What You Should Know While Choosing Real Estate Companies in Chennai

If you are building a new one or renovating your existing home, most of them take this as a valuable investment. Whereas it is a vital thing to find a right construction companies in Chennai. Furthermore, to construct your home it is important to check that the construction company are experienced to meet your requirements according to your choice. An ideal way to reach the right construction company is to perform an online search and collect lists of available information on construction companies. By doing this, you can very well come across some of the reputed real estate, construction companies, and it might turn difficult for you to choose the right one.

The initial best idea would be shortlisting a renowned real estate company in the metropolis. Meanwhile, there is some good choice of construction firms that could be easy to choose. In addition, you could ask for the list of their completed construction project details and former client feedback. Of course, you can have a general conversation regarding this with your office friends, neighbours and relatives circle, which will also help you in discovering real estate companies in Chennai. Therefore, make sure that a construction company that could provide you the best and professional construction services using quality construction materials and equipment. As a known thing, only a professional construction firms are capable of understanding your requirements and satisfy your needs in a positive way.

Determining the best construction companies will not be a hard job if you can spend time by making out some online research on available establishments and their services. Managing an online search are an honest option to select from a broad scope of construction companies of your option. In addition, you can get through their customer testimonials and user hints that can assist you to get a clear idea in search of your construction companies. Choose a company that offers a quality construction services at your projected costs. Thus, it is smart to take the construction companies in Chennai based on your demands.

Agreeing to this, when it comes while finding a perfect construction company in Chennai you need to take time on knowing the company's experience, which would assist you in growing your construction work made out better. A full building company is easy to find nowadays, and it is not hard for you to accomplish your dream house. Besides, you have to invest some additional effort on obtaining information from your acquaintances, relatives or the neighbour of the construction companies in Chennai that is starting to build your construction needs the way that you require. Watching all these let you grow a better results and a chance at the end of your building projects.

Buying a house for a family with toddlers? Here are tips

In India, most of the first-time home-buyers are of the age between 25-30. Amongst them, a lot are newly married and some having newborns and toddlers. Babies start crawling from the age of 7-8 months and roam around the house. They will start taking steps to walk as early as 9 months and if late, by 15-16 months. While buying a property, please keep this growing bundle of joy in mind and follow the steps below:

If you are lucky enough to buy from a builder who is willing to make small alterations, great. If that option isn't available or you are buying a home on resale, I recommend few alterations in the home.

1. Floor - Apart from cleanliness, you need to ensure that the floor is structurally smooth, with no protuberance which can hurt the baby's knees, palms or feet. Various types of flooring is offered by the builder which are sometimes optional too. Tiles, need to be fixed nicely and marble should be laid without any broken corners. Wooden floor quality should be of top quality and fixed evenly.

2. Electrical points - Preferably at a height where small children upto 5-6 years cannot reach. Plug points should not be left open and covered with holders available in the market. babies have small fingers and they tend to put their fingers inside these small holes. Switch points which are at lower level, like nest to bed, table lamp points should be covered with holders when unused & when in use, babies should not left unattended around those sockets.

3. Balcony railings - Designer railing look good and plenty have designs which are like straight steps where a child can easily climb like stairs! Please try to avoid such designs. If there's any vertical design which cannot be climbed upon, that's the best. Also notice if any sharp edges are there which can cut your child. These are mostly wrought iron and if cut by these your child will need immediate medical attention.

4. Grill - Better to be careful than sorry. Cover your balcony even if you are on first or second floor. Builders will generally have a standard design of grills for all occupants to make the building look good. Take help of their vendors to fix the same kind.

5. Window - Modern day apartment building has open windows with sliding shutters and is extremely risky for children who can push them open & peep. You may not always remember to lock it and even if you do, children will quickly learn how to open it too. Window grills are a must and if builder doesn't allow it on outer facade, fix them internally for your child's safety.

6. Planter box - Pen homes, Duplex, apartment with large patio or balcony will have provision of planter box which may be hanging out of the balcony or within the square-feet area. Firstly, choose plants which are child-health friendly. Chidren tend to put everything in their mouth. So, cactus with thorns or other poisonous/harmful plantation are a big no-no. Have tulsi, marigold, hibiscus etc. instead and drop rose even if it looks more pretty.

7. Kitchen - Open kitchen is a craze these days. It looks good and living dining area seems more specious, but responsibility increases. No sharp cutters like knife etc should be left on the floor or even on the kitchen-slab close to the child's reach, the waste bin should be covered hidden inside a closed cupboard, floor should be always clean. White goods like microwave, toasters, mixer should be stored at a height. Refrigerator should be locked, washing machine and dryer should not be front loading and switches of all these high-voltage gadgets should always be at a height and covered when unused. Design your kitchen accordingly.

