Poor construction quality overlooked by PMC

Poor construction of buildings always grabs the attention of people, since it includes requisite amount of life risk for its tenants. A building in Dattawadi, Pune has been in the news recently due to the poor quality of construction material used, which has been overlooked by the PMC.

Seen as a prime reality destination of Pune, Dattawadi includes a number of buildings that have not maintained the parameters of the construction quality. According to PMC officials, in regard to the increasing number of realty projects in the city, it is a difficult task to keep a check on every building and its construction quality.

With the collapse of certain buildings in Dattawadi, private developers have received a negative publicity. The collapse of the building in Dattawadi has led to the issuing of notices by the state government to the related architect, builder and structural engineer of the particular building. This has directed a severe blow to the real estate community of Pune.

With the collapse of the building in Dattawadi, prices of old residential properties near Erandavane, Navi Pethi, Ladkatwadi and Lokamanya Nagar may be affected. The recent collapse of the building in Dattawadi is just another addition to the number of building collapse in Pune in the last few years. Talijaj building collapse in Saiduttanagar Colony in September 2012 testifies the inefficiency of PMC(Pune Municipal Corporation) while sanctioning permit to builders and developers.

If market reports are to be believed, permission for around 4200 buildings in Pune are sanctioned which is likely to give rise to an annual revenue collection of Rs 699 crores. In respect to last year when 1870 buildings were sanctioned for construction that yielded a gross revenue of 380 crores, the expected increase in revenue for the present year is likely to boost the economy.

As a strategic measure against the incident, the PMC has organized a structural survey of the unsanctioned buildings and constructions in Pune, which does not have layouts. PMC is also in talks of appointing an engineer to survey the status of the building constructions in villages and in the old city.

To add to it, government officials also confirmed that the state is coming up with disaster management programs to deal with water logging problems that forms the major crisis in cities like Mumbai and Pune. According to government rules, inspection should be conducted by civic body after every five years for buildings, more than 20 years old. For 30 years old buildings, inspection should be carried out once in every three years.

Effort on part of the state government will prevent the tenants from all possible dangers from the sudden collapse of buildings. By issuing certain stringent policies and rules, steps can be taken by the government to compel the real estate developers to maintain the the quality of construction and add to the overall life of the building significantly.

Protect Your Valuable Furniture From Monsoon Dampness .

Moisture is said to be the biggest enemy of wood. The images of creaking furniture, smelly cupboards, or damp sofas come into your mind when the rainy season starts. This is because the humidity levels during rainy season have a bad effect on your cupboards and drawers. Now breathe easy because here are some simple and practical tips to prevent the furniture from Monsoon Dampness.

• Exposure to rain can be harmful to your fine wooden furniture so avoid placing it near the windows.
• To keep room dry always have a cross ventilation as it keeps the room dry.
• To protect your bed and cushion, use plastic cover over bed mattress and always place a plastic sheet on your sofa before you place the sofa covers.
• Neem is best and recommended to protect your clothes and furniture from pests like silver fish and fungus which are common problem during monsoon. You can also use camphor and a few cloves to protect clothes other valuable in your closet.
• To keep insects at bay sprinkle a few cloves among clothes.
• Fixing a sturdy brass handle to your wooden door will help to easily handle it during monsoon.
• Carpets can be rolled and stored away. But if they are made of more expensive stuff, add some silicon bags while rolling them. In case, you have to keep them spread out, make sure that you do not step on them with wet feet.
• In order to reduce the friction associated with monsoons always keep your drawers and kitchen cabinets well lubricated.
• Garden chairs that are nylon webbed or painted metal should be kept indoors during the monsoons to prevent them from cracking or chipping off paint.
• In order to increase the durability of your furniture always uses waterproof plywood and adhesive in furniture.
• Clean your floors everyday with phenyl or any such disinfectant in order to combat moisture and humidity in the room.
• Warp in hardwood floors are due to presence of moisture, you can wax or polish your wooden flooring to eliminate this.
• Keep the wardrobes, cupboards and furniture a few inch away from wet or damp wall.

Tips For Maintaining Your Society Swimming Pool !!

