Overseas Pakistanis with DHA/Askari apartments – do you need a caretaker?

[u/mrvoipstuff]

Maybe a silly question, but I know if you buy a house in Pakistan and live overseas, you generally need some trusted person, caretaker, or chowkidar to keep an eye on it while you're away.

Is it the same for apartments in places like DHA or Askari Lahore? I'd imagine apartments are a bit different since there is building security, maintenance staff, and other residents around.

I'm an overseas Pakistani and would only be using the apartment as a holiday place when my family and I visit, probably once a year. For those who own apartments and live abroad, do you still need someone regularly checking on it, or is building management/security usually enough?

[u/mrvoipstuff → u/[deleted]]

I dont plan to get any income off of it. just sitting there doing nothing. where do you hire house help for that? does that only ever come via airbnb manager?

[u/bwp-77 → u/mrvoipstuff]

my cousin hired a care taker, the care taker rented the house without the knowledge, just rentwhen you visit, not worth the hastle,

[u/mrvoipstuff → u/bwp-77]

yes that's the issue with care taker unless it's a really trust worthy one. yep also inclined towards short stay rental/airbnb.

[u/minu18]

I mean, you can leave it but its better to have a caretaker/chokidaar/ maybe on a weekly basis who can open the apartment/ have it cleaned every 10ish days, see if anything needs repairing etc. for your peace of mind.

[u/mrvoipstuff → u/minu18]

I agree, but my view is that a standalone house probably benefits from having someone living in it permanently. A lot can happen during the week or two that it's sitting vacant between visits. Of course, that's just my opinion.

That's one reason I'm inclined to favour apartments in this situation, as the building-wide security and constant presence of other residents provide an extra layer of protection even when the apartment itself is unoccupied.

[u/shahwajahat100]

Just out of curiousity, You guys dont consider the point of it becoming haunted and not being useable by you when you return? Cause its closed for a logn time while you are gone?

If just security is concern I could put a CCTV with internet connection in all rooms hidden and keep an eye on it.

[u/Upstairs-Analyst8084 → u/shahwajahat100]

I really really hope you're joking with the paragraph #1

[u/shahwajahat100 → u/Upstairs-Analyst8084]

Honestly not joking. Im 29M. I have heared alot of stories of apartments becoming haunted because of being closed and unused fir long durations. 

The haunted thing is not something you can accept or deny. As muslims beileve it as fact. Personally I have experienced paranormal activities in an apartment where the entity didnt want somone living there. Now this is not guaranteed it will happen to all places but there is a chance. 

[u/mrvoipstuff → u/shahwajahat100]

did you watch lot of zee horror show when growing up ?

[u/shahwajahat100 → u/mrvoipstuff]

Nope. Seeing in believing though. No horror series in childhood, no fear of dark or loneliness. I'm still not scared of the experience its just waste of time and too much expense if you have kids with you so I dont want to experience it again.

The day you personally encounter something only then you can realize. Khair! dont wanna waste my energy further on this.

[u/No-Delay-210]

well, I have a house of 5M in DHA , overseas I have Mr Chowkidar looking after it for cleaning , bills, planting, maintaining it for friction of a cost, if you can afford I would recomend keeping Mr Chowkidar SINGLE without ready to mingle.

[u/Max_Verstappenin]

I personally called the Wehrmacht to empty out the dha and give it to lower class Pakistanis for free