Salam all,
I need some advice on investing in islamabad. I'm originally from karachi but have been living overseas for quite some time.
I don't really know anything about islamabad's property market, trends, prices, etc. But recently a good friend mentioned that dha islamabad has plots in the range of 10-15 lacs which would be good for investment.
My question is if dha islamabad is similar to dha karachi i.E. Secure and trustworthy. In karachi, dha is pretty much the only area which is free of land grabbers and similar problems.
Second question is of course advice on if this is a good investment option and the price range i mentioned is correct. If anyone can also comment on how long to keep this investment for (2 yrs, 5 yrs, etc), that would be great.
I tried to search before posting but couldn't find anything relevant or useful.
Thank you all...
Sir its 12 to 14 million on average for a good plot in K L blocks…In 12 to 15 lacs only a plot in dha valley is possible.Investment in dha islamabad is safe and rewarding as evident from the previous performance.
Dear Uzee,
In this budget go to 5 marla in Dha valley.
Regards
Dear Uzee
If you are opting for the DHA valley then go for Oleander & Lilly sectors where possession is earlier than others. Some sectors are having full-blown villages inside. DHA is handing over some fully possessed blocks plus the ready to live DHA homes, in near future. Your investment will appreciate after possession.
My best may not be good enough but I think DHA valley investment will bear fruits within 2-3 years.
Thank you brothers Saadi, Nadeem and Abdul Qayyum. I have been reading on DHA valley and at least from the initial impression it doesn't seem to be a very wise investment option ? but maybe thats why the prices are so low ?
I also read on zameen.com:
Any other suggestions? My maximum stretch could be 20-25 lacs.
Thanks
I am also evaluating few options including dha vally, enclave, top city and Mumtaz city for small plots with similar budget range. Valley looks pretty good in this range for investment but it’s distance from Islamabad using current access discourage me for demand by potential buyers for living. I think Mumtaz city will be much better for genuine buyers this boosting roi for invested. Would request Abdul qayyum sb and other experts for their valuable feedback on this analysis.
One common mistake we normally do is that we do not see the developer’s resources when we make decision to buy in the new developments.
Talking of the resources, the BT and DHA are the best in this regards. Initial development in any society is always good but when it comes to the up-keep, townships go in darkness and people lose money!
Even BT, with its huge resources, phase-8 standing at 15th year since its inception and just recently it has become attraction for the living. Same goes for the DHAs.
The coop societies in Pakistan were only good in Karachi in the past but in Pindi Islamabad, they are master pieces of failures, see Jinnah Garden!!
Advising someone about the investment is very hard as big players can change the game whenever they want.
We, the poor souls, could only guess upon the dealer’s news in the market, media & world of mouth but no access to the big player’s drawing rooms?
I learned from my experience that we shall opt only those places where developers have good resources for the later maintenance and provisions at least for water, security, garbage collection and ample amount of the road machinery.
Now with this in focus one can see the MC, TC and all others around.
Having said that, DHA valley a 8 Marla at less than 20 lacs is luxury as we stand.
Just yesterday, I heard that on the Islamabad highway, 02 more overheads started apart from Kural which is almost completed and after highway being signal free, driving to the secretariat will take as much time as it would be from G-15/16 and from the other CDA sectors towards zone-2 area.
The developers may be honest but just honesty alone is not enough to run an esthetic township for longer time. See Jamaat-e – Islami’s Qurtaba City! AWT has not been able to get access from D-17. See Atomic socity, OPF. The list goes!!
This MW access has come as a bonus for them otherwise, AWT would have been a complete failure, looking into the old single deteriorated sang Jani access! They could not even afford the underground electricity and no mention of the only 4”undergornnd drain lines to take drains from the blocks?
When I sold my plot years before, I saw only their small underground drain lines and abandoned the idea of keeping my investment there.
The moral of the story stays: BT or DHA and may be the Anchorage are good for investments, living and good upkeep for the decades to come.
