Lahore, the capital of Punjab, is a vibrant and colourful city of Pakistan. Its history and cultural heritage — like Badshahi Mosque, Minar-e-Pakistan, Hathi Gate and others — significantly contribute to the popularity of the city.
As population growth in Lahore is outpacing that of other major Pakistani cities, the city claims a huge chunk of the federal budget almost every year. In addition, people from across Pakistan are increasingly moving to Lahore to avail job opportunities or set up a business. Since markets like retailing and property rely on population growth for new customers, Lahore's real estate has witnessed a surge in demand over the past couple of years.
Not only local residents but also people coming to Lahore from other cities prefer renting to buying an apartment. Paying a certain amount every month is often a better option for many who can’t afford to buy or build a house. Some of the best areas for renting apartments in Lahore are Bahria Town, Askari XI, Johar Town, Model Town and DHA.
Bahria Town, Askari Housing Society and DHA are among the top locations in Lahore for either buying and/or renting property in Lahore, especially apartments. Bahria Town is divided into 6 sectors and each houses at least one apartment complex. For example, you’ll find Bahria Canal Heights in Sector D, Rijas Eiffel Heights and JP Towers are in Sector E.
Bahria Canal Heights is a beautifully constructed building, consisting of 5 floors that have semi-furnished apartments. Almost every flat has designer kitchens. The complex offers studio apartments, 1 bed apartments for rent and 2 bed units as well. The area of flats in this project ranges from 2 to 5 marla. The building has proper parking space and high-speed elevators. Rijas Eiffel Heights has lavish 1-bed flats and 2-bed flats for rent. They have categorized their apartments as Queen Suite (1-bed), Grand Suite (another 1-bed apartment) and Royal Suite (2-bed). The area of Royal Suite is around 2 marla, Grand Suite is a little over than 1 marla and Queen Suite is almost 1 marla.
In DHA Phase 4, Goldcrest Mall & Residency is a mall-plus-residential apartment complex. It consisting of studio apartments, 1-bed flats, 2-bed flats and 3-bed flats of different areas. In Phase 8 Lahore, you can find Air Avenue Luxury Apartments. The building has luxury and super luxury 2-bed and 3-bed flats of 4-8 marla. Furthermore, the building’s website claims it is “earthquake proof.” You shall find a large number of residential flats in Askari Phase XI Lahore. A majority of the apartments here are new. In Askari Phase XI Lahore, you can get studio apartments, 2-bed flats for rent as well as 3-bed and 4-bed. The location of Askari XI is ideal, especially with regards to the environment, as it’s far from the hustle and bustle of the main city.
The rental rates of apartments in Lahore mainly depend on the location of a unit as well as its size. In addition to these two factors, rates vary with the number of rooms. The rental charges of studio apartments in Bahria Town Lahore can be anywhere between PKR 13 thousand and PKR 40 thousand. For 1-bed flats, it’s PKR 10 to PKR 70 thousand and for 2-beds, PKR 16 to PKR 65 thousand. It is important to remember that the rent for a fully-furnished flat is usually higher than an unfurnished unit.
In DHA Lahore, the rent of a 1-bed flat ranges from PKR 12 to PKR 95 thousand. The highest rent, i.e. PKR 95 thousand, here is asked for a fully furnished apartment of 900 square feet (3.3 marla). The rental rates of 2-bedroom flats in DHA Lahore is between PKR 20 to PKR 70 thousand. Rent for a 3-bed flat could be anywhere between PKR 40 to PKR 57 thousand. A number of apartments in Askari XI Lahore are fairly new. The rent of studio apartments in Askari XI ranges from PKR 34 thousand to PKR 70 thousand. The rental rates of 2-bed flats start from PKR 12 thousand, going up to PKR 25 thousand. Rent of a luxury 3-bed apartment in Askari XI ranges between PKR 18 thousand and PKR 70 thousand.
