The Real Estate Marketplace

Studio apartments

2010-09-30T22:13:00.001+05:30

Akruti Developers has tied up with Peppermint Hotels to manage the overall operations of Afallon, their recently launched first of its kind project.

Peppermint Hotels is part of the Royal Orchid Group of Hotels. The agreement was recently signed in Bangalore between Peppermint Hotels and Akruti Developers. On completion of the Afallon project, the property would be called ‘Peppermint Hotel and Residence’ once the management is taken over.

Nikhil Jadhav, MD, Akruti Developers, said, “This agreement with Peppermint Hotels, the leaders in operations, should help us strengthen our brand and give the most to our buyers and guests staying in the property.” Echoing the same sentiment, Arjun Baljee said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Akruti Developers to develop and manage the “Peppermint Hotel and Residence” in Whitefield.

Located in the IT corridor of Bangalore, the project Afallon consists of studio apartments, which is a relatively new lifestyle concept. Studio apartments which have been widely accepted in various parts of the world, especially in the extended stay segment of the hospitality sector, are now making their mark in Bangalore. Ranging from 650 to 800sq ft and available in different ownership and tenancy models, the apartments at Afallon are fully furnished and come equipped with custom designed mintbox beds, wardrobes with inbuilt safes, LCD TVs, DVD, iPod Docks, as well as deluxe fittings like rainshowers, LED reading lights and the like.

Quietly elegant

2010-09-30T22:11:00.001+05:30

GREAT HOMES Ahead of World Environment Day, Aruna Chandaraju zooms in on an eco-friendly home in Bangalore with walls made of hollow clay blocks, making it a few degrees cooler than it would have been if made with bricks. Earthen pots for water storage, skylights, terracotta tiles make the Nayaks’a fuss-free, green home.

It is a simple, fuss-free, and quietly elegant house dotted with antiques and built with as many eco-friendly features as the budget, size and location would allow. This home of chartered accountant Lalit Nayak and his wife Dr Loramala Nayak is divided into three levels of 900 sq ft each.

Terracotta tiles line the floor of this home designed by architect Edgar De Mello giving it an earthy, ethnic look. The furniture is mostly wooden since “we like its warm, cosy look”, say the Nayak couple. They are almost all in antique teakwood and thus in old-world style. A hundred-year-old rocking chair is placed near the door. It was sourced from Goa and is all in teakwood and a favourite of Loramala where she loves to sit and read.

Inspired by Nrityagram

Next to it is a muneem-desk, also in teakwood and an Australian boomerang––again, a wooden artifact––on the wall alongside. A raised platform acts as a low seating area or divan which is ideal for lounging around, reading magazines or for the children’s study time. These features were inspired by Nrityagram, the classical-dance centre on the outskirts of Bangalore, known for its ethnic Indian architecture and design, and to which the owner was a regular visitor.

The sofa is the sole modern furniture element in the drawing room and is a traditional Gujarati-style ie a Sankhede set in lacquer finish with gold motifs...A Chettinad horse painting adorns the wall on the other side––this one too is an antique and nearly two centuries old! A small woollen rug from France is draped on the floor below.

Like many ecofriendly houses in Bangalore, the walls of this home too are made of hollow clay blocks. These blocks act to trap air and thus have an insulating effect. Hence, a home like this remains a few degrees cooler than it would have been if made with bricks. The natural coolness also means saving on electricity bills.

In fact, we remember that while growing up, we rarely used the fan or even lights for that matter during daytime, say the daughter Maanika and son Mihir.

Two large skylights and an atrium-like feature as well as large windows ensure plenty of natural light and fresh air washing through the house. A mesh covers all windows, enabling them to remain open all day and take further advantage of the outside light and air, while keeping out insects. The outer walls don’t use plaster––another saving that walls made of hollow clay blocks ensure

Minimalist, clutter-free

A few small artefacts objects placed on low tables and a couple of wall-hangings are all that make up the décor objects of the living room.

We have consciously tried to keep our home minimalist and clutter-free, say the Nayak couple. The kitchen and dining room are simple and utilitarian and we noted the use of earthen pots for water-storage since the family prefers this over refrigerator-cooled drinking water.

The bedrooms have antique teakwood beds and the deep, sober colour of the wood is offset by the brightly hued bed-linen and furnishings.

There are several potted plants lining the outside walls and at the entrance to the staircase leading up to the house.

All of them use organic manure and there is a natural compost maker too.

The children love these elements and the terracotta tiles, etc., since they studied at a well-known school which encouraged environment-friendliness and love of nature and where pottery, was actually a subject included in the curriculum.

How about a pool at home?

2010-09-30T22:04:00.003+05:30

Love swimming and aquarobics, but haven’t the time to travel to the pool? Relax. Now, you can swim at will, right at home! While the cost of home in-ground pools is intimidating, above-ground swimming pools are an economical alternative.

Portable and easy-to-install, these pools can be accompanied by waterfalls, hot tubs, seating benches or spillover spas.

Aesthetics and entertainment are obvious advantages. But, potential for mishaps, loss of precious yard-space, high cost and effort of regular maintenance and repair besides higher electricity and water bills are deterrents.

Economy or luxury?

Still coveting a home-pool? Then, it’s decision-making-time. Above-ground swimming pool designs range from simple to elaborate. So, choose from an economy or luxury model. Buttressed pools have diagonal bracing along the sides to counter the water’s pressure. Round pools are usually buttress-free and hence ideal for smaller yards. Oval pools can be either buttressed or buttress-free.

Choose from a variety of sizes and shapes. Simple geometric shapes complementing your landscaping (squares, rectangles, circles and ovals) are recommended. Select a free-form, rocky pool for a natural garden and a geometrically-shaped one for a controlled landscape.

Choose a stylish design that your budget permits – say, a beach-like entry space or ornate stairs leading into the water. Adding a straight or curved pool slide provides lots of fun. The space available and your taste determine the optimum elevation. Select a small and secure slide if you’ve little kids.

Above-ground pools are usually installed on a firm sand-bed after clearing and levelling the land. Building an attractive wood/wood-composite deck eases accessibility by raising the surrounding surface upto the pool’s level. Install at a spot that doesn’t have telephone, power lines or trees overhead. A power-source is required in its proximity to run the pump.

Two types of liners – overlap type and the more expensive beaded one – come in different thicknesses, styles and colours. Choose a suitable filter and filter-pump.

Sand filters are the most common. The cartridge filter is an economical, low-maintenance option. Diatomaceous earth (DE) filters are the finest sieves and the most expensive.
Pool-grade tiles minimise the cracking and staining that exposure to water and chemicals cause.

A textured tile is less slippery than a smooth one when wet. Coordinate the colour of the waterproof tile grout and cement with the tile-colour. Automatic swimming pool cleaners do away with long hours of manual vacuuming. There are models that can be plugged in or simply placed into the water.

Choose a pool cover that’s strong and sturdy with adequate overlap-length for firm anchoring to keep dirt, debris and animals out of your pool. Solar covers warm the water with energy derived from sunlight and help retain the heat once warmed.

Arrange for proper safety measures. Make sure an adult is present when children are near the water.

Remove toys from the pool area when swimming. Build a fence around the pool and secure with gate latches. Always keep lifesaving equipment within easy reach.

Maintenance

Pools need care. Twice a week, check and maintain pH and chlorine levels. Skim leaves,
insects and other debris from the pool surface.

Once a week, ‘shock’ the pool to destroy germs, banish organic contaminants and get rid of algae. Each month, get the water tested for these levels – alkalinity, calcium, hardness and stabiliser. Clean the filter every few months. The ideal water-level is between one-third and half the way up the opening of the swim pool skimmer.

Beautify the area around your pool. Energy-efficient LEDs are recommended for outdoor lighting. Avoid trees, plants that shed leaves, needles, fruits, flowers, seeds excessively, have thorns (roses, bougainvillea, cacti....) or invasive roots or attract bees. Select low-maintenance plants that can withstand your pool’s microclimate.

A dose of positive energy

2010-08-23T20:29:00.000+05:30

Has your home lost that feel-good factor? Do you feel nurtured when you are at home? Is it lacking vital energy that makes you feel alive and cared for? Maybe it’s time to add a dose of positive energy into your space.

In Fengshui, every physical object around us produces a corresponding effect, either good or bad. The smallest change in the arrangement of these objects can spell the difference between success and failure, between a bustling business and a doomed enterprise, between a happy marriage and one riddled with irritants, between long life and bad health.

Fengshui literally means wind and water. Wind represents the unseen in our lives and water represents the seen. A gentle breeze or a meandering stream symbolises the ideal flow of chi or energy in our environments.

Too little flow and air is stifling and water becomes stagnant. In other words, things are stuck. If chi is moving too fast, a hurricane or flood can result and everything goes rushing by us. In order to be balanced, and be along with the flow and become prosperous, the flow of chi in our surroundings should be in harmony.

The first step toward prosperity is to get the stuck chi (energy) within us and around us flowing again.

The main cause of being stuck is clutter. Clutter includes piling up things you no longer need, use, or love, anything in disrepair, unfinished projects; and dirty stuff. All of these things distract you at the subconscious level as it takes energy to manage all that stuff.

Clear that clutter, look carefully at items given to you by someone who didn’t want them anymore - they carry with them the energy of the previous owner and the circumstances under which the items were given to you (divorce, etc.). Take them away. By donating unwanted items to a worthy cause, you feel good and in the process are starting that flow of prosperity moving. As you clear the clutter, do so with the conscious intention that you are doing so to make room for the new in your life, to make room for desired prosperity.

One of the most important sectors of your home is the ‘prosperity sector’ which can be identified on the basis of your building orientation, main door and living room direction.
A very effective cure to enhance prosperity in Fengshui is the use of moving water. Water and fish are linked to prosperity in Fengshui and therefore, placing an aquarium in the prosperity corner would activate the good Fengshui of your home. The element associated with this sector is wood, so making this a good place for a healthy plant, especially one with rounded (avoid pointed) leaves would be quite good.

You could also use a painting of a prosperous looking scene, or something else that has meaning in your life. When you enhance this area with whatever you choose, do so with the conscious intention that you are doing so to bring more prosperity to your life.

If your house or office is missing out one or more corners, pay attention to those areas and correct them, lest they turn out to be your prosperity or relationship corner.

Spaces to furnish

2010-08-23T20:25:00.001+05:30

A slew of new furniture designs and pieces are now available in the market. With a plethora of homes being launched and bought, customers are becoming discerning as far as furniture choices are concerned.

Whether you are doing up your home for the first time or redoing it as part of a makeover, furniture plays the most important role in decorating a home.

A slew of new furniture designs and pieces are now available in the market. V3 Engineers is launching a new series of standalone wardrobes. The product range starts from a standard wardrobe, sliding wardrobes, corner wardrobes, wardrobe with safes and walk-in wardrobes.

The internals are seeing a lot of change as they are now being planned very sensitively and sensibly and is no more a typical shelf, drawer and hanging space.

Tangent-The Furniture Mall has recently launched its new range called the Neon Leather Recliner Sofa Set, available in a set of 3+1+1 out of which four are recliners.
“A quintessential factor in these leather sofas is not just its colour and look but also its European design and aesthetics,” says Chintan Doshi, Director, Tangent-The Furniture Mall.

Recently, @home has introduced unique products like the laptop pad, relax chairs, couple dining sets, loungers, camping chairs, balcony furniture, living partitions and coat hangers apart from new designs in bedroom, sofas and dining.

Chic spaces

Westwood has also recently launched the ‘Fierro’ collection in India. Designed by experts at their European design studios, Westwood’s Fierro collection is a mix of contemporary
solid fruitwood, German accents and accessories and European designing.

Natuzzi showcases Cambré, Etoile and Metaphora, three new contemporary style models.

Cambré and Metaphora are modular sofas showcased both in linear and angular versions. Cambré offers soft and welcoming shapes with a natural fabric covering in hemp colour and accompanied by stonewashed fabric cushions to provide a shabby chic effect. Metaphora is a more squared sofa with a leather frame that incorporates the seat cushions and is showcased with a periwinkle leather covering. Etoile, with a light design and perfect symmetry is made special thanks to its covering in ultra-thick Cassidy leather.

Old is gold

In fact the past seems to be the inspiration for the future.

Concurs Joe Ranji, Director, HIndian – Furniture & Interior Solutions, “traditional articles like a box chest, half moon table, nest of tables etc have been created to give a feel of the royal bygone era, and have been finished by hand paint in vibrant contemporary colours with a mix of miniature design art on it.”

The products they design are made in sheesham wood, which is not only most durable and heavy, but also one of the varieties of wood available exclusively in India.

They are then trimmed with brass, iron, copper, leather and marble to provide added richness to the solid wood. Adds Joji Xavier, Partner, A C Francis & Sons, Furniture and Interiors, “straight lines and sharp corners have been replaced with a touch of old world warmth. Modern design meets mid-century interior concepts to create spaces that give us the best of both worlds - old and new. One word that best describes this would be ‘Eclecticism’ - this is when an antique piece of furniture can be placed alongside your contemporary straight-line sofas, and not look out of place.”

Bosco D’Mello, Director, Turquoise Handicraft says, “classic wooden furniture design is still the most popular and versatile because it provides flexibility when a look has to be changed or decor in the house is being changed. Very stylised furniture, besides being expensive, does not allow for much flexibility because the rest of the decor has to complement the furniture if it’s making a strong statement.”

Eco-friendly choices

With a plethora of new homes being launched and bought, customers are becoming discerning as far as furniture choices are concerned. Says Shyam Daga, Managing Director, Archidply, “the latest trend is that most house owners are opting for low formaldehyde emission materials conforming to Euro I standards.

“This helps keep the indoor air quality healthy and reduces the pollution within the interiors. The trend of laminates with different textures embossed on them is catching up. Trendy and modern looking furniture with a finish like velvet, glass square, high gloss and veneer finish is in.”

The Bureau of Indian Standards has launched an Eco Mark for all environment friendly products and this is the present requirement of most of the corporate houses and individual house owners along with the BIS standard quality mark.

Guru Prasad, Director –V3 Engineers says, “these days we see a mix of various styles in old and new feel with touch of chic Indian style or eclectic way. We also see some influences of trendy European styles with less of visual clutter.”

Eclectic style

The eclectic style is the latest trend in home furniture. “The furniture today is built for comfort and joy, and one should go for specially designed sofas, chairs, entertainment furniture, coffee tables, centre tables as well as recliners and stuffed chairs that offer the maximum ease of seating. With shape, the latest is simple and understated styling.
“For material, wood and leather are some of the most commonly favoured upholstery because of their good looks, durability and longlasting designs,” says Armaan Siddiqui, Joint Managing Director, Westwood Lifestyle Pvt Ltd.

Leather has always been the most popular choice and is used in collaboration with other material. Animal prints are back in the market, and can be used with antique and contemporary furniture.

Colour palette

Nitin Bahl, Country Manager (India), Natuzzi adds, “metallics are hot this year and it shows – furniture takes on a new finish with metallics.

