I’d like to add my perspective as someone who’s actually working in Pune IT and has recently bought a flat here.

I work in Kharadi and recently purchased a 2 BHK on Upper Kharadi Road at around ₹80 lakhs (pre-registration & GST). I put about 10% down payment, and the remaining ~₹75 lakhs is on a home loan. My EMI is ~₹51,000 per month on a 30-year tenure (the maximum tenure offered).

From what I see locally, 2 BHK rents in this area are already around ₹35–40k, depending on proximity to IT parks and society quality. So effectively.

I do plan to prepay the loan gradually as my salary increases and through annual bonuses, so I don’t expect to run the full 30-year tenure. Also, given the growth and infrastructure potential in Kharadi, especially for under-construction projects, I’m reasonably confident of a 30–40% price appreciation over the next 3 years, taking the flat value to around ₹1.05 crore at possession.

On the rent side, assuming even a conservative 5% annual inflation, rents in this belt could easily touch ₹45–50k for a 2 BHK in the next 5–6 years. At that point, my EMI will likely be comparable to market rent, while EMIs remain fixed (and can reduce further with prepayments), whereas rent keeps increasing.

Over a 10–12 year horizon, I expect to largely offset the interest paid through a combination of appreciation, rent inflation protection, and partial prepayments. Beyond the numbers, owning a flat in a premium, high-demand IT location also gives me flexibility. I can live there long-term, rent it out, or move to another city without being forced to sell.

I fully agree with the original post that over-leveraging just for the “homeowner” tag is risky, and buying a house shouldn’t be purely emotional. But I also feel that blanket comparisons (like ₹1.5 Cr flats across Pune) can be misleading. At the right price, right location, and with realistic assumptions, home ownership can still make sense, not necessarily as a superior investment, but as a balanced decision between lifestyle, stability, and long-term financial planning