Househunt

After a short trip with a friend for his househunt, I have come up with a rule-set for beginner househunter.

Rules of the game :

Be sure of what the requirements for your house are. Be ready to give reasons for rejection of a particular house. The reasons could be different for the owner of the house and for the broker.

The rent of a given house does not have connection with the quality / area / condition / amenities / location of the house. This is synonymous with the relation of a job and the salary outcome out of it.

Be patient with the species called brokers. They are a talkative bunch. Do not fall for any promises. Be pessimistic to the extreme degrees: no harm.

Never show dissent in front of a broker. He / she may lose interest in showing more houses. One can, however, do so over a telephonic conversation after the showing-off ceremony is over.

Do not accept a ride offered by a broker. He does not have a valid driving license (I am told, they do not issue license to these people). Under unavoidable circumstances, if you have to accept the ride, declare that you do not have a penny/cent/paisa on you.

If possible get the broker's signature on the following deal : "The broker hereby agrees to pay any conveyance expenses incurred during the show-off ritual". People have ended up in paying a few hundred rupees and finally rejecting all the houses the broker has to offer.

There are some fine-prints, in the advertisement magazines, under the head "brokers please excuse". Do not fall for it. There is every chance that your phone call to the number given in the advertisement will actually reach a broker.

Try to align the locations. For example, if a broker K is handling houses in area A, you make him drop you near area B, where another broker X is expecting you.

Do not get annoyed if a broker does not pronounce your name correctly. His pronunciations could be as off as, "Harvinder" to "Murthy", for a person whose name is simple: "Raju".

Do not estimate the power of a broker on his own grounds. Don't go by a broker's looks, he may have his left and right hands longer than what they appear to be.