Ready to occupy homes from Vijay Shanthi.

Receiving the key to your dream home is like receiving the key to happiness. The wait is over for the dream home.  Move on to your new abode of happiness now. Vijay Shanthi homes offers the homes that is a delight of all times. 

Lotus Pond, the new set of homes from the premium builder in Chennai, Vijay Shanthi is now ready to occupy. Lotus Pond is an exceedingly fine set of apartments on OMR. The main attraction of this project is that with just 14% in common area, they have 86% plinth area for your own private living.

It is a revolution and a revelation in the art of modern day living life is a mystery revealed here. Vijay Shanthi Lotus Pond is spread over an area of 11 acres with 60% open area. The project consists of 1106 apartments offering 1, 2 and 3 BHK. Lotus Pond is ground plus 7 floors structure with excellent amenities such as library, health club, skating ring and lots more to enjoy. 

For more details, log on to : http://www.vijayshanthibuilders.com/ongoing-happy-lotus-project-details.aspx

Malles launched their new homes in OMR.

Homes in OMR has become a pride now a days with the arrival of IT parks and the ongoing Metro Rail project.OMR has also become a favorite spot for most of the builders. Malles launched Altius in 2012 is coming up with a new project in Perumbakkam which is just 700 meters from the Medavakkam - OMR link road. 

Known as Chennai's own builder, Malles Aashira offers a cluster of 478 elegantly-designed 1, 2, 3 and 3 BHK + terrace homes spread between 550 and 1620 sq. ft. Aashira is surrounded by abundant greenery amidst a calm, serene location. With ultra-luxury amenities like landscaped garden, multipurpose hall, swimming pool, club house, spa and salon these homes are truly a delight. All homes are fully vastu-compliant and is equipped with necessary facilities. 

Perumbakkam as developing suburb is in close vicinity to IT parks, shopping and  Medavakkam Junction, OMR & Shollinganallur. Malles Aashira is very close to the city, yet a little away from the hustles and bustles. Living amidst the nature is a blessing. Malles Aashira offers this and more.

Malles Constructions has come up with special offers for homes in Aashira. Anybody can avail these by visiting their stall at FairPro 2013. The entry passes can be downloaded from Malles website. FAIRPRO is the Fairest Property Fair which is being organized by CREDAI and is to be held in the Chennai Trade Center.

For more details log on to: http://malles.in/

Urban Tree offers new social media services!

The day you decided to buy a home in Chennai, you might have surfed through many brochures from various builders in Chennai. Finally you might have landed upon one such good builder whose policies and terms and conditions are worth your investment. The brochures will have  terms like Floor carpet area. Assessment Value. Carpet Area. Built up area. Floor area Ratio etc. that sounds to you like the language of aliens.

Ever wondered about this? Have you cross examined any of these words at least once? If your answer is yes, then you have a fabulous way to explore the meaning of those terms. 

Urban Tree, the premium builder in Chennai has started a new series in Twitter, explaining the real estate terms. You can follow them here.

 

They also have an option to guide you through all these terms with an efficient buyers guide. You can either call their helpline or check their website. Urban Tree also has a display of construction materials in their office which assures their promises of quality and transparency. Walk in to urban tree office or be a part of the regular customer meets.

For more details log on to their website. http://www.urbantree.in/

Top 10 Interior Design Trends for 2013

We are looking forward to fascinating interior design trends in 2013. Even though we can not anticipate how most of the projects will look, we ran across some interesting trends for this year, which we would like to share further. Here are the top 10 most talked about key tendencies in interior design for 2013:

#1. A New Relationship Between Men and Interior Design

Society is changing and its “movements” have collateral effects on all aspects of life as we know it. In developed countries, men are known to spend a lot more time at home than in the past, helping out with children and housework, as a result of the proclaimed men-women equality. In 2013, interior design will thus begin to mirror male preferences like never before.

Sober furniture details, less flashy colors and functionality over “cuteness” are just some of the features expected in a home. If you think about it- strictly from an aesthetic point of view- this situation can create a great visual balance, one that will make both partners feel at ease in their own crib.
#2. Group Dynamics

Men being more involved in interior design is not the only social trend for this year. Another interesting shift will be made from personal tastes to group tastes and from a single designer to interior design teams. Efficiency will go sky-high, as project tasks will be well managed by more than one person.

For example, when it comes to designing a room, one team member could do the planning, another could take care of the lighting effects and the third designer could take on the finishing touches. Having more people dealing with a project is a good way to share responsibilities and speed up the work process for the client.
#3. Do It Yourself (DIY) projects

Desire for self expression is more and more obvious in the houses of people everywhere. We want to have furniture and decorations that mean something, that make us smile and that ultimately make the place feel like home. Re-purposing various objects and materials is now both a passion and a form of art.

