Buying a first home is often described as a milestone, but the decisions behind it are rarely straightforward. In this conversation with Vineeth Mehra, and his mother Vandana Mehra interviewed by Devansh Bansal, Director, DEV, we hear a candid account of what ultimately transformed a casual apartment search into a confident home-buying decision.
What began as a search for security and convenience gradually became a deeper conversation about trust, quality, community, and the meaning of home itself.
Key moments from the conversation:
Watch the full interview to hear the complete story behind a decision that came together surprisingly quickly, but was shaped by careful observation, family discussions, and a clear vision of what home should feel like.
Devansh Bansal: So to begin with, hello, good morning. Good morning, ma’am. Namaste.
Vineet Mehra: Namaste.
Devansh Bansal: Namaste. We are very happy to have you here. We are very happy you could come here today to speak with us. We wanted to talk to you because we are looking for more clients like you. We are very happy with you, and we hope you are happy with us.
Devansh Bansal: So let’s start with your name. What is your name, sir?
Vandana Mehra: My name is Vineet Mehra and my mom’s name is Vandana Mehra and there are two of us in our family.
Devansh Bansal: So to begin with, how long have you been living in Hyderabad?
Vineet Mehra: I was born here, I grew up here, I studied here. So, I studied here too.
Vandana Mehra: Ji.
Devansh Bansal: And are your ancestors from here or did you migrate here?
Vandana Mehra: Actually, we are from Hyderabad.
Devansh Bansal: Very nice. My family and community came here relatively recently. We have been here for 50 years now. We are from Haryana. We came here in 1975.
Vandana Mehra: Okay.
Devansh Bansal: So, I know, but for all of us who don’t know, what is your line of work, sir? And what draws you to this location?
Vandana Mehra: So I work in the merchant navy. I’m currently working as a second officer. And the reason I have come here is mainly because my mom lives alone at home. Security is one of the major reasons which has pulled me towards a gated community. And at the same time, a community where somebody will keep her company when I’m not here.
That was the main reason for me to move towards a flat or a gated community and purchase a home.
Devansh Bansal: Being in the Merchant Navy, I would just like to understand, when do you get to spend time with your family?
Vandana Mehra: So I get to spend time with my family for around four months, completely dedicated. I have all my time. It’s either 100% work or 100% family time. So it’s not like I have to juggle between work and family.
But yes, going away from the family and then working, there is always that sense of fear or that sense of security concern. How is my family back at home? The small day-to-day issues remain, right? For example, if you are staying in an independent house, there are a lot of issues. But in a gated community, it is taken care of by the dedicated staff or whoever is managing things here.
So that is a convenient thing for me. That is the reason I have come here.
Devansh Bansal: Both for you and for ma’am. So what comes to mind when you think of a home? When you think about your house, what comes to mind?
Vineet Mehra: What about the house?
Devansh Bansal: When you think about your home, what comes to mind? What do you picture? What do you imagine?
Vineet Mehra: Okay.
One thing is that we have explored almost every place around here. Finally, one reason for coming here was that the moment we entered, there was a sense of positivity. Also, I truly appreciate the approach of your staff. There is Neha, Bharat Sir, Kiran Ma’am, and others.
First, we got the opportunity to meet Neha. The way she started explaining everything from the beginning was very impressive.
We have seen many other places as well, but the main reason for choosing this one was the approach, the way things were explained, and the design of the model house. Those were the things we liked, and that is the reason we came here.
Devansh Bansal: Anything from your side, sir? What comes to mind when you think of home?
Vineet Mehra: When I think of a home, it’s more like a place where you relax, where you feel safe. That is what a home is.
Being away from home for six to eight months, that is something we crave a lot. It’s a safe place where you can relax, where you can be yourself, where you can chill around.
That is what a home is for me.
Devansh Bansal: So, having said all that, knowing that this is what a home is for you, when did the idea of buying a home first come up? What made you think you need a home?
Vineet Mehra: Presently, we already have an independent house, as I already told you. So the need to buy a home was mainly because of security. That was the major thing.Â
But then I was looking around at flats in this area because I wanted something closer to the main part of the city since most of my relatives stay in the Old City and Himayatnagar these parts of the city. So majorly Rajendranagar is very well connected to that area. And at the same time my mom works in Kanchan Bagh, Midhani. So it is closer to that place. She’s a teacher so DAV school is there in Midhani. So it is also closer like 25 minutes from here to Midhani. So that was also the major reason why I have come over here.