Bright sofas occupy centrestage in living room furniture – out of the picture are neutral sofas with bright throw pillows, in the picture are bright sofas with neutral throw pillows. Curvy couches in heavier styles are often used in black and white decorated living rooms. Look for a couch that you can still use when colour hits the walls again. Gray is the hot neutral to showcase the bright furniture – a twist on the hot metallics for the year.”

Adds Ketan Gandhalikar, GM - Buying & Merchandising (Furniture), @home, “the latest trend is seen in the usage of new shades of walnut (lighter tones) in wooden products. Also elements of metal and textured panels are added with walnut wood to accentuate the lighter tones. In sofas, usage of fabric upholstery with earthen shades like red, brown, olive is in vogue.”

The classic theme with a modern colour scheme with a mix of classic and contemporary is in.

IN, OUT...

- Most house owners are opting for low formaldehyde emission materials conforming to Euro I standards.

- Leather furniture is not new but comes in new colours, designs and look.

- Another new trend is the usage of new shades of walnut (lighter tones) in wooden products.

- The classic theme with a modern colour scheme in a mix of classic and contemporary styles is in.

- Bright sofas occupy centrestage in living room furniture.

- Out of the picture are bright sofas with bright throw pillows, in the picture are bright sofas with neutral throw pillows.

- Gray is the hot neutral to showcase bright furniture, a twist on the hot metallics for the year.

“Leather furniture is not new but come in new colours, designs and look. This furniture is more comfortable and designed universally. There is plenty of good leather furniture in colours and designs that was never seen before in leather,” says Ketan Sheth, Director, Goldmine Project Consultant Pvt. Ltd.

Along with being small, modern furniture also tends to have folding options for easy keeping. Earlier, rooms were adjusted according to furniture but now furniture is being made according to space available. And that’s saying a lot!

Fengshui - Career

2010-08-02T20:05:00.002+05:30

If you are planning to start your own venture or look for a new opening in an establishment, Feng Shui strongly recommends the support of the earth element and in turn the earth energy.

Career and a secure job are very important and we take that journey every day of our lives. An unfulfilling job may even cause depression which could filter into other aspects of your life setting in a feel of negativity in your family relationship and affect your health too. The fear of pink slips. Appraisals and layoffs create insecurity, scare and make you feel emotionally down and weak.

Feng Shui could help you tide over the situation and support you as life is all about changes and transitions. With a clear intention and a vision, think about that dream job or the career you wish to pursue. Feng Shui is all about change which includes energy, emotions, situations and environment. As nature moves in cycle, things also change around us or else it becomes stagnant. Moving from one career or job to another is opening a new chapter in your life and for sure it takes time to accept such changes.
Feng Shui is all about the five elements in nature and is quite similar to the life cycle of a human being. Water, wood, fire, earth and metal which exist in nature also have a corresponding reference to season, shape, time of the day, colour and the kind of energy it exudes.

If you are planning to start your own venture or look for a new opening in an establishment, Feng Shui strongly recommends the support of the earth element and in turn the earth energy. Earth represents firmness, strength, stability and balance and enables you to tide over the situation when you are in between two careers or planning to restart. Act steadfastly but cautiously and this will make you emerge transformed and filled with passion and drive.

There’s a resting state between transitions hence, rest and seek a quiet centre within you, meditate facing the compass direction West which would inspire you to seek new avenues by letting go the past and the feeling of remorse and hurt due to your previous job. Let go of the feeling of being dumped which will allow you to see more clearly and work on your strengths and weakness.

Look around your place of dwelling, try to bring about small changes and add more earth features around you. It could be in the form of terracotta artifacts, murals or colours especially yellow, peach, beige, terracotta and even ceramic artifacts, crystals could help you strengthen the core energy. In addition, Pictures and paintings of earthen landscapes, stone sculptures would also help.

Wood represents growth and Feng Shui recommends adding wood energy to the right side of your home to bring in new opportunities. Healthy plants, striped fabric, torchs, lamps, and wooden ornaments will all help employers to recognise your true potential. Look around your main door thresholds, if your threshold is obstructed and cluttered in any way, in turn the threshold in your life would be obstructed and cluttered. Finally adding generous splashes of the color green to the right side of your home can also be helpful in finding a new job.

The implementation of the right and effective Feng Shui career guidance is crucial to open up and activate the career of an individual. Therefore go through the process of changes and transformation systematically and stay focused.

Homing in on loans

2010-07-05T12:32:00.000+05:30

Are housing loans, repayment and loan transfer issues bothering you? Harsh Roongta answers some frequently asked questions on home loans.

I have been availing income tax benefit on both principle and interest up to Rs 1.3 lakh on a housing loan from the past four years. If I take a fresh loan from the same bank for repair and alteration, will the interest portion of the new loan be eligible for income tax benefit?

If the second loan is used for repair, renewal or reconstruction of the house property, the interest payable on such a loan is eligible for deduction under Section 24.
However, you will not get any deduction for repayment of this loan under Section 80C.

I have purchased a flat for investment purpose on loan and have been paying EMIs regularly. Can I sell the flat while the loan repayment is not over?

Yes, you can. But you will need the bank’s consent for the same. This consent letter will typically provide an amount and on its payment, the outstanding loan will be fully paid off. This amount includes the pre-payment charge (if any) chargeable by your bank and should list the documents held by them, which will be released on payment of the stated amount. This amount mentioned in the certificate is typically calculated as on a future date to lend time to the buyer to arrange for the payment. You will first need to make this payment to the bank before it releases the title deeds of the flat.

Can I take two loans at a time from two different banks?

You can get two loans if your income justifies both the loans but you cannot take two loans from different banks for the same property.

I want to partially pre-pay my home loan. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

If you have surplus funds, you can pre-pay a part of the home loan as it will reduce the monthly EMI burden.

Quite a few banks do not charge pre-payment penalty if the loan is prepaid partially. The definition of what constitutes partial pre-payment varies from bank to bank.

This will ensure savings in pre-payment penalty and at the same time help you to save on high interest costs on a substantial portion of the loan. However, before you decide to pre-pay a home loan, it is in your interest to first clear off all unsecured dues like credit card dues and personal loans.

Also, make sure that you have some money set aside to meet contingency expenses. Tax calculation can change the view on pre-payment.

Can I transfer my existing home loan from one bank to another?

Of course you can. You may have to pay a pre-payment charge to the existing lender and a processing fee to the new lender.

FENGSHUI

2010-07-05T12:30:00.000+05:30

Take care to design the house in such a manner that it allows ample sunlight and cross ventilation in the Northeast sectors to enhance the bio-cosmic fields.

Northeast sector and its relevance

Fengshui, Chinese medicine (acupuncture), Taichi, Chinese astrology (phat chee), Chinese calligraphy and music are all part of the Chinese tradition and the aim is to create the right balance within the individual and in his place of dwelling. These are the five great holistic sciences which are interconnected and form a comprehensive remedial field to convert an individual’s journey of pain and struggle into harmony and rhythm.
Many wish to adapt Fengshui or Vaastu in their homes but quite often they are confused and have their minds filled with many questions. Their dilemma is whether to go for structural changes immediately or later, whether it would work, would it call for renovation and structural changes, would it be expensive. Then, there is the other question of whether one really needs to bring in the changes at all.

These sort of mixed feelings in an individual are not uncommon. Therefore, the most appropriate thing would be to follow your instincts, imagine the changes you wish to bring into your life and place of dwelling. Feel positive about what you wish for in your life and compare it with what you currently possess. It’s not advisable to adapt Vaastu or Fengshui with a pinch of salt or skepticism as you are implanting the kind of energy you have in your thoughts. You will then be creating an obstacle and you may not be able to see the desired results.

A structure contributes towards the prosperity of its occupants and most importantly, everything that happens in nature has a direct effect on the life of an individual. The cosmic rays from the sun, moon and other planets also have an effect on the human body. Research has shown that we respond and react accordingly. Time also has an impact on one’s mind and body, it has been shown.

Buildings were designed and oriented with various components to harmonise the movement of the sun and the human cycle according to the rotation of the earth and the position of the sun in the course of the day. The 24 hours in a day were divided into eight parts, representing the eight cardinal directions and the nature of each activity in a building reflected the quality of each compass direction. It was observed that houses that were not properly aligned or had no sense of orientation, gave rise to restlessness, misfortune, and sickness.

Take care to design the house in such a manner that it allows ample sunlight and cross ventilation in the Northeast sectors to enhance the bio-cosmic fields.

Avoid keeping a mop, broomstick or trash can in this sector as this would pollute the positive energy flowing through this sector.

Most importantly positioning toilets in the Northeast sector would deprive the building from positive bio-cosmic forces and cause ill-effects to the occupants.

Activate the Northeast sector with earthenware and crystals as it helps in activating education, luck, literary pursuits and scholarliness.

Understanding the cause and effect of the environment, compass direction and benefits of each of the sectors in a property ensures that the house and its occupants are healthy, happy and prosperous and in harmony with the nature’s forces.

Floors that exude warmth

2010-07-05T12:24:00.002+05:30

Highly suitable for the entryway, living room, staircase and bedroom, wooden floors exude warmth and style that spells splendour. The floors also come in a variety of patterns,

Our home is nothing but a reflection of our personality. The décor, the outlook, the furnishing and the flooring scream out our individuality to the world.

While creating the right interiors is just as essential as the intelligent designing of homes, the role of wooden floors in enhancing the appeal of the house cannot be overlooked. Yes, wooden flooring lends an elegant appeal to homes like no other material can.

Because flooring is a dominant part of the décor, going in for the right flooring for the different rooms of the house can really make a big difference in setting the tone for the overall ambience of the house. Till recently, wood for flooring was thought of as expensive and hence meant only for homes of the well-heeled. Fortunately, this myth has been debunked and wood has become the favoured choice for floors. They are increasingly being explored by home owners keen on creating personal spaces with dash and panache.

Exude warmth

Highly suitable for the entryway, living room, staircase and bedroom, wooden floors exude warmth and style that spell splendour. While dressing up the floors with wood, it pays to spare a thought to the wide range of styles they come in - strip, plank or parquet.

If wooden strip flooring comprises 1½ to 2 inch-wide individual segments, plank floors are slightly wider strips and parquet floors are individual squares laid down in geometric patterns of one’s choice.

From drab to dramatic

Whatever style of wooden flooring you opt for, the overall effect is nothing but dramatic. Wood morphs the floor from drab to dramatic! The options available in wood flooring are aplenty - walnut, oak, cherry and so on. Take your pick with the rest of the furniture at home in mind. Wooden floors also offer the advantage of affording a change in its look, as and when desired, to suit the overall home décor. All that is required for a change in look is to sand and stain it suit the rest of the décor.

When wooden flooring is opted for, it has to be borne in mind that wood has the tendency to either shrink or expand, depending on the temperature and humidity of its surroundings. Hence, during installation, care has to be taken to ensure that there’s enough space allowed for its expansion and contraction.

Once these minor nitty-gritties are taken care of, then there’s no way of stopping your wooden flooring from turning your floor into a thing of beauty.

And, if you thought that wooden flooring is uniform throughout and doesn’t allow any room for creativity, then you’re absolutely mistaken. For, wooden flooring offers immense scope for your creativity to run wild. You can, in fact, make a striking style statement with your wooden flooring by going in for inlays, insets and medallions. Artistic use of colours for inlays and insets and the right choice of medallions can work wonders to the floor and supplement its beauty.

Easy maintenance

The best part of wooden floors is the ease of maintenance. In our fast paced lives, all that we look for is convenience that any home décor item offers in terms of maintenance and flooring is no exception. Wooden floors are very easy to clean as they require only periodic sweeping or vacuuming.

Though damp swabs are suggested, it is best to avoid them as water can damage the classy look wood imparts. The advantages of wooden flooring are many. Apart from transforming the look of homes from staid to stunning, they are well suited for all types of weather. While they allow our feet to breathe in summer, they keep us comfortably warm in winter and monsoon. Ditto with the décor of the house. Be it traditional or contemporary, wooden flooring is just great. They are quite durable too, demanding only a coat of varnish every now and then.

However, like all things precious, wooden flooring too demands timely care. And, here's how they can be taken good care of: * Always clean it with a vacuum cleaner or dry broom.

*Never mop it with wet cloth.

*While placing furniture on wooden floors, ensure that the furniture is padded with rubber to prevent scratches.

*Never drag furniture on wooden floors.

*Try and avoid direct sunlight from falling on wooden floors.

*Never use acrylic waxes on them. Buffing is better.

In case of liquid spills on the wooden floor, clean the area immediately with an absorbent material. Avoid rubbing the area hard as rubbing will change the colour of the wood, making the stain stick out like a sore thumb.

With their fine balance between modern functionality, simplicity and warmth, tastefully finished wooden floors are definitely an owner's pride. They are ideal for those who want their interiors to match their cool lifestyle. Then, what are we still waiting for?

Want to create wealth? Invest in property

2010-06-14T17:58:00.003+05:30

Property is invariably the single-most rewarding investment many people make in their lifetime.
Owning a home has always been the great Indian dream. Today, it is not exceptional to come across professionals across sectors owning more than one home.

It pays to stay invested in the real estate market. Property is an interesting investment commodity, which yields both rental income and capital gains.

It is for this reason that an increasing number of people are investing in more than one property, to create wealth.

The low bank interest rates on home loans have made buying property even more affordable. So, whether you want to diversify your investments, or are looking at a rental income, buying a home is a good proposition.

Over the long-term, purchasing a property and turning it into a rental property, will make the investment even more lucrative. If you get the right tenant, your property investment will ensure regular returns, in addition to the increasing value of the property itself.

You must remember that choosing the right or wrong tenant can make or break your property investment. A bad tenant could not only cost you dearly financially, but also prove extremely timeconsuming and stressful.

Location: It is also necessary to look for property in areas where can get you a good rental income . When buying a home, you should view the real estate asset as an income-generating commodity rather than just a home for yourself. This is where the entire purchase process differs.

Location is a key factor. For a good monthly return, the location should be suitable for the prospective tenants. Locate in areas that are coming under the new expansion plans for the city. For example, the metro rail route and the planned Peripheral Ring Road are upcoming projects, so look for proximity to these when going in for a home as an investment.

After evaluating your creditworthiness, you can approach a bank for your home loan. Give your existing property as security.

EMIs can be calculated after assessing the rental returns you are likely to expect in that area. Let your tenants help pay off your loan.

Choosing a tenant: Advertise far and wide to get your type of tenant, in the rental bracket you are looking for.

Word the ad precisely to make sure you capture the reader's attention. Give details of the size and quality of accommodation, and its location. Use the three best attributes of the property in the first sentence of your ad.

In this stage of the tenant hunt, it is important not to rush. However keen you are to ensure that your property does not remain vacant, do not rush in to close the deal. It is essential to have a clear judgment on what you want from your tenant, your rent expectations, security deposit, and terms and conditions in the lease agreement.

Once you have narrowed down your prospective tenants, show them around the property. This is also the opportunity for you to meet the individual, understand his culture, habits and lifestyle. Since he will be living in your home, you need to assess him to ensure future cleanliness of your property.

The first meeting with your prospective tenant will give you leads that can help you make a decision.

Sometimes, the tenant may need the house immediately. If he is satisfied he will write out a cheque. To deal with such situations, keep a copy of the rent agreement ready so that both the parties can sign.

