Gated communities in India are transforming to accommodate homeowner preferences for larger, open-space homes and comprehensive amenities, including sports, recreation, supermarkets, swimming pools and pet parks among others. Kingshuk Sarkar, GM of Hospitality & Property Management at Lodha Group shares, “Gated communities have taken the direction of a global village where different communities stay together with several services provided by the facility or property management group.”
Gated communities, in general, can be fitted into following models:
● Inclusive or mixed-use communities: Provide a sanctuary from daily life and opportunities for socialization based on shared interests
● Luxury communities: Cater to those seeking status and peace of mind
● Master-planned communities: Usually have bigger land and residents get to meet most of their entertainment, recreational, and social needs
● Senior Citizen communities: Senior citizen communities, also known as retirement homes, is where independent seniors receive services with everyday tasks. These services and amenities include transportation, housekeeping & maintenance, social & recreational activities, and sometimes on-site medical care. Retirement homes can be non-profit or for-profit and may be operated by government agencies, private companies, or religious organizations. They come in a range of sizes and styles, from townhouses and cottages to large apartment complexes.
Post-pandemic, India’s property market has diversified, offering sky condos, green villas, and smart farmhouses, with architects and developers, focused on eco-friendly developments to appeal to younger investors and second homeowners.
Services provide the regular maintenance, repair, and operation of the complex facility, including common area upkeep, such as gardens, lobby, and corridors; security services; cleaning and sanitation; water and electricity charges for common areas; lift maintenance; pest control; landscaping/gardening; maintenance of amenities like gymnasiums, swimming pools, and community halls and car parking. All these services can be outsourced or offered on a chargeable basis.
Selecting, planning and maintaining communities with an outsourced partner involves clarity and coordination. It is important to clearly outline the purpose & goals and determine what you want to achieve by creating and maintaining this community, whether it is fostering customer engagement, providing support, generating leads, or something else.
Choosing an outsourced partner to align with the goals, values, and objectives is essential. It is also essential to look for a partner with experience in community management, moderation, & engagement and consider their track record, expertise,
& ability to scale with the community’s growth.
A comprehensive strategy will be required for community planning and maintenance. This should include content planning, community guidelines, moderation protocols, engagement tactics, and metrics for success. This will also include selection of the platform like social media platform, a dedicated forum, a chat application, or a combination of these to best suits the audience and objectives.
To keep the community members engaged through discussions, polls, Q&A sessions, events, and user-generated content campaigns could be planned.
Outsourced partners can help with community management tasks such as responding to inquiries, resolving conflicts, and enforcing community guidelines.
Measuring and analysing the impact of the activities is equally important. KPIS, tracking metrics such as member growth, engagement levels, sentiment, and customer satisfaction and analysing the data regularly helps to identify areas for
improvement and optimization.
Regular review and iterate on community strategy based on insights from data analysis and feedback from community members ensure proper management.
Emerging new trends in this segment
Developers, architects, and interior designers now focus on a wide range of design aspects that highlight important facets like self-sufficiency, elasticity, and ecological balance. In recent months, a significant shift has been towards semi-private outdoor
places, particularly in metropolitan areas. Prospective homebuyers seek out more of these amenity places since they let you associate with a more structured and controlled group, enabling you to conform to social distancing standards.
Back entrances, which were not given much precedence as a design element, are set to grow moving forward. The modern-day, futuristic homes will be equipped with mudrooms armed with a bathroom, shower, and dryer.
There is more emphasis on sterile-looking environment to cater to the modern-day wary consumer. This will include integrating more air filtration systems for fresh air intake, natural light, natural ventilation, an exemplary assembly of green spaces, and an open landscape. Sustainability is driving the future of luxury houses, with people feeling they are being seen as caring for the environment.
Hence, there is an increase in built-in facilities, including perfect pantry space and storage. The home office trend is returning. There is also an increased demand for flexible spaces with good connectivity, easy access to airports, and near the big cities are preferred destinations.
The upsurge in buying luxury second homes or holiday homes has also seen the rise of ancillary market — service apartments. These fully furnished apartments provide the occupant with world-class amenities, housekeeping, and various premium
services.
Sustainable design concepts are gaining popularity as public awareness of the hazards of climate change grows. Grand clubs, fine-dining activities, mental well-being zones, art & cultural programmes, spa, and other leisure. The move towards establishing communities as opposed to autonomous living has become essential for the maintenance of long-lasting relationships.
Going forward to 2024-2025, the focus will likely remain on luxury and sustainability with demand for eco-friendly, technologically advanced homes that prioritize health, well-being, and environmental sustainability. This evolution indicates that gated communities are poised to become holistic systems that offer a blend of convenience, luxury, and advanced facility management.
