Gera Developments Private Limited (GDPL) today announced The Gera Advantage, a programme rooted in Customer First, one of the company’s core values. It brings together support for customers when circumstances change and continued care for their homes well beyond possession.
Buying a home is one of the largest commitments of its savings and future income a family makes. For an under-construction home time from purchase to delivery often takes years before the keys are handed over. Even with careful planning, an unexpected change in employment, an urgent expense or a family medical emergency can create financial pressure and uncertainty. Gera recognised that these are moments in which homebuyers have not traditionally been able to turn to their developer.
The Gera Advantage is designed for exactly those moments. Three financial-support offerings cover the period before the Occupancy Certificate (OC) is received, and Extended Home Protection continues for years after customers move in.
Rohit Gera, Managing Director, Gera Developments, said: “Regulation has been focused on ensuring transparency and delivery as per commitments. It doesn’t focus on creating solutions for challenges that occur between purchase and possession. We are happy to provide a solution to home buyers to tide over challenging times during the pre-delivery period.”
Speaking about the launch, Gulzar Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer, Gera Developments, said: “Customer first is one of our core values. The Gera Advantage stems from asking what that value should mean for a family that has entrusted us with its home. Buying a home should give people confidence about their future. Our responsibility is to support that confidence across the journey, especially when things don’t go as planned. We believe the commitment should work both ways. Through The Gera Advantage, we are providing financial breathing room when circumstances change and continued care as customers settle into their homes.”
EMI Shield
Layoffs place considerable strain on a family’s finances. EMI Shield helps eligible salaried customers tide over this period by reimbursing their monthly home-loan pre-EMI payments for up to six months, or until re-employment if that is sooner.
The support is interest-free and repayable in two instalments after the support period ends, or in full at possession if that comes earlier. Eligible customers can avail the benefit once per unit, for involuntary job loss occurring between agreement registration and six months before scheduled possession.
Home Equity Power
An unforeseen financial need can arise even when a home purchase is progressing as planned. Home Equity Power enables eligible customers to access short-term financial assistance linked to their own contribution already paid towards the home.
Customers who have paid at least 10% of the home’s consideration value from their own funds can receive assistance of up to 50% of that contribution or 10% of the consideration value, whichever is lower, excluding GST. The equity draw down is subject to the loan covenants provided by the housing finance institution. The amounts drawn carry the RERA rate of interest (this is far lower than most other interest rates) and is repayable within six months or by possession, whichever is earlier.
Medical Emergency Support
A serious medical emergency can change a family’s priorities overnight. Medical Emergency Support gives customers two ways to ease their financial commitment when a qualifying medical emergency affects the customer or an eligible immediate family member, or following the demise of the customer or their spouse.
The no sale till possession clause is waived and the customer can transfer the unit without payment of the applicable transfer fee.
Customers also have the option to downgrade to a smaller, lower-value available home, with eligible appreciation on their existing unit taken into account. This gives families a way to reduce their financial commitment while keeping their homeownership dream intact.
Extended Home Protection
Once a family moves into its home, attention turns to keeping it in good condition. The Gera Advantage extends GDPL’s commitment through annual home preventive maintenance health checks for seven years from the date of OC.
After each inspection, customers receive a Home Health Check Report with observations and recommended actions. GDPL attends to covered defects under the applicable warranty and helps arrange non warranty repairs on a chargeable basis, with the customer’s prior approval. The extended home protection benefit is further fortified with a 10-year structural warranty.
Together, these offerings form one continuing commitment, from agreement registration to the years a family spends making the apartment its home. They reflect what Customer First means at Gera: anticipating what families will need, and being there before they have to ask.
Financial-support benefits are available until OC is received, while home-protection benefits continue for their stated periods. All offerings are subject to eligibility and applicable terms.
About Gera Developments Private Limited:
Gera Developments Private Limited, a reputed brand for over 50 years, is one of the pioneers of the Real Estate business in Pune. Recognised as the creators of premium residential and commercial projects in Pune, Goa and Bengaluru, the brand has established a global presence through developments in California, USA. Gera prides itself on providing long-term enjoyment to customers, by having a distinct customer-first approach. The philosophy at Gera of “Let’s Outdo” rests on the trinity of Innovation, Transparency, and Enhanced Customer Experience. It is at the heart of Gera’s effort to infuse innovation and transparency in Real Estate and home building, with an unwavering focus on meeting the shifting lifestyle dynamics of their customers, while upholding the premium living experience. Accordingly, there are many ‘firsts’ that stand to Gera’s credit.
The company introduced a 5-Year Warranty on Real Estate, consisting of Preventive Maintenance & Repairs and provision of insurance on buildings way back in 2004 for the first time in India. RERA mandated the same only in 2017. Gera also introduced India’s first and only 7-year warranty in Real Estate. They have designed and launched a pathbreaking concept, the award-winning ChildCentric® Homes, and WellnessCentric Homes™ which revolutionised the Real Estate sector for both, the developer and the home buyer. The company has also launched Gera’s Home Equity Power — a first-of-its-kind industry initiative providing financial flexibility to customers to withdraw funds from their prior payments to meet financial emergencies.
These products are matched by the services of the GeraWorld® Mobile App, which brings speed, convenience, and transparency to the buyer, enhancing customer experience. Gera Developments has also launched the Club Outdo initiative, a tech-driven loyalty and referral program that provides multiple benefits, offers, and community engagement opportunities to existing and new customers.
The company emphasises delivering value-added experiences to customers, with projects designed around the evolving needs of their customers. Driven by trust, quality, a customer-first mindset, and innovation, the brand has won several national and international awards on both the product and service fronts. Gera continues to be recognised by the Great Place to Work® (GPTW) Institute among India’s Best Workplaces.
Gera envisions raising the standards of Real Estate in India. As they redefine new standards of service orientation, product innovation, real estate marketing, and brand building, they are consistently generating fresh value for its stakeholders, while setting new benchmarks for the industry.