To know more about your tenant, consider references from previous landlords, banks and employers. Ask the tenant for his company photo ID card to make sure he is still employed there.

Lease agreement: You are almost there. Once you and the tenant have agreed on the rent, a security deposit, and the terms, and have settled the details, put these details into a lease agreement.

This lease agreement should be made on a stamp paper and should encompass all the terms and conditions between you and the tenant.

Periodically evaluate the rent and extend the lease on mutual agreement to avoid complications and legal hassles.

Real estate is a good longterm investment avenue. When you crunch the numbers between initial investment in the form of down payment, EMIs and current market valuation of the home you live in, you will discover that this was the most profitable investment you have made.

Tax advantages of investment in real estate

2010-06-14T17:52:00.002+05:30

Real estate or property is one of the major asset classes people the world over invest in. Such real estate could be residential house property, whether self-occupied or let out, commercial property, whether used for one's own business or profession or meant for letting out, farm house, agricultural, urban and rural lands, and so on.

Through proper planning it is possible to save a great deal of tax on real estate investments - both on income and on capital gains.

As far as possible, no individual should own more than one selfoccupied residential property. This is because under the provisions of Income Tax Act, only one self-occupied house property is completely exempt from being taxed on its notional rental value.

Thus, if one individual owns more than the residential house property for self-occupation , then only one of them would be exempt from income tax. In respect of the other property or properties, the owner would be taxed as if the property is let out at a reasonable rent.

Another important consideration should be to use, as far as possible, one's own funds for investing in the self-occupied residential house property, except to the extent of such loans which would result in an interest outgo of a net amount up to a maximum of Rs 1.50 lakh per annum.

Under the provisions of Section 24 of the Income Tax Act, a deduction up to a maximum of Rs 1.50 lakh is allowed in respect of money borrowed after March 31, 1999 for investment in self-occupied residential house property, which is constructed within three years of the borrowing.

This deduction would result in a net loss upto Rs 1.50 lakh from "house property" and would be available for adjustment or set off against any other income such as salary, income from business and income from other sources, etc.

People sometimes invest in a residential house property for earning rental income. If the person investing in such residential property does not have adequate funds for investment , he may borrow the money for meeting the deficit requirement.

As far as possible, the funds may be borrowed from other members of one's own family having lower income. This would enable such family members both to have an income on the one hand and a lower tax incidence on the other.

Thus, if the head of the family were to invest in a residential property and he were to borrow funds from his wife or school / college-going major children, HUF or other family members or personal Trust, etc., then he would be entitled to claim deduction out of the ensuing rental for the interest paid to the different persons in respect of the borrowed funds. Thus, from the gross rental value, deduction would be made for the Municipal taxes, if any.

The balance sum would represent the annual value from which 30% thereof would be allowed as per Section 24 of the Income Tax Act as a statutory deduction in respect of repairs and other expenses. Further, deduction would be allowed on borrowed funds and if after that there is a deficit the same would result in a loss figure from house property

The income tax aspects regarding investment in commercial property which is let out are the same as are applicable in the case of a residential property described above.

In addition investment in commercial property is completely exempt from wealth tax. Thus, one can own any number of commercial properties without either having to pay income tax on 'notional' rent in case of vacant commercial property, nor pay a single rupee as wealth tax.

Farmhouses

Ownership of farmhouses has become a big attraction for the urban rich. Farmhouses, however, attract wealth tax at 1% on the value of the farm house provided it is situated within 25 km from the local limits of the Municipal area of the town concerned. Thus wherever possible, the farmhouse should be situated beyond 25 km of municipal limits.

Where an investor sells a residential house property which is used either for one's own residence or for letting out, then as per Section 54 of the Income Tax Act the net long-term capital gain can be fully protected from income tax if it is invested in another residential house property either within one year in advance of the purchase of the new house property; or within two years in another house property; or within three years in the construction of a house property.

Alternately, any long-term capital gain in relation to any type of capital asset, including property, enjoys full exemption from income tax under Section 54EC of the Income Tax Act, if you invest the capital gain within six months in bonds issued by the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) or National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) which must be retained for a minimum period of three years. The maximum upper limit for investment in these bonds is Rs 50 lakh.

Critical components in the process of buying a home

2010-06-14T17:51:00.001+05:30

Finance, documentation and legal matters are critical components in the process of buying a home. Property investors also need to evaluate returns and repayment of loan.

The first consideration when purchasing property, whether commercial or residential, is location. Depending on the intended use of the plot of land or building, you will be able to ascertain whether it is easily accessible to major roads and public transit, and whether it is close to amenities such as shopping malls, apartment complexes, recreational facilities, schools, and industrial belts. Also, find out if the property has easy access to utilities such as electricity and water.

Another crucial factor is development potential. Before buying a plot of land, you must determine whether it is possible to build upon it. A piece of land may be in a prime location, but you will lose the value of your investment if you discover that you cannot build upon it until after you buy it.

Factors that influence buildability include the quality of the soil and the general topography. Will the soil support the foundation of whatever structure you intend to build on the property? Is there sufficient drainage or is the land susceptible to flooding? Is there easy access to a sewage system? These are all essential questions for which the answers should be obtained before you complete your purchase.

Also, research the plans and policies of the local civic bodies in that area.

Once you have finalised on the property to be purchased, be prepared to look around for best loan options available in order to make the financing efficient.

Some factors to keep in mind while looking for a loan:

Interest rate: Look for the lending institution offering the lowest interest rate.

Prepayment option: Check what will be the penalty if you repay the loan before the stipulated time. The lesser the penalty the better it is for you.

* Form 16 for the last three consecutive years
* IT returns of the last three years
* Salary slip
* Bank statement for the last financial year
* PAN, identity proof
* Complete set of house documents
* If the property is an apartment you will have to furnish the MoU between the builder and you. The MoU should state that the property will become yours and will be registered in your name once the payment is made
* You will also have to fill in forms at the bank
* A letter from the builder stating how much he has received from you as advance
* NOC from the builder of the apartment
* Sale deed from the builder showing the worth of the property

The loan amount sanctioned to borrowers is based on age, salary, educational qualifications, credit history and previous employment track record. You can club the income of your spouse, in order to increase your loan eligibility. Typically, banks only lend the amount where your monthly EMI outflow is 30 to 40 per cent of your salary. Any amount greater than this would make repayments towards the loan a burden and one may default.

* Understand the market you will be buying in
* Consider adding other furniture, fixtures and equipment into your loan
* Consider buying/building more square footage than you need right now - you can always grow into it, and this will also allow you to get some rental income until that time
* Make feasibility studies
* More and more businesses in foreign countries want to open offices here, so focus on standardising your construction to suit their requirements

A little power house

2010-06-02T17:03:00.007+05:30

This hi-tech home creates more energy than it uses. But what’s it like to live in – and how does that touchscreen work, asks Cathy Strongman

Imagine a house so advanced and eco-friendly that within 40 years it will have fed more energy back into the national grid than was used to build it, wiping out its carbon debt to the planet.

For the past seven months, Sverre and Sophie Simonsen and their three children have been living in the world’s first Active House – a sleek, angular building outside Aarhus in
Denmark.

It’s one of seven being built across Europe by different architects – it will be joined in the autumn by an equally green semi in Northamptonshire. For 12 months, a family will occupy each home while the building’s performance and the family’s experience are monitored.

Sverre had been itching to move from their 1970s home. “It’s a typical suburban Danish house with small dark rooms,” he says. “I’d always wondered what it would be like to live in a contemporary, open-plan building.” Their old home is only 400m away.
Light fantastic Glass features heavily in the £500,000 design, by Aart Architects for VKR Holding. “The natural light has definitely made a difference to our mood,” Sophie says. It has twice as many windows as an average house, all triple-glazed with super-insulated frames. This is in contrast to most eco homes, where large windows on all but the southern facades are frowned on due to the material’s poor insulation.
In winter, solar radiation streaming through the windows provides 50 per cent of the heating, while in summer it is restricted by an automated system that controls sunscreens and opens windows. With the family’s feedback, the pre-set programmes have been tweaked.

“It got very hot last summer, and it was so bright you needed sunglasses in the kitchen,” Sophie says. Privacy also proved a problem, because the perforated screens offered little respite from passersby. “They could see what we were having for dinner,” she says. They would occasionally open in the middle of the night, too; they are now manually operated.

Technical hiccups
Getting to grips with the lights that automatically turn off when sensors detect no activity was equally interesting. “If you’ve been sitting on the toilet a little too long, you’re suddenly plunged into darkness,” Sverre says. “And we had to install bedside lamps for the children as their lights kept turning off during bedtime stories.”

Trial and error
The computerised control
panel, which displays how much energy and hot water the house is producing and consuming, looks fiendishly complicated.
“The blinds and windows are numbered differently, with no diagram, so at the start it
was trial and error,” Sophie says. “But once you’ve figured it out, you don’t have to understand the technology – you just turn
it on and type.”

Solar power
The southern facade of the roof is pitched at 35 degrees to maximise solar gain, and coated with solar cells and collectors. The cells generate electricity for the lighting, appliances and the control system. They should produce 5,500kW a year – nearly double the amount required by the family – so for eight months excess energy is fed back to the grid. This means that, in winter, extra energy is provided from the grid for free. The solar collectors provide more than 50 per cent of the hot water and, combined with a solar heat pump, power the underfloor heating. There’s also a ventilation system, which takes heat from stale air being extracted and uses it to warm fresh, filtered air entering the home.

Most impressive of all, this energy balance is achieved
without the family living a monastic life: the house has two flatscreen TVs, a kitchen crammed with Siemens and Gaggenau appliances, and a double shower. “You
don’t feel you’re making sacrifices,” Sophie says. “We use less energy without thinking about it.”

The future
In five months, when the house goes up for sale and the squad of technicians dissipates, the Simonsens will move back to their 70s home. They aren’t putting in an offer, not because they don’t enjoy the life, but because with cutting-edge technology the cost and hassle of finding someone to fix it is too high.

Pioneering houses such as these demonstrate how green we can be. But only once the technology becomes mainstream and the workforce is trained to install and repair it, will homes such as this become a fixture on our streets.

The Guardian

Step daintily into your garden

2010-06-02T17:03:00.005+05:30

Decorative stepping-stones are wonderful landscaping aids when tastefully placed around water ponds, a gazebo or a porch.

Fragrant flowers. Flowing vines. Artistically placed ornaments. A lovely garden indeed. But, do frequently-used paths with trampled-down grass or shrubs mar the magic? Certainly, kids prancing around or curious guests wearing the lawn down are factors defying control. So, what’s the solution? Simple. Stepping-stones!

Stepping-stones beautify your garden while leading the way to a sundial, a cluster of potted plants, a fountain or a swing. Decorative stepping-stones are wonderful landscaping aids when tastefully placed around water ponds, a gazebo or a porch.

Functional elements too
Besides their aesthetic value, stepping-stones are functional too. They avoid mud being carried across your emerald lawn or the sparkling floor indoors. Plus, pets or kids using the same path everyday contribute to moth-eaten garden spaces. Trying to green an area, heavily trod upon is self-defeating. Cleverly concealing the scraggly vegetation with stepping-stones is the best solution.

Choose from an assortment of materials — sandstone, limestone, slate, ceramic, quartzite and granite. The West loves ready-made flower-shaped stones (sunflowers, dahlias, daisies...) and stones with celtic square, gothic square or rose patterns.
Moss-covered stones make for interesting ornamentation. But, moss takes too long to develop. Pressing ordinary stone slabs into the soil is easy but drab. Log-slices are unique but not enduring. Coloured stone chips lend themselves to any pattern you desire.

So, want a creative display? Try making stepping-stones yourself out of concrete with pre-readied moulds/casts or objects like saucers of plastic planters, old cake, bread pans or plastic trays that are about 2 inches thick and 16-18 inches wide.

Remember to coat them liberally with petroleum jelly. Mix water to the concrete till the consistency is neither runny like soup nor crumbling like sand chunks.
Inserting a chicken-wire mesh in the middle of your mould-mix bolsters durability.
Allow the stones to set for 2-3 days. Turn the moulds upside down and tap them lightly till the stone pops out.
Fix the stones into the soil only after another week.
Use iron oxide powders in brick-red / ochre/brown/black/green shades for dyeing concrete.
Blend it in when the mix is as yet wet. You can also embed the mould with decorative items like beads, broken bits of tiles/marble, playing marbles, shells, pebbles, stones, etc. before it completely hardens.
Fixing concrete stones into bare soil is easy. Even if they shift with time, re-setting them isn’t arduous. Pressing them into a lawn area, however, demands more effort.
You can have either a straight or a winding path of stepping-stones in your garden. For a straight path, mark the route by planting stakes into the ground, connecting them with a cord.

Use an old garden hose for the purpose if your path’s a meandering one. Space out the stones adequately to accommodate the average human stride. A distance of 24 inches between the centres of two adjacent stones is optimal. If the path’s meant particularly for kids, a smaller spacing would be appropriate. Place a few on the earth with the spacing determined and try walking on them. If you’re comfortable, begin fixing them.
At the chosen spots, dig two-inch-deep depressions. Line them with a half-inch layer of sand for drainage and to facilitate height-adjustments. Now, press the stones into them. They will stick their heads half an inch above the ground. This will make them visible enough to guide movement but not too high, tripping users.

If the stone is wobbly, add or scrape out sand as required, till it settles into the depression snugly. Fill in some dirt around the edges such that it slopes down slightly from the top down to the ground.

Stepping-stones needn’t be used merely for creating paths. They can also be strewn about the garden randomly to heighten the charm. Get started.

A Dyuti

A reflection of you

2010-06-02T17:03:00.002+05:30

‘Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai’ (every home says something) goes a popular commercial. True. Homes today are more than just four walls. They are an extension of the personality of people who dwell in it.

A new home is an exciting prospect and doing it up adds to the all the fun surrounding it. As for the revamping process, the market is full of myriad options and choices that suit all budgets. Even if you hire the services of an architect, make sure it is your voice that is being heard.

“I feel homes are evolving spaces and need to connect with your own sense of self, comfort and living. Do it bit by bit and avoid rushing into ‘want to do it all at one go’ situation. Look at the various elements that compose a home — walls, floor, lighting, furniture, objects, art and functionality, together in order to create a single theme rather than only looking at individual pieces,” says Mukul Goyal, Creative Director, Designwise.
You can use simple ideas like having a different colour theme for each room and then work on ancillary aspects. Likewise, choosing similar furniture as a common theme for the house would make the task much simpler. Again, a plethora of designs, colours, shapes and sizes are available to suit your need. The idea is to know what you want and need.

Trends
The latest trend in home décor is very much influenced by current economic and social trends.

In the post-recession economy, focus on green living, simplicity and hope for the future, all comprise the trends for 2010. “Fresh lively colours, which indicate optimism in life are back in vogue. As the spring season reflects renewed life, various hues like vibrant violet, warm tangerine, sunny yellow and grass green in fabrics, paints and accessories are in. Also, colours like blue and green are hot favourites, but with variations.

