Real Estate Rookie‘s Early Mistake Yields Priceless Lesson From Father
MUMBAI, INDIA – A young Chitrak Shah learned a foundational lesson in the realities of real estate – and the importance of honesty – thanks to a quiet observation from his father. The experience,recounted by Shah,underscores the critical need for hands-on involvement and diligent fact-checking in the property development world.
Shah, fresh off a six-month foray into the stock market at age 17, initially approached real estate with a similar mindset: one of detached analysis and mental strategy. He envisioned success stemming from “sitting in a cabin…using my mind,” rather than the demanding physical work he soon encountered.
Early in his career, Shah would visit construction sites, but admitted to not thoroughly inspecting the progress within the buildings themselves. This habit led to a pivotal moment. During a conversation with his father, he was asked if he’d visited a particular building block. He affirmed that he had. When pressed for details – specifically, wich floor was currently undergoing flooring work – Shah confidently stated “7th floor.”
His father, knowing the work had been on the 5th floor the previous day, simply smiled and walked away without comment. This silence, Shah realized the next day after verifying with the engineer and inspecting the site himself, was far more impactful than any reprimand. He discovered flooring progresses downward in a building, starting from the top floors.
“I understood I had got caught,” Shah wrote.”But my father still didn’t say anything.He knew I would understand the lesson myself.”
The experience crystallized three key principles for the young entrepreneur: projects cannot be understood from a distance, on-site presence is essential, and learning must be based on observation, not assumption.
“That small moment changed my whole mindset,” Shah explained. “Today, every time I visit a site, I remember that day…and the silent lesson my father gave me.” He concludes that real estate, unlike the theoretical world of the stock market, demands a grounded, practical approach – a lesson learned thru a father’s wisdom and a rookie’s honest mistake.
