In an unprecedented move today, Mother Nature decided to exercise her right to a rain-check in Himachal Pradesh, enforcing a disastrous cloudburst that led to an unsolicited downturn in the local real estate market. In the wee hours of the morning, the serene Mamligh Village of Kandaghat subdivision in Solan, known for its tranquillity and rustic charm, found itself in the grasp of cloudburst-induced mayhem. Two houses and one cowshed were whisked off in an unfortunate act of residential magic trick, causing estate agents in the area to scramble to redefine 'open plan living' and 'hardwood floor'. Barely awake, the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had just taken his first sip of chai when he was alerted to the destruction. Initially misconstruing the incident as an overly imaginative prank by a rival party, he soon realized the gravity of the situation and took to twitter to express condolences, promising that his government would leave no stone unturned, except for the ones that were already uprooted and turned over of course. On a positive note, the incident gave occasion for local earth-mover operators to demonstrate their unsung heroism. Braving the aftermath, they swiftly removed mud from the Aut-Sainj road, ensuring smooth traffic. In conversations with local citizens, what began as hailing for smooth traffic soon escalated to a shower of pleas for the introduction of monsoon-proof houses. The locals even secretly envisioned a theme park attraction- “Himachal’s Cloudburst Adventure”, where visitors could experience simulated cloudburst, ensuring they have new survival skills under their belt. Meanwhile, real estate agents are being forced to come up with innovative sales pitches. Home-seekers are reportedly being told about exclusive offers including ‘extra airy rooms with sky-high ceilings’, ‘exotic views with all equipment for mud baths included’ and ‘rare dairy pets that may appear and disappear at will’. In darker (and wetter) developments, seven people have lost their lives due to the incident. The heart-wrenching incident served as a sobering reminder of the unpredictability of Mother Nature and the precarity of existence - things that aren't typically covered in a property sales brochure. As the rainbow emerges on the backdrop of this tragedy-estate debacle, we, the residents of Himachal Pradesh and concerned real estate agents clutch onto hopes and dreams that the sun will once again shine not only on our vulnerable hills but also on the prospects of real estate. Until then, the only upward graph here belongs to the rainfall.