Floral designs and patterns (inclusive of floral colours) will continue to rule in areas such as products and themes. As far as furniture is concerned, wooden furniture has always been a big draw. Ethnic decorations with a royal-touch are in focus again. Traditional, Victorian looking tables, lamps tea sets are back,” says Vandana Khosla, Creative Director, ELVY.

“I only believe that the eclectic trend is getting stronger. People are far more aware of what they like and this is combined with so many materials and options available for all home domains! It could send your head in a tizzy,” says Goyal. He suggests never to follow any trends just for the sake of it. Instead the process needs to be according to your personal tastes and preferences.

Budget makeovers

Often giving homes a makeover involves working within a budget. The constraints of having to work under financial challenges make the task itself more interesting. “Budgets are beautiful as they challenge you and your creativity. One only needs to do more research on options available and get creative to make it aesthetically satisfying,” opines Goyal. Several experts feel that there is absolutely no need to spend large amounts on changing home decor.

A few simple steps can give your home a whole new fresh feel.
“Repaint using existing colours, just to freshen up the rooms, or choose a whole new colour palette. Painting is an inexpensive decorating option. Judge your furniture. Replace any old, broken or tarnished pieces. Rearrange the rest in a comfortable and attractive way. Also cane, bamboo, blocks boards can be used, which are not all that expensive.
Change your curtains. Shop for the best deals. It will automatically add a new look to your house.

Add more pillows to beds, sofas and chairs. You can either buy them or make your own.
Update framed family photos around the house and place a few new inexpensive décor products too,” explains Khosla. Finally, keep it clean because simplicity is elegant. This transition and change needs to be a well thought out process. It’s important because once you have changes around your home, you have to live with them.

Remember, the cardinal rule is that quality never goes out of fashion and a little investment can do wonders to provide a makeover to your personal space.
Do up your home the way you want to. After all, home is where the heart is!

Every drop counts

2010-05-17T17:15:00.002+05:30

The advantages of a rainwater harvesting system completely outweigh the costs involved. It requires commonly used equipment such as PVC pipes and storage tanks which are usually found in most households.

Get ready to conserve water. With the BWSSB announcing that all new and existing buildings need to opt for rainwater harvesting before May 27 or face disconnection of water supply, immediately, myriad questions pop up - where do you get this connection? How much will I end up paying? Will it really benefit me?

“Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) can solve many of Bangalore’s water woes,” says Vijay Krishna G, Director, R&D, India Water Portal, a charitable trust that aims to provide access to safe and sustainable water for all.

He points out that people across the city need to be more aware of the advantages this new rule will bring along with it. “It can enable households, factories, schools and offices to overcome problems of irregular and inadequate water supply or water supply of poor quality.”

The process involves storing rain water that falls within one’s premises and re-using it after basic treatment. By using equipment that is easily available, rain water is diverted towards existing underground tanks or terrace-fitted tanks and then supplied to the taps. “Treated rain water is safe not just for cleaning and washing, but also for cooking and personal consumption,” says Krishna.
So what exactly are these regulations? All new buildings with site area of 1,200 square feet (30 x 40 site) and above, and existing buildings with site area of 2,400 square feet (40 x 60) need to install RWH structures in their premises. This applies to all buildings including residential, non-residential, commercial and government.

How to save rain water...
Rain water that falls on the roofs should be harvested through a storage tank or recharged through an open well or a borewell in the building irrespective of the nature of sub-soil conditions. Rain water from open spaces around the buildings including gardens and parks should be harvested using appropriate ground water recharge structures depending on the nature of the sub-soil conditions.
There are two options available for people. The first is collecting water and the other is ground water recharge. People are welcome to do both. According to the norms, every sq mt of roof area requires 20 litres of water storage. For ground water recharge, for every sq mt of ground area, 10 litres of storage or infiltration are required.

Help at hand
The BWSSB and organisations like India Water Portal and Argyham are there to offer help. BWSSB has a 24-hour hotline number (155313) and a help desk for rainwater harvesting (23341652 / 23348848 / 23348849) has been set up by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology. This helpline will ensure that people plan the structure, provide information on whom to approach and how much will the structure cost.

“The BWSSB site has a host of information to help people adapt to the change. It provides lists of plumbers who are qualified to implement rainwater harvesting. Also, Bangalore has many water consultants who can help you with the entire set up,” informs Krishna. The advantages of this system completely outweigh the costs involved. Rainwater harvesting requires commonly used equipment such as PVC pipes and storage tanks which are usually found in most households. Labour charges for hiring of local expertise such as masons and plumbers will be additional.

Therefore, the cost would depend on the type and length of the PVC pipes and on additional investments for storing rainwater such as new terrace fitted, ground fitted or underground water tanks. Materials costs involve purchase of natural filtration ingredients such as pebbles, sand, small stones which are easily available. Overall, it is a one time investment with nominal expense related to maintenance of rainwater harvesting system. At the individual level, Krishna suggests some other ways of conserving water. “Individual water metres are the need of the hour. Majority of buildings have a common metre that gauges the total water consumption of residents irrespective of the amount each household consumes.”

Individual metres help
Individual metres instead will help civic authorities charge individual households according to the water they use. Deconstructing water bills in this manner, to a great extent, will bring down water consumption. As Krishna points out, water problems in the city are going to get worse and it’s time to adopt a pro-active approach towards conserving this precious resource. Here is where water security comes into the picture. “People should be aware about water security, before they buy their dream home,” he says. First things first, ensure that the building is harvesting rain water. Also, if it has a proper sewage treatment facility and if they have installed individual water meters. “People are ignorant about the fact that RWH can save up to 30 per cent of the water they use at home,” adds Krishna. Majority of people living in apartment blocks use water tankers many a time to fulfill their water needs. Rainwater harvesting will help them reduce, if not entirely remove their dependency on water tankers.

Another change that can be introduced in homes is getting rid of the RO (reverse osmosis) water treatment system. “This technique actually wastes a lot of water.”
Forgoing reverse osmosis can help save up to 30 to 50 per cent of water used in a single home,” says Krishna. He adds, “Rainwater harvesting ensures a win-win situation for the government and people at large. It’s the purest form of water available and helps conserve water. Time we realise its far reaching benefits.” So, get started!

Use low flush toilets and low flood shower heads.

Landscaping too helps save lot of water.

Maintaining lawns in individual and apartment blocks is common in the city, but these lawns consume large amounts of water.

Instead grow plants, that too, local species to save water as they easily adapt to the local climate.

Rain water harvesting can help store water that can be used for car washing, gardening, washing vessels and drinking too, provided it’s filtered properly.

For the same, regularly check your water filter. Boiling it before drinking is also advisable

Endless possibilities

2010-05-17T17:10:00.003+05:30

DH
Tiles are no longer simple, white squares protecting kitchen countertops. Square tiles are no longer in. Through relentless R&D activities by tile manufacturers, a new range of tiles has evolved into an art form encompassing the personality and creativity of homeowners.

The smart generation has improved the feel and look of homes by breaking away from the age-old restrictions on tile usage. With an incredible array of colours, sizes and sleek or textured surfaces, tiles have added value to homes.

They offer limitless possibilities as they come in myriad colours, patterns and designs.

One of the hottest trends in the ceramic tile industry today is the technology of capturing the visual essence of natural aesthetics like wood and stone, and duplicating their effects.

These tiles with natural appeal are suited both for interiors and exteriors on wall and floor spaces.

The new range of tiles has successfully ventured into different nooks and corners of households—from floor to wall, from lounge to bedroom, from lawn to bar, from ceiling to the front portion of house—everywhere. Tiles can be used anywhere in a home; the only limit is one’s imagination. For do-it-yourself homeowners, it is important to get an understanding of which kind of tiles to be used in which space.

Experts’ suggestions
While working on bathrooms, make sure you use anti-slip/anti-skid tiles. Even if your bathroom is small you can make it look more spacious by using tiles in combinations. For instance, use tiles in darker shades on the farthest wall of the bathroom and lighter shade tiles on other walls. This will not only make your bathroom interiors unique, but also add contrast and depth.

Motif tiles
The kitchen is the most popular place to find tiles. As a design element, you can use kitchen tiles not only on floors, but also on walls as a backsplash or on countertops providing a durable surface that is stain resistant. You can also try using motif tiles specially crafted for kitchen in designs of forks and spoons, or fruits and vegetables. The motif tiles are normally used to give an outline or border and can be easily combined with regular wall tiles.

With so many styles to choose from, it can be difficult finding just the right tile for your living room. Natural stone or stone-look tiles continue to be a wise investment because they bring in the atmosphere of the great outdoors and often feel a bit more luxurious than standard ceramic tiles.

Wall claddings
If you are tired of painting your walls with the same old colours and textures, you can try using wall tiles on them. They come in a wide variety of designs and shades which would give walls a completely new look.

The trend of using wall claddings on exterior walls is fast catching up as you do not need to repaint the walls every couple of years or every festive season. The tiles for exteriors are crafted in a variety of textures and finishes with contemporary and traditional patterns such as stone, brick, floral and geometric.

Tile maintenance is an important part once one decides to use tiles in home decor. It is always advisable to choose tiles which are scratch, stain and abrasion resistant. The specially crafted VeilCraft tiles (popularly known as VC tiles) are abrasion and stain resistant and ensure greater longevity and beauty.

It’s time for you to make your house a home. You don’t have to live in a depressing, white-wall house. Pick up from a wide array of stylist designer tiles and add some zing to your life with colour and style.

Maintenance
Cover all entrances with large mats. Keep dirt, grit, and sand off your tiles.
Always make sure that all floors are regularly brushed.
Never use abrasive cleaners or cleaning aids, such as steel wool or rough scrub rushes, to clean your tiles.
Soap should also not be used. It leaves a film on the tiles that dulls the lustre

Land logic

2010-04-19T18:20:00.000+05:30

I purchased a piece of land in 1986 for Rs 7,999. In my balance sheet for 2009-10, it was valued at Rs 30,000. I sold the property for Rs 8,00,000 on March 10. What will be my long-term capital gains tax? How can I get exemption from long-term capital gains tax?

To calculate your capital gains, first find out the cost inflation indices corresponding to the year of purchase and the year of sale of the property. The income tax department releases this index every financial year. The cost inflation multiplier for you will be determined by the index of the financial year in which the property was sold divided by the index of financial year in which it was bought. Multiply your cost of acquisition by this cost inflation multiplier. The difference between the sale price of the property and the inflation-adjusted cost price will be your long-term capital gains. By investing the amount in bonds of NHAI and REC, you can claim exemption from capital gains tax.

Green’s the colour of construction

2010-04-19T18:09:00.004+05:30

According to a survey, energy efficiency is a priority in construction projects, which is why building solutions are going green

The recent Carlton Towers fire in Bangalore could have been largely contained had a new construction technology been deployed. New ideas in building technologies are changing construction dynamics. These encompass a wide spectrum of activities spanning from green initiatives to new guidelines in safety standards to conservation of power. As the environment we live in changes, so do building solutions.

Changing times
Construction technology in India over the past few decades was extremely conservative in approach. However, with the opening up of the markets and the subsequent realty boom, a great need was felt to implement technologies that could speed up and accelerate construction. “These technologies include efficient and light weight aluminium shuttering systems like ‘Mivan’ to technologies developed using pre-cast construction.

In addition to speed, eco-crisis has become an issue of serious concern, a significant part of which is caused by construction. To address these issues, “green building technologies” have gained immense importance wherein there’s a lot of focus at every level, commencing with simple systems including resource optimisation, bio-walls and roofs, water management with zero-discharge systems, energy supplementation through alternative resources and waste management,” explains Indrajit Kembhavi, Principal Architect, Kembhavi Architecture Foundation.

For instance, Johnson Controls Building Efficiency business makes buildings more comfortable, productive, safe and energy-efficient. Their products and services include HVAC&R equipment and control systems, industrial refrigeration, fire and security systems, and services for commercial, industrial and residential buildings. In fact, products and services in this space are constantly seeing innovation like never before, compelling builders to rethink their building solutions.

Aurigo’s BRIX 2009, the company’s fifth generation product is a comprehensive capital programme and project management system (CPMS) that completely automates the entire lifecycle of a large capital construction project; starting from estimation, planning, project monitoring, site inspection, asset maintenance and even asset disposal. Further, it integrates seamlessly with standard ERP platforms to create industry ready ERP solutions for the infrastructure and construction verticals.

“This helps companies streamline their processes, control costs and reduce delays. The bottom line is that in the infrastructure domain, the spend on implementing IT tools provides immediate ROI. For example, even a mere one per cent cost reduction in a small Rs 100 crore road project cost is sufficient to recover the investment made in technology,” says Balaji Sreenivasan, founder & CEO, Aurigo Software Technologies.

Drywall technology
Fabtech’s Saral Plaswall is a unique lost-in-place system or permanent concrete form which replaces costly steel, aluminium, plywood for work, brick laying, plastering, cement rendering and producing complete load bearing wall.

Likewise, Saint-Gobain Gyproc gypsum plaster boards are based on a drywall technology. Gypsum is a light-weight material which is formed as the result of evaporating sea water in massive prehistoric basins and has excellent insulation properties (both thermal and acoustic) and can offer very good passive fire protection, moisture resistance, impact resistance and vapour control when used in combination with the right systems.

Studies have shown that acoustically designed spaces can increase the overall productivity in terms of better concentration level of people working in offices, allow clearer communication in schools thus increasing the effectiveness of teaching, facilitate a disturbance free environment in hospitals thus ensuring faster patient recovery in hospitals etc.

“Keeping this trend in mind, Saint-Gobain Gyproc is launching its global acoustic solution, Ecophon in the Indian market. Ecophon’s mission is to contribute to a good working environment for the eye, the ear and the mind. This is done by supplying sound absorbing ceiling and wall absorber systems with well devised functions, attractive design and excellent sound absorption,” says Venkat Subramanian, MD – Saint-Gobain Gyproc India Limited.

Trends
According to the Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) Survey, conducted by Johnson Controls for Corporate India in 2009, more than 92 per cent of the respondents say that energy efficiency is a priority in new construction as well as in renovation projects. The EEI findings highlight the fact that business leaders are becoming increasingly aware of the need for energy efficiency and the potential impact this can have on reducing operating costs.

Evolving trends in building solutions include speedy construction techniques to turn around more built-up space in a shorter time frame, involving pre-cast, pre-fabricated, aluminum shuttering technology and the like. Reliance on machinery and modern equipment to maximise quality and reduce error is also being seen.

Most importantly evolution of green design practices to improve efficiency and performance of buildings has taken precedence.

“There is a growing demand for renewable energy - solar, biomass, geothermal, wind, photovoltaic. Reason is not just the rising energy prices but also the growing awareness of the economic and environmental impact. The result is a cleaner source of energy, reduced emissions, less cost volatility, greater energy independence, all while you operate with cost reduction,” says Pramoda Karkal, Vice President & Managing Director, India, Johnson Controls. With the upsurge in infrastructure investment, infrastructure companies are realising the role technology can play in increasing profitability.

“The one big advantage for the Indian infrastructure companies is that as first time technology adopters, they are not burdened with legacy IT investments. They can leapfrog into the latest feature rich, easy to use, standard solution available at a cost that is a fraction of what it was a decade ago,” opines Sreenivasan.