DIY projects are slowly starting to gain power in the process of interior design, whether we are talking about old chairs being revamped or new candle supports being created. Creativity is once again taken to the next level and the home owner is more than just an innocent bystander- he is now in complete control of the project’s outcome.
#4. Texture and Touch

If people did not pay much attention in the past to how a furniture object feels when touching its surface, this is probably due to the fact that functionality used to be the main sought after characteristic in a household item. Now things are much different. People are in search for “touchable” textures, which inspire warmth and comfort as a way to engage and experience a proper home atmosphere. Suede and wood are two of the materials which will define the interior design world in 2013. Variety of texture will also be a key factor in arranging spaces.
#5. Embroidery and knitting

Embroidery and knitting is a major trend for 2013. From colorful carpets with thousands of knots to various storage baskets and poof covers, handmade is back and appears it will be here for a while.

The modern twist of these items produced by hand gives them a particular charm, one that can not be obtained from any industrially produced household decoration. 

 
#6. Stripes, stripes, stripes

In 2013 social spaces will likely turn to design dynamics, in order to inspire vibrant living and energy. One of the most simple ways to achieve this effect is by employing stripes in an elegant manner. Carpets, wallpapers, upholstery, graphic art- each of these elements can wear the distinct feature of movement as long as they are defined by… stripes.

Bold red and black & white patterns are the highlight of the design themes again, only this time associated with minimalist decor complements. The idea is to make things stand out, without compromising in elegance or visual harmony.
#7. Floral patterns with a white background

Floral patterns are also back in style, only this year they come with a twist: a white background. Ensuring a very romantic touch and giving the feeling of a perpetual holiday, these stylish additions make a strong statement in a room. You can go for a variety of colors, as long as the overall result is appealing. Try new fabric covers, graphic art, wall paintings and wallpapers- the effect will be pretty strong.
#8. African influences

More and more modern homes are starting to showcase unique design themes and African influences are particularly considered dynamic and “exotic”. In 2013, African influences are said to be a major trend, bringing warm colors and animal skin imitations back into the eclectic interiors of most fashion enthusiasts. In luxury holiday villas across the globe you will likely observe wooden furniture elements decorated with carvings or wrought iron, sculptures and handmade decorations, all defined by the African style.
#9. Hand sketching and wall writing

Hand sketching and wall writing will be more and more popular this year, as graphic artists will start collaborating with interior designers in creating original wall imprints. Imagine your favorite message elegantly written in the hallway or various letters adorning the ceiling. 

 
#10. Green walls, garden rooftops

Green living will be a key factor in design and architecture this year. From mobile plant panels to framed plant screens with lighting effects, this idea can bring a fresh touch to any apartment or public space. This approach is not only healthy, but also original and elegant. The advantages of having such a green wall? Air cleaning, humidification, evaporation of the air and appreciations from visitors.

Suburbs hold key to Chennai’s real estate growth.

Chennai is becoming the real estate hub of South India. It is an economic hub and has been listed in “Forbes-Top 10 Fastest Growing Cities in the World“. Chennai’s residential market is considered stable compared to some other metros in India. In the past one year, its residential space absorption has remained stable unlike other tier I cities including Bangalore where there have been a slump. Let us take a look at Chennai residential market in 2013 with the apparent trends and shifts, with special reference to the suburbs bursting with realty vigor.
 

Chennai residential sector

Chennai has witnessed price rise in many of its localities. Analysts have predicted that realty development will see migrating into suburban Chennai in the near future. Suburbs are predicted to be where the residential development would be taking place. The reason being that no longer the city’s real estate activity is limited around areas like T. Nagar and most of the central areas in the city are on the verge of inflation.

Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), Oragadam, Madipakkam, GST Road, Sriperumbudur, Tambaram, Medavakkam, Oragadam, etc are some of the emerging realty destinations in Chennai. Most of the apartments located in the suburbs of Chennai have witnessed a price appreciation of over Rs 1,000 per sq ft in the last two years. Residential projects are now going beyond Melmaruvathur along NH45, Maraimalai Nagar and Chengalpet in Kancheepuram.
 
Emerging suburbs

Medavakkam is among the most promising upcoming real estate destinations in India. The suburb close to the Airport saw a 15% price appreciation over the past one year. The average residential property price in 2010 was about Rs 3200 per square feet , which had gone up to Rs 3300 per square feet and Rs 3800 per square feet in 2011 and 2012,respectively.

Old Mahabalipuram Road is another growing suburb where realty development is rapidly sprinting forward. It has witnessed about 20 percent increase in property prices since 2011. The average price per sq ft in this area is Rs 4800.

Thiruneermalai, Madhavaram and Semmencherry are also few of the emerging residential real estate hubs. In Thiruneermalai, the rate per sq ft has increased from Rs 2,500 in 2010 to Rs 3,900 in 2012 and in case of Madhavaram, prices have gone up from Rs 3,300 to Rs 3,900 per sq ft.

South and West suburbs of Chennai are going to see the maximum additions of residential space in the next five years. More than 60 percent of the total residential space is estimated to come up in the South and nearly 30 percent to the West of the city. While Medavakkam will see 103% price rise, Pallikarni could rise by 93% over the next five years.
 
