Top 5 CDA Approved Housing Schemes for Investment in Islamabad
Islamabad is undeniably the most beautiful city of Pakistan in the lap of gigantic Margalla Hills. Being the capital territory and one of the most progressive real estate markets, people from across Pakistan prefer buying properties in the housing schemes falling under the jurisdiction of Capital Development Authority [CDA].
It is a fact that the real estate market of Islamabad is comparatively safe barring a few old instances due to stringent checks by CDA. However, one has to be very cautious before investing in real estate as it generally takes your lifetime savings to buy a property.
If you understand the zones and limits of Islamabad Capital Territory, you won’t be misled by any housing project using the name of Islamabad even if it falls under the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi or even Attock.
Since the inception of Gated Communities, Islamabad has been a hub of such popular housing developments which offer better living standards than those provided in CDA Sectors at comparatively lower prices. Today, we will be discussing the top 5 housing projects in Islamabad which actually lie under the jurisdiction of CDA and where you can securely buy a property for your own residence or mere investment.
Following is our list of Top 5 CDA Approved Housing Schemes in Islamabad:
- Multi Gardens B-17 Islamabad
- Bahria Enclave Islamabad
- Park View City Islamabad
- Supreme Court Housing Scheme Sector G-17 Islamabad
- Gulberg Islamabad
All of the above housing projects can be considered for secure investment as well as your own residence in Islamabad. Our criteria to choose the best investment options is pretty straightforward and we have repeatedly defined it in several older articles.
Following is the list of factors that determine the potential of a housing project:
Legal Status: Whether the scheme is approved by relevant development authority and the status of land ownership
Location: This is the most important factor as nothing can beat the location. If there is direct road access available. Travel time to downtown Islamabad and similar location factors.
Developer: If the developer has a good reputation and a history of previously delivered projects or it is a new company with a maiden project.
Master Plan: If the master plan follows modern standards or not. The ratio of plots vs amenity areas, streets and roads width, open green areas, and similar aspects.
Prices: If property prices are justifiable and there is room for growth over time. Comparing with the neighborhood and similar housing projects.
If you consider all the above-listed factors before making any investment and prioritize according to your budget, you will hardly make a wrong decision. Good real estate will always keep growing over time, so a little homework pays off well in terms of monetary returns as well as peace of mind. If you have never been into real estate, you should consult experts in this field and find answers to your concerns before you reach any conclusion.
We will now be discussing briefly each of our Top 5 Housing Schemes in Islamabad. We will present the facts before our readers, and discuss why it is worth investing in these particular schemes.
Multi Gardens B-17 Islamabad
Multi Gardens is one of the most popular housing projects in Islamabad sponsored by MPCHS. It is located on the main GT Road in Sector B-17 Islamabad, which is the bordering area of Islamabad with Taxila. The society falls under the Jurisdiction of both CDA and RDA. The B-17 part of Multi Gardens, i.e. Block A and B, lies in Zone 2 of Islamabad Capital Territory, hence it falls under CDA, while adjacent blocks from C to G fall under Rawalpindi Development Authority.
Pros
Multi Gardens is a properly livable housing scheme where hundreds of families are already settled. About 80% of the scheme is fully developed except for some part of Block D and the newly developing Block G.
- Commercial areas are fully functional
- Schools are operational
- Medical facilities are available
- Water, electricity, gas, telephone and internet services are available
- Construction of houses in full swing
- Commercial projects under construction across the scheme
- Property prices have been rising over time
Multi Gardens is a legally secure housing scheme as it has obtained NOCs from CDA and RDA. It is one of the most popular real estates in Islamabad where a large number of investors and dealers are actively engaged in buying and selling activity. The development progress of the society is commendable; therefore, investors trust the developer and invest billions for a guaranteed return.
Cons
Against all pros of Multi Gardens, there is one important Con, that is the location which is considered to be far from downtown Islamabad. Having main access on GT road with huge traffic is the downside, but the issue won’t last long.
- As the Government has already kicked off the construction work on main Margalla Avenue, the access from Sector D-12 to GT road near B-17 will be seamless after the Margalla Highway is operational.