“People are moving towards modular systems. We at Fabtech started this trend way back in 2002, when we launched our modular Pre-Fabricated, Pre-engineered sandwiched partitions in India (replacing brick and mortar internals for the pharma industry),” says Asif A Khan Director Fabtech Technologies Pvt Ltd.

The green equation
An obvious and much needed aspect is that of conserving the environment. Says Krish Murali Eswar (COO BCIL), “we have been attempting to bring back the spirit of living into our living rooms. Our floors are made with natural materials that consume less energy to manufacture or process; our walls are coated with chemical-free paints; our ceilings are fitted with energy efficient lighting that consume much less energy while giving you better visual comfort; the fenestration - the windows and doors - open out to natural-light and bring in fresh-air; the terrace gardens ensure that the air is cool always.”

BCIL’s air conditioning system is either a chemical-free air handling system or an ammonia-based system that does not hurt the planet. Their newer buildings come with dual plumbing system where the water that drains from the wash basin goes to a treatment plant.

The treated water fills the flush tanks in the closet. The flushed water then is treated in a central plant and the treated water is used for campus irrigation and other external washing purposes. “Glass can save as much as 35 to 40 per cent energy by allowing entry of natural light, preventing harmful rays and controlling room-temperature.

As a result, the need for high performance glass in green buildings has increased tremendously,” adds Mukul Somany, JMD, Hindusthan National Glass Group.

The ideal solution for any building is to ensure that the activities involved in buildings are sustainable. Few such activities include site maintenance during construction, water efficient design, energy efficient design and monitoring, materials used in construction, solid waste management and proper maintenance of indoor air quality during construction and post occupancy of the building. These solutions can be implemented a marginally incremental cost of 3-5 per cent.

In fact, practical studies indicate that implementation of such solutions can result in minimum energy saving of 14 per cent and water savings of 20-30 per cent, while occupant productivity can be enhanced by as much as 16 per cent.

Says Sriram and Lt Col (Retd) A K Beri MRICS, Managing Director- Property & Asset Management, JLLM, “as sustainable buildings demand intelligent building controls, it is essential to ensure that all technologies and systems that operate these structures work effectively and efficiently.

Therefore, it is critical for the facilities management team to ensure that in addition to cursory maintenance, extensive and regular checks are run which helps reduce capital repairs, unscheduled shutdowns, and extends equipment life which in turn extends the life of the facility.”

“Studies have shown that putting an Intelligent Building Management System in a facility has an impact of reducing operating costs by nearly 10-20 per cent over what could have been – without compromising on quality,” says Milind Godbole, Regional General Manager, Honeywell Building Solutions (India).

These systems are extremely effective as there a greater efficiency at both production and operational levels, while at the same time reducing costs through optimization of resources, water and energy conservation, and also apart from savings, enhances lifecycles while reducing cost of maintenance. And as Lily Tomlin once remarked, “the road to success is always under construction!

A little power house

2010-04-19T18:00:00.000+05:30

The Guardian

This hi-tech home creates more energy than it uses. But what’s it like to live in – and how does that touchscreen work, asks Cathy Strongman

Imagine a house so advanced and eco-friendly that within 40 years it will have fed more energy back into the national grid than was used to build it, wiping out its carbon debt to the planet.

For the past seven months, Sverre and Sophie Simonsen and their three children have been living in the world’s first Active House – a sleek, angular building outside Aarhus in
Denmark.

It’s one of seven being built across Europe by different architects – it will be joined in the autumn by an equally green semi in Northamptonshire. For 12 months, a family will occupy each home while the building’s performance and the family’s experience are monitored.

Sverre had been itching to move from their 1970s home. “It’s a typical suburban Danish house with small dark rooms,” he says. “I’d always wondered what it would be like to live in a contemporary, open-plan building.” Their old home is only 400m away.
Light fantastic Glass features heavily in the £500,000 design, by Aart Architects for VKR Holding. “The natural light has definitely made a difference to our mood,” Sophie says. It has twice as many windows as an average house, all triple-glazed with super-insulated frames. This is in contrast to most eco homes, where large windows on all but the southern facades are frowned on due to the material’s poor insulation.
In winter, solar radiation streaming through the windows provides 50 per cent of the heating, while in summer it is restricted by an automated system that controls sunscreens and opens windows. With the family’s feedback, the pre-set programmes have been tweaked.

“It got very hot last summer, and it was so bright you needed sunglasses in the kitchen,” Sophie says. Privacy also proved a problem, because the perforated screens offered little respite from passersby. “They could see what we were having for dinner,” she says. They would occasionally open in the middle of the night, too; they are now manually operated.

Technical hiccups
Getting to grips with the lights that automatically turn off when sensors detect no activity was equally interesting. “If you’ve been sitting on the toilet a little too long, you’re suddenly plunged into darkness,” Sverre says. “And we had to install bedside lamps for the children as their lights kept turning off during bedtime stories.”

Trial and error
The computerised control
panel, which displays how much energy and hot water the house is producing and consuming, looks fiendishly complicated.
“The blinds and windows are numbered differently, with no diagram, so at the start it
was trial and error,” Sophie says. “But once you’ve figured it out, you don’t have to understand the technology – you just turn
it on and type.”

Solar power
The southern facade of the roof is pitched at 35 degrees to maximise solar gain, and coated with solar cells and collectors. The cells generate electricity for the lighting, appliances and the control system. They should produce 5,500kW a year – nearly double the amount required by the family – so for eight months excess energy is fed back to the grid. This means that, in winter, extra energy is provided from the grid for free. The solar collectors provide more than 50 per cent of the hot water and, combined with a solar heat pump, power the underfloor heating. There’s also a ventilation system, which takes heat from stale air being extracted and uses it to warm fresh, filtered air entering the home.

Most impressive of all, this energy balance is achieved
without the family living a monastic life: the house has two flatscreen TVs, a kitchen crammed with Siemens and Gaggenau appliances, and a double shower. “You
don’t feel you’re making sacrifices,” Sophie says. “We use less energy without thinking about it.”

The future
In five months, when the house goes up for sale and the squad of technicians dissipates, the Simonsens will move back to their 70s home. They aren’t putting in an offer, not because they don’t enjoy the life, but because with cutting-edge technology the cost and hassle of finding someone to fix it is too high.

Pioneering houses such as these demonstrate how green we can be. But only once the technology becomes mainstream and the workforce is trained to install and repair it, will homes such as this become a fixture on our streets.

For your own patch of green

2010-04-07T18:29:00.000+05:30

All those organic vegetables, fruits and flowers can be home grown. Go natural by building your very own organic garden!

So what exactly is an organic garden? It’s a space where you can grow fruits, vegetables and flowers without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides. Banishing bugs and weeds, fertilising plants — everything is accomplished through practices in harmony with nature rather than challenging it.

Result? Foods that are superior in quality and rich in nutrition as well as economical. And, you needn’t spend on chemical fertilisers and pesticides. They don’t even need much space at home.

A few square feet of sunny space, a window-box or even some containers will suffice. It’s wise to start the experiment on a small scale. A 4’x4’ garden is usually recommended for beginners. Subsequent expansion is an open option. Determine the dimension based on your requirements. Do you want your garden to be a regular and full-fledged food-provider for your family? Or, will it be an occasional contributor? The most constrictive factor is, of course, the space available. Availability of at least half a day’s sunlight, easy access to water and convenience of draining (particularly for herbs and vegetables) are essential to build an organic garden at home. If it’s a decorative bed, check if it is possible to locate it, so as to be visible from indoors too.

As for the soil, it has to be tested for toxins, especially in urban areas. The soil’s healthy look is often deceptive, more so in areas with an industrial past. Setting out to organically grow vegetables in soil containing lead, mercury, cadmium or zinc could be self-defeating.

A soil test might help

A soil test also reveals mineral deficiencies, if any, besides containing the key to rectify it. Once you’re certain about its suitability, clear the area completely of weeds, grass, gravel, rocks, existing plants, etc. Next, add organic matter to enrich the soil minus the fertiliser use. Compost is your primary assistant in this task. Make a compost pile using organic material like fallen leaves, grass clippings, kitchen waste among other similar materials.

Avoid meat, flesh, bones, faeces, large quantities of watery fruits or vegetables and cooked food. To add to it, oily or greasy matter to your heap.

They are organic, but spell disease and attract pests. Adding compost, bolsters absorption of the soil’s nutrients, strengthens the root system and more evenly distributes air and water.

Now, choose disease-resistant varieties of seeds or saplings that aren’t genetically-modified. Those from nurseries may have been grown by applying conventional fertilisers and pesticides, traces of which will disappear soon. Though they may show signs of stress in the new chemical-free environment, they’ll eventually settle down.

Spacing without rows curbs weed or fungal growth. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root-ball and at least double the width, for planting. Supply your garden with a three-inch layer of organic mulch to help retain moisture and curb weed-proliferation. Prepare it from hay, chopped leaves or grass clippings. Bark mulch, however, absorbs too much nitrogen and invites termites. Water your plants according to requirements of individual varieties.

De-weeding is important

Eliminate weeds by carefully uprooting them by hand. Also, regular snipping off of weeds’ green portions discourages speedy revival.

When it comes to pests, pick them by hand and kill them. Or, spray them away with water or natural, home-made repellents. The idea should be to create conditions that lure helpful birds and bees.

In addition, remove diseased foliage fallen fruits. Remember, early detection of problems is the key to a healthy organic garden.

A lofty touch to your house

2010-04-07T18:28:00.001+05:30

‘Loft’ for Indians 'is the space below the roof of a house.' But, in the West, they translate into spaces like loft apartments and studios, writes Shazman Shariff

Talk about lofts in an Indian household and what comes to mind is an open space, above cupboards or spaces under the ceilings, meant to store suitcases and other junk. The word ‘loft’ according to architects in India “is the space below the roof of a house”. But, it has different connotations in Western architecture. There it is regarded as more than just a storage area.

The wide-ranging concept of a loft is that of a big open space, with a high ceiling of about at least 17 or more feet, most probably of a building, which is converted into units for residential purpose. It can either be an upper storey or a space under the roof, generally with high ceilings and extra large windows.

The spacious floor is often separated into makeshift rooms with walls. Along with other peculiar features like open kitchens, exposed ducts and pipes in the ceiling, it also has a metal staircase.

In the West, lofts are translated into myriad spaces like loft apartments, loft studios, commercial lofts and loft bedrooms. All these are spaces that make use of huge spaces like an industrial building or commercial space, turned into a residential house with the help of walls, room dividers and partitions. However, in India, many of these concepts like a condominium, are unheard of and usually not compatible with the local culture and architecture.

Best for storage

But the importance of a loft in an Indian house cannot be understated. Till date, its sole purpose remains to be a storage area.

Normally, the distance of loft meant for storage should be seven feet from the floor. Its height can be about three feet.

Ideal spot

While planning the house, one should be sure about where a loft should be located. However, it is advisable to have one in each bedroom.

Mattresses, suitcases, which are useful, but not on the daily basis can really eat away floor space. Therefore stacking them away in lofts creates more space within rooms and gives them a neat and uncluttered look.

In the kitchen

A typical Indian kitchen without a loft would leave one craving for more space.
Lofts in the kitchen are much needed to stash away things, needed on special occasions like jumbo sized pressure cookers, dinner sets and other kitchen utensils, which otherwise give a messy look, if kept openly on the counter or shelves.

Showy shutters

Lofts are usually regarded as plain spaces, but they can be made interesting with experiments while designing them. By deviating from usual choice of bland shutters, which can be sliding or hinged, one can use etched mirrors or brightly painted glass framed in solid wood.

If you think glass is fragile and can get damaged easily, you can also opt for wooden polished shutters with Victorian patterns to lend it a grand look. It looks tasteful to conceal a loft with shutters, otherwise, the piled-up stuff can be an eyesore.

Bedroom loft

The concept can lend an impressive touch to the room. Loft bedrooms, with a ladder leading up to it, are meant to be made in houses with high ceilings of at least 12 feet. The height of a loft bedroom has to be at least five feet high to provide enough head room in the sitting position. It should also have proper lighting arrangement.

Since lofts rooms have low ceiling, a floor mattress would be more suitable.
The decor should be created in such a way that it turns out to be an ideal corner for reading and sleeping.

A fancy railing of not more than one feet in height can be put at the edges to complete its look.

The space below a loft bedroom can be used to build wardrobes. Although a loft bedroom may or may not have a window, but it is advisable to have one for the entry of natural light and fresh air.

All for a good deal

2010-04-07T18:25:00.001+05:30

The Guardian

With some commentators predicting that the housing market will flatline in 2010, Sandra Haurant offers advice on maximising your chance of a sale.

The outlook for house prices may not be quite as gloomy as it was this time last year, but despite several months of increased activity some commentators are predicting the market will flatline in 2010. It is good news for would-be buyers who are trying to save a deposit for a home, but not so great if you are planning to sell your home. So what can you do to maximise your chance of a sale?

Choose your agent well

You don’t have to sell your home through an estate agent, but if you do, choose carefully. This is always important, but even more so in a slow market where your home is not going to sell itself. Ask friends and neighbours for recommendations, look for agents selling properties similar to your own and ask three or four to come and give you a valuation. Choose someone who is enthusiastic about selling your house, and someone who sees, and will sell, the positives. Find out where your house will be marketed.

Websites should be a given, as should local newspaper property pages. Remember, if you opt for an agent that is part of a chain, your house should also show up on the database in other branches. You will be dealing with the agent on a regular basis, so try to find one with whom you get along. Bear in mind that the valuer may not be the person with whom you have regular contact, so check who this would be and meet or speak to them before you decide.

Haggle over fees

Don’t accept the agent’s first quote without seeing if you can get a better deal elsewhere. Ask if your preferred agent can match the percentage charged by the cheapest agent, or meet in the middle. A fraction of a per cent on a house sale could be worth a substantial amount of money.

Get the price right

It is tempting to go with the highest valuation you receive, but be realistic. Check the prices on similar properties to get an idea of what price to expect. While the national house price indices can give you an idea of market trends, some areas have seen things picking up more than others.

Get organised

Put together a file containing all documents to do with the house. Include all the documentation you have. You will also need to provide proof of identity and of address, so dig out your passport and recent utility bills with names of all owners. Do this in advance and you will be ready to leap into action when an offer comes in.

Taking time to collect together the relevant paperwork may make your seller nervous, and at a time when some still feel cautious about the market it is not a good idea to give them anything to worry about.

Clear the clutter

Prepare for a viewing seriously. Keep rooms tidy, stay on top of the vacuuming and clear dishes from the draining board. The idea is to demonstrate that this is an attractive, functional home. Leaving your stuff lying around may create the impression that there is not enough storage. Again, it is always important to do this, but even more so if there are lots of similar properties on the market.

Improve your home

Don’t gut and redecorate the entire property, but do fix what is obviously damaged. “If there has been a leak and there is some staining, I would say pay the money and repair that. If there are some hairline cracks, fill them in.

A first-time buyer may think there is a serious problem, even though this is not the case,” Cushing, manager at a real estate firm says. If you have been letting your home it could be in need of some serious cosmetic repair.

You don’t need to obsess over depersonalising a home, but if rooms are painted bright colours you should consider a quick coat of neutral paint.

