An Article About "BROCHURES AS A PART OF THE AGREEMENT"

Real Estate Reporter Monthly magazine of property matter

The Bombay High Court ruling treating brochures as a part of the Agreement will bring in greater transparency in the real estate industry, reports Yogesh Sadhwani.

Developers who over-promise and under-deliver better beware.  According to a recent Bombay High Court ruling developers will now have to actually deliver on all the fancy promises they make in their marketing literature.

In his land mark judgment passed on March 16, Justice K.J. Rohee of the Bombay High Court ruled that though the brochure printed and circulated by a developer was not part of the agreement, but can be so treated Justice Rhohee was hearing two petitions one filed by the residents of Maduvihar Co-operative Housing Society (CHS) against the developers, M/s. Jayantilala Investments and BMC and another filed by the developers against the residents.  Both the cases dealt with construction of an additional building on the plot that was earlier depicted as open space and recreations area in the brochures.

While the residents contended that the additional building couldn’t come up on the plot as it was shown as open space in the brochures while selling flats in Madhuvihar, the developers said that they were within their rights to do so.

After hearing both the sides, Justice Rohee passed the Judgment in favour ofresidents.  He not only asked the developers to convey the entire property in favour of the housing society but also restrained them from constructing anything on the vacant plot.  The vacant space depicted by the developers in the brochures played a vital role.

The buyers have lauded this Judgment, while the developers say that only a small section of players who do not believe in delivering what they promise will be affected.

Advocate and Consumer activist Hemang Jariwala says, “While booking the flat, the buyers are show a rosy picture,.  It is only when they sign the agreement, by which time they have paid a huge chunk of the consideration, they come to know that several amenities shown in the brochure has been deleted.  A buyer has no way to back out.  With the HC Judgment, however, the developers will no longer be able to take unsuspecting buyers for a ride.”

Thereal estate players, however, point out that only a handful of developers would be affected by the judgment. “Many time brochures are not indicative or reflective of the reality.  This would affect only a few people.  I don’t think the majority will be affected,” says Nirajna Hiranandani, MD, Hiranandani Constructions Pvt. Ltd.

Mukesh Patel, Knowledge Worker, Neelkanth Group says, “Whether it is a promise made in a brochure or an agreement,, a commitment is commitment and all reputed developers would live by them.  But at the same there should be some flexibility, especially in terms of large layouts.”

Other believes that alterations in plans are not done deliberately. “The reason why most alterations take place is because there are changes in the FSI norms and the developers obviously want to maximise their profits.

There are times when the developers have to alter the designs of the originallyplanned buildings to cater to certain class of people. In such cases if there is additional FSI left, they construct more later,” justifies Suresh Haware, Haware Engineers and Developers Pvt. Ltd.  He quickly adds that a handful of developers however, however, blatantly abuse the trust that the buyers repose in them.

Haware says that any sensible developer who is conscious of his image and wants to remain in business, will never deviate drastically from his initial plans or break his promise.  “It is only a few who have tarnished the image of the community”, he says.

Similarly Savio D’Mello, Group Head of Ekta Supreme Housing, points out that brochures are printed on the basis of visual effect.  “The exact dimensions are never mentioned.  Moreover, all depends on sanctions from the civic body.  All genuine developers deliver what they promise and at the same time keep their own profitability in mind,” he says.

All the developers, however, admit from now on even the reputed ones, who never intend to dupe the buyers will have to exercise extra caution while designing brochures.  Giving real estate anindustry status and designing a code of conduct is another way to put an end to such problems and bring in greater transparency, concludes Haware.

Fraudulent builders soon to be blacklisted

The residents of the western suburbs in Mumbai have come forward to help the State Government in black listing the builders who have cheated citizens under the guise of providing houses under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority or SRA Scheme. The residents from Vile Parle, Santacruz and Andheri Station to the Governor S.M. Krishna’s bungalow at Malabar Hill on April 3.  Though this yatra which will traverse 25 km, the residents want the entire city to know about the builders who have cheated them by making fake promises.

Mr. Asmitbhai Muchala, a resident of Gilbert Hill said, “We have come to know through the media that the Chief Minister during the State Assembly session has said that the builders who have cheated the tenants under SRA scheme will be blacklisted.  Taking a cue from this, we have gathered residents who have been cheated by the builders and have planned to take out a rath yatra.  We want to make people aware of the fraudulent behavior of the builders in the city.

Ms. Saira Patel, a resident of Andheri said, “For the past ten years, Srirang builders had promised me and other 100 residents proper housing under the SRA scheme, but there is yet no sign of any building coming upon the plot at Andheri.” She also said, “Our complaints went unheard in the past but this time we will take out a yatra and will present a memorandum to the Governor.  We will also demand a thorough inquiry against the errant builders.”

