Own your dream home in an international spa resort and earn from it, too, without the hassles of tenancy.

A growing number of people is looking at house ownership as a long-term investment option, many among them NRIs or working in other cities, who may or may not return, but would like to keep a nest back home, just in case.

A novel real estate scheme in Rajarhat, the housing hotspot, has been tailored to suit this need, wooing the non-resident house-hunter as well as residents looking for a second home that would work hard for their finance portfolio as well.

A fully-furnished bungalow is what Sanjeevani Projects is offering the home-seeker at Vedic Village.

However, that’s only one side of the coin. “What’s more, we accept the house into the resort pool of rooms for which there is considerable demand. This means the owner receives regular rents while ensuring that his/her house is not locked up, musty and unused,” says Raj Modi, managing director of Sanjeevani Projects.

‘Own your own home and earn from it, too’ goes the sales pitch of this unique offer, which has added a new dimension to the New Town brick-and-mortar matrix. At Rs 1,000 per room a night, the owner of a two-bedroom bungalow can earn Rs 20,000 in just 10 days.

“The owner can use it whenever he needs to. So he gets the benefit from the property both ways,” adds Michael Robertson, director and chief executive officer.

The scheme was kicked off a year ago and the management has already delivered 70 units in the first phase. Phase II, which will be ready in February next year, will add another 60 units to the scheme and the resort pool. When the property temporarily becomes part of the resort pool, maintenance is the responsibility of the management.

A “total solution” is provided in terms of furniture and furnishings, which an NRI or a non-resident Calcuttan would find difficult to coordinate during short trips to the city.

At the Vedic Village, they can “just walk in and begin using the place from Day One”. From linen to kitchen utensils and bathroom accessories, everything is taken care of, much like in service apartments, the developers say.

For most NRIs who are buying into the scheme, “one of the most attractive features” is not having to worry about maintenance. “For someone staying abroad, doing up the house is a big hassle. Here, we are delivering a ready package without the owner having to worry about the ground details like finding a carpenter or a plumber,” says Modi.

“The house is well-maintained when I’m not using it, and at the same time, it yields a tidy sum by being a part of the resort pool. Besides, when I use the bungalow, I can access housekeeping, catering, spa and other services of the resort,” says an NRI who has invested in the scheme.

“The other plus is that instead of a flat in a high-rise apartment, which usually takes around three years to be handed over, the customer can expect a fully-furnished bungalow within a year,” adds Modi.

“Now, people are may be looking at it as a second home, but very soon, these bungalows will be fancied as the future first home, the way Rajarhat is shaping up. For the owner, the value of the asset is appreciating all the time,” says Pawan Agarwal of real estate service providers, NAI NK Realtors.

Unlike Rosedale Garden, an “exclusive NRI habitat” set to come up in Action Area III of New Town, the ownership-cum-rental model at the Vedic Village has fired the imagination of city-based home-seekers, too.

Sector V techie Kushal Rajgharia is sold on the idea of owning his home and earning from it as well.

“It’s a great investment option, which gives you the flexibility and comfort of some extra income. What’s more, the property has enormous potential to appreciate with Rajarhat attracting top-draw businesses and highly-skilled professionals,” the software professional says.