There鈥檚 no denying the fact that real estate prices have skyrocketed in India, making it difficult for people to buy new properties or simply build a new home. With middle-class families now finding affordable, quality homes out of their reach, a recent Reddit post has reignited the discussion with the question of whether one can legally reside in a houseboat instead. The user explained that he wants to go for a floating home as an alternative to buying apartments in metro cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
鈥淚 am unable to afford flats in any of the Indian cities鈥擝angalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad. I am already aged out, so I won鈥檛 be of working age for EMI鈥檚,鈥 the Reddit user wrote.
Is it legal in India to stay in a boat byu/Puzzled_Estimate_596 inindianrealestate
He further asked if it is legal to hire or buy a small boat with a kitchen, a bathroom, and two rooms. Noting that all the aforementioned cities have a few lakes, the man wishes to park the boats on the lakes or near the sea and live there. 鈥淚 am frustrated with the prices. This is a serious question. Houseboats cost from 15 to 30 lakhs. Moreover, if floods come, I will still be floating,鈥 the post concluded.
The post instantly went viral, showing fellow users voicing their opinions in the comment section. One wrote, 鈥淐an鈥檛 you just buy a home on the outskirts of a city? It won鈥檛 be as fun as a boat, but at least it will be more practical,鈥 while another added, 鈥淥n a serious note, I鈥檓 thinking of buying a caravan and staying inside it; it could be easy to move around the city without the hustle.鈥
A user asked if the individual has considered buying a home in the rural areas. 鈥淗ave you considered buying a house in a rural village area? Just an example鈥攁 village near the city of Patan, Gujarat, can get an independent house of about 800-900 sq ft with land for about 10-12 lakhs. India would have thousands of this kind of village. You can鈥檛 get online deliveries and perks of tier 1/2/3 cities as much if the cost of the house is the only concern. The only thing lacking I can think of is healthcare here, not as good as major cities,鈥 the comment read.
On the contrary, some suggested that one can buy a house in other places within a budget. 鈥淵ou can buy houses in cities like Pune with that budget. If you put together 5-10 more lakhs, you can get yourself a 1BHK here in the city. If you go to the outskirts, then you may also be able to get a 2BHK with a view,鈥 a user wrote.
Going by the comments, the Reddit user鈥檚 idea of living in a houseboat appeared creative to some, while others drew out the impracticality of the plan.