E-Paper
Founder says 2 salaries couldn’t buy flat in Bengaluru: ‘Bought 3-bedroom house in UK’
Neha Sharma said that despite having “2 people’s salary” while living in Bengaluru, buying a flat still felt financially exhausting.
Bengaluru-based founder Neha Sharma has sparked a conversation online after sharing a candid comparison between her experience of trying to buy a home in India and eventually purchasing a house in the United Kingdom. In a post shared on X, Sharma wrote that despite having “2 people’s salary” while living in Bengaluru, buying a flat still felt financially exhausting.
“In Bangalore, with 2 people's salary we had hard time to buy a flat (later we cancelled it),” wrote the Amazon techie and founder of JSLovers.
UK vs Bengaluru home-buying
Sharma contrasted that experience with what she described as a far smoother and more transparent process in the UK. She said that within two years of moving to the UK, she was able to buy an independent 3-bedroom house — and that too on a single income.
In her X post, she compared how in Bengaluru, even a small apartment seemed unaffordable. In the UK, her 3-bedroom house comes with a backyard, dedicated parking, good views, and every kitchen appliance she could need.
“2 years after moving to UK bought an independent 3 bed house, with all kitchen appliances - gas, fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, oven, carpet , lighting, etc. with backyard , good views, and parking,” Sharma said.
‘No one asked for black money’
One of the strongest points in Sharma’s post was her criticism of the lack of transparency she encountered during the Indian home-buying process.
“No one asked for black money. 100% transparency,” she wrote while describing her UK experience. She also noted that she got a “first buyer” discount in the UK.
The phrase “black money” is commonly used in India to refer to unaccounted cash transactions that are sometimes allegedly demanded in real estate deals. A policy paper published by the Pune International Centre in 2017 described politics and real estate as the primary “sources and sinks of black money in India”.
Post sparks discussion
Sharma’s comment resonated with many social media users who said transparency and hidden costs remain major concerns in the Indian property market.
“Exactly. Buy in foreign and if not possible - Live on rent here. Let property buyers and builders bleed for sometime,” wrote one X user.
“India is a nightmare for property buyers , we need a massive crash to reset this. A lot would be hurt but it’s needed with rooting out black money fully,” another said.
“The most underrated part of your story is: “No one asked for black money.” That one line explains half the pain of Indian real estate,” a user added.
(Also read: ₹3.12 lakh crore property deals under Income Tax dept scanner)