Mr. Kantilal Maniyar, a resident of Santacruz blamed K.K. Developers of paying more attention to his private constructions which are ready for sale rather than completing SRA 

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Legal Query,

Bangalore property matter,

An Article About "VALID TRANSFER OF PROPERTY RIGHTS"

Real Estate Reporter Monthly magazine of property matter

Marketability of Title is the condition, precedent to sale of any immovable property. Under Section 55(1) (a) of the Transfer of Property Act, the seller is bound to disclose any material defect in the property or title and to produce all the documents of title to answer the requisitions on title made by the purchaser. Under Section 55(2) of the aforesaid Act, the Vendor is deemed to warranty the title or the right to sell.

Marketable Title

The statutory covenant of title is implied in every contract for sale of an immovable property, even if there is no express clause embodying such a warranty. The term “Marketable Title” refers to the absolute right, title, interest and ownership of the Vendor to convey the propertywithout any hindrance. In other words, the title is considered to be marketable, if the same is free from encumbrances and claims, beyond reasonable doubts. Thus, if there is any encumbrance or claim and the vendor does not discharge it, the title cannot be said as marketable. In fact, Section 55(1)(g) of the Transfer of Property Act envisages that if the property is sold subject to any encumbrances or claims, it should be clearly stated and the Vendor shall be under obligation to discharge any such encumbrances existing at the time of sale on the property. On the other hand, if any encumbrance is found to exist and the same is not revealed before completion of sale, the Vendor is bound to indemnify the purchaser in that behalf. Primary duty lies on the person intending to sell the property to prove that the title of the property is free from any defects and any subsequent transfer will not make such transaction either void or voidable.

For example, if the vendor owns a property as Karta of the Joint Hindu Family in which minor’s rights and interests are involved, the Karta is bound to prove the legal necessity for sale or to obtain an order from the competent Court seeking permission for sale of the property on behalf of the minors.

Restrictions on title

Implied warranty of title on the part of the Vendor, although absolute, will not however apply to the cases where there is a clear contract between the parties to the contrary. Such a contract can be either express or implied, but the contract must be such as would clearly negative the warranty of title. Thus, certain restrictions are imposed on the purchaser’s right to examine the title in full, which is done when the Vendor is not sure of making out a marketable title, particularly when the Vendor is not in possession of the property.

Though, the restrictions may be contrary to the provisions under Section 55 of the Transfer of Property Act, the same will be binding on both the parties by virtue of mutual agreement and understandings and even if defect is found in the title subsequently, objections in this regard cannot be raised due to such restrictions.

Where the Vendor stipulated that, the property would beconveyed as the same received from the predecessor or the title of the Vendor has to be accepted without dispute or it should not be enquired into and the Purchaser is bound to accept the title of the Vendor as it appears to be, such a stipulation would be contract to the contrary and Section 55(1) (c) and (2) of the Transfer of property Act will not apply. Further, such a condition will not relieve the Vendor from the obligation of making out the best title though the purchaser would be bound by such condition even if the title is proved defective. However, in absence of such a contract to the contrary, the Vendor is bound to remove all the defects even if the purchaser was aware of the same. Again an express covenant does not, in clear and unambiguous terms, supersede the implied covenant. Thus, by virtue of Section 55(2) of the Transfer of Property Act, the purchaser can rest the claim on the implied covenant of title contained therein.

Conditions restricting the title or proof of title to which the purchaser is entitled must neither state nor suggest things which, to the Vendor’s knowledge, are incorrect. The condition will not be binding if it requires the purchaser to assume such things which the vendor knows to be false or it affirms that the state of title is not accurately known to the vendor when, in fact, it is known.

Production and Scrutiny of Title Deeds

In order to examine the title of the Vendor, the purchaser has to examine all the relevant title deeds in the possession or power of the Vendor. Under Section 55(1)(b) of Transfer of Property Act, the Vendor is under an obligation to produce not only those documents in his possession but also in his power to produce. Thus, if the Vendor has deposited the title deeds with a mortgagee, the Vendor has to produce such documents for inspection to the purchaser through mortgagee. However, the Vendor is not under obligation to produce irrelevant documents not in his possession or power but it is the discretion of the purchaser to inspect the same at the cost of the purchaser. It is only after production of all the relevant title deeds and assistance from advocates having sufficient experience in scrutiny of the title documents, the purchaser will be able to conclude whether the Vendor has got marketable title or not.

When the property market is favorable to the Vendor, the Vendor, many a times, dictates the terms and tries to foist a title on the purchaser. Under any contract of transfer, fundamental principles of Transfer of Property Act must be strictly adhered by the parties without letting out either of the parties to escape from their respective obligations, which will reduce litigations and ensure transfer of marketable title from the vendor to the purchaser free from encumbrances, liens, claims, etc. When a faulty title is passed on to the purchaser, it is bound to result in the spate of claims and litigations.

Purchasing the property involves various steps such as scrutiny of title deeds, verification ofdocuments, examination of Agreement to sell, mode of payment as agreed between the Vendor and the Purchaser and transfer of ownership and title will be transferred in the name of the Purchaser by way of executing a Sale Deed. It is not advisable to purchase a property hastily by approaching the brokers and subsequently entangling yourselves into litigations in case of defective title. Ownership and right over the property has to be passed in compliance of the provisions envisaged under law for which service of the Advocates having sufficient experience and knowledge about property transactions is necessary in order to avoid litigations that may likely arise in future.          

