40-Year-Old Senior Exec with ₹1.2 Crore CTC and ₹7 Crore Savings Finds Gurgaon Housing Market Out of Reach
At 40, with an MBA from IIM Bangalore and a senior role in a public limited company, the Reddit user appears to embody corporate success. His annual cost to company stands at ₹1.2 crore, with monthly post-tax income of around ₹6 lakh. His lifetime savings exceed ₹7 crore. Yet, buying a home in Gurgaon, where he currently works, feels out of reach.
The user explained that builder floors near his workplace in DLF Phase 2 cost upwards of ₹5 crore for a 2300 sq ft unit. Premium gated communities are even more expensive, with some four-bedroom homes priced above ₹14 crore, making both the down payment and EMIs unaffordable. Older apartment complexes, though cheaper on paper, would still cost close to ₹5 crore after renovation, brokerage, and government charges.
Beyond price, the user questioned what these homes actually offer. He pointed to the lack of green spaces, amenities, and basic environmental quality. Concerns were also raised about construction standards, particularly in small builder floors where structural issues can emerge within a few years. “For this money, I am getting show and pomp like false ceilings, but no real quality of life,” he wrote, adding that clean air and water remain elusive.
Taking a home loan feels like an even bigger compromise. According to the user, paying several lakh rupees in EMIs would mean committing to work for another 10 to 20 years. At his age and seniority, he said there is no certainty that corporate jobs will last that long. Despite being the sole earning member of his family, with no children and no major financial responsibilities, the idea of tying himself to long-term debt felt unsettling.
User reactions reflect shared anxiety. Several users suggested moving away from NCR to places such as Panchkula, Chandigarh, or South Goa, where homes are cheaper and life is quieter. One commenter urged the user to build a ₹10 crore retirement corpus, relocate to a calmer city, and focus on health, community, and personal interests instead of property ownership. Some users argued that only a few areas in the city are truly livable and that professionals prefer these pockets due to better infrastructure, schools, and social life. For many urban professionals, the question is no longer just where to buy a home, but whether home ownership in cities like Gurgaon is worth the financial and emotional cost at all.
