Family influences in property buying in Patna: Patna's changing trends

Women Power in Home Buying 

Property buying is a major decision in middle class Patna Family; especially when the property in question is for self use. Within the family who is the decision maker? The current trend in Patna is that the whole family gets involved; Parents, the buyer and close relatives. But the “HOME MAKER”; she can be earning member even, now has increasing share in this decision making pie. Yes, increasingly Patna’s builders and developers as well as real estate agents in Patna agree that the lady makes or breaks the deal!!! In fact one of the Builders in Patna goes to the extent that for his new project he is hiring a lady architect to better understand women expectations from “the HOME”.

Households in Patna are increasingly having dual incomes, and women have equal decision-making powers and often make decisions on behalf of the whole family.  Those who finally buy their homes after living for years in rented properties in Patna will appreciate the relief associated with home ownership. The independence and security that a self-owned home provides are unmatched. And it’s the women who relish it the most. However, the decision to purchase a home in Patna is not always a straightforward one - there are various socio-cultural and economic processes associated with property purchase in Patna. Among these factors, family influence is doubtlessly the strongest changing trends in property decision-making in Patna.

The REAL Homemaker

There was a time in Patna, not a very long ago, when only the male members of the family actually brought in the family income - and in a majority of cases, men were the sole decision makers in the family. All big financial decisions like buying property in Patna were made by the male head of the family, and such decisions were invariably accepted without any arguments. Today, the scenario has changed completely. In more and more households of Patna, men are no longer the sole breadwinners and decision-makers in a family. Women have become financially independent, often continue to be so after marriage and in fact work at the same levels as men. A massive number of households in Patna now have dual incomes, and women have equal decision-making powers and often make decisions on behalf of the whole family. Definitely, when the issue is as important as property purchase in Patna, women have the right of an opinion regardless of whether they hold jobs or are housewives.

Stronger focus on children’s needs while purchasing homes is another factor that has changed. The preferences of adult family members are no longer the sole focal point. Along with preferences and choices of adults including elders of the family, the needs of the children are now also being taken into consideration while buying a new property in Patna. While choosing a home to buy in Patna, parents are at considerable pains to establish whether their kids will have a safe, supportive and conducive environment. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why most families in Patna, today prefer larger houses if they can afford them. They want their children to have space to play in, and not be endangered by crammed furniture and goods that need to be piled up to conserve space. They also want to ensure that the property they buy has abundant ventilation and light, which they know as essential for their children’s health, growth and all-round well being. In fact, the same considerations also apply for the safety and welfare of the elders of the family.

The Nuclear Family

Living in joint families was historically the default trend in Patna. Many people lived in the same house with their individual families. Obviously, to accommodate so many people under the same roof, it was imperative that one had a very large home. Usually, it was the senior male members of a joint family that got together and made important decisions affecting all the members; in the matter of home purchase, these decision-makers would look for large standalone properties which, among other things, could be enlarged to an extent when the family grew. However, the traditional Bihari concept of the joint family has seen a radical change; nuclear families are now the norm rather than the exception. Usually, a nuclear family consists of a couple and their children. Obviously, nuclear families do not require nearly as much space as a joint family. The property buying decisions of a nuclear family are radically different from those of a joint family, both in terms of who make them and what the choices that are made.

What nuclear families look for while scouting for property in Patna?

• Apartments: Apart from the cost factor, maintaining an outsized property is tedious. The contemporary Indian nuclear family looks for homes that are compact, yet space-efficient – so apartments and flats are the natural choice. The choice of locations also opens up considerably when one opts for flats rather than standalone properties in Patna.

 • Proximity/accessibility to workplace, schools, healthcare and shopping: Since there is lack of manpower in nuclear families, they look for facilities which are close by. For instance, they prefer buying homes in Patna which are either close to their places of work or offer good connectivity to them via public transport so that they can save time and money on transportation. Proximity to their children’s school is important for reasons of safety and convenience. Daily needs must be met by availability of nearby shopping outlets, and medical facilities should be available to tackle emergencies without delay.

 • Possibility to upgrade: While purchasing a property in Patna, the nuclear family will invariably have an eye on the possibility of upgrading to a larger home in a better location in the future as financial capability improves. If the current property or location do not offer enough scope on the resale market so as to facilitate such upgrading, savvy families will shy away from them.

 • Good neighbourhood for the kids: The focus on children’s well being is sharper today than ever before. Indian parents will simply not want their kids to grow up in an unhealthy environment. Therefore, while buying property in Patna, they will ensure not only that the property itself is sound but also that the identified neighbourhood is healthy and wholesome for their offspring. This is why the availability of parks and playgrounds within the housing complex has become a matter of paramount importance for the new Patna family.

The Bonding grows !!!