Tuesday 13 October 2015

Buy Property where you are comfortable

Opt for homes that facilitate the female head of the house with layouts that enhance family interaction and also provide privacy
Earlier, residential projects were designed to appeal to the male head of the house, since he used to make purchase decisions. However, with the two-income nuclear family concept gaining ground over the past decades, homes are being designed in a much more ‘mother friendly’ manner.
From open plan kitchens that allow her to chat and interact with family while cooking or serving food to niches created for appliances like washing machines for clothes and vessels, easily accessible drainage outlets and drying balconies, residential projects are increasingly being conceptualised to facilitate the female head of the house.


Good morning

If not a balcony, architects ensure that there is at least a corner window where the mother can have some private time with that first cup of tea in the morning before her hectic day commences. A few potted plants and you have the tranquil ambience that is so essential to start off the day peacefully. Solar water heaters ensure a hot shower even on freezing winter mornings when there is a power cut.


Cleaning comfort

From flooring material that is easier to clean and table tops that are scratch-resistant to specially designed mops, there are a whole range of options that get a home looking spic and span in a jiffy.


Appliances galore

Air conditioners that double up as heaters, refrigerators with rapid ice making facilities, cooking ranges that allow you to cook, heat and grill simultaneously while occupying a compact space, even coffee warmers, life is much easier for working mothers and home makers alike.


Space maximisation

From a compact table to place a laptop or net book, a workstation to house the personal computer that also doubles up as a study area for kids, there are many ways in which mothers balance multiple requirements. Wall units with meticulously designed wardrobes ensure that there’s enough space to sort out the pre-ironed and ironed apparel. Box beds with easy to slide pullout storage beneath provide much-needed space for extra items.


Layout logic

The emergence of 1-1/2BHK flats, 2-1/2BHK flats and so on. The trend of having compact bedrooms or a ‘half’ bedroom ensures that the kids have some space of their own and their mother has some degree of privacy also.


Rejuvenation recipe

Most mothers feel that a home should be a place where you have comfort, feel peaceful and pleasant. Locations that are quite far from the main areas ensure that when family members return home, there is the fresh air, greenery and peaceful atmosphere. This is very important for working moms after having spent the entire day surrounded by crowds, noise and pollution.


Fitness fundamentals

The presence of lifestyle and health facilities like the play ground, gym, club house, swimming pool within the complex premises enables mothers to also stay fit while unwinding surrounded by the serenity of water bodies and lush greenery. In addition to play areas for children, gardens for senior citizens and shopping facilities within or near the project, the presence of reputed schools is another major advantage as they reduce the time required for managing such responsibilities.


Technology triumph

Security is one aspect that mothers have to worry a great deal about, since either they are alone at home for a large part of the day or their children end up being on their own after school. From the intercom facility that ensures no visitor enters the building without confirmation from a resident to video door phones that enable children or mothers who are ‘home alone’ to verify who is standing outside before opening the main door to the apartment, security is one aspect where mothers find technology playing a far greater role than before. Technology has made keeping an eye on children quite easier for working mothers and provided them much-needed peace of mind, probably the one gift they treasure the most on Mother’s Day.


Source – epaper.dnaindia.com

Monday 12 October 2015

Right time to Buy a Spacious Flat at Ghodbunder Road Thane

WHY NOT Buy a bigger flat?

With RBI announcing a 50-basis-point repo rate cut earlier this week, home loan rates will reduce simultaneously raising eligibility levels


One of the golden rules of buying real estate is that no home search should begin without finalizing a budget. This is largely determined by the home loan eligibility amount, which is calculated by lenders keeping the applicant’s repayment capacity and prevailing interest rates in mind. It is this last, crucial factor that determines their repayment amount and therefore, eligibility sum as well.

Any possibility of rates rising makes fence sitters take two steps back, while a status quo encourages them to take the plunge. However, a reduction in rates can actually encourage those who are house hunting to go in for a slightly bigger home. It could be an extra ‘half’ bedroom or larger sized rooms, extra space becomes a possibility when rates reduce.

Great news


So the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announcing a 50-basis-point repo rate cut earlier this week is really good news for home seekers. The impact was immediate as several banks lowered their base rate with others set to follow suit shortly. State Bank of India (SBI), cuts its base rate by 40 basis points from 9.70% p.a. to 9.30% p.a. effective October 5, 2015. Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman, SBI said, “The proposal to reduce the risk weights on low cost housing loans will incentivise the banks.”

Higher volumes


Rishi Mehra, Co-Founder, Deal4loans.com, pointed out that in a surprise move, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate by 50bp to 6.75%, compared to consensus and our expectations of a 25bp cut. “RBI has proposed to lower risk weights on individual housing loans in the affordable segment (currently minimum risk weights in housing loans is 50%) to boost low cost housing. This will help in meeting the government’s target ‘Housing for all’ by 2022. Along with rate cuts, this means housing loan market should see a pickup in volumes. Home loan rates should fall by 0.50 basis points. Expect home loan rates to come at 9%,” he estimated.

Long overdue


Getamber Anand, President, Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI) National, said, “The industry is welcoming RBI Governor’s announcement of rate cut by 50 basis points, this was long overdue. RBI Governor has previously stated that while rate cuts have happened, it has not translated into reduction of home loans. CREDAI appeals to all the banks to pass on this rate cut to property buyers who avail home loans. This is now imperative and it must be done to benefit the end user. All in all, the industry is extremely upbeat and we feel the Golden Era for Indian manufacturing and businesses has begun. RBI Governor had also stated that they will be working in absolute tandem with the government dream for growth of our country and we are in full support for the same."

