Is Buying Property a Good Investment?

At the outset, let me hasten to clarify that this article is not about renting vs buying a property. This article is purely an analysis on investing in real estate, its plus and minus points. i.e., treating direct investment in real estate as one of the avenues for deploying your surpluses for good returns and… Continue Reading

A Primer for First Time Apartment Buyers – Part Two

Having selected the property to buy, and after checking out the budgeting, it is time to start the process of buying the apartment in right earnest. Choosing a lender and home loan You need to book the apartment selected by paying the booking amount demanded by the seller. Booking amount may vary from 5% to… Continue Reading

A Primer for First Time Apartment Buyers – Part One

Buying a property is not like buying onions and potatoes. Firstly, the financial outgo is huge and may be a lifetime investment for many. Secondly, all properties are  not the same. All apartments in a complex with same dimensions are also not the same! Your selection of a particular apartment in the same complex has… Continue Reading

Home Improvement Loans: Dos & Don’ts

Once you have become a proud owner of an apartment, it requires to be furnished and maintained properly so that you continue to enjoy your investment. In the context of increasing cost of materials and labor, this requires a pretty large outlay of funds. Banks provide home improvement loans for renovation, buying new furniture and… Continue Reading

Understanding Reverse Mortgages

Once a person has crossed his (her) earning years, but has not planned for the retirement years, or financial planning has gone awry due to heavy unforeseen expenses/losses, or inflation has taken away the purchasing power of savings etc., what does he (she) do to live the remaining years on this planet without seeking handouts… Continue Reading

Apartment Vs. Independent House – Make the Right Choice

Our cities have started to grow vertically on account of residential apartment complexes, shopping malls and multi-storeyed office space, technology parks etc., being built at a frenetic pace. A City like Mumbai, of course, was forced to grow vertically due to several factors, much before other metros in India had embraced this model of growth.… Continue Reading

Budget 2014 and Impact on Real Estate Market

This time around the budget has many proposals which directly and indirectly impact the real estate market positively. If we take the direct tax proposals, it has many goodies for the middle class and the salaried. Even though premium housing has emerged as a niche segment, the bulk of the housing demand continues to come… Continue Reading

Expectations from the Union Budget 2014-15

The first budget of the Narendra Modi Government is to be unveiled on the 10th of July. There are high expectations from various sectors of the economy that are looking forward to delivery of a promise by Mr. Modi on “Aaache Din”. The economy is passing through high inflation coupled with forecasts of a poor… Continue Reading

Factors to consider in buying vs. renting a home

There is an adage which goes something like this: “Foolish people build homes for wise men to live in”. In other words, it is wiser to rent a home rather than invest large sums of money in owning a home. It is true that after you invest, say around ₹40 to 50 lakhs all inclusive… Continue Reading