Vineet Mehra: At the same time, where I have, like, the difference between the other builders and Dev, what I’ve observed is you’re not making a mass market product.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: You are like you have that got that personal touch in something which I have seen in the floor plans, I’ve also seen in the quality of
Vineet Mehra: the construction that you’re using. So that was a major differentiator for me and the reason why I’m going for an apartment. Buying a house would be Dev because I have seen everything else and the last venture I have come to is yours. Before that I was just
Vineet Mehra: just going away from over here. I had cancelled the plan of buying a house. I was not even interested to go ahead with it. But then my mom was like let’s go there’s another venture like
Vandana Mehra: Â the name Dev.
Devansh Bansal: Nice, happy to know that.
Vandana Mehra: And the thing is the density of the project is also very less. Actually, the density is very less. So that’s nice.
Devansh Bansal: Picking up from what you said, you mentioned that you really liked the floor plans. Something about the floor plans you really like. Can you tell us a little more about it? What was the one thing about the floor plan that you liked the most?
Vandana Mehra: I have seen some other builders who look for some people balconies might be very very very important. But in your floor plans I have I feel that the balcony and also the other areas have been very well balanced.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vandana Mehra: It’s not like you’re just giving huge balconies and you’re cutting up on the bedroom space and something like that. It’s very well balanced. At the same time I like the store area which has been given in our apartment. That was very nice and that is something which I needed. And it’s just very spacious layout. And I don’t feel the need to make any changes to your layout.
Devansh Bansal: Yeah.
Devansh Bansal: Right.
Vineet Mehra: The kitchen and the store area, that’s where it becomes a bit difficult for a lady to know where to keep things. So, having a store area makes the kitchen look very neat. We can store many things there. I really liked this one thing.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm, so
Devansh Bansal: As you were saying, two things that you mentioned, one was the floor plans and second was the project and quality in general.
Vineet Mehra: Hmm.
Devansh Bansal: So, I feel that whenever I go to see something new with my family, seeing the thing itself is less interesting than the conversation after coming back home in the car. That is a more interesting conversation.
Vineet Mehra: Hmm.
Devansh Bansal: So I want to understand when you and Ma’am came here for the first time to see our project, while going back or after reaching home, what was the one thing that you discussed the most?
Vineet Mehra: The major thing was uh
Vineet Mehra: the quality. First thing the quality. The other thing was the actual premiumness that you are offering and not being mass market. Because if you go anywhere in the city to a builder they are just talking numbers.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: Okay, they are just talking about homes in terms of numbers or what should I say, they are just trying to market it as if you are buying an investment only.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: but it’s not just an investment. It might be for some people who are actually looking for investment but at the same time those who are actually thinking from the perspective of living in the home. For them this house was kind of perfect. For me at least it was very much perfect. And
Vineet Mehra: This was the major thing. There was quality, there was connectivity and what else was there?
Vandana Mehra: That’s it. One thing was that my school is not very far from here. Maximum 25 minutes. We also kept that in mind. And among all the ventures we visited around here, the difference between them and this one was, as I told you, when we entered, the way your staff showed us things.
Devansh Bansal:: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: Then when we actually went upstairs and saw things practically, those same things were there.
Vandana Mehra: Hmm.
Vandana Mehra: The same thing, not different. In the other ventures, everything was digital. They were only showing us things on screens. Here we saw things directly, and the same things were available there in reality. This is a big difference. We discussed this among ourselves, that this is the difference. So we felt we should go with Dev.
Vineet Mehra: Also I would like to add that as a first time home buyer, I don’t have any experience. I’m 26 years old. I don’t have any experience in buying a house. But then your team has been very helpful and they’re up to it.
Devansh Bansal: whereas helping me understand how the home buying
Vineet Mehra: thing works out because I don’t know anything about it. I just knew that yes, you pay money and buy a house. But there are lot of frictions and everything in between that come with buying a house. But they were very helpful and it has been very smooth till now.
Vandana Mehra: Very patiently, they explained everything in great detail. As Vineet just mentioned, even very small details were explained thoroughly. We are completely inexperienced in this matter. Because after our own independent duplex house construction, this can be called Vineet’s first house.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vandana Mehra: The moment we got connected with you and like your first message
Vandana Mehra: was welcome to Dev family. That also felt very good to hear. And it gave a feeling of being at home.
Devansh Bansal: And absolutely ma’am, you are part of the family now. And we are very happy to have you here.
Devansh Bansal: Um, so I’m very happy you’ve mentioned a lot of points that,
Devansh Bansal: you liked about the project, you liked about our team. But what was that one thing because this was the final reason that made you decide you had to buy here. Is there any point like this that you would like to highlight?
Vineet Mehra: Sir, major thing is connectivity, sir.