Drivers of residential development

Information technology, allied services and financial services are the sectors which primarily drive the real estate market and dictate the areas of residential development in Chennai.

Apart from IT/ITeS and financial services, Chennai’s economy is driven by the automotive, manufacturing and telecom sectors as well, since the city is home to a large number of automotive companies including Hyundai, Renault, Nissan Motors, Ashok Leyland, Daimler AG, Caterpillar Inc., Komatsu Limited, Ford, BMW, etc. and also shelters telecom giants like Nokia, Siemens, Motorola, Dell, etc. It is ranked 4th in hosting the maximum number of Fortune 500 companies of India.

A lot of job opportunities are being created by these companies and urban population is increasing. Since availability of land is scarce in city areas, suburbs are where the realtors are focusing upon. Astronomical prices of the city properties have made them out of reach for potential home buyers. As a result, more and more number of residential apartments are being launched in the suburban areas and investors as well as end users are going for these projects.

Over the next five years, around 21 million sq.ft of additional office space will be absorbed in Chennai with the southern parts accounting for more than 18 million sq.ft. It will guide the residential developments in these areas.
 
Challenges for realty growth in suburbs

However, Chennai still has miles to travel before it can boast of favored environment encouraging residential development in the suburban areas. The Metro rail project and mono rail projects in Chennai are welcome catalysts for realty growth as they will enhance the connectivity of outskirts with the city areas.

Community living as a concept is nascent in case of Chennai, when compared to its neighbor, Bangalore. Integrated townships are the answer to residential needs of the city and steps are being taken towards it. Compared to Chennai, residential supply has been more or less uniform in Bangalore localities. It is also due to the fact that Bangalore market is matured in comparison to Chennai.

The biggest challenge that lies ahead for Chennai realty is to develop the infrastructure in the suburbs. Most of Chennai suburbs still lack social infrastructure. Due to limited land availability; schools, malls, multiplexes, restaurants and supermarkets in suburbs are less in number as compared to other metros. In strategic localities like Oragadam and Sriperumbudur, civic facilities such as water supply, sewerage system or health and recreation facilities are yet to be developed. To be able to witness influx of townships, the civic amenities need to be developed.

Source: http://www.commonfloor.com/guide/suburbs-hold-key-to-chennais-real-estate-growth-22287.html

Go Green! Tips on eco-friendly living in apartments

This year let us go green by making Eco-friendly solutions. Let us adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle and reduce the carbon footprint. Here are some ideas.

Use paper bags instead of plastic ones:

Give a start to your green resolution for the year by opting for paper bags instead of plastic bags. Teach the same to your kids and family members. Stores within the apartment complex should also stop distributing plastic bags and instead use paper or cloth/jute bags.

Going green with vegetation:

Do not fret about the lack of space in your apartment for gardening, instead plant vegetables in containers or create a small patch within the garden. Grow your favorite vegetables in your home garden. A number of people can take up community gardening in an apartment and stick to the resolution for the year. Take initiative and plant trees in your apartment as well.

Trim down energy consumption:

Get hold of energy efficient appliances. Let natural air come indoors and use the thermostat and fan only when required. Get rid of the fluorescent lights/chandeliers and get LED (light-emitting diode) lights which are energy saving and long lasting. If you stay in a colder region, caulk your windows and doors and avoid cooling of your home, as increased cooling means increased thermostat power. Turn of the lights and other appliances when not in use. Opt for solar generated outdoor lights.

Efficient use of water:

Think of ways to reuse water in your apartment. Ask your apartment authorities to install a sewage treatment plant. Avoid running the fast flow of water in your kitchen and bathroom and instead install low-flow shower-heads, faucets and toilets. Install solar water heaters.

Avoid bottled water:

Start drinking filtered tap water instead of buying bottled water. Even if you prefer bottled water, ensure that the bottles are reusable/recyclable. Plastic bottles form a large amount of waste collected each day.
 

Recycle to the utmost:

Start collecting things in your apartment which can be recycled. Create awareness program  within the society and appoint people to collect the recyclable items. Think of ways to recycle, reuse and re-purpose objects in and around your apartment. For e.g. make use of the kitchen jars and kitchenware to plant trees and store waste. Do not forget to have a compost pit in your apartment.

Ride instead of driving:

Avoid driving to distances which can be reached on foot. Make it a point to cycle to your office at least on weekends. Make it a family resolution to drive less and carpool with your neighbours and friends.

Eco-friendly products and décor:

Dispose all the chemical based cleaning products and instead opt for eco-friendly cleansers. Contemporary concepts of eco-friendly furniture and decor are available in most of the outlets today. Get creative and make decorative out of used objects like jars, tins, etc.

Create an outdoor space:

Make efficient and minor usage of electricity by creating an interesting outdoor seating area. Start by installing a hammock and place few jute/cane seats and a table. This can be a grand recreational spot for you and your friends.

Efficient use of paper:

Save trees by making lesser usage of paper from magazines to books. Teach your children to value their books. Try and make your bill payments online which will help you save paper. Avoid buying too many magazines and books and instead lend the same books to your friends to read as well.

