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Affordable housing societies in Islamabad – What options do you have?

Property
3 min read | Samra Zulfiqar  | September 19, 2017

Given the chance, many of us might prefer to live in Islamabad due to its green, planned and well-facilitated bounds. But can we afford to do so is a question that many of you might have been pondering over for a while. Recently, many new societies were launched in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), which spans over 1165.5 square kilometres. Many of these societies are essentially low cost, catering to the housing needs of buyers on a budget. Would investing in one of these new housing societies be wise? Not exactly!

The problem

According to stats shared by the Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s Housing Societies Department in 2015, Islamabad had a total of 107 illegal housing societies. These societies are essentially ones for which the developers didn’t get an NOC from the civic authority.

According to the CDA, marketing housing societies that don’t have an NOC issued by the authority is illegal. The civic body also restrains marketing agencies from launching misleading campaigns for these schemes. In addition to this, the CDA directs developers to refrain from marketing and initiating development work in these project without procuring an NOC.

We have often seen that the societies declared illegal by a development authority often face serious issues, which later makes the concerned departments launch an investigation. So if you are also looking at some budget-friendly options to buy residential plots in Islamabad, I recommend you only choose from the societies that have been cleared by the CDA.

Here are my recommendations for the genuine buyers.

PECHS

Located in Islamabad’s Zone 2, it is one of the few housing societies where property possession and connections for utility services are available. Enjoying the immediate vicinity of the under-construction New Islamabad International Airport, the main entrance to Pakistan Employees Cooperative Housing Societies (PECHS) is from Fateh Jang Road. The development work here is 95% complete and the developer is looking to grant 100% possession in the next four months.

Following is the price range of residential plots in PECHS. Please note that the possession for all 5-marla residential plots has been granted.

Plot size Price range
5-Marla PKR 1,700,000 – PKR 2,500,000
7-Marla PKR 2,000,000 – PKR 2,200,000
10-Marla PKR 2,300,000 – PKR 2,800,000
1-Kanal PKR 3,500,000 – PKR 5,000,000
2-Kanal PKR 7,500,000 – PKR 9,000,000

MCECHS

This is another secure option to consider in Zone 2. The Ministry of Commerce Employees Cooperative Housing Society (MCECHS) is also known as E-17. It has been 65% developed while property possession is available in over 35% of the project. Connections for water and electricity are readily available here, while Sui Gas connections are not.

The genuine buyers looking to construct their homes right away should consider Block B, because 100% property possession is available in this block. Please note that Block C is still undeveloped. Following is the rate of residential plots.

Plot size Price range
5-Marla PKR 1,200,000 – PKR 1,600,000
10-Marla PKR 1,700,000 – PKR 2,400,000
1-Kanal PKR 2,100,000 – PKR 6,500,000

Gulberg Residencia

Located on Islamabad Expressway, the society is posh in many ways. However, property rates here are quite reasonable right now because property possession is available in only eight of its blocks. With development work going on and the fact that its neighbouring Gulberg Greens – an exclusive farmhouse community – is seeing a robust addition of many grand and high-rise mixed-use developments, Gulberg Residencia holds great future.

Property possession is available in Gulberg Residencia’s Blocks C, E, F, G, I, J, L and V. Here is the rate of residential plots in developed blocks.

Plot size Price range
7-Marla PKR 2,500,000 – PKR 4,100,000
10-Marla PKR 3,500,000 – PKR 5,500,000
12-Marla PKR 4,000,000 – PKR 4,500,000
1-Kanal PKR 7,500,000 – PKR 10,000,000

There you have it, readers. If you have any other options that you think are worth talking about, you should share them by commenting below.

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Samra Zulfiqar
Samra Zulfiqar, a real estate analyst at Zameen.com, is passionate about finding projects that offer buyers the best returns. Her keen insights spotlight the market’s most promising opportunities.

    1. I considered only those where plot owners may want to start construction of their houses right away.

      Its a comparison between which society is better in terms of what.