- Another solution to this issue is the dedicated interchange on Motorway M-1, which is already planned by MPCHS at G Block. Once NHA approves its interchange, B-17 will have the easiest access through Motorway.
Investment Potential
Multi Gardens is the most attractive real estate in Islamabad where a large number of investors & builders are actively engaged in sale purchase and construction activity. As demand for master-planned housing schemes is growing, flocks of people are moving to the gated communities like Multi Gardens.
If we analyze the pricing trends in the past 3 years, average growth per annum has been nearly 30% for residential plots, while commercials have grown over 50% per annum. It is important to note that a major part of the growth is observed in the first half of 2021 due to a huge increase in investment volume in real estate spurred by Government’s incentive policies.
If we analyze the vitals of the Multi Gardens Housing Scheme, we are very optimistic about its potential. The development standards, investors’ trust, continuous development work, legal status, pace of construction activities, and upcoming connectivity with Islamabad Zone 1 are very reassuring features of this housing project. Hence, it is a recommended investment option in our top 5 list.
Bahria Enclave Islamabad
Bahria Enclave Islamabad is considered to be an ideal place for residence in Zone 4 of Islamabad Capital Territory. The high-end development standards of Bahria Town coupled with the beautiful environment and lush green surroundings engender a unique sense of fulfillment in residents and visitors alike. Even though Bahria Enclave is still less populated and partially developed, it makes a perfect place for living in Islamabad.
Bahria Enclave Islamabad is ideally located on Jinnah Avenue (formerly called Kurri Road) in Zone 4, Islamabad. It has easy access from Kashmir highway through Park Road, whereas alternate access is planned from Simly Dam Road which is currently not operational.
The society is registered under CDA. It had some land issues with CDA earlier, but property tycoons like Bahria Town know how to strike lucrative land deals with Government Departments, so the issue was amicably settled.
Pros
Bahria Town is ranked as one of the top real estate developers in Asia. The development standards of Bahria Town are used as a benchmark for modern housing schemes. Amongst all Bahria town projects across Pakistan, Bahria Enclave Islamabad stands out due to its excellent location in Islamabad Zone 4 which is a beautiful lush green hilly terrain. Due to the immense beauty of this place, people in Islamabad would love to call it home.
Following are some positive features of Bahria Enclave:
- Beautiful location near Downtown Islamabad
- Affordable housing scheme in Islamabad
- All basic and modern amenities available to residents
- Hi-end development standards
- Thousands of families already living in Bahria Enclave
- Mega commercial projects building up in Civic Zone
- Best Entertainment facilities, Cinema, Zoo, Parks, Restaurants
- Strong and stable real estate market with consistent growth
Cons
Despite all the development features and the serenity of the place, there are some issues linked with Bahria Enclave Islamabad. We will list down all the issues so that you can choose your options securely.
- Bahria Enclave has failed to obtain its NOC from CDA even after resolving its land issues with CDA. This is a matter of some concern, however as the developments are smoothly going on, and utilities are not blocked by CDA, we can expect that CDA will ultimately issue NOC to Bahria Enclave with certain conditions.
- Another issue is the litigation areas, which is a longstanding issue. Some blocks like N and O have certain areas which have litigation and Bahria Town has been unable to acquire those lands. So, it is important to verify the status of the land, especially the non-developed plots which you buy in Bahria Enclave.
- The third issue could be the location, as Bahria Enclave is not linked with any major road. Currently, the access is through Kurri Road, which doesn’t attract potential residents. This issue could be resolved after Kurri Road is widened and Simly road access is opened that will connect the society to Murree Road.
- Another issue is the landfilling, which is peculiar to all Bahria Town projects. Even if the land seems level, you have to check from existing residents about their soil test report and landfilling at some particular area. The deeper is the solid land, the more it costs you for piling. Therefore, it is important to check land status before buying.
Investment Potential
Bahria Enclave has been developed in record time with about 60% to 70% blocks are already developed. Developed plots are suitable for short-term investment as prices are going up proportional to the construction activities, whereas developing blocks are fit for long-term investments due to currently low prices and higher growth margin.