As the saying goes, every drop forms an ocean, so does every green living effort of yours save our planet.

Source: http://www.commonfloor.com/guide/top-10-environmentally-friendly-new-year-resolutions-22304.html

Interior Design : Latest trends!

What are the up-and-coming trends in the world of interior design?

Interior design is alive. It constantly evolves over time, reflecting living standards, affluence levels and lifestyles. If you are looking to give your home a fresh new look, do read on for five of the hottest interior design trends shaping the way we currently live. 

Trend #1: Stepping off the beaten track Less conventional Chennai homes play with colour and reflect the personalities of the occupants. People are consciously moving away from more conventional designs. A more adventurous consumer is emerging—someone not afraid of introducing new ideas into their homes. In Asia, this means using new colours and materials in homes, instead of sticking to safe and common colours like neutrals, whites and dark browns. Leaving personal marks around the house is a quick way to make it look less like a showflat and more like a home.

Trend #2: Going green

Besides cost and aesthetics, another factor you might like to consider is environmental impact. An increasing number of consumers, well aware that their interior design decisions could affect the environment for better or worse, are showing a growing preference for sustainable options when choosing materials and finishes. These clients seek out better suppliers and contractors who can provide them with excellent sustainable alternatives. If you are renovating your floors, avoid natural stone tiles such as Carrera marble or silver travertine. Instead, opt for manufactured tiles with similar attributes.

Trend #3: Sourcing for storage solutions

With the world population on the incline, shrinking living spaces and congested homes have become a common sight. Living in small homes means a need to carve out personal living spaces from the clutter; this can be done through the use of better storage solutions in the home. For those with a few extra amount to spare, companies can provide you with interesting, well-designed storage solutions. Another tip is to look out for multipurpose furniture and installations, such as coffee tables that can store newspapers and magazines, or bed frames with pull-out drawers.

Trend #4: Living under one roof

The ever-rising cost of home ownership has spurred an emerging trend of multi-generational living. With larger households, the different lifestyles of the young, the old, and everyone else in between are now housed within the same residence. Interior designers have to take into account these multiple—sometimes clashing—lifestyles when coming up with designs. Multi-functional space planning is also growing in importance.

Trend #5: Integrating technology into design

Living in the 21st century, it is not surprising to see more homes introducing sophisticated designer technology, especially in the areas of audio-visual entertainment and security enhancement. Both you and your designer should keep abreast of such emerging household technologies when deciding to incorporate them into your renovation plans. This ensures an enhanced total living experience.

These top five design trends will certainly enhance the overall sensory experience in your home. Do take them into consideration the next time you decide to renovate.

Source: http://in.news.yahoo.com/blogs/property-blog/top-5-interior-design-trends-035631380.html

Malles to launch soon in Perumbakkam!

Malles Constructions, with a heritage of 32 years is all set to launch 478 splendid homes in Perumbakkam. The location is just 700 meters from the Medavakkam - OMR link road.

Medavakkam, which was once a remote suburb, is now the center of bustling real estate activity, chiefly exploiting its proximity to OMR – it is about 5 km from Sholinganallur.

The area features as one of the top 13 investment destinations for residential real estate in India and is expected to see a 103 per cent increase in price in the next five years. It is connected to the city through arterial roads, has ample sweet water, access to educational institutions and IT companies, and is connected to Sholinganallur and the Rajiv Gandhi IT expressway. This makes it an ideal location for the large number of IT professionals who want to buy an affordable home close to work on the IT corridor.

With a market value of about Rs. 1 crore for a 2,400 sq. ft area, Medavakkam is fast becoming a preferred destination for the middle-class, whether belonging to the salaried class or running small businesses. The area has witnessed massive changes in the last few years, says a resident who has now lived there for five years.

Not surprisingly, IT employees form the majority of residents in this booming locality, especially in areas like Jayachandran Nagar, BHEL Nagar and Perumbakkam. “Due to its easy access to IT firms, employees find it easier to live here,” says Harish of Malles Constructions. With so much happening around it, Medavakkam is slowly developing the infrastructure to provide suitable living conditions for a family, with improved access to good schools, hospitals, supermarkets and commercial establishments. A number of restaurants and shopping complexes are also springing up on the main roads. With an advantageous location that connects the south-east and south-west locations, the area is witnessing growth similar to what Velachery experienced a few years ago.

Add to all this calm, green patches and the Nanmangalam Reserve Forest, which is home to birds such as Indian Eagle Owl, Grey Partridge and Pied Kingfisher, and Medavakkam seems to offer quite a few benefits to residents. 

 

 

A home with a view!

How important is a home with an open space? 

In the current scenario where migrations of suburbs to urban spaces happens rapidly, cities like Chennai is on demand for more open spaces. The reason cited for this includes availability of fresh air, free flowing sunlight and staying close to nature. But for homes in metros like Chennai, the style of windows can make a huge difference.
Nowadays the builders in Chennai give ample preference to open spaces. For example, Urban Tree has created a 42% open area in their new homes in Porur, named 'Infinity'. These Chennai homes are blessed with 3-sided ventilation which provides ample availability of air. 

