Apostrophe Wakad: What makes it so expensive?

In my previous post i had given details of mont-vert tropez, Its now turn of apostrophe which too i had visited.

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Apostrophe
Location: Wakad
Quoted Rate: 3300psf
Value of 2BHK (1270 Sqft) @ 3300psf = 41,91,000
(Though i was interested in 3BHK but with their price even a 2BHK was out of my budget)
Car Parking = 1,75,000
MSEB = 85,000
Club & Ameneties = 75,000
Registration = 30,000
Legal charges = 7,000
Stamp Duty @ 5%

Total Value = 47.7 L
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Approach road or should i say no road (because what is there doesn't classify as road by any means), is pretty narrow and full of potholes. This is the same road for couple of more sites. Thankfully for apostrophe you dont have to travel full length of this road.

From the very moment you park your car beside the sales office, to the point of being seated inside the sales office, you get a feel of the sophistication you are in for. The entrance to the sales office foresees a well maintained garden with artificial water bodies. Yea, you can say 'upmarket'.

On reaching the office i was polietly lead by the sales person to a separate cabin. He asked a few preliminary questions like what are you looking at, a 2BHK or a 3BHK and then hit his sales pitch.

He started with the layout of entire property. He emphasied on:
--the palm avenues,
--water bodies
--ladscaped garden with a walking zone free of traffic
-- the senior citizen area
--the club house

Now he comes to explaining the apartment layout. Once again, it was using adjectives with all the features such as:
--Imported doors
--Italian tiles with finishing like wooden floor
--Quality of tiles they are putting in terrace and bathroom and all other thing.
--Imported and top end brand fittings

For a moment it did appear that I'm probably not dealing with a property sales but a hardware store salesman. Did i mention how proud or boastful he appeared in telling this? Well may be he has to get such details into the mind of the customer or else how he can he justify the price he was going to quote later.

After his pitch laced with obscene use of adjectives, was my turn to ask some specifics regarding carpet area and loading. I ask these specifics for all properties i have been visiting. So here are the specifics:
--30% loading ( i.e. in the area they sell to you, 30% of it will be common area like balcony, stairs)
--Carpet area - 1115 Sq ft

On being asked about the reason for loading being on the higher end, i got the same rhetoric: "Its still less with us, others charge more than that, and in Mumbai its more than 40%.". Well i'm not buying property in mumbai !!!!!! So this guy is upbeat about what he is selling without the idea that he is beginning to sound a little stupid.

He now offers us to have a look at the flats. Whilst taking me to the sample flat, he told me the location of the club house, garden and all. I finally reach the sample flat. Woolah !! I must admit it is indeed impressive by all means. You really will see all the things the salesperson was so boastful about and they do look good. Doors were far better than what i had seen in any other property and why not! they are imported from italy (as told by salesperson). Tiles and fitting and everything else was great. Not to forget the massive sized windows to each of the rooms. The layout of the bedrooms, dining and living areas was fine. As per the balcony, 3BHK flat has only one balcony with the living/dining area. No balcony with bedroom. With 2BHK you will get balcony with both living area and bedroom.

I was also showed the parking area. I believe it was an open parking area where they were putting tiles at that moment and salesperson didn't forget to mention the price of those tiles. Hahahahaha, i was laughing inside. What do i have to do with parking! But on a second thought, unless they tell about the tiles, how will they charge obscenly for that as well:D!

So we come back to the office and asked for the quote. He gave me the per sq ft figure as mentioned above and worked out the 2BHK to be somewhere around 48L and 3BHK for 58+ L.

Now comes the big question. So what do you want to buy, a 2BHK or a 3BHK (It seemed like he was asking are you still interested). Unfortunate, as it was for him, he stood firm on the price. Intriguing property, BUT (and thats a biiig BUT), the worth of this money IS TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED. My critique wife was pretty impressed with the flat, but she still managed to point out a design fault in the poor ventilation in the flat. Though they have big windows but there was no way for cross ventillation unless you keep the door of you bedroom open(Whats the use of the Italian doors if they cannot be closed hahaha:D)

With the price quote, the upmarket property, and a flat laced with imports, I was in dilemma. However, how much can you negotiate with them and even if you get them to come down a few lakhs, it still will be too much (we are talking 40 Lakh for 2 BHK if he gives 7 lakh of discount). But i took my chances and asked for discount. BANG came the reply: "this is the price after discount. We have been selling at a price of 3700/Sqft". To the Ambanis ???

I flatly told him my budget for a 2BHK and left the property. As i left, a few questions came to me: Is the price of lifestyle gone so high???? Somewhere my mind told me that all this is a sham, a nexus and there are possibilities where the lifestyle is achivable for less with thoughtful plan.