Q: What is the principle trend that you are observing in the luxury homes segment?
Harsh Jain: During the slow down, the customer for high end luxury homes tends to defer purchase, whereas if we offer a combination of quality and value, sales are quicker. So the lower priced the apartment, the quicker the off take.
Q : What are the prominent features of this segment?
Harsh Jain: Customers looking at high end apartments take longer to buy, they generally need more personalised attention before they can decide. From a realtor’s perspective what is important is spending personal time with them to provide the necessary confidence. Intending buyers need the promoter’s assurance! You can’t leave it to an executive to convert.
Q: One would presume that the basic difference between mid priced and high end apartments would be the income difference?
Harsh Jain: That’s precisely what one would have thought as well! But the essential difference that has emerged is what buyers would like to do in their apartments. With lifestyles having changed, buyers want to put in that extra to experience a better living standard willing to climb to the next segment while choosing a new home especially if the quality and uniqueness attracts them. Earlier one saw a Kolkata that was price – sensitive; now there is a city that will stretch to spend if you have a product good enough to excite it.
Q: Obviously a segment like this must be presenting challenges?
Harsh Jain: A number of detailed preferences have come into play! A convenience is no longer about central air conditioning; it is about the cooling advantage, lower carbon footprint and lower cost. When someone is spending crores for a new home, he or she is more likely to get into the customizability of the micro details. At that level, this business is not about volumes; it is about embroidery! What this means is a higher emphasis on planning, intimation, deadline – based feedback and complete customization! In fact, at that level the business is no longer about real-estate but about luxury management. Completely different ball game.
Q: So how do promoters market to such customers?
Harsh Jain:We would have liked to provide the best to the richest in the most exotic Kolkata location .However, given budget constraints we have selected to occupy a niche -the best of conveniences at almost half the price of a top notch location in equally serene locations like Jodhpur Park, only minutes from Ballygunge. This is our principle strategy – location plus product,convinced as we are that these will work better that aggressive marketing and packaging.
Q: An interesting question. What is the role of vaastu in designing these homes?
Harsh Jain: Each promoter has his own take on this, but we believe in aligning with some basic principles.