 You will be pleased to know that there are various types of windows, which can make the significant difference to the look of your house and how you feel about your house. Let us see the different types of home windows.

Jalousie windows – Also called louvers, jalousie windows were extremely popular in the mid century. These windows are basically types of glass shutter. They are made out of glass slats, which are set with the help of metal clips and can be opened or closed in unison. These windows are extremely affordable and thus, an ideal solution for closed rooms such as lounge, bedrooms and sun room.

Double hung windows – These are classic windows known to offer excellent ventilation. They are made out of outside upper sash, which slides down and inside lower sash, which slides up. The best feature of this window is that the top can be opened while the bottom remains closed. You can practically install them anywhere in the house.

Bay windows – Bay windows impart a peaceful three-dimensional feel to a house has they feature more than three sections of windows, which are joined in a curve form. The large middle section of the window is usually fixed, whereas the side windows open up in the casement style.

Awning windows – Awning windows are great solutions for bedrooms and other areas where privacy is desired. These windows comprise of a glass sheet which is hinged at the top and swings outside. The most significant feature of these windows is that they can be opened slightly as required for ventilation. As a result, they are usually installed in the form of a column above the large patio doors for airy interiors.

Picture windows – Picture windows are large fixed windows offering unobstructed and amazing view of the outside and a sense of richness and luxury to the house. These are usually ideal for locations where ventilation isn’t a major concern. Installing them high on walls of hallways and dark rooms shall bring the perfect required lighting in the room.

Source: http://www.homedit.com/different-types-of-home-windows/

Real Estate Chennai Likely To See Good Times In 2013

In distinction to what has been witnessed in several of the additional volatile cities over the previous years, Real Estate Chennai residential property market saw steady growth in terms of supply, costing and demand. Chennai's residential property market is preponderantly user driven, and this truth did plenty to sustain consistent absorption throughout 2012.

The absence of clear speculation has conjointly ensured that developer has move costing of homes in a stable and gradual manner. Unnatural spiking has thus been with success unbroken trapped. The expect interest rates to decrease over the course of 2013, and this may end in larger demand for residential property in Chennai in 2013.

Increased job security in Chennai has undoubtedly helped the market to keep up buoyancy and a positive outlook. Over the last twelve months, it became more and more evident that Real Estate Chennai market is considerably addicted to the ITES /IT sector. With working stability in this sector looking a lot higher currently than it did in 2010, demand for property in Chennai has currently reached a cushy and dependable growth direction from that developers are taking their market cues.

CONFIGURATIONS IN DEMAND

The preferred size for 3 BHK flats in Chennai has exaggerated from 1200-1300 sq. ft throughout the recession to 1400-1500 sq. ft in the revival section. The preference for 2BHK sizes has conjointly exaggerated from 850-950 sq. ft to regarding 1100-1200 sq. ft. Again, the most reason for this upgrade in preferences is raised budgets created attainable by improvement in the performance of the IT / ITES sector.

This is a welcome trend that is enabling architects, planners and developers to return up with higher quality housing units. Reasonable housing units still rule the roost in area where social infrastructure lags and capital values are thus lower.

As they expect overall demand for Residential Property in Chennai to extend once the interest rates stabilises from their current peak. There's a really healthy demand in both the first and secondary real estate Chennai markets, since offer is scarce in both owing to the severe lack of land in the city. The cost of the land has, in fact, surpassed the purchasing capability of developers and this has place pressure on their ability to return up with viable residential merchandise. Lack of supply and excessive rating are inflicting both the end users and capitalist segments to require a more in-depth check out suburbs with good infrastructure.

SUBURBAN DEMAND DRIVERS

1. Increased job security

2. Positive market sentiments

3. Attainable softening of interest rates

4. Unaffordable property rates in the central city Year 2011 saw residential property rating in Chennai moving up in a phased and rational manner, that helped in sustaining the momentum. As the costs rose by between 8 to 30% in numerous areas, however these rises happened in small compartments and in proportion to the particular sales specially locations and residential projects. The expect an identical trend to prevail in the year 2013.

Expected Cost Movement For 2013

1. City – 20%

2. NH – 5 to 8%

3. GST – 10 to 15%

4. OMR – 15 to 30 %

AREAS TO OBSERVE

1. Velachery

Velachery is seeing consistent growth, as a result of it's one amongst the few area that are seeing holistic and self-sufficient development. With malls and different social infrastructure rising, Velachery is unquestionably next in line for excellent appreciation in the real estate Chennai market. In fact, near-lying areas like Pallikarnai, Medavakkam, MMRD Road, Pallavaram-Thoriapakkam, the 200 FT. and Rajakilpakkam are already experiencing the positive fallout result of Velachery growth as a residential property destination. These areas are witnessing excellent absorption and capital appreciation. There's conjointly vital demand for residential property in Porur on the NH4 Corridor up to Urapakkam on the GST Road.

