For double-income-no-kids (DINK) couples in Bengaluru, buying a first home is no longer just about affordability; it is also about risk management. As rentals climb sharply across tech corridors, couples and salaried professionals say they are facing several challenges over ageing apartment stock, civic infrastructure stress and long-term livability
In a Reddit post, a late-30s DINK couple, earning a combined ₹8 lakh a month and paying ₹80,000 in rent said that despite, a net worth of nearly ₹7 crore and no existing debt, the couple remains unsure about committing up to ₹4 crore for a first home near Mahadevapura, Outer Ring Road and Bagmane Tech Park, areas around Bengaluru’s IT corridors.
“As this will be our first property and also the first loan that we would take, we’re kind of novices with respect to EMIs, loan amount, tenure, etc. However, we think that we can go till ₹4 cr for the property,” the couple wrote on Reddit.
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Buyers should check for STP issues and prioritise project quality over proximity to the workplace
One of the Redditors, who went through a similar buying journey last year, said proximity to a metro station initially led him to finalise an eight-year-old resale apartment. However, due diligence changed the decision.“Only after speaking to a resident did I learn about serious STP issues and a constant foul smell across the society,” the buyer wrote, adding that even reputed Tier-1 developments were not immune to such problems. “The building was already in poor shape. I decided to walk away, even though I lost the advance.”
Based on that experience, the buyer narrowed his search to newly completed projects to reduce execution and maintenance risks. He eventually purchased a unit, slightly farther from his office but in a more reliable project. “The decision has worked out extremely well,” he said, suggesting buyers prioritise project quality over distance alone.
As a DINK couple, how much should you spend on rent in the IT capital?
Financial expert Suresh Sadagopan said housing rents should ideally not exceed 30% of an individual’s income, warning that higher levels can strain household finances. He noted that spending beyond this limit puts families in a financially vulnerable zone, increasing pressure on their monthly budgets.
For dual-income households, Sadagopan advised aligning expense sharing with income levels rather than splitting costs equally. “Where partners earn unequally, expenses should be divided in proportion to their earnings. For instance, in a household with ₹3 lakh in combined income split between ₹1 lakh and ₹2 lakh earners, the higher earner should shoulder a larger share.”
When buying a home, financial experts emphasise the importance of aligning a home purchase with one’s life stage, career plans, and actual property usage. He said that financially secure individuals in their late 30s or 40s may be better positioned to invest in real estate.
“At that stage, people often should have a larger corpus and ideally should fund 50% of the purchase from savings while taking a loan for the rest. That’s a sound financial strategy,” he said. “Relying heavily on a home loan too early can create long-term financial stress.”
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Should couples compromise on the location or property age when buying?
Real estate experts say that within Bengaluru’s city limits, buyers with a budget of under ₹2 crore are largely restricted to resale apartments in established neighbourhoods such as Indiranagar, Koramangala and Frazer Town, according to market participants.
“These homes are typically around a decade old, with sizes ranging from 1,200 to 2,000 sq ft, depending on whether they are 2-BHK or 3-BHK units. New supply at this price point is scarce within the core city, pushing buyers to peripheral locations such as Sarjapur Road and parts of Whitefield for under-construction or newly completed projects,” Sunil Singh of Realty Corp said.
At higher budgets, options expand but remain selective. For ₹3 crore and above, buyers can access new apartments in central and prime residential pockets, including Richmond Town, Cox Town, Indiranagar, HSR Layout and Koramangala.
However, large gated communities are limited in these areas, and the market is dominated by a mix of standalone buildings and smaller gated developments. In projects by Grade A developers, pricing escalates sharply, with 3-BHK units in these localities typically starting at ₹4 crore and going upward, brokers pointed out.
Singh said the pricing gap between resale and new supply reflects both land scarcity in central Bengaluru and the rising cost of construction. “Buyers looking for newer homes within the city are paying a significant premium, while those with tighter budgets are increasingly having to compromise on either the age of the property or its location,” he said.
(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.)