Generally speaking, Bahria Enclave is a good investment option which guarantees high returns. Some of the blocks including C-1, F, G, H, N, and J have grown well over the past few months, while there are many more investment opportunities in residential and commercial properties.
Bahria Enclave has observed consistent growth over the past few years. The best part of it is that prices are steadily increasing with no artificial hikes, so the returns are natural and there is no risk of prices coming down as seen in project where investors create artificial hype.
If you see the pricing trend in Bahria Enclave, there is approximately 15% to 25% increase in property prices per annum. It varies depending on certain factors, however overall trend is upwards.
Unlike other bahria town projects, resale market of Bahria Enclave is quite strong and mainly dominated by genuine customers. Therefore, it is an ideal place for risk-averse investors as well as general home buyers.
Park View City Islamabad
Park View City lies in the lap of majestically beautiful Margalla Hills. It lies in Zone 4, Islamabad, and is accessible through Jinnah Avenue (formerly Kurri Road) as well as Malot Road. It is one of the most beautiful places to live in Islamabad due to the idyllic beauty and peaceful ambiance peculiar to the real Islamabad.
The society got its NOC from CDA in 2018, and it has been a trending housing project for investment or future residence in Islamabad ever since. Development work is also going on at an amazing pace, and about half of the residential blocks have been given possessions.
Park View City is planned to deliver a modern community living experience where you find peace and tranquility in the lap of nature while enjoying the perks of the 21st-century lifestyle. All modern amenities like mega shopping centers, entertainment areas, restaurants, education and health facilities, and top-class security arrangements are inherent features of the scheme.
Pros
Park View City is an astoundingly beautiful housing society offering scenic views of Margalla Hills in addition to providing all modern amenities and basic facilities. Park View City is one of the top trending housing societies in Islamabad today due to its new residential and commercial launchings at flexible payment plans and amazing pace of development.
Here are some advantages of Park View City:
- The society lies at an ideal location near Bahria Enclave, providing direct access from Kashmir Highway via Park Road and Jinnah Avenue.
- It resides at much higher elevation than Bahria Enclave, hence attracts more home buyers.
- There are no serious legal issues as the society had acquired NOC from CDA in 2018.
- Lush green hilly terrain and a peaceful ambiance make it an ideal place for living.
- Developer’s background is quite strong and they boast of having delivered a model housing project in Lahore in the past.
- It is the only mega housing scheme in Islamabad which offers residential and commercial plots on easy installments.
- Park View City is famous for its modern master planning and top-class infrastructure development.
- Construction activities on residential and commercial buildings have started already and it has become a pretty livable housing scheme in a very short time.
Cons
Where Park View City features a lot of benefits for prospective residents and investors, some cons are also a part of society, but the positives are abundant as compared with the few negatives.
Following are some negative aspects of Park View City:
- Property prices at Park View City are higher as compared to neighboring private housing projects including Bahria Enclave, mainly because of its location and development features.
- Resale or Secondary market of Park View City is quite small, mainly due to a limited number of groups working on Park View City and their excessive focus on new launches rather than resales.
- Pending issue of main 200ft wide access road built on Government’s land and High Court’s decision against the society.
- The society has yet to disclose the revised master plan and mark locations of its previously sold-out blocks, i.e., J, K and Overseas.
- Without marking locations of previously sold blocks, Golf Estate block was launched without marking its precise location.
- The society claims to have ample land to accommodate all new blocks, however there is no official figure available as to the actual land ownership by the society.
Investment Potential
Park View City has high prospects of growth over the course of development due to its attractive location and standards of development. The strong background of Vision Developers is also a strength of this housing scheme.
If we analyze the pricing trends over the past 3 years, small residential plots have grown at an average of 20% per annum, while bigger plots have grown at an average of 30% per annum. The society itself has revised official prices of all residential and commercial blocks multiple time in order to increase returns on investment and create a better resale market.
Developed blocks like A, B, C, D, E and H have the highest prices and those who own plots in these blocks have earned good profits. Other new blocks like J, K and Overseas have currently low returns, mainly because their locations are not marked on the map.