A swimming pool is an irresistible attraction in any residential apartment complex. It is the perfect way to exercise, unwind, and simply splash around with your kids for a fun, family evening. However, often, apartment associations neglect the maintenance of the swimming pool, making it an eye sore, as well as a health hazard.

Proper and time to time maintenance of pools is very much important for prevention of dieses and allergies; a well maintained swimming pool is an asset to an apartment complex. But improper care and handling could lead in making it a shame spot; here are few tips to maintain pool ,to prevent potential health problems, here are some simple swimming pool maintenance tips.

1. Maintain optimum pool chemistry

A swimming pool must have a pH level of 7.2 – 7.6 for the water sanitizers, such as chlorine, to work well. Using a drop test kit to regularly measure the pH level of the swimming pool in your apartment can prevent the pH level from going too high or too low. To lower pH levels, Hydrochloric Acid is commonly used. The amount of total dissolved solids and the calcium hardness of the water in the swimming pool should be tested every six months.

2. Use Chlorine to treat water

Chlorine is the most commonly used pool sanitizer; however it has certain side effects such as red eyes and dry eyes. Floating chlorine feeders and automatic chlorine feeders are better ways of maintaining chlorine levels, as compared to simply putting chlorine sticks/chlorine tablets in the pool.

3. Alternative treatment methods

There are alternative means of water treatment which you can use to sanitize your apartment pool. Mineral purification systems, which pump the water through minerals like silver and copper, kill the algae and bacteria present in the water. Salt chlorinators are another great way to maintain the chlorine level of your pool. An electrode is attached to the plumbing system of the pool, which can convert the natural salt added, to chlorine.

4. Regular cleaning of the swimming pool

Pools need to be cleaned every day. Leafs and other debris must be removed daily. The swimming pool pumps must be run daily for a couple of hours, so that the water in the pool remains fresh. In summers, the pump needs to be run for a longer time to filter the water adequately. The walls and bottom tiles of a pool need to be brushed frequently to prevent algae from growing on these surfaces.

5. Keep the skimmers, and other pool machinery and equipment clean

Pool skimmers, Leaf catchers, pumps and chlorine dispensers must be cleaned regularly. It is easy to ignore cleaning the skimmers, but if they get clogged, the circulation of water in the pool will be reduced, because of which the water in the swimming pool may become unsafe for swimmers.

6. Checking the water level

The water level of a pool should never go below the level of the pool skimmers, or the pool circulation mechanism will not work effectively. A good option is to install automatic water levellers to check the water level and fill the pool with water once the water level drops below a specific level.

7. Pool hygiene rules

The apartment association should have a set of common rules for all the pool users, such as taking showers before entering the pool and not throwing any food items in the pool. The swimming pool is the common property of all the apartment owners, and they should take care to ensure that it remains clean and hygienic.

8. Safety measures

It is equally important to maintain safe swimming pool practices, such as specific pool timings, adult supervision when children use the pool, basic first aid training to the pool users, and safety kit. The edges of the pool can become slippery and cause people to slip and get hurt. So, keeping the pool surroundings clean and safe is always recommended.

Home Décor: Decorate With White !

When we talk of decorating the house, we think of painting the walls afresh with bright colours or replacing the old flooring with new hardwood floor or ceramic tiles or may be changing the lighting of the house. Whatever may be the way of decorating, usually decoration translates to colour and white hardly features in our thoughts.

However, it is very much possible to decorate your home with white and decorating with white lends an elegant look to your house.

Here are few ways how you can decorate the house with white

ite colour.

All white: You can get one room to wear all white, i.e. everything in the room is in white – walls, ceiling, bed, drapes, cushions, Ottoman, mirror frames, chairs, pillows – everything. It will create a room with spaces soaked in natural light. The room will look clean and simple and give you a wonderful experience of living in a beach side or bestow a spa like atmosphere to the room. Bed room would be the best choice to go for a all white cloak.

White linens: If going all white for a room seems little too much for you or you think it would be too stark for eyes, you can consider making white a special part of your bed room. White linens for your bed always makes the room feel cool and clean.