      2. Is immediate construnction is possible in Gulberg. I visited a couple of week ago but still there is no construnction activity

  3. what is the status of title documents, is this society transfer or proper title documents be executed and registered etc.

  5. Situation is pretty bleak for common people in Islamabad/Rawalpindi trying to build house on limited halal income.

    At some point government must intervene to crash property prices and drive out black money invested in to this sector. We must keep the dream of owning a home alive for our generations to come. We must not let this dream die in the hands of this evil nexus of developer, dealer and investors.

  6. As per my info PECHS and MCECHS are not inside Islamabad territory. Gulberg residencia is CDA approved inside ICT but possession issues exist as you mentioned.

    1. of course its quite credible because its a project of ibechs (Intelligence Bureau), if u gotta chance to visit the site thn u will get to know tht the development of farm houses are at their peak so right now you can have a farm house land at tremendously cheap price because of some bad economical indicators sch as taxes etc ..For more details please visit our zameen Titanium profile (land Marketing Real Estate)

  8. Ghauri town Phase 7 is also affordable and have excellent location. But it is good for medium level people. It don’t have any touch of posh locality. It also don’t have NOC. It has boundries with Gulberg green and entrance is from Ghauri 5(near to Karal chauwk)

  9. What about CDECHS? I think it is a best option in CDA sectors, because of affordable prices and CDA NOC issued sector.

  10. Hi,
    Are PECHS and MCECHS not part of Islamabad?
    If so, your info would be misleading. I would like to invest in a property/plot in islamabad but you seem to lack the complete information that I need. You always skim the surface but lack to provide the detail required.

    1. Many of these societies around the new airport fall out of the ICT territory, including the airport itself.

  11. Hi,

    What area would be the best to invest in right now. I am looking at long term in islamabad and maybe a place to live in the future.

    Thanks

  12. How long you think Gulberg Residencia will be in full swing?
    I mean how long do you think it will take residencia for small investors like me to pay off for them if they invest something now in it?

    1. IT DEPENDS ON THE BUDGET AND TYPE OF INVESTMENT A-SHORT / B-LONG TERM
      IF YOU WANT TO SHUFFLE YOUR AMOUNT WITH A MIN BUDGET OF 3 MILLION RS, THEN U COULD GET/EARN AVG 1-2 LAC/MONTH
      IF YOU WANT TO DO A LONG TERM INVESTMENT WITH THE SAME BUDGET THEN WE MUST HAVE TO GO FOR THE COMPARISON WITH THE NEIGHBOR SOCIETIES (E.G JUDICIAL COLONY JINNAH GARDEN SOAN GARDEN ETC.) THE VERY FIRST COMPARISON IS WITH THE FACILITIES
      NO OF PARKS/SCHOOL/MOSQUE/MINI-COMMERCIALS IN EACH BLOCK
      SECURITY,GATED COMMUNITY
      UNDERGROUND ELEC/GAS/WATER SUPPLY
      LOAD SHEDDING FREE
      SUSTAINABILITY
      KNOWLEDGE VILLAGE
      MEGA PROJECTS TELENOR FIVE STAR HOTELS ETC
      AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PRICES OF SAME SIZE IS FAR LESS THAN THESE NEIGHBOR SOCIETIES. I KNOW ITS NOT ENOUGH TO CLEAR YOUR QUERY BUT UNFORTNLTY EM VERY BAD IN WRITING SO PLEASE VISIT OUR ZAMEEN PROFILE ( LAND MARKETING REAL ESTATE)

  13. What is the future of Gulberg Residencia? I mean I am small scale investor you can say and wants to invest in residencia residential plots, how long it will take it to give me back something?

  17. Please advice if OPF society that is on Kahuta road, perhaps is also in affordable society and what are the rates there.

  20. Any update regarding Jinnah Garden Phase-I extension which was earlier part of the National Assembly Employees Cooperative Society?

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