Once the society releases new maps and allot plot numbers to files, prices in these blocks will also improve so these are the current investment options for those who can wait for a couple of months to see these developments.
If we consider current prices in the neighboring Park Enclave Islamabad non-developed plots, we can safely estimate that Park View City can grow double of current value in the next few years, especially after completion of developments.
Supreme Court Housing Scheme Sector G-17 Islamabad
Supreme Court Employees Cooperative Housing Scheme (SCECHS) is ideally located in Sector G-17 Islamabad on the main Srinagar Highway. This is the most attractive location today for investment in Islamabad, however, some inherent issues are important to understand before indulging in this sector.
This cooperative society was founded over 2 decades ago to provide housing to the employees of the Supreme Court. Society had been on standstill until the past few months due to certain land and internal issues, and no progress could be made towards development work. File transfers had been on halt for years, but people were buying plots at very low prices on stamp paper agreements.
In January 2021, the society made one big progress when CDA approved the proposed layout plan of the scheme in G-17/1 and G-17/2. This development caused prices to rise abruptly and quite rapidly over the next few months until a revised LOP was approved in June 2021 for an extended area in G-17/1 and G-17/2.
There are three types of files in G-17, namely:
- Against Land Files
- Employee Files
- Developer Files
The first two types are old files that have been selling on stamp papers for the past many years, so there are potentially some issues involved with them. For instance, some file was sold at low rates on a stamp paper in the past, but now when the market is up, seller backs out on the deal and purchaser gets stay order from the court against the file. So, such files cannot get transferred until the stay is vacated from the court, and the previous deal is settled.
Similarly, some fake files also circulate in the market because there was no verification available due to society being non-functional. These issues normally pertain to employee files and files issued against the land.
The third Type is quite secure as it is issued directly by the developer. It is quite expensive though, yet it is worth the price. So, all three types of files are selling in the market, and the potential buyer has to know the difference between them and make a secure investment decision.
Pros
Coming back to the features of the scheme, there are many pros attached to this investment. The location is so attractive that it can rise multiple times over the course of development. According to the CDA master plan, all sectors lying along the Srinagar highway in Zone 1 and 2 will get right of way from Srinagar highway through service roads.
Following is the list of attractive features of Sector G-17 Islamabad:
- Excellent location on main Srinagar Highway
- Seamless connectivity to Motorway, Airport, GT Road, and Other parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi
- Falls within CDA Zone 2 territory
- LOP approved by CDA, NOC under process
- Most of the plots are owned by Judges & other employees of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
- Convenient access to all major hospitals, education institutes, and shopping centers
- Potential to grow multiple times by the time it is developed
- Investors’ paradise; active real estate market
Considering the current prices of plots in the neighboring sector G-16, you can gauge the potential of this investment.
Cons
Like every housing project, there are some cons associated with this investment also. If you are planning to invest in this housing scheme, you have to consider the following issues before making any investment decision.
- The first issue is the security of your money, as the track record of this scheme is quite shady and there are no definite timelines available for the development of this sector.
- The second issue is that the society has managed to acquire some land in Sub-sector 1 and 2, while the 3 and 4 sub-sectors will still have land issues until the land is acquired and LOP is approved. So currently the files in the approved area are worth buying.
- The third issue is file duplication and litigations. As the society had been stalled for over a decade, and file transfers were closed, file owners had been selling files of G-17 on stamp papers. Some files have been sold multiple times on stamp papers, especially Employees’ files and files issued against the land.
- Therefore, as the market is rising with positive developments, people are trying to grab these files by backing out on their commitments and thus involving in litigation.
- Similarly, duplicate files have been circulating in the market for the past many years, which is a real concern to address before making an investment.
Investment Potential
Considering its location, SCECHS is going to become a good area in the future and prices will increase. In the past, the prices went up significantly and previous investors got good benefits, these stats indicate good profit margins for existing as well as new investors.