But concentrate on first impressions. Paint the front door, tidy the garden and make the entrance area as welcoming as possible. If you live in a flat, do your best to improve the communal areas. If they look shabby it will appear that the building is not well maintained.

But don’t overspend

Buyers often like to make their mark, so don’t waste your money on trying to second guess what they like.

“Everyone is a budding developer, everyone wants to feel they can add value,” Cushing says. If the kitchen is tired, don’t spend money on replacing it – there is little chance you will make your money back. Don’t replace carpets, but do get them cleaned.

Don’t hover over viewers

A good estate agent will show potential buyers around a property as part of the service, so let them. If you need to be at home, be welcoming but discreet. Keep pets and children out of the way, anything to make viewers feel they are not imposing. “The hardest property to sell is the one where the owners loiter in the background,” Cushing says.

“People feel uncomfortable when the owner is around. They don’t want to talk about the property out loud, and more often than not want to leave too quickly.”

Keep tabs on your agent

A good estate agent will give you feedback after each viewing and be frank about anything you should change. Ask yours to be brutal.

Find out what made buyers choose another property over yours and, where possible, make changes.

Step back, and try again

“If a property is still on the market after a long time, the problem is probably down to the price,” Cushing says.

Give yourself a break, take the house off the market. When you feel ready to take the plunge again get a new batch of agents round to give you a valuation and advice on changes you should make.

Go back on the market with new photos, new marketing text, a new agent and, crucially, a new price.

I have inherited a agricultural land and want to sell it. Is sale of agricultural land taxable?

2010-03-27T13:12:00.005+05:30

Agricultural land is not a capital asset, if the land meets the following:-

Agricultural land in India, not being land situated—

(a) in any area which is comprised within the jurisdiction of a municipality (whether known as a municipality, municipal corporation, notified area committee, town area committee, town committee, or by any other name) or a cantonment board and which has a population of not less than ten thousand according to the last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been published before the first day of the previous year; or

(b) in any area within such distance, not being more than eight kilometers, from the local limits of any municipality or cantonment board referred to in item (a), as the Central Government may, having regard to the extent of, and scope for, urbanization of that area and other relevant considerations, specify in this behalf by notification in the Official Gazette;]

Only if the agricultural land does not fall within the above category, the gain there from will be chargeable to tax at 20 per cent (plus education cess), if the asset proposed to be sold is held for more than 36 months. The tax liability will be calculated after taking the benefit of indexation by applying the cost inflation index. However capital gain tax is applicable if land is situated in urban area.

For your own patch of green

2010-03-17T10:43:00.000+05:30

A Dyuti

All those organic vegetables, fruits and flowers can be home grown. Go natural by building your very own organic garden!

So what exactly is an organic garden? It’s a space where you can grow fruits, vegetables and flowers without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides. Banishing bugs and weeds, fertilising plants — everything is accomplished through practices in harmony with nature rather than challenging it.

Result? Foods that are superior in quality and rich in nutrition as well as economical. And, you needn’t spend on chemical fertilisers and pesticides. They don’t even need much space at home.

A few square feet of sunny space, a window-box or even some containers will suffice. It’s wise to start the experiment on a small scale. A 4’x4’ garden is usually recommended for beginners. Subsequent expansion is an open option. Determine the dimension based on your requirements. Do you want your garden to be a regular and full-fledged food-provider for your family? Or, will it be an occasional contributor? The most constrictive factor is, of course, the space available. Availability of at least half a day’s sunlight, easy access to water and convenience of draining (particularly for herbs and vegetables) are essential to build an organic garden at home. If it’s a decorative bed, check if it is possible to locate it, so as to be visible from indoors too.

As for the soil, it has to be tested for toxins, especially in urban areas. The soil’s healthy look is often deceptive, more so in areas with an industrial past. Setting out to organically grow vegetables in soil containing lead, mercury, cadmium or zinc could be self-defeating.

A soil test might help

A soil test also reveals mineral deficiencies, if any, besides containing the key to rectify it. Once you’re certain about its suitability, clear the area completely of weeds, grass, gravel, rocks, existing plants, etc. Next, add organic matter to enrich the soil minus the fertiliser use. Compost is your primary assistant in this task. Make a compost pile using organic material like fallen leaves, grass clippings, kitchen waste among other similar materials.

Avoid meat, flesh, bones, faeces, large quantities of watery fruits or vegetables and cooked food. To add to it, oily or greasy matter to your heap.

They are organic, but spell disease and attract pests. Adding compost, bolsters absorption of the soil’s nutrients, strengthens the root system and more evenly distributes air and water.

Now, choose disease-resistant varieties of seeds or saplings that aren’t genetically-modified. Those from nurseries may have been grown by applying conventional fertilisers and pesticides, traces of which will disappear soon. Though they may show signs of stress in the new chemical-free environment, they’ll eventually settle down.

Spacing without rows curbs weed or fungal growth. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root-ball and at least double the width, for planting. Supply your garden with a three-inch layer of organic mulch to help retain moisture and curb weed-proliferation. Prepare it from hay, chopped leaves or grass clippings. Bark mulch, however, absorbs too much nitrogen and invites termites. Water your plants according to requirements of individual varieties.

De-weeding is important

Eliminate weeds by carefully uprooting them by hand. Also, regular snipping off of weeds’ green portions discourages speedy revival.

When it comes to pests, pick them by hand and kill them. Or, spray them away with water or natural, home-made repellents. The idea should be to create conditions that lure helpful birds and bees.

In addition, remove diseased foliage fallen fruits. Remember, early detection of problems is the key to a healthy organic garden.

A lofty touch to your house

2010-03-17T10:39:00.001+05:30

‘Loft’ for Indians 'is the space below the roof of a house.' But, in the West, they translate into spaces like loft apartments and studios, writes Shazman Shariff

Talk about lofts in an Indian household and what comes to mind is an open space, above cupboards or spaces under the ceilings, meant to store suitcases and other junk. The word ‘loft’ according to architects in India “is the space below the roof of a house”. But, it has different connotations in Western architecture. There it is regarded as more than just a storage area.

The wide-ranging concept of a loft is that of a big open space, with a high ceiling of about at least 17 or more feet, most probably of a building, which is converted into units for residential purpose. It can either be an upper storey or a space under the roof, generally with high ceilings and extra large windows.

The spacious floor is often separated into makeshift rooms with walls. Along with other peculiar features like open kitchens, exposed ducts and pipes in the ceiling, it also has a metal staircase.

In the West, lofts are translated into myriad spaces like loft apartments, loft studios, commercial lofts and loft bedrooms. All these are spaces that make use of huge spaces like an industrial building or commercial space, turned into a residential house with the help of walls, room dividers and partitions. However, in India, many of these concepts like a condominium, are unheard of and usually not compatible with the local culture and architecture.

Best for storage

But the importance of a loft in an Indian house cannot be understated. Till date, its sole purpose remains to be a storage area.

Normally, the distance of loft meant for storage should be seven feet from the floor. Its height can be about three feet.

Ideal spot

While planning the house, one should be sure about where a loft should be located. However, it is advisable to have one in each bedroom.

Mattresses, suitcases, which are useful, but not on the daily basis can really eat away floor space. Therefore stacking them away in lofts creates more space within rooms and gives them a neat and uncluttered look.

In the kitchen

A typical Indian kitchen without a loft would leave one craving for more space.
Lofts in the kitchen are much needed to stash away things, needed on special occasions like jumbo sized pressure cookers, dinner sets and other kitchen utensils, which otherwise give a messy look, if kept openly on the counter or shelves.

Showy shutters

Lofts are usually regarded as plain spaces, but they can be made interesting with experiments while designing them. By deviating from usual choice of bland shutters, which can be sliding or hinged, one can use etched mirrors or brightly painted glass framed in solid wood.

If you think glass is fragile and can get damaged easily, you can also opt for wooden polished shutters with Victorian patterns to lend it a grand look. It looks tasteful to conceal a loft with shutters, otherwise, the piled-up stuff can be an eyesore.

Bedroom loft

The concept can lend an impressive touch to the room. Loft bedrooms, with a ladder leading up to it, are meant to be made in houses with high ceilings of at least 12 feet. The height of a loft bedroom has to be at least five feet high to provide enough head room in the sitting position. It should also have proper lighting arrangement.

Since lofts rooms have low ceiling, a floor mattress would be more suitable.
The decor should be created in such a way that it turns out to be an ideal corner for reading and sleeping.

A fancy railing of not more than one feet in height can be put at the edges to complete its look.

The space below a loft bedroom can be used to build wardrobes. Although a loft bedroom may or may not have a window, but it is advisable to have one for the entry of natural light and fresh air.

All for a good deal

2010-03-17T10:38:00.000+05:30

The Guardian

With some commentators predicting that the housing market will flatline in 2010, Sandra Haurant offers advice on maximising your chance of a sale.

The outlook for house prices may not be quite as gloomy as it was this time last year, but despite several months of increased activity some commentators are predicting the market will flatline in 2010. It is good news for would-be buyers who are trying to save a deposit for a home, but not so great if you are planning to sell your home. So what can you do to maximise your chance of a sale?

Choose your agent well

You don’t have to sell your home through an estate agent, but if you do, choose carefully. This is always important, but even more so in a slow market where your home is not going to sell itself. Ask friends and neighbours for recommendations, look for agents selling properties similar to your own and ask three or four to come and give you a valuation. Choose someone who is enthusiastic about selling your house, and someone who sees, and will sell, the positives. Find out where your house will be marketed.

Websites should be a given, as should local newspaper property pages. Remember, if you opt for an agent that is part of a chain, your house should also show up on the database in other branches. You will be dealing with the agent on a regular basis, so try to find one with whom you get along. Bear in mind that the valuer may not be the person with whom you have regular contact, so check who this would be and meet or speak to them before you decide.

Haggle over fees

Don’t accept the agent’s first quote without seeing if you can get a better deal elsewhere. Ask if your preferred agent can match the percentage charged by the cheapest agent, or meet in the middle. A fraction of a per cent on a house sale could be worth a substantial amount of money.

Get the price right

It is tempting to go with the highest valuation you receive, but be realistic. Check the prices on similar properties to get an idea of what price to expect. While the national house price indices can give you an idea of market trends, some areas have seen things picking up more than others.

Get organised

Put together a file containing all documents to do with the house. Include all the documentation you have. You will also need to provide proof of identity and of address, so dig out your passport and recent utility bills with names of all owners. Do this in advance and you will be ready to leap into action when an offer comes in.

Taking time to collect together the relevant paperwork may make your seller nervous, and at a time when some still feel cautious about the market it is not a good idea to give them anything to worry about.

Clear the clutter

Prepare for a viewing seriously. Keep rooms tidy, stay on top of the vacuuming and clear dishes from the draining board. The idea is to demonstrate that this is an attractive, functional home. Leaving your stuff lying around may create the impression that there is not enough storage. Again, it is always important to do this, but even more so if there are lots of similar properties on the market.

Improve your home

Don’t gut and redecorate the entire property, but do fix what is obviously damaged. “If there has been a leak and there is some staining, I would say pay the money and repair that. If there are some hairline cracks, fill them in.

A first-time buyer may think there is a serious problem, even though this is not the case,” Cushing, manager at a real estate firm says. If you have been letting your home it could be in need of some serious cosmetic repair.

You don’t need to obsess over depersonalising a home, but if rooms are painted bright colours you should consider a quick coat of neutral paint.

But concentrate on first impressions. Paint the front door, tidy the garden and make the entrance area as welcoming as possible. If you live in a flat, do your best to improve the communal areas. If they look shabby it will appear that the building is not well maintained.

But don’t overspend

Buyers often like to make their mark, so don’t waste your money on trying to second guess what they like.

“Everyone is a budding developer, everyone wants to feel they can add value,” Cushing says. If the kitchen is tired, don’t spend money on replacing it – there is little chance you will make your money back. Don’t replace carpets, but do get them cleaned.

Don’t hover over viewers

A good estate agent will show potential buyers around a property as part of the service, so let them. If you need to be at home, be welcoming but discreet. Keep pets and children out of the way, anything to make viewers feel they are not imposing. “The hardest property to sell is the one where the owners loiter in the background,” Cushing says.

“People feel uncomfortable when the owner is around. They don’t want to talk about the property out loud, and more often than not want to leave too quickly.”

Keep tabs on your agent

A good estate agent will give you feedback after each viewing and be frank about anything you should change. Ask yours to be brutal.

Find out what made buyers choose another property over yours and, where possible, make changes.

Step back, and try again

“If a property is still on the market after a long time, the problem is probably down to the price,” Cushing says.

Give yourself a break, take the house off the market. When you feel ready to take the plunge again get a new batch of agents round to give you a valuation and advice on changes you should make.

Go back on the market with new photos, new marketing text, a new agent and, crucially, a new price.

Office rentals stable: Report

2010-03-12T16:53:00.000+05:30

The rentals in the CBD of National Capital Region, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata remained constant; whereas in Mumbai and Chennai, the rentals dropped by three per cent and in Pune by five per cent owing to limited leasing activity.

The year 2009 started on a discouraging note for the residential, retail and office segments. Office demand saw a substantial drop which triggered a decline in rentals and postponement and cancellation of projects. Residential sales declined significantly as well. To counter these effects, the government announced a number of stimulus packages to help the economy recover from the global downturn, according to the India Office Market View Report released by CB Ellis, for the fourth quarter of the year 2009.

This coupled with other factors including confidence levels improving amongst the consumers has resulted in some signs of improvement towards the latter part of the year.

8 pc growth by 2010-11

The report points out that the Finance Ministry predicts that the Indian economy will expand by eight per cent in 2010-11, after growing between seven and 7.5 per cent in the current fiscal year. Improving economic sentiment, rising confidence of the corporate sector and lower prices triggered a path towards revival in the commercial office market during the past few months.

The market report also adds that over the past quarter, the office real estate market has shown an uptrend in terms of level of enquiries, which more positively has also resulted in enhanced deal velocity. Whilst the IT/ITeS sector has been slower to get onto the recovery path, corporate office space take-up has been quite encouraging; FIs, FMCG and Telecom sectors have all contributed to the same.
As supply has overtaken demand facilitating increased competition, better quality developments are attracting demand. This is encouraging for the real estate sector as a whole with commitment to quality finally getting its due rewards.

All the seven cities covered as part of the review witnessed improved levels of activity in the office sector. The rentals in the CBD of NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata remained constant; whereas in Mumbai and Chennai the rentals dropped by three per cent and in Pune by five per cent owing to limited leasing activity. Recessionary times also made most developers shift their focus towards affordable housing, which has received a positive response from the investor and end user market alike.

Market summary of city

Apart from a few mid and small size transactions, no significant activity was observed in the Central Business District (CBD) of MG Road, Richmond Road and Residency Road in the fourth quarter.

Whilst no significant Grade A supply came online, total space absorption has been estimated at approximately 0.146 million sq ft. Rentals seem to have stabilised and developers continue to be flexible with regards to commercial and non commercial terms.

Activity in the non CBD micro market consisting of areas such as Indira Nagar, Koramangala, Old Madras Road and C V Raman Nagar witnessed minimal improvement over the third quarter.