White contrast: White can be used to create aesthetic contrast in your dining room or living room. If you have a rich coloured wall then a beautiful contrast appeal can be created by keeping a white chair or table in front of it. Usually white would create a contrast with any rich colour – be it deep blue or red or violet or green.

Kitchen décor: Your kitchen can be given an adorable jewellery box kind of look by maintaining a nicely balanced mixture of white and cool blue. The cabinets and walls can be white or rather off white in colour which will be smoothly converged with cool blue coloured tiles and ceiling. Keep in mind that if you want to go for white board cabinets, then it may further assimilate with the utensils and glass interiors like a chandelier dangling above.

Whitewashed interior: Whitewashing your interiors with white is another innovative décor idea. You can whitewash your permanent furniture like cabinets, dressers, fixtures and also brick to make the room appear pristine and clean. Whitewashed bricks add elegance and personality in comparison to exposed bricks and if used for decor purposes selectively, can do wonder especially to a small room.

White accessories: You can transform a room with contemporary furniture in to a breathtakingly splendid room by incorporating white accessories. Accessories may be the white dishes and utensils in grass front cabinets or in an open shelf or it may be a vintage style cream white rug; be sure the white glow will brighten up the room.

Wall décor: A white wall can present you with myriad ways to decorate your home. As for the living room, your white wall can be a great background for a modern art that you are proud to possess.

You can camouflage the white wall without even painting it. Assemble a book shelf and the back of the shelves can be spread with scrapbook paper and different lights can be used to light up the shelves in different colours. The white wall can also be decorated around like a window as you can hang curtains in front of it from ceiling to floor to give a unique look to the interiors.

Need For A Single Window Approval’ System In Real Estate Grows

Real estate projects in India are mostly facing delays in completion due to the existing prolonged system of seeking approvals. In general, developers have to seek over thirty clearances to land a residential project, which in our system, takes few years to obtain.

To overcome this issue and make the process simpler, it is necessary to implement a system like single window system for all required approvals. Although the housing ministry has been saying for long that such a system will be introduced, nothing has been done in this regard.

Single window approval system would be a one-stop solution to several project-related issues, opine experts. Its main focus will be towards rationalising the process of seeking clearances for real estate projects and thereby cutting down the time taken for procedural delays in a project completion. With such a system in place, both developers as well as buyers will be largely benefited by the system.

Following the Cabinet’s approval to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) has directed a committee to prepare a report on the implementation of a single window clearance system for seeking approvals and necessary permissions for promoters. The Bill, while favouring buyers in all possible ways, has put major burden on the part of developers. Instead of reducing the risk in the process of seeking approvals, it has added another window wherein the developers has to register their projects before selling any unit.

As per the Bill, it is mandatory for developers to get all the approvals before even promoting their projects and in this case, a single window clearance system will allow them to get all the requisite permissions within a particular time span, which will also prevent project delays.

Ajay Maken has announced that the ministry is presently giving high importance to single window clearance and is striving to kick start the process. Though it is still not decided as from when the single window clearance system will be implemented, Maken is hopeful that some states are taking the lead.

A fixed span of time has to be set by the government within which a project has to be given all the approvals. Hypothetically, it may be easier if the state regulators (to be formed as proposed in the Bill) are empowered to give single window clearance to all the residential projects coming up in the respective states.

If a single window system for clearance of real estate projects throughout the country is expected to bring down average approval time from 196 days to 45-60 days.

Once the single window clearance system is introduced, the real estate in India will surely get a major boost. The average time required for clearance of real estate projects in India is likely to come down to 45-60 days from nearly 200 days. The system is also expected to improve the cash flow of a project which would further reduce the project cost too.

Finally Real Estate Bill gets Cabinet’s approval .

The much-awaited Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill has obtained clearance from the Cabinet on 4th June. The Bill is expected to bring in transparency in the nation’s real estate sector with tighter norms for selling projects and preventing property fraud cases. This Act may be called as the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2011.

The Central Government will notify the date of commencement of the Act. It is expected that different dates may be announced for different provisions of the Act.