Vineet Mehra: Present infrastructure and future infrastructure too, if you are considering it. So Dev Signature One has got very good connectivity. As far as I know there is a proposed metro also. So most probably I think there will be a metro station within walkable distance from here. People are only talking about the airport, ORR and PVNR but at the same time there is a major advantage of the metro also over here which you are going to get within walkable distance from here. And I think government is proposing to finish it by
Vineet Mehra: 2030. So it’s not too far also. And
Vineet Mehra: If you take any city, airport metro connectivity is a must. So that is for sure going to come. So yeah, that is also one of the major reasons why I have come over here.
Vineet Mehra: and nothing more, sir, for now.
Vandana Mehra: One more reason is that the things you are showing, you are actually giving the same things there. As they say, some people show one thing and later you don’t get that thing. Here we did not feel that. Vineet also did a lot of research online and we got very positive.
Vandana Mehra: feedback about it. So yes, this is also one reason.
Devansh Bansal: We are very very happy ma’am that our entire team has come here today from Bangalore to be with us.
Vineet Mehra: Ji.
Devansh Bansal: And more than me, they have put in a lot of effort. They have worked very hard. If we go to our website, we don’t have pop-ups saying give your number, give your number.
Devansh Bansal: Like our sales team and other channel partner teams come and they are very unhappy with us.
Devansh Bansal: saying sir, you are not even making the website for sales. So we have tried to make the website provide as much content and information as possible to the potential home buyer. If you like the product, you will come and buy it yourself. We are very happy.
Vineet Mehra: I had seen interviews I think on YouTube by some influencer. I don’t remember where. Something stuck in my mind which you had said, that you’re not selling, like you’re not selling something, you’re selling a product. That is what you had told somewhere. That you’re putting your whole venture as a product, which I liked a lot. And at the same time I can see that also.
Vineet Mehra: in the lot. Yes.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Devansh Bansal: I’m very, very happy that you got hold of that.
Vineet Mehra: Yeah, I got hold of that.
Devansh Bansal: So, so being like so you and your mom together. So every project, every house, everyone has their own special place.
Vineet Mehra: Hmm.
Devansh Bansal: Like in my house, I like spending time on the terrace. That is my personal space.
Vandana Mehra: Hmm.
Devansh Bansal: And every client I have spoken to here has told me something different about my project that I didn’t know before.
Vandana Mehra: Hmm.
Devansh Bansal: So, from your perspective, I want to understand, in this entire project, whether it be inside your flat, outside the flat, in the parking, on the terrace, anywhere in the clubhouse, where do you think you will spend the most time or what will be your biggest quality of life upgrade by coming here?
Vandana Mehra: Didn’t you tell him about that? Green… Green Harvest something that you mentioned?
Vineet Mehra: On the terrace, right? What he is asking is… Okay. So on the terrace, you have a lot of amenities and everything. That is nice. I think my mom will be spending a lot of time there because she really liked it. While leaving from here, you had asked what conversation we had on the way home. This was the major conversation. That on the terrace you are providing a lot of amenities which other competitors or builders are not doing. At least in this area, I think they are not doing that. And at the same time what I feel is that mostly I will spend time in the house itself.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: And the balconies are very spacious, adequate to how much they need to be, not eating up space inside the house. And at the same time the bedrooms are really well designed, so mostly I will spend time in my house.
Devansh Bansal: Very nice to know sir. We are very happy if you spend time in your house. Yes. But nice.
Vineet Mehra: Yes.
Vandana Mehra: Hmm.
Devansh Bansal: We actually we are very happy that ma’am really liked the terrace. In fact, now we have expedited work on the terrace because the entire slab work is done. At least in your tower, we are trying that within the next one month or at most one and a half months, we finish the terrace work and invite clients. Sir, we had told you about this terrace. Once the terrace is ready, please come and have a look. If you want to suggest any changes, we can still make them. Later it will be difficult after everything is completed.
Vineet Mehra: I’m getting this work progress report very regularly from your staff, especially Neha. She keeps sending me. From your staff’s side, even after the whole sales process has been completed, the relationship that you guys are maintaining is also a major thing. Because I have heard at least that in other ventures which are selling mass market products, once they are done with the deals and everything, the people are not responding or
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: queries are not being answered.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: which I have not seen in your venture. Your staff is being very helpful and friendly with every question. I have disturbed Bharat a lot with every small question. I have kept on calling him because I don’t know a lot about it and he is being very kind and helpful. So thank you for that.
Devansh Bansal: We are very happy. Extra brownie points for Bharat sir.
Vineet Mehra: Bharat Sir extra points.
Devansh Bansal: So but for both of you sir and ma’am, as you mentioned this will be sir’s first home purchase. And we are not a brand name today. So Dev is not a brand. We are moving towards it but as it stands today we are not a brand. So booking a home before it is finished takes a lot of trust and confidence. So I would like to ask both of you and also for the benefit of our other clients, what gave you that confidence? What helped you make the decision that yes, you can trust us and buy the home from us before it is built?
