Quality of life is one of the most valued aspects of living in a property. This can include the luxury and grandeur of a property itself or the surrounding amenities. In a house located by it these amenities will take some time and effort to reach out to. You might need to drive out to your favorite restaurants, gymnasiums, spas, parlors and malls. This is good enough for many however this could be a lot more ideal if these amenities were self contained within walking distance.
Moreover the security of a community is also something to be concerned about. Many individuals living in a community that is not placed in a planned community do not feel safe taking a stroll by the streets. Street crimes and robberies are quite common in non governed areas with subpar security systems. both the concern of driving out for facilities or security of their community are solved by living in a planned community.
What are planned communities?
Planned communities are simply projects which are usually dedicated to cater to the best quality of life experiences for a community. These projects provide ample and quality of facilities with close access from housing areas. Moreover there is always supply of security systems including cameras, security staff and surveillance.
These communities are built from scratch on barren land. The main feature of these neighborhoods over traditional ones is the planning. As the name suggests planned communities exude extensive planning and thought in every corner of their boundaries. As we said above, the problem of distant facilities and security are solved well by planning done in these; moreover the beautification of a residential society is also very much commonly observed by the parks, green belts and tree plantations a planned community exhibits.
Comparison of Traditional versus Planned neighborhoods:
First thing that comes to mind while we compare the two is the structuring of society as a whole and the properties within it. A traditional neighborhood takes input from numerous contractors and builders to construct property. Some properties might seem haphazard due to their vastly different size or architecture and the society as a whole does not seem as coherent. The drainage and water systems might have discrepancies throughout the neighborhood when they are traditional. Similarly the security and road quality might vary from place to place. When we move to a planned community we can see a vision of uniformity in the design. Once again, the planning aspect of such communities is put on the forefront. The extensive urban and community design that goes into their formation is often state of the art and a step above what the neighboring traditional communities have to offer. This is one of the biggest perks of living in a planned community as compared to a traditional one.
In traditional neighborhoods you can see a clear intermingling of commercial and business sectors over time. For example a shop of groceries or small hub of commercial businesses with a part hostel might open up in a residential society. Sometimes this condition is quite ideal for the residents however this can stick out like a sore thumb. A lot of people would not consider it ideal to have heavy traffic or inflow in a commercial shop right next to their residence.
On the other hand for planned communities; it is evident that the division of residential units for construction and on the other hand the commercial sectors are parted. This means that no housing units will be built within the area of commercial spaces and vice versa. This allows for running of smooth operations within the community. You will no longer find hustle and bustle of a commercial sector near your house; similarly you wouldn’t have the tension of expecting traffic or parking around your vehicle while living in a sub commercial region of the neighborhood.
Facilities which are to be provided to the residents are thoroughly planned ahead of time whereas people in traditional neighborhoods will have to drive out to reach them. Facilities like gyms, parks, restaurants and other facilities are contained within planned communities. On the other in traditional neighborhoods; the variety and availability of commercial facilities is quite limited. The small pharmacy located by one’s house in a traditional neighborhood might not have the medicine you needed; on the other hand; within a planned community will have a larger pharmacy of a reputable provider that stocks for various medicinal needs.
More on facilities; availability of educational institutions is a big part of making life easier. Consider a traditional neighborhood; where there are no good educational institutions within the premises so you and your children have to take long routes to their school daily. The pick and drop, whether you provide it or you get them booked with a service is going to be time consuming and costly. This situation is almost always less than ideal. Planned communities once again have the upper hand in providing you with reputable and high standard educational institution branches within them. The closer proximity of educational institution not only saves the time and daily hassle; but it also makes parents feel more secure about their children; knowing they are in a safe and nearby location.
Planned communities also come with ample security facilitation. On the other hand traditional communities have open ends and unmonitored entry points which can invite crime. Planned communities often use the term of a being a gated community. Which means that all entry and exits are promptly monitored 24/7. The community has a secure boundary. Gated communities are much more secure as compared to non gated ones.
Consider the case of a criminal wandering by the streets of an un-gated community with poor security systems. They will find themselves to have much easier escape routes after committing the crime of armed robbery, assault or even worse. Given in the first place; they will have a much easier time entering the premises with a weapon in the first place. On the other hand; within a gated community criminals have a much tougher time getting access in the first place. Moreover the security surveillance staff and CCTV cameras around the corner allow ward off any street crimes in gated communities.
Considering how planned communities are focused on improving the quality of life; another very noticeable aspect of these communities is that you will be living a quieter more peaceful life. These further ties in with the feature that planned communities have their residential and commercial sectors strictly separated from one another. This means the surrounding of your house will not be filled with annoying horns and car exhausts.
Planned communities; the way to a better life:
Property means power in our culture; owning property is a symbol of pride and accomplishment for many in our country. With the rapid pace of development of our country’s real estate sector; it is expected that the newer developments always try to one up another.
In this process of developing better and better societies; there are many successful planned communities that are topping the charts on real estate market. These rising trends of investment in planned communities directly shows how highly valued these are amongst people.
People are always on the search of betterment and improvement with their lives. This also applies to property. There wouldn’t be a single person who after experiencing the perks of a planned community over a traditional on; will prefer the latter. Planned communities are a direct step above traditional neighborhoods in real estate development. Nearly all aspects of community living are improved upon; as explained in the comparison above.
So if you are looking to improve your living standards; moving into a planned neighborhood will do the deed.
Bahria town and DHA as examples of planned communities:
The real estate developments of both Bahria town and DHA projects in different cities of Pakistan are a symbol of all the goodness that planned communities offer. They are the goal to achieve for any real estate investor. The main aspect of these planned communities is their masterfully planned infrastructure. Taking full advantage of the natural features and enhancing the values instilled and desired within the major cities instead of invading them. You wouldn’t find a person who disagrees with the proposition that Bahria town and DHA are the peak of real estate development in Pakistan.
Whether it is educational institutions, healthcare facilities, commercial services, safety and security, ambiance; these two developments have all that to offer due to their carefully planned infrastructure.
Conclusion:
Whether it be availability of facilities, security or the overall environment; planned communities are always preferred over traditional neighborhoods. Simply with the basis of carefully planned infrastructure; planned communities one up all the discrepancies and shortcomings of a traditional neighborhood; making them a priority on any real estate investor’s mind.