2. Madhya Kailas – Sholinagnallur

This stretch is witnessing a transparent supply-demand differ, With demand outstripping offer. With new employment being generated during this corridor and corresponding absorption of IT area, this space and its peripheries are witnessing extraordinarily healthy demand for real estate Chennai residential property. Its proximity to the city adds to the charm of this space, which can see excellent appreciation over the approaching years. Encouragingly (and in distinction to different parts of OMR) all completed projects here are absolutely occupied.

Source : http://blogs.siliconindia.com/vipinkumar/Business/Real-Estate-Chennai-likely-to-see-good-times-in-2012

Wake up and smell the coffee

That corner of your home which is blessed with abundant amount of fresh air and opens to the blessings of nature. Does that looks incomplete without a perfect coffee table? And when it comes to the shopping time, the range of coffee tables in most stores can seem as extensive and confusing as a Starbucks menu. Coffee and center tables come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, to fill a range of different needs. So how do you pick what’s best for you? A quick guide to help you fight the vagaries of choosing a coffee table!

 

Vikram Viswanath, helps with a quick guide to choosing the perfect center table for your home.  

Standard coffee table

The most common variety, your standard coffee table is usually about 24" wide and 36-42" long. The surface is usually 12-16" inches high, the perfect height to reach from a chair or sofa. The simple function allows for a great deal of variety on style and detailing, ranging from the simple and sleek to the intricately styled and detailed.

Low coffee tables

A slight variation on the standard variety, the low coffee table tends to be 8-10" high, and is particularly useful when using floor seating, or to give a more open look to the center of the room.

Compact coffee table

Sometimes, the space in a room doesn’t lend itself to a full size coffee table, and something more compact is appropriate. Compact coffee tables are most commonly 20-24" squares. If you’re really tight for space, you could even try using a stylish end table in the center of the room.

Large coffee tables

At the other end of the scale, you sometimes need your center table to really fill out the room. With lengths starting from 36" and going up to 40", most of these large coffee tables tend to be square (although you do find other shapes as well).

Outdoor tables

The best place to enjoy a relaxing cuppa can often be on the balcony or patio, or curled up on a comfortable cushion or beanbag. Remember to make sure that the tables are suitable for outdoor use (these could be teak wood, or metal with weather resistant coatings) or that they’re small and portable enough to carry around with you – these could be folding tables or simply very lightweight compact pieces.

Storage coffee tables

Many coffee tables include a little useful open storage. Most commonly, they have a low shelf beneath the main table surface, which is perfect for magazines and newspapers. Other tables include useful nooks and pockets right into the table surface, making them perfect to tuck away remote controls and other odds and ends.

Hidden storage tables

Other tables make storage their entire raison d’etre, blending style with a huge dose of practicality. Some make their purpose quite clear with visible drawers or cabinets, while others are more stealthy, with hidden openings or sliding doors that offer a useful storage area that can sit unnoticed in the centre of your living room – always handy when you need to quickly clean up before that unexpected guest walks in.

Coffee tables with seats

Center tables don’t always live in houses with ample seating, which is why it’s sometimes convenient to pick a table that offers its own seats. Tables that include their own low comfy nesting stools are a great way to bring the vibrant, communal nature of the Turkish coffee house into your own home, whether you’re having a family game night, or relaxing with friends.

Smart Tips

For a house with kids and/or pets, make sure that the tables are appropriate –sharp edges can be dangerous, so try to stick to rounded or chambered edges.

Always use coasters when using solid wood tables, especially with beverages that are particularly hot or cold. You want to look after that wood!

If you like to frequently update your decor, it’s always better to pick as simple a table as possible and dress it up with a few accessories. It’s a lot easier to change accessories than a furniture piece (not to mention, a whole lot easier on the pocket!)

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/features/homes-and-gardens/design/wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee/article4392954.ece

Policy Watch : EASEMENT RIGHTS

You like a certain property and want to purchase it. But the only access to it is via a driveway crossing the next property. Will a driveway have an impact on your potential purchase? A cable television company is seeking to install its lines along the existing electrical poles. Should the company negotiate with the Electricity Board or with each of the owners along whose property the lines run? 

Both these scenarios mentioned in the introduction of this article involve an Easement, a right that gives the property owner a 'non-possessory' interest in another person's property. An Easement has an impact on all types of real estate transactions, and is utilised for conservation and historic preservation purposes. Despite its prevalence, many people lack a clear understanding of this property interest, and numerous problems occur in the drafting, interpretation and implementation of an Easement.

Nature, Creation and Scope

An Easement is a right given to an owner of a property to use an adjacent property which he does not possess, but does not allow him to occupy it. For instance, if X owns a property and grants Y a right-of-way on the road across the property, Y has an Easement in X's property. Y may use the road, but cannot stop others from also using it. However, X could exclude everyone except Y from crossing his property.