Students and families, in particular, moving to a new locality, or a new city, usually wish to rent apartments in an area where educational institutes are nearby. Lahore takes care of all these concerns. The city houses a number of top-notch schools and colleges. If you are seeking accommodation in one of the top housing societies, listed above, then it’s even better. For example, while residing in Bahria Town, you can easily get to institutes like Beaconhouse School, Allied School, Unique High School and Academy, Bahria Town School & College, Imperial College of Business Studies, Cadet College Lahore, Akhtar Saeed Medical & Dental College, and Punjab College.
Some of the educational institutes situated near Askari XI are the Lexicon School for Girls, SICAS Main Campus, Government Primary School for Boys, The Educators (Abdali Campus), TCF School, The City School (Alpha Campus), Askari Grammar School, Army Public School, Government Degree College for Women, Government Degree College for Boys, Lahore Garrison University, Lahore Leads University and The Millennium University College.
In DHA Lahore, specifically in Phase 4 and 8, you can find TAC School System, Scarsdale International School, The Educators, Government Primary School for Boys (Sehjpal Campus), Defence Degree College for Women, Fazaia College of Education for Women, DHA Degree College for Boys, Center for Professional Development (CPD), Lahore University of Management Sciences, Information Technology University and AIMS Institute of Management Sciences.
Lahore is one of the major cities of Pakistan. In fact, after Karachi, it is the second most important metropolis in the country. Residents here have access to a number of facilities. Almost all the major apartment complexes in Lahore offer backup power generators, fully tiled flooring, top class sanitary fittings in bathrooms, geyser, well-maintained elevators that are operational 24/7, huge car parking spaces, laundry systems, and designer kitchens.
Some facilities are exclusive to a particular society. For example, Bahria Town has set up a grid station to deal with a power outage, which is a common problem across Pakistan. Residents here can also spend quality time at the zoo and various salons, gyms, cafes, cinemas or read books at the Islamic library. Other attractions in Bahria Town Lahore include Eiffel Tower, Trafalgar Square, Ahram – e – Misar, Canal Lights and Talwar Chowk. The security measures taken by Bahria Town Lahore are commendable. The authorities have not just installed CCTV cameras and hired guards, but have also trained their security personnel on using new technology to ensure the safety of residents.
Apartment buildings in DHA Lahore have a fire safety system in place and also offer garbage disposal services. Residents here can easily access facilities like banks, a sports complex, cinema, Medical Centre, community halls, restaurants, a public library and parks. There are hardly any security-related issues in DHA Lahore as it is believed to be run by retired army personnel. All exits and entrances are monitored by armed guards. Punjab Police also assists DHA’s local security to help maintain law and order in the area.
Lahore is famous for its food, especially street food. You shall find a great number of restaurants and cafes across the city, especially in and around the major housing communities. There are also a lot of places that stock all sorts of stuff of local and international brands, in case you are looking to get a fashion fix. Residents of Bahria Town Lahore have plenty of dining out options like The Pizza Shop, Jammin Java Café, Crosta11, Flames Grill n Bar, McDonald’s, Lazzat Hotels and Café and various others. For shopping, they can visit Scribble, Salam Square and Mall of Lahore, as they are situated nearby.
The area of DHA Lahore was developed in the year 1975. Since it’s a well-established and developed area, one can find a plethora of eateries here such as Student Own Café, Hardee’s, Gloria Jean’s Coffee, Tawa Tandoor City Café and Grill and Yum Chinese and Thai. Some of the most popular shopping spots in here are Europa Shopping Mall, CH Nawaz Centre, AR Plaza, Alfalah Shopping Centre and Hassan General Store. The iconic Gawalmandi Food Street of Lahore is a particular favourite of the locals as well as tourists.
When people seek rental flats, they tend to focus on a number of factors like how accessible commute, leisure, education and other basic necessities are in a locality. Fortunately, Lahore has a number of places that alleviate all these concerns, as discussed above. The recent development of infrastructure in the city, especially the Metro Bus Transit System, has made life a lot easier for residents. Plus, more industries and businesses are shifting operations to Lahore, producing more career opportunities. As a result, property prices have increased, however, you can always get yourself an apartment, if your budget does not allow you to buy one.