Market demand of SCECHS is already increasing steadily and it is likely to increase more with development. Sectors G-17/1 and G-17/2 are getting more attention from investors, prices are somewhat higher here and so are the returns. Some employee’s files in these sectors have been balloted quite recently when official master plan was released, while more files will be included in the next ballot which is expected soon.
As regards Sub-sectors G-17/3 and G-17/4, plots in these sectors are less demanded in the market but prices are quite affordable. Investors here might have to wait for a couple of years till the society acquires land and files turn into plots. This is risky, as such developments can take ages, however it is normally recommended for those who want to invest some money for long term.
Gulberg Islamabad
Gulberg Islamabad has such unmatched features which set it apart from other schemes. Besides being owned by Intelligence Bureau (IBECHS) and approved by CDA, the society enjoys the central location on main Islamabad Highway with seamless access to the downtowns of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Moreover, educational institutes including schools, colleges, and universities are under construction. Different shopping malls, commercial centers, and a 5 Star Hotel are also being constructed at a swift pace. Overall, Gulberg Islamabad is 60-70% developed and many families are living a peaceful and facilitated life. The rest of the development is being carried out rapidly.
Pros
Gulberg Islamabad is a dream living project by Intelligence Bureau and comes under the Intelligence Bureau Cooperative Housing society. It is also known as phase 3 of IBECHS Housing Society and features all basic as well as luxury facilities.
Here are some good aspects of Gulberg Islamabad:
- Gulberg lies at the central location of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on main Islamabad Highway.
- It is easy to reach with access from multiple routes and provides convenient access to Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
- Being owned by Government’s institution, there is no legal issue in Gulberg. Land issues however exist.
- Gulberg Islamabad is a haven for investors and builders; therefore, a large number of residential and mega commercial projects have cropped up very quickly in the past few years.
- It has a strong resale market, so you can exit any time you want to sell your property.
- It is a secured gated community with top-class infrastructure and eye-catching horticulture work reflecting the “greens” of Gulberg.
- Telenor has built its headquarter in Gulberg Greens.
- Gulberg caters to each segment of the society, as you can buy a plot with as low as 30 lacs in Residencia up to as high as 15 crores in Greens.
- Investors have earned manifold returns in Gulberg; therefore, investment volume is ever increasing.
Cons
Evidently, the pros of Gulberg Islamabad are countless, hence it is normally one of the best choices when it comes to investing in Islamabad. However, there are some cons of this society which should not be overlooked as you have to invest a lot of money.
- Some pockets of land in many residential blocks are either under litigation or not even occupied by Gulberg.
- Development pace is very slow, so you may have to wait for ages to get possession if you buy a non-developed plot.
- Prices are abnormally high in non-developed blocks, parts of blocks, where you can’t even go on your car.
- Major part of Gulberg residencia is still inaccessible due to no roads and connectivity.
- Most of the non-developed properties are selling on map only.
- There is huge difference in the quality of development of Gulberg Greens and Gulberg Residencia.
Investment Potential
Gulberg has been one of the best investment options for past few years mainly due to its location. Another factor could be the “special attention” of investors and builders who have trusted this project and poured in billions in different development projects.
The location of Gulberg Islamabad is very ideal and so is the development work. You will be surprised to know that the profit margins have been up to 200% over the past few years and the recent price trends indicate further increase in prices.
Whether you are looking to invest in Gulberg Residencia or Gulberg Greens, all you need to focus is the price and location. You have to be careful about the current status of land which you are buying so that you can expect better growth and timely delivery.
If you have good budget, go for developed plots only. The rise will be consistent and you will end up earning good return for as long as you hold your investment.
Even if you don’t have enough budget to buy a developed plot, you can go for those non-developed plots which are physically accessible and land is owned by the society. Beware of the litigation issues which take ages to resolve.
Conclusion
Here we end our discussion on top 5 CDA approved housing schemes in Islamabad. We have endeavored to highlight all positive and negative aspects of these housing schemes so that you make a safe investment decision and keep all factors into considering rather than being lured into a trap by a property agent.
Should you require more information on any of the above listed housing scheme or other newly launched housing projects in Rawalpindi, feel free to contact us via phone, whatsapp or email to get assistance.
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