Establishment of Real Estate Regulatory Authority

A Real Estate Regulatory Authority will be formed by the Appropriate Government and certain powers and functions will be assigned to it (Section-35). Each state or union territory will have its own regulator body to which similar functions will be set. The Authority will be headed by a Chairperson and it will consist few whole time Members (Section 37-1).

The Authority should aim towards the growth and promotion of a transparent, efficient and competitive real estate sector. It has to make recommendations on changes required for getting faster clearances of plans and development projects, issuing completion certificates and to effectively implement plans in the sector, encourage construction of environmentally sustainable and affordable housing projects, promote usage of good building materials and following efficient construction techniques, and so on (Section 28).

Besides this, the regulator will have to publish and create a website of records of all real estate projects with all relevant information, including status of registration or cancellation (Section-29-2b).

Mandatory Registration of real estate projects

As per Section 3 of the Act, a developer is not allowed to develop any residential property without prior registration of the project with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The registration is mandatory for projects proposed on a land area of 4000 square meters and above (the land area limit may be different in different states). In case, a proposed project has to be developed in phases, then every single phase shall be considered as a standalone real estate project and the builder should seek separate registration for each phase.

Even it is mandatory for all the property agents to get registered with the regulatory authority of their respective states.

Responsibilities of developers

A separate bank account for each real estate project has to be maintained in a scheduled bank and 70 percent of the amount collected for a project from the allottees would be deposited in the account and would be used only for the project.

Section 9 prohibits promoters from publishing advertisements or prospectus before the registration of their projects with the Authority.

No developer is allowed to take any amount of money from buyers before entering into a sale agreement. The agreement should include details such as the particulars of development, specifications, cost of the plot, dates and manner of payment, possession date, etc. The developer has to make sure that the proposed project gets developed and completed in accordance with the plans, designs, specifications and duration as approved by the Authority. Floor Area ratio (FAR) should also be clearly mentioned by the developer.

If there is any major defect or lack in the project developed, and if a buyer brings it to the notice of the promoter within a year from the date of handing over possession, then it is the duty of promoter to rectify the defect without any extra charge.

Promoter should hand over all the original copies of the title documents and the plans to the buyers’ association formed as per the local laws.

In case if a developer fails to give possession of an apartment or project then he is liable to pay compensation to the buyers at a rate as specified in the agreement. It is also mandatory for all buyers to make timely payments as specified in the agreement, which if delayed, the allot tees have to pay interest at prescribed rates.

Benefits to buyers

If a developer makes a false statement about his project and in case a buyer decides to withdraw his investment in the project, then the developer has to return the money along with interest at prescribed rates (Section 10).

The Bill defines carpet area and seeks developers to sell units on the basis of “carpet area”€ putting an end to the ambiguous super area system.

In case a promoter fails to rectify the structural defects found within a year from the possession date within reasonable time, then the buyers will have the right to receive compensation by the promoter, as determined by the Authority of that place.

The regulator will be empowered to form a dispute resolution mechanism in order to settle the disputes between the developer and the buyers or the buyers themselves through regulations.

If there is an appropriate need with regard to a complaint or suo moto against a developer, allottee or any other concerned authority, then the Authority is empowered to call upon the promoter at any time for enquiry.

Conclusion:

The Regulatory Bill seeks to provide a uniform regulatory environment to the real estate sector of India. If enforced well, it will bring in transparency and good relief to the buyers.

Though the Bill looks promising, in the current real estate scenario, better administrative reforms are required to ensure protection to end-users. More provisions are required to meet the challenges faced by both developers and buyers.

How To Arrange Your First Real Estate Deal .

Real estate deals are usually the important and largest in the life of common people. For selling or buying a house, people need to have reliable support of a good real estate agency and a trustworthy realtor's. Indeed, real estate deals usually involve great amount of money and certain risks for both buyers and sellers.

Real estate agents generally experience certain risks as they are responsible for all types of real estate deals they offer their clients. That is why all parties involved in reality

deals have to be very careful about the steps they take.

Picking out the best offers

People who are looking for reliable real estate agencies should first, turn to their friends or relatives. There is no better advertisement for agencies than a word of those people who have already tried their services. Such agencies are always reliable and helpful enough for all their clients.

