We want LI to be one of the friendliest places on the internet, where lawyers and law students help each other with their career related queries and occasionally discuss other stuff that might affect their lives too. In other words:
1. Be kind, respectful and helpful to each other.
2. Be bona fide, truthful, genuine and curious.
3. Assume the best intention of others.
Therefore, in using the site, you must agree to do your best to uphold these community guidelines.
Note that what you find here is written and moderated by anonymous people on the internet.
Therefore everything you read here is very likely unverified, rumour, speculation and/or downright false.
In continuing to read anything here, you must therefore agree not to take anything you read here as factual and that you will exercise due caution, diligence and common sense before acting on any information you may come across here.
You also agree to report any inaccurate or malicious comments with the buttons. Moderators take action within 24 hours, as required and appropriate under law.
Our full terms and conditions apply too.
Do you solemnly agree to all of the above?
1. Look up Flats & Flatmates South Mumbai groups on Facebook. You'll either find your flat directly without getting a broker involved — or, if not, then reliable brokers operating in nearby areas (confirm travel time through the M-indicator app): look up the brokers' post history in the groups to see if they're reliable; if they're improper or fraudsters then people would have commented such on their posts or put posts in their name on those groups. Once you have identified brokers posting properties in your budget, start sending a copy-pasted message with your requirements. Within a week, you'll probably find 3-5 viable options, assuming you have a realistic price range for the areas you're looking for. (Remember that 2024 has seen a well-documented 20-25% rise in South Bombay rents, so you may have to compromise a bit. (IMHO, 30-35k is a fair price) Pro Tip: Rent is ALWAYS negotiable if you're ready to pay the deposit upfront & sooner, especially if you're going through a broker. Paying brokerage is enough of a cost as is, make them earn it by offering them incentives in return for them getting the rent down.
2. As for the cheapest areas with ~20 mins travel time by train, I'd look for Dadar, Sion, Santa Cruz, Wadala, Sewri, and Byculla. Also look for (and maybe prioritise) closer but cheaper pockets of localities within Lalbaug, Parel, Matunga, Mahim etc. For example, there are a number of old buildings near the Ashok Gardens area which don't have a lift but the rents are far lesser.
3. Also, try looking for a vacancy in a smaller ".5 bedroom" — well known apartments in Parel & Worli have 2.5 & 3.5 BHKs where the rent for the smaller room (which fits a single bed, workstation & almirah just fine) goes around 22-25k, which would be quite a steal. All the best!