8. Bathroom - Always keep the door closed. Keep the water closet covered, waste basket with a lid; hair dryer, shaving kit away, plug points at a height which are out of children's reach. Water buckets etc. not to be filled with water unnecessarily. Bathtub area closed with sliding glass door(shower curtain is not enough). Avoid auto-locks. A door with auto locks get locked if the baby pushes the door after getting in the bathroom. If bolts are used, should be at the top of the door and not near the handle where baby can also reach.

9. Wall paint - Emission of toxic materials from fresh paints inside the house could be harmful for babies. Try not to enter the home till the smell fades away. With some low-quality paints the smell never goes. Please check with your builder as to what quality paint is being used and if there's no choice to better it, pay additional amount to get a safe paint done.

10. Fan & Air-conditioner - Children bedrooms are not only about their floor, paint and furniture. Please make sure you don't place the bed right below the fan or directly under the blow of air-conditioner. Use good quality products which require lesser maintenance and consumes lesser electricity, makes no noise.....in a nutshell, the best quality. Even better than the master suite you will use.  

11. Staircase/internal lift - If you are buying a villa, row-house, penthouse, duplex or triplex there will definitely be internal staircase and sometimes a private lift. Be super-cautious. Fix small gate at the entrance of the stairs in lower floor as well as the higher floor to stop the baby from trying to crawl up or down. Spiral staircase is more risky(as there will be more gaps in between) than a three/two turn staircase with small landings. If you fix wooden planks, make sure it is fixed nicely without any uneven edges. Granites are generally more slippery, marble is extremely hard material and cold during winters. So, choose wisely.

At the end, being a responsible parent your focus should be more on safety measures than the beauty of the property you choose. A builder who is understanding and co-operating with your need should be chosen. Few large developers do not want to accommodate and they should also gradually get accustomed to the new-era "children/aged parents/pet friendly" homes as the requirement is changing. 'Beautiful' homes are no more the end of requirement.

Five reasons why developer`s reputation matters

Be it quality of the home or timely delivery of the home, the buyer is assured of peace of mind. Legal sanctions in place further ensure that there is no total loss of capital in future.

India’s economy is once again on a sure footing, and people across the country are now confident about buying homes. Purchasing a home is of course a huge investment, and therefore not something where there can be any margin for error – and yet, things can and often do go wrong.

One of the most common mistakes that many buyers of property commit is doing business with developers who lack established credentials. Dealing only with reputed real estate builders is the first line of defence against getting cheated out of one’s money, and being assured of buying a quality product.

How can one identify reputable, reliable developers from the huge number of builders constantly putting projects on the market? There are several defining factors:

1. Legal Sanctity Of The Project

Every residential and commercial building needs to get a variety of permissions from local and government bodies. Reputed developers will ensure that their projects have all the certificates and permissions required by the local authorities. Again, their reputation is at stake and they will not take such matters lightly.

All instances of illegal construction that one reads of in the papers today have one factor in common – these projects are by unscrupulous or inexperienced builders who either did not care to get their projects properly approved, or did not know of all the approvals and permissions that they need to obtain.

2. Timely Completion

In most cases, developers will offer their projects for sale before it has actually been completed. On purchasing a home in an under-construction project, the buyer is assured of a certain time-frame in which possession will be given.

Reputed developers will not push the possession timeline beyond a rational limit, firstly because they are adequately funded and secondly because they will under no circumstances jeopardize their credibility on the market. Most of the instances of irrationally delayed project completions involve new, under-capitalized and often struggling builders. Reputed developers can and will always stick to the schedule.

3. Zero-defect Homes

For reputed developers, credibility is the key to their brand recognition – it is their primary competitive advantage in the market. They will never offer a homes that have construction defects like bad electrical fittings/wiring, faulty plumbing, water seepage, bad drainage, etc. Quality construction also includes the right size and shape of rooms that are in sync with the overall project design.

4. Project's Structural Integrity

Quality control is an important part of every building construction being undertaken by a reputable developer. Their engineers will check and monitor every aspect of the construction process, including soil compactness, proper cement / sand ratio, slump testing, drainage engineering and earthquake resistance of the building.

This ensures that the project will not suffer from construction-related defects in the future. Choice-based remodeling aside, buyers will not have to pay for structural repairs in the future.

5. Adequate Amenities

Reputed developers know that it takes more than four walls to make a home, and will always strive to offer a good lifestyle to their customers. They will always provide facilities like proper parking spaces, adequate security, internal access roads, playgrounds, clubhouses and aesthetically landscaped open spaces in their projects.

Fly-by-night developers, on the other hand, will look to provide only the barest essentials in order to keep their prices as low as possible, since their main aim is to attract non-discerning, budget-strung buyers who do not look beyond their financial restrictions.