Another way to find an agency that is trustworthy is on the web. There are many companies that offer their services online. What customers should take into consideration is their licenses. As soon as different states can have specific details in their real estate regulations, it is better if Texas people choose agencies with a Texas real estate license, and inhabitants of Florida – the ones with a Florida license. In this case, customers can be sure that all the details of their deals will be correct from the legal point of view.

Besides that, it is necessary to pay attention to the type of real estate the agency deals with. Some companies can be very precise about their choice, so they will not work with other types of premises. For example, some agencies are better at dealing with commercial premises, while others undertake only those deals that involve houses and apartments.

International real estate agencies

Finally, there are real estate agencies that can help people to buy or to sell property in other countries. These agencies have to be twice as reliable because losing such an amount of money as a cost of a house or an apartment abroad is a serious matter for clients. As soon as real estate is a great way to invest money, clients may need information on the foreign real estate market and its prospects. In this case, agents will have to find a house or an apartment that will be a profitable investment: in a good region, with certain attractive qualities or so. In a word, it has to be such a piece of real estate that will be pricey in future and is quite affordable now.

Tips For Decorating Your Home Without Breaking The Bank !!

There are few things more important than having a home in which you can relax and escape from the troubles of your hectic life.  But making your home feel exactly right can get pricey as so much relies on your home decor. Unfortunately, not all of us are graced with huge budgets, so we need to plan carefully and make smart choices in order to make our home decor as beautiful as our vision.

Here are some budget friendly ideas that can freshen up your home without breaking the bank.

Just organize

Clutter can be the biggest killer of the mood in any room.  Just by taking time to designate an appropriate place for your stuff, and put things away, you’ll find new ways to appreciate the visual appeal of your home decor.

Take on a new tone

It’s no shock that furniture can be the priciest part of any home decorating remodel.  But you don’t always have to drop top dollar on new furniture when you may already have some very well crafted fixtures. Instead consider remodeling the furniture you already have by painting or staining it to give it a fresh look.  It could save you a lot of money.

Paint the room again

You can completely alter the feel and look of a room with a single color. Painting is possibly the easiest way to change how the room is perceived.  But it is important to do it right.  If you’re looking for the best possible designs in the more formal areas of your home, try using complementary colors. These are the colors that oppose one another on the color wheel. If you’re looking to revamp the space where you relax, try utilizing analogous colors. These are the colors next to one another on the color wheel.

Get a handle on your kitchen

Redesigning your kitchen will usually be the most expensive venture of home remodeling you can embark on.  Try giving it an updated look by simply changing all of the cabinet hardware.  You’d be amazed what a difference this can have.

Try new fabrics

Instead of breaking the bank on brand new pillows to freshen up your living room, try getting crafty with a DIY project.  You can save a lot of money by going to the fabric store and find a lot more options to match that look you’re going for.  Use the fabric to make pillow slip covers and re-purpose all of those couch pillows you’ve gotten sick of looking at.

Become an artist

It’s no doubt that wall art can really define a space, and serve as the focal point of a room. But buying professional artwork is usually out of the question if you’re trying to save money. Fortunately, you don’t have to be the next Picasso or even attend an accredited online college for art to create your own wall art.  There are tons of DIY art projects out there, especially on Pinterest. So find one you like and give it a whirl. It’ll also be tons of fun!

When it’s all said in done you would be surprised at how much change came with some of these tips. Your home will have a fresh new look that you’ll be excited to go home to every day.  Just keep in mind before undergoing any home makeover project, to know exactly how much you want to spend overall, and plan appropriately

Real Estate Demand On A Growth Path .

Real estate in India has been going through a lean patch since the last few quarters. 2012 had been a distressing year for the reality sector, fraught with dropping sales and increasing number of unsold homes. However, with festive spirits round the corner, weather is looking to brighten up for the sector.

In 2012, real estate transactions in ten major cities in India – Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Chandigarh, have remain

ed stagnant. High interest rates and inflationary pressures have strangulated real estate demand and residential absorption came down by 6% on an average on a year-on -year basis in 2012. Developers also went slow with project launches as a reaction to sluggish sales.

