An passage on why expatriates choose ECR for residential purposes
India and especially Chennai is a preferred business destination globally for expatriates either for rent or those seek sale of houses. With the recession, MNCs have reduced the rental compensation they can provide on their budgets. Despite this, Chennai seems to be in demand. This could be owing to a combination of products like IT, software, hardware, telecommunication and majors’ automotives.
In general, the most popular destinations for properties to serve the MNC employees are the East Coast Road, Alwarpet and R.A. Puram. The rental range is from Rs. 70 k to Rs. 3 Lakhs that depends on the quality, age and amenities provided. Research has found that the size in demand is a minimum of 2,500 sq.ft to about 4,000 sq.ft
 
General Specifications for houses for foreigners
As Chennai is hot and humid, foreigners look for picture windows or French windows that provide good light and ventilation. Thus, if the houses need to be let out to foreigners, it is better to not opt for tiny apertures on the walls with frames. They also do not prefer grills on windows.
Protection for pets
Mosquitoes are an abomination to the western people, houses with proper protection again these are important. This menace can be fought with protection like the netlon and fly screens, the menace can be fought with. Other protection aids include rat meshes and cockroach traps in drains. These are very cheap but make a big difference to a house for a living and prove to be an effective selling point to attract foreigners.
Electrical conveniences
Most of the western electrical equipment does not get connected to plug points used in India. Compatibility in this aspect for foreigners especially is a must while ordering fittings. These thoughtful gestures will make the houses easily available for rent for the expatriates.
Amenities like generator back up and water purification systems will enhance the value of the house. A cool car park is something that is widely preferred by foreign expatriates. Houses close to schools, shopping malls, commercial hubs and hospitals will help the houses fetch higher rent and attract more people towards it. Houses not crowded by slums, and localities not prone to water logging are another value add for agents who are into networking with expatriates for communicating the rental houses or houses for sale.
Color choice
When compared to Indians, expatriates are more appreciative of light, pale, white or off white colors for walls and furniture and basically for the house on the whole.
Accessibility of landlords is another important factor for expats/foreigners to sort out issues relating to maintenance of the house and other enquiries. This would add more value to the house.
Haven by the sea shore
The architecture of the posh beach houses and villas on the ECR displays a highly refined need and class of the elite and their preferences.
 
A drive down the roads leading one to the ECR to the Bay of Bengal helps one see houses that it of the urban architecture. These houses feature with gardens, galleries providing a pleasant view to the sea, balconies and balconettes making the windows stand out. The roofs of the houses are red tiles that is the most recognizable feature running through ECR.
According to an Iranian architect, Shahriar Dehghan, "Beach houses should blend with the sea and the sand," making Chennai his home. According to him, “Beach houses should look like they have risen naturally out of the landscape. The building should not deform the natural beauty of the sea front, whatever be the area of it. According to the CRZ norms, beach houses cannot have more than a floor. In the city, the constructors of houses are restricted to a vertical construction owing to land prices and scarce plot lands. However, on the ECR, one need not stick to this restriction.
Foreigners, expatriates working in software companies and IT are large in number and are settling down on the ECR and find it an ideal choice. They have the wherewithal to go for forms and structure that are based on Mediterranean or any other European architecture," says Emmanuel Fernandez of Espana Builders and Developers, who are active on this road.
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