It goes without saying that a home in a project by a reputable, credible developer will cost more than the threadbare offerings of anonymous local builders, but it is always worth it. If one chooses to patronize smaller, inexperienced developers, the only attraction will lie in the price – but the price one pays is actually much bigger than the one in the agreement.

Problems related to construction legality, lack of security and spurious engineering quality can result in massive future costs and in the case of outright illegal buildings even a total financial loss. Additional amount paid to a reputable, trustworthy developer is an investment one makes into security, peace of mind and a high-quality environment for the family.

The Truth About Being a Real Estate Agent

There are lots of different ways to find out the truth of being a real estate agent. So, we’ve gathered 15 real estate info graphics that show the unglamorous truth of being a real estate agent. Most agents will tell you that they truly enjoy being a real estate agent, but they may not tell you all of the things that they have to deal with to maintain this career they love to do every day. Let’s take a look at these info graphics to better understand what they have to do.

• What Does It Cost to Be a Real Estate Agent: Here is a look at the unfortunate costs of being a real estate agent. It’s not all money coming in; there are business expenses that need to be paid as well.
• 10 Customer Service Skills for Real Estate: This real estate info graphic discusses the necessities of good customer service skills that a real estate agent must have to be successful. It’s a LOT of dealing with people.
• Real Estate Agents and Social Media: Some people just want to use social media to connect with friends. Real estate professionals know that using social media to promote their profession can be tiresome but incredibly beneficial.
• 12 Real Estate Agent Expenses: Real estate agents have lots of expenses that they have to manage on the job.
• Rich Real Estate Agent, Poor Real Estate Agent: A rich real estate agent is a lot different from a poor real estate agent. The main difference is their thoughts and attitudes toward their outlook on their profession. Successful real estate agents know that this career requires work to be put into it.
• Top 10 Real Estate Agent Safety Tips: This real estate info graphic discusses real estate agent safety tips. Many agents forget to always stay safe when working with unknown clients for the first time, which adds some stress to this profession.
• How to Budget Commission: Aside from expenses, real estate agents need to understand how they should budget their commission to stay afloat between selling homes.
• 5 Warning Signs of Difficult Real Estate Clients: Difficult clients can be hard to deal with, but real estate agents know ways of working with them. This real estate info graphic shows the consequences of working with difficult clients and how agents can learn to work with them.
• The Effect of Election Years on House Prices: Real estate agents need to worry about more than just who is going to be the next president; they have to deal with the positive and negative effects on housing prices that come with an election year.
• What Does a Real Estate Agent Do Every Day: What a real estate agent does every day defines their life and career. Here is a look at some things that may seem tedious but are incredibly crucial to be a successful agent.
• The Price is Right: How real estate agents work, earn, and spend, is all factored into the job. Take a look here to understand how a real estate agent should manage these very important factors.
• Top 5 Threats to the Housing Market in 2015: Threats to the housing market can be a scary thing for real estate agents.
• Realtor Fees – Why So Much?: Real estate agent fees are a constant occurrence in the real estate business. Whether it is to their brokerage or office space monthly costs, real estate agents know the fees that come with selling homes.
• The Formula for Success: Real estate agents understand that to make the amount of money they want to make in a year, they are going to have to sell a certain amount of homes. Depending on how much they want to make in real estate, the number of homes that they sell may be higher the average agent.
• Top 5 Qualities in a Real Estate Agent: Real estate agents also need to understand how they can be the best agent possible. This real estate infographic shows what it takes to become a super real estate agent and be motivated to bring in lots of clients to work with.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOME BUYING GOALS?

With the dramatic fluctuations in housing prices over the last decade, consumers have new respect for homes as investments. But the flip side is that your investment is still a home, one you're likely to occupy for many years.

For most people, buying a home is about giving household members more comfortable living arrangements and putting them closer to jobs, favorite activities, family and friends.

What are your goals for buying a home? You might want a better home and neighborhood. You might want a different kind of living experience, such as moving from an apartment to a single-family home with a private garage and yard. Your family may be growing, so you have to think about school districts and proximity to parks and other recreation.

Affordability may also be an important factor for you. The combination of low interest rates and still-low prices allows you to buy more home for the money. Rents are rising, making ownership more affordable than renting in many areas, especially when you factor in tax incentives such as mortgage interest deductions and property taxes allowable as deductions against your income.

When you buy, make your goals long-term. Buy within your means, but choose the best home you think will serve your household's needs for the longest period of time. The longer you own a home, the more equity you'll build. Today's market conditions and affordability make it more likely that you will reach your home buying goals, no matter what they are.

If you're not certain, you might think about what would change about your situation if you became a homeowner.

You'll definitely be more established. If you're like most home buyers, you expect to stay in your new home about 10 years.