Current reality scenario

New launches are starting to creep up after a lull. At present there are 492 new real estate projects being offered in Mumbai. Of the 492, almost 120 are in ready to move in condition. The number of properties on offer stands at 539 in Delhi-NCR, 536 in Bangalore, 331 in Pune and 387 in Chennai.

Big developers are launching high end luxury apartments in the top cities, with developers looking to cash in on high margin in high end projects. It is a considerable departure from earlier trend of concentrating more on affordable market.

However, considering the still grappling economy, the money that has to be paid upfront while buying a home has remained low. The 80:20 model is in vague where the buyer needs to pay only 20% of the property price till the home is ready to move in.

Real estate market provides good opportunity for investors as developers are coming up with pre-buying offers in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. A total of 517,365 units are expected to be delivered in 15 cities this year.

Future demand for real estate

With the economic landscape of the country improving gradually, a 5%-7% rise in absorption level is expected in 2013. Accordingly, despite battling slowdown, the reality projects seem to be back on a roll in the Indian cities. The developers are coming up with various festival discount offers and pre-launch offers. Records show that the first three months witnessed growth in new launches across the cities.

Investor ridden markets of Delhi-NCR and Mumbai holds the key to growth of real estate in India. During 2013-14, around 840 million sq. ft. is pegged to get absorbed across the major 10 cities. Of the total absorption, NCR and Mumbai will account for nearly 58 percent. Till 2015, a total supply of 1.5 to 2.1 billion sq ft space is expected; of which NCR and Mumbai will account for 43% and 13% respectively.

Analysts have predicted an average price rise of 6-7 percent on year-on-year basis in 2013 in the top 10 cities. In the coming two years, improved demand for real estate will see the highest price rise in the cities of NCR, Pune and Hyderabad. While Pune is expected to witness a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9% till 2014; Hyderabad will grow at CAGR of 10%. NCR and Mumbai will also see a CAGR of 8% till 2014.

Improved macro economic scenario will propel the developers to resort to innovative tactics to push sales and as buyers come out of their ‘wait and watch’ mould, real estate seems to be moving towards a brighter tomorrow in India.

Feng Shui & Trees .

Trees are vital part in our surroundings for our well-being, synonymously called the “lungs of the earth”. They act like the purifiers of every breath that we inhale. They are also responsible for preventing ground water run-off and soil erosion. With growing population and commercial growth, trees have become the most cherished part of our mother land.

Apart from their beauty, they have the mother like quality to provide shelter, warmth and a place to climb on for fun and enjoyment. They also provide nutrition in the form of fruits, nuts etc. Substantially they play a strong role in our homes in the form of Feng shui. Hence, it has become essential for us to protect the trees surrounding our homes. Do you know what else it has in stock for us? Let’s go through the Feng shui aspects of the trees.

1. Trees provide good amount of support. When planted at the backyard of house, they provide “Mountain Support” at the rear of the property. Generally, all the dwellings and commercial properties are situated with the rear of property at raised level. If this rise is not present (i. e. landscape is flat) then vital support from trees can be missing out and resulting in struggle in major areas

of your life. This support in the rear of the property is considered to be as a critical element in Feng Shui. It is suggested to plant a row of 5 trees in the backyard of the property in order to simulate the missing support.

2. Planting Bamboo in the backyard may bring good fortune in one’s life. If bamboo is planted in the rear of the house then gives solid support. If planted in East direction, it gives splendid dragon energy (best form of energy as per feng shui). If planted in the front of the house, it gives essential auspicious energy for opportunities and wealth. The front side of any property is considered to be as the highly auspicious location for plantation. So it is recommended to preferably plant bamboo in the front of the house.

3. Trees giving flowers bring reward. As per feng shui Orange trees are believed to bring wealth and are specifically beneficial when planted in South-East corner of the yard. Lemon/lime trees are also helpful in bringing opportunities and wealth especially for houses facing South-East direction. Orange and Lime trees when planted at the front of the dwelling bring great opportunities in the form of advancement and wealth.

In order to promote good relationships one should plant Apple trees in the home. Planting Pomegranates stimulates love. In the west of the yard prefer to plant peaches to bring overall family happiness.

