A Reddit post by a 35-year-old homebuyer in Gurugram, claiming strong gains from a flat purchase, has triggered a broader debate on whether apartments truly create wealth or merely offer lifestyle security.
The buyer said he bought a flat two years ago for approximately ₹2.25 crore, all-inclusive, including stamp duty, interiors, furniture, and commissions, funded partly by a ₹1 crore home loan at 8.5% interest. At the time, his monthly take-home salary was around ₹3 lakh, against which he paid an EMI of about ₹1.1 lakh. With interest rates now closer to 7.5% and the outstanding loan reduced to around ₹90 lakh, he claimed the flat is valued at nearly ₹3 crore today.
“By next year, I should be able to close the loan and become a full owner of the property,” he wrote, adding that the decision is “turning out well”.
‘Wealth needs time’
Several Redditors cautioned against drawing conclusions from short-term appreciation. One user said wealth in property is created by “buying a good asset and sitting on it for 15–20 years,” warning that two-year gains can be misleading. Others highlighted the illiquid nature of the housing market. “It may be valued at ₹3 crore, but try selling and see if you actually find a buyer,” a commenter noted, citing a Noida flat listed for months despite much higher quoted prices.
Another Redditor shared that after seeing early appreciation, prices stagnated within five years. “That’s when I realised the real wealth comes from long-term compounding, not just a big base,” the user said, adding that it took a year to exit their investment.
Land value, costs and lifestyle benefits
Redditors also pointed out that apartment appreciation is largely driven by land value rather than the structure itself. “The walls of your house depreciate every year; only the land component grows, and even that stagnates once infrastructure saturates,” one user wrote.
Some attempted to quantify returns, arguing that after factoring in interest, taxes and transaction costs, the annualised gains may be closer to fixed deposit levels. “You also saved on rent, which is a real benefit, but don’t overestimate headline appreciation,” a commenter said.
‘A home is not just an investment’
At the same time, several Redditors pushed back against analysing an end-use home purely through an investment lens. “Buying a home to live in should not be compared with returns. Just live with your family and enjoy your home,” one user wrote, noting that Gurugram’s sharp price rise is also driven by current market momentum.
Another commenter questioned the obsession with notional valuations. “Where are you going to get a ₹3 crore cash buyer from? And if there is one, why wouldn’t they buy a brand-new flat?” the user asked, suggesting that homeowners should be cautious about treating online or broker quotes as realisable value. “Build memories. That alone justifies the cost,” the commenter added.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)