Start with how you will arrive
If you will take the train, stay within a fifteen-minute auto ride of Karjat or Neral station — that rules out most of the Chowk belt. If you will drive from Mumbai on the expressway, Chowk and the Khopoli side actually beat the town on door-to-door time.
Neral for views, Kalamb for value
Neral's higher parcels look straight at the Matheran ridge and command a 30–40% premium for it, with the rental demand to justify part of that. Kalamb offers similar green cover, river access and genuine quiet at roughly two-thirds the price, with the trade-off being fewer amenities nearby.
Kondhane if you want the crowd, Chowk if you want a business
Kondhane's waterfalls bring visitors, which is excellent for a rental property and poor for solitude. Chowk's expressway access and existing resort cluster make it the right answer if your weekend home is really a hospitality plan in disguise.