Land burdened by an Easement is called a 'servient estate', and the land benefited by the Easement is called the 'dominant estate'. If an Easement benefits a particular piece of land, it is 'appurtenant' to the land. And, if an Easement benefits an individual not as an owner of a particular piece of land, then it is termed 'in gross'. Most Easements are affirmative, which means that they authorise use of another person's land. According to the Indian Easements Act, the inhabitants of a building enjoying the access and use of air and light continuously for over 20 years have a right to them without any condition or restriction. An Easement by virtue of custom is a legal right acquired by the power of law through continuous use of a land over a long period of time. Therefore, the right of way continues to exist by grant, prescription or by virtue of custom.

Easements are usually created by conveyance in a deed or other written documents such as a will or contract. The creation of an Easement requires the same formalities as the transfer or creation of other interests in land. The requirements are as follows: a written instrument, a signature and proper delivery of the document. In limited circumstances, the court will imply an Easement as a matter of law. Two common Easements created by an implication are an Easements of necessity and an Easement implied from a quasi-easement. An Easement of necessity is typically implied to provide access to a landlocked piece of property, whereas, an Easement implied from a quasi-easement is based on a landowner's prior utilisation of part of his property (quasi-servient estate) for the benefit of another portion of his land (quasi-dominant estate). This quasi-easement may become an implied one once either the quasi-servient land or the quasi-dominant land is transferred to a third party. Other methods of establishing Easements include prescriptive use (i.e. by the routine, adverse use of another person's land), estoppels (a legal doctrine involving reliance on the words or actions of another person), custom, public trust, and condemnation.

After an Easement is created, questions often arise concerning its location, dimensions and scope. These questions should be resolved on a case-by-case basis, and are impacted by the method of the Easement's creation. Questions involving matters covered by the written document, or the prior use, or the necessity that created the Easement can be resolved relatively easily. However, the written documents to create an Easement are often vague or incomplete, and inferences from prior use or necessity are not precise. In such a case, the applier's intent is uncertain, and must be construed by the court.

As a rule, an Easement holder has the right to do "whatever is reasonably convenient or necessary in order to enjoy fully the purpose for which the Easement is granted" as long as he does not unduly burden the servient land.

Conversely, the owner of the servient land may also make use of that land that does not unduly interfere with the Easement holder's right. What constitutes an undue burden depends upon each situation. For instance, an increase in traffic over an Easement giving access to a beach resort may not necessarily constitute an undue burden, but traffic resulting from changing a dominant estate from private use to a commercial business might constitute an additional burden on the servient estate.

The reasonable use of an Easement is not fixed and may include a consideration of changes in the surrounding area with technological developments. However, if the court determines that the servient estate is unduly burdened by the unreasonable use of an Easement, the servient estate holder has several remedies. These include injunctions to restrict the dominant owner to an appropriate enjoyment of the Easement, monetary damages when the Easement holder exceeds the scope of his rights injuring the servient estate, and in some instances, 'extinguishment' of the Easement. Likewise, there are remedies for interference by the servient owner. Interference with an Easement is a form of trespass, and the court frequently enjoins the obstruction of an Easement and may order the removal of encroaching structures at the servient owner's expense. If the interference with an Easement causes diminution in the value of the dominant estate, the court may also award compensatory damages to the Easement holder. 

Transferability and Termination of Easements

The transferability of an Easement must also be considered when undertaking a real estate transaction. An Easement's transferability depends upon its nature (i.e. whether it is appurtenant or in gross). In general, an Easement appurtenant is transferred with the dominant property even if this is not mentioned in the transferring document. But, the document transferring the dominant estate may express that the Easement shall not pass with the land. Because non-commercial Easements in gross are treated as a right of personal enjoyment for the original holder, they are generally not transferable.

An individual granting an Easement should avoid any legal problem by expressing that the easement is permanent and utilising appropriate words of inheritance. Although permanent Easements are the norm, they can be terminated in numerous ways. For instance, an Easement may be created for a limited or conditional duration. Easements of a limited duration are commonly used to provide temporary access to a dominant estate. An Easement may also be terminated when an individual owning the dominant estate purchases the servient estate, or when the holder of the Easement releases his right to the owner of the servient estate. This release must be given in writing. Abandonment of an Easement can also extinguish it, but as a general rule, the non-use of an Easement does not constitute its abandonment. The misuse or the sale of a servient estate can also terminate an Easement. 

Source : http://www.chennairealty.biz/legal_tax.php 

Property values rise in Perumbakkam, Chennai

With the IT sector growing across Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), real estate market of Perumbakkam, a suburb in south Chennai, is benefiting on account of its location. Being 2 km away from OMR, it is almost equidistant from all prime IT hubs such as Velacherry and Sholinganallur and the commercial Thoraipakkam. As per MagicBricks.com data, the locality has witnessed a whopping 21 per cent rise in property prices in the Oct-Dec, 2012 quarter.

