It’s that time of the year again when anxious students and parents rush across cities on all manner of public transport to get the admission process completed.
Whether it’s one of the DU colleges or Amity University or any of those ‘World Is Here’ Universities, admission is a complicated process that takes up a lot of time and energy.
Alas, people often forget another part of this process, that of finding good accommodation for students. Here, we shall tell you how to find affordable, quality accommodation in Noida.
Noida today, is more than a gangster-ridden wasteland it once was. Okay, maybe it’s still that but, it has also become a hub for not just swanky MNC offices but, a lot of fancy and not-so-fancy universities and colleges as well.
From Amity to Symbiosis, from Noida International University to Maharishi, the area is today home to many half-decent educational institutions. How to find quality accommodation in Noida though?
Choose your locality carefully
Noida isn’t Delhi, let alone a proper University/Working class suburb. It isn’t planned to accommodate large numbers of either students or working professionals.
Which is why, it is important to get the locality you’re looking for straight before you end up in a rundown Kothi by the Yamuna Expressway, away from any form of life and livestock.
Proximity is key. Proximity to Delhi Metro services as well as to the educational institution or workplace in question. My suggestion would be Sectors 44, 37, 29, 41, 50, 26 and 62.
Each of these sectors are easily accessible by metro and other public transport and have a lot of amenities and utilities available 24/7.
Do not be tempted by low prices. Often, such places are far-off with terrible accessibility, away from anything significant and vulnerable to a higher crime rate.
Do not take up residence in areas such as Chhalera and Sector 126 (filthy, slum-like areas having a lot of cheap housing that fill up with water and mosquitoes as soon as the monsoons begin) or Sector 105 (far and remote from anything living).
Read: Dingy Bylanes, Weed And Sheep: My Story Of House Hunting In Delhi
Stick to the range of localities no more than 5 sq. kms. away from the Blue Line. It’s always better to pay 1-2K extra on rent, rather than living in a deserted wasteland where you might end up in a body bag.
Get Your Budget Straight
This is the tricky bit. Usually, the good (and, safe and accessible) localities in Noida always come with a price tag that can be significantly higher than their cheaper counterparts.
Thus, it is always helpful if you calculate how much monthly rent you can actually afford, before you decide to go accommodation hunting in a locality.
If you have a budget of 6-8K, you can find a decent garage-converted ground floor studio in Sectors such as 29 and 37.
If you have a budget of 8-12K, you can try your luck in sectors such as 44 and 50-51, where you can find affordable, quality accommodation in the form of semi-furnished 1BHKs.
If you have a higher budget of say, upwards of 15K per month, feel free to rent a 2BHK or a 3BHK (upwards of 20K that) flat in Sector 44 and 62.
Also, if you have decided on some accommodation in Noida through an agent, make sure you keep aside his cut, also known as brokerage. This usually varies, from a quarter of the first month’s rent to over 75% of it.
A few other tips and suggestions and things to look out for,
1. Read the terms of your rental agreement carefully. Make sure there’s no ambiguity with respect to important provisions such as notice period, refund of security deposit, police verification etc.
2. Do not choose properties with prepaid electricity meters. They’ll mostly charge you more than your use.
3. Do not opt for internet offered by your landlord or landlady. This usually ends up only in the slowing down of the said internet speed. Broadband in Noida is cheap. Like, dirt cheap. And, it’s great too.
Opt for lesser know local internet service providers, some of whom offer unlimited broadband at ridiculously fast speeds at less than Rs 600 per month. DO NOT OPT FOR BSNL, AIRTEL etc. Not worth it. Not at all.
4. Finally, stay in regular touch with the security guards of the localities. Often, they are the best source of information on open and affordable housing in the area.
Plus, if you ever need some help in the form of a maid, they’ll let you know who to get in touch with.
That’s my take on how to find quality accommodation in Noida. Happy Hunting!
Image Sources: Google Images
Sources: 99acres, Quora, Magicbricks
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