4. To raise the amount of essential Chi energy, trees should be planted. If your house or office slopes down towards the left side or is at low level, trees should be planted to increase the Chi energy resulting in making the essential “Dragon Energy” more under control. Always make sure to plant trees on both the sides of the house to keep the harmony inside house balanced. Trees planted on left and right side control the anger of husband and wife respectively.

5. Trees can also promote growth and good health. When trees are planted on the East side of the house, they can promote personal growth and good health. Always choose large hardwood varieties of trees to plant of this side of the house.

6. Pines are there for longevity of life. Pines are believed to be effectively auspicious when planted in the East corner of the garden.

7. Always keep on removing dead trees if there. Dead trees tend to draw huge amount of energy out of the house. Make sure to remove dead trees specifically when someone is ill in the house.

8. Trees should not touch any sort of house construction. If any tree is touching the construction, it will give “yin” energy to the house which you don’t want because it is Negative energy.

9. Also trees should be away from the center of the house, South-West corner and North-East corner. Trees planted in the center of the house tend to cause severe financial troubles. Trees in the North-East corner create educational problems and trees planted in South-West corner tend to create relationship problems.

10. Also trees should not be planted in the front of the main door. Trees blocking the door also blocks opportunities and causes financial and career troubles. If possible, remove the tree or cut the tree down, after cutting place a gazing ball to push tree energy back.

How To Save Your Valuable Furniture From Termites

Prevention of Termites

Are you frustrated with your house being eaten away by termites?  If yes, then read further and get to know some interesting facts about these wood eating insects. Termites are nothing but wood destroying insects which will eat away your home and building. Usually termites are considered as white ants. But the truth is termites are nearer to the cockroach family.

Termites’ mainly feed on Wood.  Their food also includes wood products, grass, tree barks and any material containing cellulose. Termites need protein and carbohydrates in their food, and this is obviously provided by the decayed wood. Termites love to live in complete darkness and it is not easy to find termites and you may see them after most of the damages are done.

Termites are the biggest disaster for wood based buildings. Even People who do not live in wooden houses also face termites’ problem. Guess how. Since Termites are fond of Wood, they eat away the furniture at home. So, wherever we are, in whichever country we live, termite infestation is possible.

So how to prevent this termite infestation

• Keep your home under check.  Though we check our home for infestations, only a professional can give assurance. Every home and building needs a professional check for the infestations at least once in a year.
• Termites cannot live without moisture. Like other creatures, they depend on water for survival. So do not leave any sort of moisture in your building. The broken pipes and other moist areas provide them a perfect environment to grow.
• Ensure that the attic and other isolated areas are clean and dry without moisture. And good ventilation does not favor the termites easily.
• No more holes or cracks in the building. This provides them an easy way to enter the building and eat away your place. So, repair all the cracks and gaps in the building.
• Soil and wood are highly important for the termites for migrating into a building. Reduce the contact between soil and wood. No more old wooden logs in your garden and attic.
• Have some space between your garden and home. Thick bushes close to your house are easy targets for these creatures.

Signs of termites in your home

• When you tap the wood, if it sounds hollow, there is a possibility that the termites would have eaten away the wood from inside. The reason is usually termites prefer darker places which are not easily seen by us.
• Mud tubes on the wall and other surface, which is clearly seen by human. The purpose of these mud tubes is protection and also to maintain the temperature suitable for them.
• If a building is infested by termites, audible noise is can be heard particularly in the night time.  This is caused by the termites giving signal to the other termites in the colony
• Small big mounts can be found in many places like stairs, walls, windows and doors.

Market for ‘Senior Citizen Homes’ picking up in India !

Indian real estate seems to be growing at a rapid pace and seen to be expanding into new market segment. Senior citizens’ home is becoming a significant segment in real estate market in recent years.

The senior citizens are becoming more financially independent and due to change in societal attitude, the segment has come up as one to be tapped by the developers. Experts say that the senior housing segment holds immense potential and the need based segment is being looked to be penetrated by over a dozen of developers across the cities.