Perumbakkam is well connected through OMR, Tamabaram-Velacharry Road and Medavakkam-Sholinganallur Road. Its strategic location has been a major reason for a steady demand and capital appreciation in this area. Perumbakkam enjoys good connectivity with important roads and is close to the upcoming ELCOT SEZs. Therefore, one can expect a good increase in values in five years. 

Apart from the location advantage, another factor adding to the price rise is the Government’s policy of premium FSI which came in 2010. The policy gave the builders a scope to make larger homes, due to which the prices have risen from Rs 2800 per sq ft in 2010 to Rs 5,000 per sq ft in 2012.

The locality is primarily driven by end-users accounting to almost 60 per cent of the total buyers. Thus, in accordance to the demand, majorly 2 and 3 BHKs of sizes ranging from 900-1,500 sq ft are offered in Perumbakkam. The average prices of these range from Rs 3,800-5,000 per sq ft.

Owing to this, the rental market too has witnessed an escalation of 8 per cent in the last 6 months. The rental values range between Rs 15-18 per sq ft. Thus, with its outstanding connectivity, proximity to commercial locations and social infrastructure, Perumbakkam seems to be good for all buyers. While there is comfort for end-users, investors can hope for large appreciations in the coming years.

Source : Shradha Goyal, MagicBricks.com Bureau

Some Facts About Indian Real Estate Sector

In the past ten years or so, the Indian Real Estate Sector has undergone great economic transformation & witnessed many highs & lows. Real Estate In India also witnessed an all time high in 2007 & early 2008. During this period there was increased demand for real estate & considerable foreign investments too. The global economic slowdown affected the Indian Real Estate Sector too & there was a subsequent decline. But lately the real estate market has got back on track & the scenario is looking quite upbeat for investors nowadays.

Fact 1♯ Indian Real Estate Sector – The Second Highest Employment Generator
There is no doubt about the fact Indian Real Estate Sector is one of the key sectors that contributes to the economic development of the country. Indian Real Estate Sector makes a generous contribution to the national income & GDP of the country & as much as a 10% annual increase is expected. Industry experts also predict a fast paced growth in the next 5 years. A faster growth means more job opportunities for real estate professionals.

Fact 2♯ Residential Segment – Driving The Growth Of The Real Estate Industry
Of all the segments in the Indian Real Estate Sector, the housing segment is showing the highest growth rate. There are several reasons attributed to this growth – the topmost being the fast paced urbanization that is happening, the rising disposable incomes among buyers, etc. With rapid urbanization, there is bound to be increased demand for real estate.  In fact, as per market experts the total worth of assets under construction (including residential, office & retail) add up to approx. 100 billion USD.

Fact 3♯ Demand For Commercial Space – At An Equal Footing With Residential Property Demand 
The demand for Commercial Space is also growing at a fast pace, all thanks to the growth in several sunshine service sectors & manufacturing industry also. Major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, NCR, Bangalore, Chennai, etc. are witnessing the increased demand for office space.

With Real Estate In India attracting interest from both foreign & international investors alike, now is the best time to invest.

Source :http://blogs.realestateindia.com/2013/01/07/some-facts-about-indian-real-estate-sector/

Indian Real Estate – Growth And Profit

Following the liberalization of Indian economy, the Real Estate Sector has witnessed significant growth rate in past few years. The obvious affects of liberalization can be seen as rise in business opportunities and labor migration that further resulted in high demand for commercial and residential properties, majorly in urbanized parts of the country. No wonder, just like the agricultural sector and construction industry, the Real Estate Sectors has a significant role to play in the overall growth of India and its habitants.

Majorly, the growth of Real Estate in India is directly associated with the evident improvement in sectors such as hospitality, entertainment and retail that include hotels, cinema theatres and resorts respectively. Besides, economic services including hospitals and educational institutions and Information Technology enabled services basically including BPOs, KPOs, Call Centers, etc. also have a significant part contributing to the growth of Real Estate Sector in India.

All in all, the Indian Real Estate Industry is going through a positive transformation that has provided the builders and developers with numerous investment opportunities. People who are directly or indirectly associated with the Indian Real Estate Sector are sure to get high returns in the near future since there are several favorable factors to capitalize on. Some of the major factors that have greatly influenced the Residential Real Estate Industry in India are:

• Easy accessibility of funding
• Constant growth in population
• Abundant employment opportunities in service sectors
• Influx in the number of people migrating to urban areas
• Increase in nuclear families
• Increasing income levels and purchasing power
• Feasible policies for the Non Residential Indians (NRIs) to invest in properties in India

As well, some of the major reasons for the increased demand for Commercial Real Estate can be stated as:

• Liberalized legislative framework regarding investment in Real Estate Sector
• Increase in the number of Multi National Companies
• 100 % Foreign Direct Investment
• Requirement of huge office spaces
• Well-developed infrastructural facilities resulting in the initiation of significant construction projects

Considering that the Real Estate Sector of India has emerged as one of the most flourishing segments, it is judiciously the best time for industrialists as well as common man to look out for investing opportunities.

Source : http://blogs.realestateindia.com/