Sample Flat in Under-Construction Project, Beware of TRAP

Sample Flat in Under-Construction Project= BEWARE, of this TRAP and UNDERSTAND Its Purpose and Intention

Sample Flats is a term which is coined as part of Marketing Tool and is just an Advertisement by Builders to sell their flat in the market. The concept of Sample Flat is the creativity of Marketers Professional to ensure selling the under-construction flat for Builders in advance irrespective of whatever they claim at the time of booking.  Home-buyers apportion every paisa of their personal savings and income for making a single, lifetime investment and hence have the need to save as much as they can. There is nothing unofficial that the builders come with schemes which are not believable upfront including freebies to lure customers. At face value, a majority of these options seem attractive. However, when the gloss wears off, these schemes are seen to be riddled with nasty traps. Most of the buyers and majority of buyers for sure must have gone through this SAMPLE FLAT showing by the Builders, such as at Pallava City, Hiranandani @ Panvel, Pune Road, etc. The moment the Buyer enters this Sample Flat, something magical happens and to see the interiors of upgraded quality in Sample Flat gives an impression that the Builders will give you the same sample flat. Infact the Sample Flat are made so beautiful and artistically crafted that buyers thinks of finding the perfect home for the rest of their lives. IF SO YOU FEEL, then HOLD on, this is one of the BIGGEST TRAPS for real estate buyers.

There are many instances where I have seen people booking the flat just post seeing the sample flat and not bother to see the site nor the further aspect of the flat which they are planning to purchase. I personally had this occasion of being invited to see the Site of Hiranandani which address is given as Panvel but it is far from Panvel and you can say Pune Road. I still remember the entrance of Hiranandani was like you are as Raj Bhavan or Palace and you are being treated as King and respected and you are being told to sit in a waiting room which is built just awesome and then I remember we were told to see the Sample Flat and guess what the Sample Flat with no doors and was built up in front of garden with glasses and TV itself was around of cost may be Rs. 2 Lakhs and interior was not less than 25 Lakhs. The simple query asked by me was whether we will get same interior, the reply was No, another query asked was whether the space is similar, the reply was Yes and when I asked what it the carpet area of this Sample Flat he avoided and said this Sample Flat is as similar to the Flat which is under construction. However, when I saw the Layout and Plan and real site, we were better off to say NO and moved on. But I have seen people booking the flat on the date of seeing the site without taking any proper advice or checking the property clearly and one can find many such examples in Lodha Pallava.

What is the reasons that Public get trapped in this Advertisement of Sample Flat? 

There is no hidden fact that any marketing tool used for selling their products is always made understanding the human behaviour and their pattern of habits and this is where the Builders have ticked all their boxes right and this marketing tool of “Sample Flat” is a huge hit and with this they comes with such trap advertisement support tools:

• The project is located a km or so away from the proposed metro station/airport”
• Last few flats left, book now
• Book now. Prices are expected to move up very soon
• Book now and get free gifts
• Prices are on their way up
• No EMI till possession without the Buyer checking the exact terms and conditions (due to RERA atleast this is little bit saved if not totally)

Further another reason why most of them get trapped is because in this competitive society, everyone thinks to grab their share of status and show to the world, that the time has come finally.

How Sample Flats are called as Trap for Buyers:

1. Sample Flats are made in the way to look more Big and Spacious and with interiors mostly of mirrors it just looks wow. Please note that this spacious is just an illusion and this is nothing but a technique and art. You will never find any doors in sample flat & you will find lot of Glass work in sample flat. Since there are no doors, ofcourse and no doubt the Sample flat appear more spacious than it really is. But there cannot be any flat without doors and too much of glass works. One shall know that basic normal flats have the height of side walls between 9-10 feet but in Sample Flat they give upto 13-15 feet for being more spacious. Many builders build the sample flat based on super built up area so that it looks more spacious. The Sample Flat is positioned in such a way that the person walking through it feels abundant light and good ventilation Remember that!
2. The Sample Flats are set in such a way that furniture remains in the sideways that provides a large area in the Center
3. The ceiling is much higher than the exact flat and is just increases the volume of sample flat, thus giving a feel of space.
4. The furniture and fixtures used in sample flat are aspirational but this is not you will get at all with flat and also please note that the fixtures used in actual flat are very ordinary stuff and infact if low quality as we have all seen the video of Lady who got the flat from Lodha @ Wadala.
5. The lighting using in sample flat is suggested by interior designers, who are experts in creating optical illusions.
6. The interiors of sample flat are 100% customized and done by professionals and but all this interiors are non-usable & non-lasting interiors which no one will prefer in their houses
7. The best part of this Sample Flat is walls and they are more attractive but take a note that they are either made of gypsum board or covered with beautiful wall paper whereas in reality you will get Brick Walls. D
8. Sample Flats are given the feeling of being seen as Premium Flats and hence you will find that the Sample Flats are integrated with furnishing and fixtures that are of supreme quality, Floor tiles fitted in sample flats are of high-quality, They choose a location that offers a great outdoor view to the buyer. They are integrated with balcony, fountains, and green potted plants, Sample flats have expensive furniture and painted with high-quality colors

Tips:

• Do you own little research in regard to the Projects, Site, possible talk to brokers who are not residing there, speak to your friends or relatives or colleagues, now a days check the RERA website for plan layouts, date of possession, any cases pending or filed against the builder and possibly ensure that your money is not taken for granted and remember, as a Buyer you have all the legal rights to ask for including taking photos of sample flats, etc
• Don’t get tempted by seeing the Sample Flat and see the original site and infact if possible don’t see at all as this Sample Flat, you will never get. Let me tell you that once you enter Lodha Pallava, there is whole lot of process and in this process they show how Lodha has taken 4500 acres and are planning to build a city and all. Please note that you have to be in present and don’t get lure by future so much that your present is affected. Remember the value you get as customer on date of booking and date of signing agreement is not what you get thereafter. Further, the builders now a day give the task of selling to brokers who are good in it and they just give the target to such brokers and there is no direct involvement of Builder with you but only between you and brokers.

Is it Legal?

Legally, showing SAMPLE FLAT is not illegal as this is just a marketing tool and even if any sales person makes an dishonest claim, no buyer has any evidence to prove the same as buyers don’t have any proof of the sample flat being shown nor the photography or video-shoot is allowed by the Builder stating that this design is unique and also as buyer it feel shy amongst all not doing anything and one is doing and further on the date of possession the sample flat are demolished thereby no proof nor any site evidence.

Conclusion

Sample flats are good looking and tempting flats which are shown to the potential investors in order to hook them to their offers. Note, the appearances can be pretty deceptive and even photoshopped if online in some cases. Also developed tend to beautify the place and present the buyers with most fancy furnishings. In this dazzling environ, most times, the buyers tend to slip into builders traps. Buyer should persist on seeing the actual space (empty space, if possible) and determine its usage for themselves and their families. They should see if property sunlight is coming through, if there is enough spacing, etc., they should not get just satisfied with the fancies only to repent on their decision later. Sample flats are not reality and you have to get that. One has to understand that the Sample Flat is the most potent marketing tool builders use to lure buyers into making purchase decisions.

At the end of the day, the builders are just doing their business. Rather than blaming the builders for using such tactics and fooling buyers into making a decision, it is better to be prepared and take everything into consideration when making the rounds of sample flats