Transaction velocity remained low and isolated. There was no addition of fresh supply; total space absorption has been estimated at 0.02 million sq.ft. and rentals remained stable.

The South Bangalore micro market of Bannerghatta Raod, JP Nagar, Jayanagar and Mysore Road seems to be emerging as a viable destination for companies facing the need to expand but constrained by limited budgets. As observed in the third quarter, space acquisition was largely concentrated in Grade B buildings.

Supply released in this micro market has been negligible; total space absorption has been estimated at approximately 0.16 million sq.ft.

The Peripheral Business District (PBD) of Outer Ring Road (ORR), Whitefield, Electronic City and North Bangalore faced a supply glut, the situation being exacerbated by the deferring or even shelving of long term expansion plans by most companies. The Outer Ring Road (ORR) stretch between KR Puram Junction and Sarjapur Road witnessed absorption of approximately 0.27 million sq.ft.

Rentals in this micro market continue to remain under downward pressure. Office leasing activity picked up marginally in the Whitefield micro market; total absorption was recorded at approximately 0.27 million sq.ft.

Electronic City remained largely inactive and rental values remained stable.
Apart from the closure of a few isolated transactions, the North Bangalore micro market also witnessed commitment for approximately 0.3 million sq.ft. from an existing occupant.

Signs of recovery

Commenting on the findings of the report, Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & MD, CB Richard Ellis, South Asia, said, “Since the third quarter of 2009, the office segment has seen some movement with corporates slowly returning to the market and office space take-up improving. During 2010 demand is expected to improve although the rentals are expected to remain flat in the medium term due to the forecasted large supply of office space.”

Breathe life into your home

2010-03-12T16:49:00.002+05:30

Who says homes are inanimate structures? Neera Gulati offers suggestions on how to nurture your living space to ensure harmony at home and in your life.

A healthy home begins with a healthy you. It represents your personality, who you are and what your tastes are. Therefore do not consider your home as an inanimate object. It’s only when happiness pervades in your home by way of beautiful objects, colours, furniture, will it reflect in your personal life.

The balancing act

While most of us want homes that are aesthetically done, not many stress on the ‘feel-good factor’. This aspect is integral to the psychological development of people who dwell in the house, and make it inviting.

Myriad aspects need to be considered while planning a balanced home. Primarily, your home ought to smell good. A good cleaning regimen that involves use of environmentally friendly, non-toxic products will help.

Smells within a home, right from cooking aromas to odour, influence moods, emotions and energy levels. For instance, add a dash of fragrance by using flowers, which can elevate moods, improve creativity and enhance sleep.

Energy matters

Objects and surfaces exude varied forms of energy at home. They need to be matched with a suitable environment. For example, soft fabrics work well in the lounge area and the bedroom.

Use smooth, durable surfaces that are easy to clean for the kitchen and bathroom. As for the living room, make it welcoming, comfortable and a visual feast for family and guests.

Do this by selecting warm wall colours, soft curtain fabrics, decorative floor rugs, exotic plants and fresh flowers, family photos and artwork.

All these pieces need to be inspiring which will lend a positive and warm tone to the space. In order to spread positive energy, choose pictures of beautiful landscapes, cascading water, sunrise, which send out positive messages.

Light up spaces

How you arrange your furniture is also important. Choose rounded shapes with smooth edges to ensure balance in design. Position chairs with their backs to solid walls wherever possible, giving a better sense of security.

Keep the seating area well-lit through adjustable lighting. Put a lot of thought into the design of the kitchen. Ensure that the kitchen is well-ventilated and there is no clutter.

Natural materials like wicker baskets, and cotton material will further balance your kitchen environment.

Use plants too as they absorb negative energy and transform it into light. Also, ensure that everything in your kitchen is in working condition, right from light bulbs to food mixers, as broken gadgets sap your energy levels.

Dash of colour

White works well in the kitchen, reflecting natural light, enhancing purity and creating a feeling of space.

Yellow is another option, a warm colour, relaxing in nature. When it comes to the bedroom, use colours that are conducive to sleep, like soft pastel shades. Avoid large mirrors and reflective surfaces as they emit high energy and disrupt sleeping patterns. Try not to have a television or a computer in your bedroom, as they are intrusive.

Liven it up

Like us, our home breathes and moves; it uses and disposes of energy. It also has its own energy centres and personality, depending on a mix of natural elements present.

Living in a home which has an energy field aligned to your own elemental make-up creates a sacred space where you can relax and flourish.

If you feel restless in any space at home, change the colour and see how you feel.
The energy centre at the entrance is particularly important and is regarded as the protector of the house.

Majority of people paint their doors with a psychologically protective colour like black, dark blue, dark green or white. Dark colours absorb harmful energy while the light ones deflect it away, much like a mirror. Another suggestion is to use wood, which has an innate strong element that provides the house with strong protection.

Be in sync

It is the entrance hall that you really begin to adjust according to the atmosphere inside. This area provides the grounding and security. It is therefore a place which benefits from warm earthy colours and materials, such as terracotta and
clay brick.

Taking one’s shoes off at this point will protect the inner sanctuary. Make every corner and room of your home livelier. Have you ever walked into a room and sensed the atmosphere? It might either make or happy or uncomfortable.

Termed as the subtle atmosphere - it gives your a soul and makes you feel comfortable in it. It doesn’t matter how grand and expensive a building is, if the subtle environment is not balanced and harmonious the occupants of the building soon feel uncomfortable.

To accomplish this, all you require are the five elements of earth, fire, metal, wood and water to create that environment. The result is a feeling of peace and connection. Walking barefoot too stimulates and balances the reflexes of your feet, strengthening your ground connection. The staircase, is also an important element and the backbone of your house.

It therefore becomes imperative that staircases are well made and stairs well lit. When you align and harmonise your home with the five elements, you will enjoy the
feeling of well-being and receive the benefits of a healthy home.

Leave and licence agreement - Can we ask the licencee to vacate the premises?

2010-03-12T16:43:00.001+05:30

We have let out the first floor of our building under a leave and licence agreement. The agreement was for 11 months and renewable for another two cycles of the same duration. After these 33 months the agreement could be renewed but with a 10 per cent increase in the licence fee. Though the licencee increased the rent after 33 months, this time around he is not willing to increase the fee. Can we ask the licencee to vacate the premises? How should we proceed?

A: If the licence tenure of your licencee is over, you could send him a notice to quit the premises. If the tenure is still in existence, you cannot ask him to vacate the premises on the sole ground of his refusal to increase the fee.

Can the board of a housing co-operative society be dissolved?

2010-03-12T16:40:00.001+05:30

At the annual general meeting of our co-operative housing society, a majority of members passed a motion of no-confidence against the board, dissolved it and constituted a new board as per its Acts and rules. Since the erstwhile board did not hand over charge, the deputy registrar of co-operative societies has been approached in writing to intervene in this regard. But nothing has been done so far. What should we do now?

A: Members of a co-operative society are neither empowered to dissolve nor reconstitute the board, leave alone pass any verdict on this. Section 29 of the West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act, 1983, empowers the registrar (of co-operative societies) to call a special general meeting to dissolve and reconstitute the board if he is satisfied that the board has mismanaged the society’s affairs. The order shall be in writing, citing the reasons, and shall be made only after the board has been issued a showcause notice and given an opportunity of being heard.

Wealth Tax on Inherited property

2010-03-05T17:40:00.001+05:30

I am a housewife and want to sell the land that I have inherited from my father. The gain from the sale of the property will be more than Rs 15 lakh.

What will be my wealth tax? If I do not reinvest in property, what are the other ways to minimise capital gains tax?

If the gain is more than Rs 15 lakh, you have to pay wealth tax at the rate of 1 per cent. For example, if the gain is Rs 16 lakh, you have to pay 1 per cent on Rs 1 lakh.

If you do not reinvest in property, you can buy capital gains bonds from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development or the Rural Electrification Corporation.

Mortgaged Flat Sale

2010-03-05T17:37:00.001+05:30

I visited a mortgaged flat, which will be sold by a bank via open auction.

The flat’s original owner had taken loan from the bank under a tripartite agreement involving the person who owned the land, the promoter and the flat owner. But the flat has not been registered yet.

The property was mortgaged to the bank against the loan. If I go for the auction sale and end up the highest bidder, what will be the status of the registration? Is there any need for a title search?

Who is responsible for all the statutory dues pending for a long time?

The bank is now the sole owner of the property. For registration of the property, the bank will do the needful.

You can always carry out a search but chances are it is a clean title as a bank is the seller.

The statutory dues will have to be adjusted with the purchase price. You should discuss the issue with the bank.

Developer Problem

2010-03-05T17:28:00.002+05:30

Our developer has decided to add residential floors to the clubhouse in violation of the original plan. As the clubhouse is at the south-end of the HIG complex, adding floors to it will affect the southerly breeze and block the view of the south-facing apartments.

It may also be mentioned that the developer charged an extra location-benefit cost for south-facing apartments. Do we have a strong legal case?

Please find out whether the Municipal Corporation has approved the modified plan. If yes, the developer can add floors to the clubhouse. But you have a case if there is a proper document that shows the promoter charged extra for south-facing flats. You should consult a lawyer.

The extra charge should be returned if new construction violates the facilities for which it was paid.

Budget blow to home buyers

2010-03-05T17:18:00.001+05:30

Prospective home buyers must brace for at least a 3.5 per cent rise in prices as the government has slapped a service tax on property sales in the recent budget.

Realty mavens said the tax blow could be a lot worse because of a cascade effect that the proposed tax would have.

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee also plans to impose the tax on the extra money that buyers pay for a preferential location within a building and other amenities such as club memberships.

Pradeep Sureka, a city-based developer and local head of realty body Credai, said the specific proviso of service tax on under-construction property would translate into a 3.5 per cent rise in overall prices, excluding preferential location or extra facilities.

The thumb rule for the calculation is that in any property transaction, two-thirds of the sale value relate to goods (construction material, land cost etc), while the rest is for services (money paid to contractors etc). Hence, the developer will pay service tax on one-third of the sale value and realise the same from buyers.

Santosh Rungta, president of Credai, said developers wrote to Mukherjee yesterday demanding a rollback of the duty.

Builders say real estate transactions are bound by the Transfer of Property Act, and buyers are paying stamp duty under the act. So, the same transaction cannot be considered as providing service.

However, this is just one part of the story. The devil is in the detail of the Finance Bill and may force developers to change the pricing structure, resulting in the buyer having to pay more.

Here is how it may happen.

Mukherjee plans to tax the charges that a developer seeks for a preferential location within a complex. Buyers pay a premium for a better location (say a flat facing south east) — or elevation (15th floor instead of the first floor). Developers seek a minimum Rs 10 to Rs 25 per square foot extra for every floor rise.

However, the premium is never clarified in as many words in the sale deed.

Kaustav Ray, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield, said the tax authorities might ask why developers were seeking differential rates for flats. “If it is based on the preferential location, buyers may have to pay 10.3 per cent on the entire premium amount over the base price,” he added.

Moreover, charges paid on internal or external developments that come at an extra cost like a club facility will be taxed, too. Mukherjee has, however, left out car parking charge from this ambit.

No child’s play, this!

2010-03-05T16:59:00.001+05:30

Design Planning a room for your wards needs to be a well thought out process. Keeping in mind aspects like safety and comfort can go a long way in creating a space that kids will love to grow in, writes Chethana Dinesh

The decor of a house reflects the personality of the people who share the space. Be it the kitchen, living room, bathroom, bedroom or kids room, every nook and corner, manifests the taste of its owner. While most spaces in a house can be furnished and decorated with admirable ease, designing a room for children is not an easy task. A lot many factors have to be considered before setting out to furnish them.

Changing tastes and preferences

The first and foremost being the aspect of safety, with comfort coming a close second. Kids are all about fun. Always upto some antics. They need spaces that provide them with lots of room to run around and play. To add to it, place to store toys and other articles.

What makes the task of designing more difficult is their constantly changing tastes and preferences, influenced by varied factors including their peers or what they see on their good old telly. If they want a Barbie-style room this week, next in line will be a Kenny Chi room. Such is the swing! While designing a child’s room, all the above aspects have to be borne in mind.

Keep kid’s interest in mind

If you begin from scratch, with just a room, four plain walls and a floor at your disposal, it is advisable to keep the age and the child’s interest in mind. If they are having a room to themselves for the first time, it must be made as attractive as possible to entice them to their private little space. The design should help them get acquainted to the room easily and complement their lifestyle.’

The design shouldn’t hinder but complement the time they spend studying or mere hanging around with friends in the room. The thumb rule is to leave as much leg room as possible for children to run around.

As you begin with the arduous journey of designing your ward’s room, think colours. Not too long ago, girls’ rooms were predictably pink while boys’ rooms were blue. However, this association is passé now. Children, today, irrespective of their gender, think bold. Be it pink, orange, yellow, purple or red, it is their choice that ultimately rules.

So, it pays to learn about your child’s personal preference. And of course, the theme. For instance, walls are not painted very often and a child’s interests keep changing. Therefore the key is to select themes that grow with the child.

Create more room

Once the wall colours and the theme are decided, it’s time for furniture shopping. Be minimilistic, especially when the room has to be shared by siblings.

Today, the market is flooded with a variety of bunk beds that not only save on space, but are practical too. Go for them. Better still, are cots that offer oodles of storage space. Such cots, with built-in storage shelves are a great idea as they stock toys, books, clothes among other articles that a child owns.

When it comes to belongings of children, their room is incomplete without a study table. Nothing is sturdier than a wooden one. Supplement it with a chair, whose height can be adjusted. Placing the study table close to big, airy windows is ideal as the space will have ample natural light, which is imperative for any children’s room. Also, another must-have includes a pin-up board or a chalkboard wall near the study table.

Be practical

Another important aspect while designing children’s room is the flooring. Wood or granite are the best picks. Avoid foot rugs anywhere as the child can slip and fall. Go in for a wall-to-wall carpet if you have an infant at home but otherwise avoid this alternative as carpets tend to to attract dust, mites and other allergens.

Talking of allergens, use allergy-free upholstery and bed linen in the room. While choosing fabrics for the child’s room, keep their sticky fingers and dirty paws in mind and go in for skin-friendly, allergy-proof and easily washable fabrics. Cotton is a safe bet for the same. But, this does not mean that the design should be boring and drab.

Space that exudes energy

Kids love to show-off their spaces and therefore help them infuse colour and creativity into it. Encourage your child to paint or draw, frame the art works, and display them in their room. The practice will help the child relate to their room much better and regard it as their own. To add to it, decorate walls with their favourite cartoon characters to make them look bright and colourful.

Utilise every corner, like having tall racks to display the child’s favourite bunny, teddy or car, for example. Investing on racks will never go waste as they can hold anything from hobby materials to books, according to the child’s changing interests.

Make the right choices

While wardrobes are a must for any room, the ones for a kids room need to be compatible with them. Separate compartments, clearly marked out to maintain order, are a must. Easy-to-operate drawers, which store their knick knacks are a must-have.
To make the otherwise dreary wardrobes interesting, paint them in bright, cheerful colours. Interesting elements such as posters of their favourite cartoon characters or of their role models could be added to make them attractive.

