
• Check if the home-buyer can visit the under construction project to see progress and workmanship. While this was allowed previously, many developers today do not allow home buyers site visits, citing safety issues. 

See also: Essential RERA guidelines to know before buying a property in India

Housing.com POV

While a homebuyer gets a realistic view with the help of a sample flat, it should not be one of the most important criteria for property buying. A sample flat may have the same floor-to-ceiling height and layout; however, the developer may use premium upholstery, furnishings, and Grade A finishes such as automated curtains that may not necessarily be part of the actual house on sale.

Homebuyers should move beyond only the visualisation and aesthetics of the sample flat and focus on the functional aspects, benefits, and overall look of the property, which will have an everlasting impact on their comfort and property value.