Nature, wellbeing and sustainable lifestyle, 3 top priorities for Kolkata homebuyers: Godrej Properties Home Livability Factors study

• 96% consider sustainability (energy consumption, use of natural materials, etc.) as a vital criterion while purchasing a home

• 69% feel it is necessary to connect with nature in and around their homes

• 65% consider home as a place to maintain health and wellbeing

• 61% feel lockdown has influenced a sustainable lifestyle at home

• 59% feel home represents a place to live well as a unit

• 52% consider having an office set-up (office chair, work desk, etc.) at home important

Kolkata : Kolkata is combating air pollution and was ranked second in Particulate Matter 2.5 concentration in a global assessment among 100 populous cities. This is perhaps the reason behind 69% citizens of Kolkata acknowledging the need to connect with nature, unveils Godrej Properties Home Livability Factors study. Homebuyers are making conscious efforts to connect with nature in and around their homes.  44% have at least few plants at home which makes them happy, while 25% want their homes to be surrounded by open spaces along with greens within their homes.

Home Livability Factors report underscores the fundamental shift in homebuyers’ preferences with the onset of the pandemic and the significant alterations that it has brought about in their preference for residential apartments. The survey questioned respondents on scoring the importance of a few criteria before purchasing a home and the result unveils that factors like sustainability, work access, amenities, and cost of purchase ranked on top. They also evaluate the proximity of housing complexes to their place of work as among the foremost reasons behind decision-making criteria before buying homes.

For homebuyers from Kolkata, health and wellbeing have become an integral part of people’s lives post-pandemic, this has been reaffirmed in the Home Liveability Factors report.  65% consider home as a place to maintain health and wellbeing. They have also become more environmentally conscious and are trying to save energy and resources, avoid food wastage, and use sustainable products whenever possible. 61% also admitted that the pandemic influenced and motivated them towards a sustainable lifestyle at home.

Rakesh Kumar, Chief Design Officer, Godrej Properties, said, “Homebuyers are now looking at holistic wellbeing and have become environmentally conscious to a great extent. Residential development needs to be aligned to the native needs of homebuyers and craft bespoke multifunctional designs offering green and open spaces. Homes apart from being technologically evolved need to offer contemporary facilities in terms of safety, security, and well-being thus enhancing the overall livability quotient.”

On being asked what home represents to respondents. Majority tilted towards multifunctional spaces, 59% said that home represents a family unit – a place to live well along with loved ones. In addition, 52% consider it important to have an office set-up (office chair, work desk). The study also found that 55% feel it is important to develop hobbies and passions, and that they have developed spaces in their homes to practice the same.

While purchasing a home, 96% of respondents from Kolkata voted for Sustainability – energy consumption, use of natural materials, etc. as a vital criterion. Whereas 92% felt reputation/brand of the builder/promotor and cost of the purchase as the other significant criteria.

Data findings are a part of a research report Home Livability Factors unveiled by Godrej Properties Ltd. (GPL) which surveyed respondents from seven cities of Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Chennai.