What Newly Arrived Expats Need To Know About Rented Housing Options in Chennai

Chennai has attained an enviable stature in very short span of time. Industries, modern infrastructure, a lifestyle to go for and booming state economy are some of the factors that have placed the state in a list of developed cities. Southern part of India is developed and has ample opportunities in terms of career and a better lifestyle for one and all. If analyzed broadly, the state’s name shines bright in automobile and the banking sector and these sectors have also created a lot of career options for professionals or entry level job seekers for quite some time now.

Moreover, major IT companies and manufacturing firms have their branches here and this has surged the migration rate to a good number. Job aspirants and experienced professionals from different parts of India are coming to the amazing south Indian state for job and finally getting settled. On the arrival, an expat may look out for a rented accommodation for himself in an area that is close to his/her work setting and is also well-connected to the essential social as well as commercial infrastructure around the locality or the region.

Here are some of the things that an expat should consider when opting for a rented accommodation in Chennai:

Few Important Pointers to Take Note Of

• North-West & Central Chennai Can Be the Best Deal

Now this is not a hard and fast rule but northern and central part of Chennai can be a best fit for expatriate relocation. There are localities like Beach Road, Egmore and Anna Nagar, to name a few are some of the regions that are a good mix of residential and shopping areas. The localities are also well-connected through roads and also offer close proximity to railway stations and airport. So, the first step could be selecting the right location and any of these localities can be a best fit.

• Serviced Apartments Are Good to Go

The southern part of India is riding high on realty success and one of the yields is the serviced apartments. The apartments are relatively cheaper than luxurious 2 BHK homes and have all the amenities intact within. The person residing within needn’t worry about adjusting as the apartments are spacious and are apt for both temporary and permanent stay. Expats can have a pleasant stay in such flats and this could be a good bridge towards finding a new and better housing option. Places that have already adopted the concept of serviced apartments include Bangalore, Chennai and similar developed areas.

• The Cost of Living

Compared to developed cities like Bangalore, Chennai has quite an affordable cost of living. The daily recommended minimum amount of money for food per person is Rs. 240, which is just within the price range of monthly recommended minimum amount of money for food per person (assuming 31 days), Rs. 7,439.88. The expats who have just arrived and have spent a good number of days will find their pockets not much exploited when expending on groceries, healthcare or simply on leisure.

• Flats For Expats

Areas like Old Mahabalipuram road and Besant Nagar are some of the densely flocked areas; majorly by the expat populace. There are realtors who have constructed a range of residential spaces that are being offered at an affordable price range. Expats are favoring mostly small-sized apartments and 1 BHK house for rent in Chennai. The flats are constructed in areas that are near to the social infrastructures and also have a close proximity to the IT hubs.

Here are some hard facts that reflect price trends in one of the most popular regions of Chennai:

There are other aspects about Chennai’s realty market that an expat needs to understand. The aspects are pretty much related to the rented housing options. Here are the facts:

Few Lesser Known Facts

• Safety

Safety matters and it definitely holds importance for the novices in town. The expats should make sure that the localities they are choosing is surrounded by friendly areas so that chances of thefts and miss happenings rarely exist. The facts say that Chennai is one of the safest Indian cities and the populace is extremely law abiding.  Still, there are certain things one can take note of:

1. Huge amount of cash should not be kept in the flat
2. Dress inconspicuously as Chennai is a little conservative south Indian city
3. Try to be friendly with neighbors but be cautious while revealing your personal and professional data.
4. Other safety measures could be traffic safety as the roads in Chennai are crowded and a little carelessness can be hazardous to life.

• Dig in Company’s Relocation Package

An expat should be aware about all the clauses in the relocation packages and papers. They need to know that there are companies that include finding a home in their relocation clauses. This can be a great helping hand for expats who are relocating for professional purposes and are looking forward to staying there for long.  The best part is that though you will have a rented option in hand, still an expat will be offered information about accessing to maids and drivers as a part of the relocation package.

• Power of Internet& Agents

While on a search for a perfect home, an expat can take advantage of the realty portals and websites. There are sites like 99acres.com, realestatechennai.com, to name a few that can be accessed and considered for searching homes on rent. The person can see through the price range, locality and varieties of housing option for himself.

There is another option that will definitely hit the bull’s eye and that is reaching out to the real estate agents. These agents have been into the business and have met the people in the domain. Moreover, the agents will also help you in stopping onto the right deal and making a feasible agreement documents for the expats and people who have less knowledge about the localities.

• People & Languages

An expat’s stint with the new city can be fruitful as well as challenging both. In an effort to find a rented option in Chennai, an expat should also have some basic know-how of people, culture and language spoken. This makes the scenario, exciting as well as a learning experience. Considering the language here, the people native to Chennai considers Tamil to be their official language, with Telugu at the second rank. If the expat is an English-speaker, then surviving in Chennai will be easier.

Few Final Words

Chennai is a place to be at the moment and an expat can have plenty of options in the rented arena. The apartments are of varied style and are all provided with the necessary facilities. Moreover, the prices tagged on the apartments and housing options are within the reach.

This is a blog post by Pawansingh kumar