House Hunt: GR Sun Villas and Pruksa Silvana

How about a house with your own private pool at the cost of a row house in Whitefield?

In Bangalore? Of course.

I’m covering two projects today as they are located adjacent to each other, off Budigere Cross (it is about 11 Kms from the KR Puram Hanging Bridge leading to Old Madras Road). It is close to the intersection of the Whitefield Road and Old Madras NH. A lot of new, large projects are coming up in the vicinity such as Prestige Tranquility, Brigade Exotica, Pashmina Waterfront and such..

GR Sun Villas

Property Details

172 villas in 20 acres of land ranging from 2,400 sq. ft to 4,000 sq. ft

Many people have moved in. Some are ready for interiors.

What I liked about GR Sun Villas:

• The plan was good overall.
• I was floored by Villa Helios. At the same price, you would perhaps get a 3,000 sq. ft row house along the Whitefield Road minus the private pool. This is besides the point that I wouldn’t know what to do in such a big house.

Why GR Sun Villas didn’t work for us:

• Location factor stays for this one.
• The marketing team could have been better.
• We went on a wild goose chase around the property to figure out what type of villa which one was, what was available, what was not. Thanks for at least handing a copy of showing us the brochure.
• It was such a big deal to get an idea of the pricing, though the pricing is about right, and much within budget.
• I would have perhaps have had to change the school for my son, or drop/pick up everyday.

Pruksa Silvana:

Property Details

Villa area: 1,632 sq. ft – 3BHK plus study & family

What I liked about Pruksa:

• Construction quality – one of the best I have seen after Water’s Edge
• The first floor was fine plan wise with a small office space.
• A grocery store inside – good thought considering the property is so far away from the city.
• Shuttle to and fro Byappanahalli Railway Station until the project is handed over.
• The marketing team was upfront about what they offer and what they don’t – modification, for instance.

Why Pruksa didn’t work for us:

• Location
• Smaller living room/no attached toiled in the ground floor bed room. Too cramped to have guests over. I would say, given the are the ground floor could have been planned better with a open floor plan/removing the walls.
• We could have still worked out if there was scope for modification, but no changes are allowed.
• Very little personalized green space adjacent to the utility. Rest is all part of the landscaping area. However, we did see people have put up picket fences and planted their own garden.

What works for this in the future:

There are some locations that have good potential a few years from now. So, I have to be objective in assessing such properties from this perspective. The downside of this is that the initial years will not be as convenient if you are used to living in the city. And since these are properties adjacent to each other, let’s see what works for them:

• Connectivity to the highway – about 2 Km from Old Madras Road. And on the other side is Whitefield Road. Relatively wider roads until you reach KR Puram. But again, with so many properties coming up, how bad the congestion gets is anyone’s guess. I see this as the next big thing after Whitefield in East Bangalore.
• Easy access to Airport without have to go through the city. But, that road is not quite developed now.
• Not as congested as many suburbs.
• Development may be faster than 4-5 years because of availability of large parcels of land.
• With World Market open now, it’s probably not too long before the other supermarkets grab some retail space here.

Location:

• Location is the only disadvantage I can think of now. It’s a good 11 Kms from the KR Puram bridge. And unless you leave early to and from office, it can be a daily nightmare getting home. Commute is often underrated when picking up a home. But, it needs good consideration – # 2 on my list after the plan, along with price.
• Shopping for everyday needs will have to be planned. Not sure if any e-retailers deliver there.
• Not many good hospitals in the vicinity.
• Not enough choice of good schools except Vibgyor unless you are ready to send kids to Whitefield.
• For folks coming from out of town, it will be a challenge to get auto from the railway station unless you are willing to go pick them up in the morning.

Final Verdict:

GR Sun Villas stood a chance with a co-operative marketing team and if it were not 2 Kms from the highway.

There is one other property adjacent to these and closer to the main road called Samruddhi Lake Drive, which I have not visited. If you are happening to go to this area, you may want to check that out, too.

Disclaimer: We saw this project in the first week of April, so it’s quite possible that the pace of development is much different than what I have stated here. All the opinions stated here are personal, and not influenced by any one. Please make your own judgement before making a decision.

On a related note, I talk about a radical view on going small on the Portico blog; it is supported by 6 beautiful homes that will change your opinion about teeny-tiny spaces

Image courtesy:

1,2,3 GR Sun Villas

4,5, Pruksa