Direct impact


So how would this impact you as a home seeker going forward? Well, it is quite simple actually. Basically, a reduction in home loan interest rates would impact your home loan repayment at two levels.


The first is a reduction in the equated monthly installment (EMI) amount. The second, consequent advantage is an increase in loan eligibility level.

Just log onto the website of most leading banks and you will find tools marked ‘EMI calculator’ and ‘eligibility calculator.’ Then input your financial details and the current rate of interest offered and the answer will be right there.


Now input the same details and reduce the interest rate by even one percentage and see the difference in both, EMI and eligibility amounts.

Other factors


Do keep in mind that this is just one side of the calculation. The lending institution will also base its eligibility decision on the value of the flat you are purchasing. Based on the eligibility amount, you can figure out the approximate budget of the house you should be searching for (by adding about 25% more) and that will help you streamline your home search procedure considerably.


Consider buying Spacious 2 and 3 BHK flats at Ghodbunder Road, Thane at Prestige Residency. Live a life like a King in your KINGSIZE Home only at Hillview.

Planning to sell your Home? Effective Strategies to adopt.

If you want to sell your existing flat, get systematic. Remember that any hesitancy on your part while describing its features to a prospective buyer can be interpreted as having some flaws to hide.

- Prepare a brief summary of its attributes such as 
  • exact built-up area as well as 
  • carpet area, 
  • year of construction of building, 
  • formation of society, 
  • monthly outgoing, 
  • transfer fees charged by society, 
  • number of bedrooms and
  • sizes of each bedroom, hall, kitchen, toilet blocks, etc, 
  • sketch or floor plan of the flat with directions i.e. north, south, east and west 
  • as well as the floor on which your flat is located, 
  • the number of lifts in the building and which company's lifts.

If you are selling the flat with fitting and furniture, the list of furniture should be prepared. 

Whether you have covered car parking or open-to-sky parking should also be listed. 

Memorise the list and you will be able to market your home in a much better way.

Don't overlook the obvious - sometimes you can find a ready buyer of a flat in the same building in which you are staying. It is possible that a large family consisting of a father and married son/s or a joint family of 2/3 married brothers may be staying together in a single flat. If such families can afford your house, they will be willing to pay a better price.

You can also put on notice board of your building, your intention to sell the house so that all residents in the building and through them their relatives and friends come to know.

Also communicate with your friends and relatives your desire to change your old home for a new large or better home, so that in case they come across someone interested in your old home, they would let you know. 

You may even find that one of them is interested in acquiring your home.

By and large transactions of selling old property take place through estate agents who by their contacts and information data available with them, find a ready buyer.

The amount of commission generally charged by Estate agents is 2% of the sale value of the property, against which you are entitled to full services and proper guidance from the appointed estate agent to complete the transaction to your satisfaction. Happy selling.

Quick Makeover Mantras for the Festive Season


Prescon suggests to go through some quick tips for your Home Makeover this festive season.

There is no single element that makes quite the same impact on your home décor scheme as colour. From the shades that are painted on walls to the curtains and sofa covers, table cloths, cushion covers and  bedsheets, even furniture, virtually every surface adds a dash of colour to the interiors. Each year, a new shade dominates the colour spectrum and lends itself to complementing and contrasting ones. Many of  these provide an indicator of what lies ahead as well.

Keeping your home décor updated doesn’t necessarily mean doing a major overhaul. As the years pass and colour trends change, one should make small but significant changes to ensure a ‘fresh’ look. Texture is also likely to be a key factor since it can accentuate certain colours or give them a
muted effect.

Simply choosing a new pair of pillows for the sofa, routinely re-accessorising the decor scheme with pops of on-trend colors will keep your home looking fresh and fun, even without doing any major redecorating. 

Interior designers recommend brightening up the decor with bright lime greens, lots of orange, electric blue, fire engine red, and all shades of pink and yellow. All bold colours that mesh well
in their sheer audacity, they can be used by either painting an intense accent wall or simply adding one bold, bright, eye-grabbing piece of furniture to the decor. 


Try wallpaper. 

There are plenty of designs, which makes it easy to change the look of the rooms with different patterns or colours. Wallpaper can be the perfect touch which accentuates a room’s theme or fixtures. It also features more detail than a simple coat of paint. It makes it easy to look at wallpaper
installation more like a long term investment and it is also less time consuming. 



Carpets.

Changing tiles is a time consuming process. In comparison, carpets are a popular floor fitting, prized for their warmth, versatility, insulation abilities and the protection provided to unfinished floors. A carpeted floor is a safer floor. The soft surface and cushioned under-padding not only reduce the impact of a fall, but also reduce the likelihood of it happening in the first place. 

Most carpets made today are highly stain-resistant, meaning clean up is easy. With just a damp cloth or a quick vacuuming, your floors look as good as new. Because carpets trap dust and allergens, they can also improve the air quality in your home as long they’re properly cleaned and vacuumed on a regular basis. 

Add a few curtains and draperies. 

These are very decorative and add enormous personality to the house. The wonderful old-fashioned drapery cords around these drapes really add to
their appeal. If your sofa or cushion cover is of a particular shade say red then prefer a curtain of the same shade as it will give a splendid look to your room. 


If the room is a bit dark then perhaps you can use flowery drapes. These really make you feel like you’re living inside of nature. There are plenty of choices of fabrics, designs, and colours when choosing your homes drapes and curtains.