You'll also build equity for yourself, instead of for someone else. Every payment you make, plus the rules of inflation will eventually allow you to recoup most if not all of your investment, or make a profit when you sell.

Chennai in list of top 12 realty investment destinations

CHENNAI: Strong English speaking skills and a wide mix of industries that promotes cross pollination of work culture has made Chennai one of the top 12 cities in the world for real estate investments. This is the first global recognition the city has received; it is also the lone Indian city on the list.

The Candy GPS Report, published on Friday, identifies 12 cities around the globe with the potential to show strong residential property price growth in the next few years. The report — produced by Candy & Candy, Savills World Research and Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management — said, “Prices in these rising cities are generally much lower than in the world cities, which make them more accessible and attractive to yield seeking real estate investors.” The list ranges from well established cities such as Melbourne, Australia, to centres in developing economies such as Jakarta and Chennai, that have a high number of ultra-high-net-worth residents, it said.

“While all of us acknowledge Chennai as an English speaking work zone, it is also a traditional banking domain speciality location driving inbound BFSI (banking financial services and insurance) businesses, which is a key differentiator to Bangalore and Hyderabad. Apart from these, Chennai has tremendous strengths in high quality healthcare and education systems, a key ingredient for future growth,” S Ramaswamy, chief consultant RECS Group, a real estate consultancy said.

Yolande Barnes, Director, Savills World Research, who conducted the analysis said: “As prime real estate in many premier cities has become more fully valued, emboldened investors are now spreading their wings and looking for high yielding secondary properties in those cities and (properties) in second-tier cities in countries with strengthening economies.”

For example, a two bedroom apartment in prime selling areas is priced at $1.60 lakh or Rs 96 lakh and in secondary ones they sell at $40,000 or nearly Rs 24 lakh.”This more adventurous approach is likely to not only provide higher income returns but also an opportunity for significant capital growth. Real estate values will grow as new cities all over the globe rise on fortune’s wheel. Property rents and values will rise in line with new and growing economic strength,” the report said.

Real estate developers in Chennai offer around 20% internal rate of return or IRR for equity investments in residential projects. While, commercial properties yield about 8-10% rental returns. Residential rental returns are 3 to 5% in the city.

“Chennai is typically an end user market which has a great mix of businesses. Its top tier medical facilities add zing to the city as an investment destination. More importantly, it is not seen as a luxury market like Mumbai, which means there exists tremendous scope for improvement of city skyline,” S Neelakantan, senior partner, CNGSN, a firm which has actively structured real estate investments said.

Reasons why OMR’s Real Estate Prospects continue to Flourish

Land in Chennai in the Central Business District may be a challenge. And even if it is available, prices are afforded only by the affluent. Pricing is one of the precise reasons why demand for both residential and commercial properties is pushed to the city’s peripheral and suburban regions.

 OMR is one of the earliest locations of Chennai that faced the first phases of Chennai’s real estate growth. It continues to be the most favorable location when it comes to real estate investment. There are many kinds of posh properties in OMR. The most modern flats in Chennai, opulent villas, beautiful farmhouses and state-of-the-art commercial structures can be seen at OMR and the adjacent ECR.

Besides location, OMR enjoys the significant advantage of sustained high real estate demand due to several other reasons.

1. Most areas in Chennai have been facing ups and down in the real estate scenario ever since the global economic slowdown. But OMR has shown realistic and stable prices and consistent demand even during these years.

2. Real estate buyers who have invested in properties or land in Chennai are sitting on exponentially high returns on their investment. The region has grown rapidly in just a few years and is also expected to do exceedingly well in the years to come. In the last 5 years, OMR has seen 21 percent hike in property values.

3. Although, OMR is one of the high priced suburban regions of Chennai; the area also has pockets that are affordable by the middle and upper middle income community of buyers. Kelambakkam is one such area to reckon.

4. Flats in Chennai, especially along the OMR stretch, offers an interesting contrast. They belong to the range from the most premium to the most affordable as well. Therefore, OMR has something to offer every kind of real estate investor. The most affordable category demand has spurted quick growth of residential properties along the 5 km radius of Kelambakkam. And the properties near the backwaters command a greater premium.

5. Proximity to IT/ITES hub drives majority of demand in OMR from buyers and investors from the industry. Flats in Chennai in OMR in the range of Rs. 40 to 60 lacs observe maximum demand.

6. OMR is the hub of immense developments. The elevated expressway from Madhya Kailash to Mahabalipuram, ELCOT SEZs, Velachery, upcoming railway line from Chennai to Pondicherry via Kelambakkam, Sholinganallur and Thoraipakkam invite interest from all communities of buyers.

7. Land in Chennai is not an issue in OMR owing to availability of land parcels.

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