I am not saying that BT & DHA people ” doodh ke dhuley hoe hain”, all I am saying is that these are organizations. DHA is the peace of mind and if Habib bank did not fail after its founder, BT having 30,000 plus employs could not fail after its founder.
Excellent analysis brother Abdul Qayyum. People like you with honest advice are blessing.
My comparison of value appreciation of MC and tc in comparison to dha was based on the happenings around these societies due to airport and access through Kashmir high way that will help in quick appreciation in 2-3 years.
But your analysis is absolutely correct from the power of execution point of view.
THanks Inamullah Sahab
Just my 2 cents
@uzee! U may consider Bahria enclave as well - in 2.5 to 3 million somewhere in midddle u can have a good 5 marla.
Look for AWT is as well
Thank you all once again, this is a wonderful community where people genuinely try to help and give advice - very rare these days.
Inamullah brother thanks for your suggestions, I will explore MC and TC also but I think being not from Islamabad I would be much more inclined towards DHA. Even though BT is also very reputed and the next best option after DHA
Brother Taimoor, I had not heard of AWT, will research on it as well.
Brother Abdul Qayyum, thanks once again for a wonderful analysis, I think you have a pretty good handle on how things work and what factors should be considered. That said, as I mentioned I would probably lean more towards DHA than any other project. My concern with DHA was based on the article I mentioned above by Samra Zulfiqar of zameen.com She mentions:
"The key issue that hindered the development of DHA Valley is that some of its land has been marked as the proposed site of Dadocha Dam"
If the land is in dispute with the government - that usually is a sign of a pretty major problem causing poor investor confidence and hence poor price appreciation. This is my only concern at this point, if you know of any details on this issue, please share.
Also, brother Abdul Qayyum you mentioned:
"DHA valley a 8 Marla at less than 20 lacs is luxury" please forgive me for not understanding properly but do you mean that is a good option or bad?
Thanks....
Dear Uzee
Samra Zulfiqar is right as DHA valley slowness is largely dependent upon this dhadhoocha dam.
Sir, DHA valley is very big in size and there are some blocks which are being affected by this proposed dam.
Unfortunately in the past this fraud exercised jointly by some corrupt Brass, Malik Riaz, Habib Rafique Ltd and RDA.
To cut the long story short, the bottom line was to take valley money to Bahria town Pindi phae-8 and to Karachi Bahria town while all other to take their own share of money plies.
Luckily General Raheel appeared on the horizon, minded the injustice to the Shaheed families and to poor valley investors and stood firm to solve problems. It is after then only that MR brought huge earth moving machinery there and now if you see the development there, you will not believe that with in just 8 months how much has happened there!
DHA expressway was planned to reach to all blocks but then it needs to pass through the Bluebell, Rose and some other sectors which, reportedly, are inside the dam bowl!
But MR offered the dam affected allotters to shift plots in BT Pindi and to BT Karachi, people di so but dam drama still stays, as RDA still wants dam there. Now this game is being played between the very influential politicians and, as I can see, the solution does not seem to happen in near future.
Having said that apart from the dam sectors, valley is having good sectors, free from any issue, located at height and going to be handed over in near future…may be only months from now.
These sector are also housing the famous “ DHA Homes”, 100s of them, just ready to get in.
The homes are being handed over within this year from all mouths and info resources and that’s why the DHA valley is now in focus. All Pindi property is on down slide but these sectors are holding ground if not increasing in price.
These sectors are Oleander & Lilly and when I said luxury, I meant investing ONLY in these sectors in the DHA valley. May be some other similar blocks will also be handed over when they announce the DHA homes but I am still not clear as several clear sectors have visible development and as good as Oleander & Lilly.
AoA, can anyone guide me about investment in DHA-II extension… Is it worthwhile investment? When and what sort of return can one expect? which sector will be best? How much holding time is involved to see good return and possessions…
DHA 2 extension is an uncertain project. Not recommended at all. For roughly the same range you should invest in DHA Multan or Gujranwala. You can move your investment back to Islamabad or where ever you want once DHA Multan/Gujranwala are developed.