Vineet Mehra: Okay.
Vineet Mehra: the approach that Dev is having and the thing that you said that it’s a product. So I think they will grow a lot because there were a lot of other builders in Hyderabad at a particular time who I think were at the same level and now they have exploded exponentially and become very big. So I think Dev has that potential and I think like
Vineet Mehra: Near IKEA, there is My Home Bhooja. I think Dev Signature One would be that thing in this area.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: So it has got that kind of a weightage. Uh, it is very low density and it’s really nice. It’s uh,
Vineet Mehra: adequate, it’s not, I mean however much it has to be, it’s that. So that was the reason. The only reason I have gone for an apartment over here. Because
Vineet Mehra: Okay, there are other projects over here also, but they are very dense. I have observed that. Even if it would have been a high rise, the density and the
Vineet Mehra: kind of amenities they are providing. So the ratio is very steep.
Vineet Mehra: What is the use of amenities if you are not able to use them? If they are already occupied or there are time slots being issued. I have a relative in an apartment of another builder, I will not name them, but because of the very high density, they are given time slots and you can use amenities only in those time slots.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: while paying the same amount of fees. So I don’t think that is going to happen over there.
Devansh Bansal: No, not at all, sir. We’ve tried to break it up into different segments so that everyone can enjoy what they can enjoy. Happy to know.
Vineet Mehra: Yeah.
Vandana Mehra: Like if they want to go to the pool, there are time slots, block-wise. People from one block can use the swimming pool only during a specific time. So perhaps that won’t happen here.
Devansh Bansal: No sir, there are only two blocks, so there shouldn’t be a problem. But no, it’s very, very happy to know, sir.
Devansh Bansal: Um, so for especially for ma’am,
Devansh Bansal: When it comes to your community and neighbors,
Devansh Bansal: What kind of community or your neighbors do you see developing in this project?
Vineet Mehra: I feel very like-minded people are going to come here, sir.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: And, uh, it’s a very, what do you say?
Vineet Mehra: It’s actually premium. It’s very like-minded people are gonna come over here. And uh, that’s it. I haven’t thought much more about it, but I know that it’s going to be a good community over here.
Devansh Bansal: And as a closing statement, sir.
Vineet Mehra: Mm-hmm.
Devansh Bansal: So when you imagine getting the keys and walking into the house for the first time, when we finally hand over the keys to the house and you walk into the home with Vineet sir, what do you think? What is going through your mind? What kind of feeling are you experiencing when you think about it?
Vineet Mehra: Okay, when we get the key, at that time.
Devansh Bansal: Not too far away, you’ll get it soon, but still.
Vandana Mehra: Absolutely. Yes, he will also come back around that time because I think he will leave by the second week of June. So when he comes back, the key will directly be in his hand. I am very happy that when he gets the first key, it will be his own home.
Vandana Mehra: So, I mean, if I think like a mother, I will feel very proud. I will be proud that she has taken it at such a young age. It was a dream, maybe it has been fulfilled, we can say.
Devansh Bansal: Very nice. Anything from your side?
Vineet Mehra: I haven’t thought about it that much, sir, honestly.
Vandana Mehra: Earlier he was completely against apartments.
Vineet Mehra: No, it’s a very fast decision, you can say. But it just worked out with Dev. Because the day I finalized here, exactly one week before that I had decided that I wanted to buy an apartment.
Devansh Bansal: oh.
Vineet Mehra: So it was not a long process or a long decision or planning. I didn’t do any planning in this.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vineet Mehra: So one night I woke my mother up from sleep and told her, let’s go and see flats, let’s buy a flat. Then we just came over here and within a week we decided, and now we are sitting here.
Vineet Mehra: Set.
Vandana Mehra: The day we spoke to Bharat Sir and decided that we would take this home, luckily it was Akshaya Tritiya.
Devansh Bansal: Hmm.
Vandana Mehra: We finalized it on Akshaya Tritiya. So it was a very auspicious day. Everything kept becoming positive. It happened in a flow on its own. Earlier our thoughts didn’t match because he was completely against flats. He used to think we have our own independent house, it’s great, there will be no disturbance, we can play music loudly. That was his thinking. But somehow his thinking changed on its own that
Vandana Mehra: No, I have to take it here. So it was like, it happened on its own. He decided that. I said okay. When we decided, we motivated him, pushed him. So I had full 100% or 200% support in taking it here.
Devansh Bansal: Yes, very happy to know. Anything else that you’d like to add?
Vineet Mehra: No, no sir.
Devansh Bansal: Thank you so much.
Vandana Mehra: Thank you, Namaste.
Vineet Mehra: Thank you.