Keep all these elements in mind and viola! The right choices coupled with careful planning will help you gift the dream room your child has always longed for.

Useful tips

Coat walls with lead-free paints as lead paints can be quite harmful for children.
Fibre optic galaxy ceilings and glow-in-the-dark toys must-have accessories
Include a nice and funky night lamp, next to the child’s bed. Safe access to the door is imperative While shopping for furniture, be very careful to check each piece thoroughly. Avoid ones with sharp hinges Steer clear of mattresses that cannot be thoroughly washed.

A colourful makeover

2010-03-02T17:15:00.001+05:30

DECOR Treat walls at home as a huge canvas. Colour them according to your personal style statement. All this, to transform, liven up and give a unique makeover to your space, writes Chethana Dinesh

How do you want your home to be? Glamourous, modern, traditional or romantic? Well, just painting your walls right can do the trick. It’s the colour of the walls that can bring a sea change to the look of your house and your mood too. An intelligent selection of colours for the walls, coupled with well-though colour co-ordination can make any home gleam with glamour. Furthermore, colours lend an emotional appeal, impact our moods and work wonders for our well-being.

Tastes and preferences

Dressing up homes in the colours of our choice is no mean task. We are always torn between the choices and preferences of our family members. While the younger ones will want a splash of fresh and lively colours, the older ones might prefer pastel shades to go with their mellowed mood and personality. If there is no clear consensus on the choice of colours, the best option will be to select them according to the space, each person of the family occupies. However, when it comes to the living room, go in for something that represents your personal taste.

Fortunately, we no longer need to be limited to colours like black, white, blue, red or yellow. There are myriad shades including blue-violet, green-yellow, red-orange at our disposal. And, every colour has its own natural shine and individual property. These days, the market is flooded with a multitude of options wherein we can opt for an additive colour style where colours are mixed and matched to come up with an entirely an different shade.

Technology aids the decision making process. To make the procedure more efficient and easier for customers, especially those who find it hard to make a choice, colours are mixed on the computer, which showcases the concluding result. If you are still dogged by an indecisive mind, you can opt for the facility of shade tiles where a tile in the shade of your choice is given to take home and co-ordinate it with your furnishings.

Contrast — latest trend

While colours on walls can actually lend a drastic makeover to your home, the role they play in accentuating the general ambience cannot be discounted. Come to think of it, contrast is the style of the season. It draws immediate attention. Since colours of the same hue are believed to spoil the mood, it is best to have furnishings and the wall colours in contrasting shades.

Having three walls of a room in one colour and the fourth one in an entirely different colour is the latest trend of the season. In such cases, colours have to be chosen in such a manner that one colour stands out prominently while the other one adds a dazzling effect to the other.

While dressing up walls, it pays to give due consideration to the home colour scheme. The right blend of warm and cool colours and some co-ordination and balance between the colour themes of different rooms can transform the look of the house. For instance, if yellow is your choice of colour, then you can check out different shades of yellow for each room. While the living and dining rooms can have a lighter shade of yellow, the bedroom can have a brighter hue while the children’s room can have the brightest shade of all.

Fresh approach

Though there are umpteen theories about the choice of wall colours, always remember that your home is only yours and that your choice matters the most. So, check out some new trendy colours and define your uniqueness.

Always opt a fresh approach. However, if you are an artistic person, then the walls of your house can itself be a huge canvas with which you can create magic. Also, you can go in for white, as white walls give space for ample innovation. Most of all, white coincides and adapts well with all types of furnishings. Another most important advantage of using the colour is the feeling of space it lends.

The ancient Indian science of Vaastu too has a few colour suggestions, based on their individual properties.

According to the science, while red is believed to be a very vibrant and energetic colour and hence not suitable for bedrooms, yellow is believed to represent sunlight, which symbolises power, and hence most suitable for prayer rooms. Vaastu offers clear guidelines on colours based on directions represented by various planets too.

Theories and principles apart, colours have always played an integral part in interiors. Just follow your heart, experiment with different colours and give your home just the perfect unique look you always dreamt of.

Harmonious building for harmonious life

2010-03-02T17:13:00.000+05:30

Real Estate investment is akin to investing in pure gold — always worth its value, appreciates over a period of time and considered a safe investment. But homes are more than just structures made of bricks and cement. A condominium designed by a builder are also a symbol of his craftsmanship and quality, when well executed.

Global recession has had a cascading effect on many developers and builders, who have faced a setback in terms of unsold stock. The year of the Ox in Chinese astrology and destiny analysis refers to the element earth and during the spring and summer months i.e. February to June, the industry will see good growth.

Also, to ease the situation and ensure better times ahead, a few Vaastu and Feng shui tenets can be adopted. To understand the science better, one needs to understand what a building is all about and how it affects its occupants.

‘Building biology’ or ‘building for life’ specifically refers to the study of the impact of a built environment on human health and the application of this knowledge to the construction or modification of homes and work place. It analyses the interwoven relationships between people and their homes and their homes and the earth.
Business performance can be enhanced by different methods such as unlocking value in the company’s real estate assets and improving corporate performance. The earth, its influence and building biology needs to be considered in selection of building sites and design of buildings.
The fundamentals of physics and chemistry point out that reduction of the geomagnetic background will have an impact on the necessary chemical processes needed for life. Certain locations exhibit relatively permanent magnetic distortions that have an effect on the occupants and surroundings. Therefore, for many builders and developers facing crisis, it’s time for introspection of your own premises.
But, if your home ground is strong and well designed, it can pass through rough weather and business will definitely bounce back soon. To understand and identify whether the design and layout of your office is harmonious or not, consider the following:
Check your entrance, especially the main door and look for afflictions.
Remove clutter and unwanted materials.
Move the furniture and try to open the windows to allow fresh air and light in.
Complete cleaning of the carpet, furniture and light fittings would help.
Bring to life your premises by adding healthy green indoor plants and small water features especially in the north and east sectors of your officer or foyer.
Do not have excessively large and over powering water
features.
Install bright lights in the foyer and have more lights to boost energy and lift up your business prospects.
Try to display information on your projects, which are getting difficult to market, towards the northwest sector of the office.
Re-position key people in the office away from ‘danger nodes’ or bad energy spots, which could distract them.
Building biology may still be a relatively obscure science, but by following these rules, you can help make your office more productive and supportive to your business, especially when the market looks gloomy.
S B S Surendran
(The author is a Feng shui consultant and traditional Vaastu practitioner)

Solar power, sans panels

2010-02-22T18:42:00.001+05:30

The main way for homes to harness solar power has been through bulky panels added to the rooftop or mounted on the ground.

But companies are now offering alternatives to these installations, in the less conspicuous form of shingles, tiles and other building materials that have photovoltaic cells sealed within them.

“The new materials are part of the building itself, not an addition, and they are taking photovoltaics to the next level, an aesthetic one,” said Alfonso Velosa III, a research director at Gartner Inc and co-author of a coming report on the market for the new field, called building-integrated photovoltaics.

Companies are creating solar tiles and shingles in colours and shapes that fit in, for example, with the terracotta tile roofing popular in the Southwest, or with the gray shingles of coastal saltbox cottages.

SRS Energy of Philadelphia is making curved solar roofing tiles designed to blend in with Southern California’s traditional clay tiles, said Martin R Low, the chief executive of SRS. A solar tile system that met half the power needs of a typical California home would cost roughly $20,000 to install after rebates, he estimated, or about 10 to 20 percent more than solar panels providing comparable power.
A different solar material for the roofs and sides of buildings is being produced by Global Solar Energy of Tucson, Arizona. Atomized layers of a photovoltaic coating called CIGS are deposited in layers on a thin sheet. “We provide the film, and other companies like Dow take it and design it into a product,” said Timothy Teich, vice president for sales and marketing. Akhil Sivanandan, a research analyst in Chennai, India, for the consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, said government subsidies would speed adoption of building-integrated photovoltaics in the United States, as they already have in Europe.

Things to Know Before Buying Property

2010-02-22T18:02:00.001+05:30

Below are few of the important things, one should know before he/she planning to buy/purchase a new property.

1) Check for rate of property currently going on in that location by asking few people/agents etc so that you will not land up putting up more money in the deal.

2) Check if the home you purchasing has well maintained society registered properly so that most of the legal matters are taken care and you are at lower risk of being cheated.

3) Check both Original documents and also previous sale docs (if any) before giving token money for the deal.

4) Check if that property can get Loan from banks, if not why ?

5) If property is very old (exa: 10 to 12 years) you can benefit and save money during paying stamp duty payment to be given. So pull out assessment letter for Municipal Corporation for same.

6) Check if the space area for Carpet, built up OR super built up.

7) Check if it CIDCO approved, or alternately if property is old then proper CC, Plan Copy and saat bara utara (7-12 utara) documents there with seller.

8) Check if all previous dues has been paid like (electric bill, yearly municipal charges for property, society charges) and get society NOC (No objection certificate) from society.

9) Ask your advocate to calculate required Stamp Duty and Registration Fees with advocate fees and be ready.

Property:Q & A

2010-02-22T17:58:00.001+05:30

Property Sale
I sold an old ancestral property in March this year. Where should I invest the sale proceeds to save the capital gains tax? How much capital gains tax do I have to pay if I don’t reinvest the money?

You can save your capital gains tax by investing in specified bonds of Rural Electrification Corporation or National Highway Authority of India. However, you cannot invest more than Rs 50 lakh in a financial year in these capital gains tax exemption bonds. Check out the websites of these two institutions for availability of these bonds. Your capital gains will be the difference between the sale price and total cost of acquisition, improvement and other expenditures such as stamp duty, registration of the property. You can pay capital gains tax at the rate of a flat 10 per cent or at 20 per cent with indexation benefit. The central government notifies the cost inflation index for each financial year.

New investor
I am a new investor in equity mutual funds. I invest through systematic investment plans. What should be the ideal period of investment — three or five years? What will be the tax liability on the withdrawn money?

Unlike bank fixed deposits, there is no fixed time limit for investment in equity. What you should have in mind while investing in equity is a reasonable return, say 20 per cent, which suits your financial goals. You can sell the investment when you get the targeted return and reinvest the proceeds in another fund depending on the market situation. The tax liability will depend on how soon you sell the units after purchasing them. If you sell them within 12 months from their purchase, you will have to pay a tax on the gain amount at the rate of 15 per cent beginning the current financial year. But if you sell the units after 12 months of purchasing them, you don't have to pay any tax.

Inheritance laws
I am an NRI. I inherited money and a share in my late father’s estate in India. I want professional help regarding the RBI rules on inheritance repatriation and steps to be taken. Can a chartered accountant help me?

Practising tax planners or certified financial advisers, including chartered accountants and income tax lawyers, will be able to help you.

Energy efficiency in buildings

2010-02-22T17:27:00.005+05:30

Ensuring energy efficiency is important especially in the context of upgrading informal settlements in India, according to a report titled, ‘The energy efficiency impacts of upgrading informal settlements in developing countries: An exploration of urban areas in India’.

The report is from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). It states that although energy consumption in India is below the world average, it still lacks implementation of effective energy efficiency measures in buildings here, resulting in significant energy wastage.

In addition, the report also assesses the inter-play between two factors – rapid urbanisation and climate change. With huge projections of population growth in the developing world, it is important that this growth is managed in such a way that it addresses energy issues as well as provides a decent level of housing.

Authors Anil Kashyap, Prof Jim Berry, Prof Stanley McGreal and Prof Alistair Adair have collectively cited the impact of planning policies in reducing energy use, through the course of this study. In addition, they have emphasised that there is pressure to reduce the amount of energy used in buildings, which can be achieved through better design, orientation and planning of built space.

The research explores the actual and potential energy impacts of policy measures to formalise informal settlements in the developing world. The contention being that, while such policies could deliver substantial social benefits, it may well come at the expense of increased energy use.

Based on an in-depth analysis of Sonipat, it involved a detailed energy audit of housing development in both informal and formal settlements. It examines the influence of urban form characteristics on energy use in buildings in both planned and unplanned neighbourhoods.

Based on a detailed survey of 240 buildings in each of the two study areas (representing about 24 per cent of the total buildings), key characteristics such as orientation, street width, opening size, height and length to breadth ratio have been
studied.

Various measures such as fiscal policies, new sustainable technologies, educational awareness and regulation for tackling the environmental impacts resulting from mobility and emissions from buildings have also been recommended.

Recommendations
When developing new settlements to re-house the existing inhabitants of unplanned settlements, specific planning policies need to be introduced to reduce travel distances by better allocation of land uses spatially. This promotes lower use of motorised transport and incorporates building design that uses renewable sources
of energy.

Mobility between areas of economic activity in neighbourhoods could be addressed through planning policy and the innovative design of new formal neighbourhoods. Transport management measures that can be used to support and enhance the effect of land use planning policies include parking charges, vehicle and fuel switching and a fuel surcharge, road user and congestion charges, public transport priority measures and restrictions in car access.

The impact of planning policies on reduction in energy use, identified in this study clearly demonstrates the key role that planners and the planning process can play in achieving sustainable development. It is therefore important that energy efficient neighbourhood design principles are integrated from the start of the development process.

On the release of the report, Sachin Sandhir, Managing Director and Country Head, RICS India, said, “This report is part of RICS’ global efforts to explore the contribution that the built environment profession can make in moving towards a low carbon society and economy. Given the enormous housing shortfall and the magnitude of infrastructural developments that are taking place in India, the anticipated growth in energy demand is projected to be high in the building construction sector.”

He further added that with the economy shifting towards services located in urban areas, it has been cited that approximately 40 per cent of the country’s population will inhabit cities by 2020 as compared to the present 28
per cent.

Considering the complexity of the issue, there is need for concerted action using a combination of economic and regulatory measures, skills training and awareness campaigns among the public as well as policy makers.

I sold my house in parts and these were registered on different dates between July 2008 and March 2009. What would be the implications of capital gain

2009-08-13T13:29:00.004+05:30

You shall have to compute capital gains for each transaction separately. The total of all these will be your aggregate capital gains. Your tax liability will be calculated on the basis of the aggregate capital gains. However, you shall have to buy a new house within two years from the date of transfer of the existing house. If you want to build a property with the capital gains from the sale of the existing house, you shall have to complete the construction in three years .

Allsquares.com Launches Its Mobile Version

2009-08-12T18:01:00.006+05:30

Allsquares.com, one of India's leading real estate portals announces the launch of its mobile version. The mobile website can be accessed at http://m.allsquares.com from all WAP capable and GPRS enabled mobile phones.

"Mobile phones have become indispensable part of most people’s life. There has been a remarkable increase in the number of mobile users who access internet from their mobile phone. To keep pace with the changing technology and to have a still further reach, we have developed a mobile version of Allsquares.com providing the same quality of information to internet users on a mobile phone instrument as on any computer", says Mr.Adarsh Nowlakha, co-founder, Allsquares.com.

The new service from Allsquares.com enables a person who might not have access to a computer and internet to access the site through the GPRS service of their mobile while eating out, traveling or even jogging. This facility makes it even more conveinient for a property seeker to look for properties.

Features of the wap site of allsquares.com allows search function for different types of property, city and also a minimum /maximum budget.