Senior citizen housing in India

Senior citizen housing or assisted living sector has undergone a sea change in India. As opposed to a handful of developers concentrating in senior citizen homes few years back, now there are over 30 projects underway in cities like Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Jaipur, Coimbatore and Goa.

It is estimated that by 2025, India would have 173 million seniors above the age of 60. Almost 60 percent of households in India are nuclear and 8.94 percent of the population is aged 60-plus. It shows that a large chunk of senior population are in need of care and homes specially designed to cater their needs are very much a serious segment in Indian real estate now.

While in countries like Japan and USA, the senior housing segment is considerably big in size and number, India is at a nascent stage when it comes to senior housing. Recent statistics show that demand for retirement homes in India stands approximately at 300,000 units. The number of units built specially for senior citizens have jumped three-four times since the last couple of years. Of all the cities, Bangalore reportedly has the highest number of planned projects for senior citizens.

Demand for senior housing

The landscape of Indian society is changing. The senior citizens today are faced with myriad complexities of modern social life – breakdown of joint family system, sense of insecurity, craving for companionship, loss of relevance within the family, increasing physical disability, difficulty to access transport, a need for quality health care, difficulty to access government services and other support systems have compelled the aged citizens to search for alternate lifestyle within a secured environment, which is aimed to be provided by the developers.

Social stigma associated with abandonment at the twilight of their lives is slowly fading away from Indian society. Many senior citizens seem to embrace the idea of sharing the autumn of their lives with people belonging to same age group. Financially they are independent and retire with substantial savings to spend last days of their lives in comfort.

Most of these people like to invest their savings in projects located outskirts of metros or tier II cities, away from hustle bustle of city life.

Features of senior housing projects

Senior housing comes with catering to special needs and unique features. From lay out designs to architectural details and amenities available – everything is designed in order to meet the requirements of aged people. Grab-bars in bathrooms, anti-skid tiles, low-height shelves, bigger balconies for sunlight, nurse/servant rooms in bigger units, special Medicare facility in the vicinity are some of the features of these projects.

Units come in all sizes – one/two/three bedrooms depending on the number of residents. Although most of the units are in the affordable housing category, keeping in mind the affluent aged population in metros, homes in the price range Rs 60 lakh to Rs 1 crore have come up as well.

The market consists of couple whose children are staying in other cities. NRI couples who have been exposed to the high standard of living in developed countries also like to come back and settle down in these homes in post retirement days.

The senior housing has stepped on to the next level in India. Integrated senior citizenship townships are increasingly coming up with hassle free living experience for the senior citizen. They are equipped with club house, Medicare facilities, libraries, multi cuisine restaurants, wellness centres and spas. These townships may offer high end units with semi-assisted and assisted (with full time attendant) villas or flats for citizens in need of care.

Five ideas that we love: Recycling is a mantra that all of us swear by when it comes to home décor. And it’s amazing what we can do with simple things that would otherwise land in the trash bin and make it an art decor piece. For this week, we bring you five ideas that we fell in love with at the first glance – simple and DIY, these ideas promise to weave in the ‘wow’ factor in your abode.

Recycle old drawers as hangers:

Take your old drawers and nail them on your door or your wall and you've got yourself a hanger! The look is chic and classy. If you want to add a dash of rustic element to this, strip away the paint and let the colour of the natural wood come to fore.

Delightfully simple:

An art décor piece, this simple DIY bookshelf is a fantastic idea to showcase your accents. A dual purpose – this idea completely won us over!

Pretty accents:

An easy craft to make, these fabric-wrapped balls use up scraps from your stash and can be displayed in a pretty bowl. Cut strips from coordinating fabrics and use glue to adhere them to foam balls.

Paint cans turned organizer:

Create this cool organiser to store your art and craft supplies. Cover paint cans with wrapping paper scraps. Use double-stick tape or spray adhesive to secure the paper to the cans. To make a display, stack the cans on their sides and glue them together.

Pretty Bottles:

A simple DIY idea which promises to bring instant warmth and glow in your kitchen. First clean the glass jar and remove the label.  To do this, you can soak in hot water Then rub a bit of glue to the bottle – from the top to the end. Wrap the wire gradually so that the strands are arranged together.