An Article About "Uses of Copper"

Real Estate Reporter Monthly magazine of property matter 

Copper, the soft reddish-brown metal, finds wide application in various fields. Having an universal appeal, it has become an integral part of our everyday living. For the urban residents of India, owning a house is a lifetime dream and investment. For this reason, much planning is done, giving lot of importance to quality construction. The basic parameters for that are internal and external cosmetic appearances. The term quality, in a broader sense in the construction industry is determined only if all the criteria governing the building of that structure withstands the test of time. A building has both dynamic forces and static forces. The only two dynamic forces are the electricity and water, while all the rest of the material is static. This proves and emphasizes the point that electrical installation and plumbing are the most salient requisites for enhancement of the life of the structure.

Using Copper

With continuously increasing construction activities in the country, we are witnessing building up of apartments, malls, multiplexes and hospitals. The electrical safety awareness is extremely important.  Being public buildings, the risk to life and property of citizens is very high.  Using copper for safety should become the watchword for further aspects of safety to life, for homes and to property.

Electrolytic grade copper wiring which is of 99.9% purity is the only assurance of safety from hazardous short circuits and electric fires. Bangalore becoming a mega city, it is imperative that all safety measures are followed. New constructions and buildings must have quality copper wiring for a safe future. Copper has higher conductivity, lesser resistivity, is corrosion resistant, has a higher melting point and is more flexible than aluminium.  The conductivity of copper is about 40% more than that of aluminium. This shows that, copper has higher short circuit capacity as it can withstand overloads, therefore increasing the conductor life. In this way, the danger of fire hazard is greatly reduced.

Copper is used at homes not only for wires and cables but also as water carrying pipes. Copper plumbing is the most proven plumbing system in the world. The usage of copper dates back to over 5000 years.

Even though the initial cost is marginally higher, copper plumbing system has many unique benefits such as leak proof jointing and corrosion resistance which ensures a maintenance-free system. This actually means there are no repair costs for replacing leaking parts, repairing broken tiles, etc for the entire life of the plumbing system.  Unlike the conventional plumbing that does not last more than 15 years, the copper plumbing system has a life of over 60 years. Going for copper plumbing is definitely a wise and price-value proposition.

Leakages

In the conventional plumbing, leakages occur mainly due to the threaded joints and corrosion. With the copper plumbing's soldering process, which is fast and simple, both these problems are solved. As copper has superior strength, copper plumbing can withstand higher pressures without springing leaks.  In most of the developed Nations, copper plumbing has a high market share due to its unique features. Due to its negligible co-efficient of linear expansion and ability to withstand high temperatures, it is widely used in hot water systems. Copper pipes arrest the growth of the E. Coli bacteria, present in pipe water.

Indian homes traditionally were using copper utensils. They were aware of its medicinal value. The Vedas mention the enrichment of potable water preserved in copper pot. The Tamba-kata market in the country has been doing fairly good business because of the ethnic image of copper utensils now becoming favourites as decorative pieces among upper / middle class and fashionable hotels. Copper articles are seen at the hotels like Le Meridian, Chennai and Mumbai, Hotel Oberoi in Delhi, Taj in Bangalore, Maratha Sheraton in Mumbai, Fort Aguada in Goa, Hotel Leela, Orchid, Grand Hyatt etc.,

The International copper promotion council [India] has been pressing for copper as replacement for stainless steel in surgical equipments. Copper is the only metal which should be used in surgical applications where the chances for equipment attracting infection are more. The use of copper may prevent bacteria from dwelling on equipment and through that, entering the body.  The council is also promoting the use of copper in air conditioners, structured wiring, green building and wiring in railway coaches and also on curbing the used recycled copper in electrical applications.

Copper  Wiring  the  Best  Option

Using copper cables, wires and pipes for electrical and plumbing purposes has many added advantages.

The material copper has got many inherent and better properties than aluminium.  The main reason for opting for aluminium wiring is its comparatively lower price.

In most of the high-end projects, copper cables and wires are used. Bench marking of amenities are apparent in the branded construction houses projects. There is no compromise in quality. Among all metals copper and aluminium are used as conductor materials in cables including house wiring cables.

In India, the housing sector is making rapid strides and along with it, demand for house wiring cables in increasing. Many projects utilize copper cables and wires for copper has numerous advantageous properties. Copper has higher conductivity, lesser resistivity, is resistant to corrosion, has a higher melting point and is more flexible that aluminium.

The conductivity of copper is about 40 percent more than that of aluminium. This naturally implies that copper has higher short circuit capacity as it has got the power to withstand heavy overloads, thereby increasing the conductor life.  Due to this, the danger of fire hazard is greatly reduced.

Copper has dominated not only the domain of wires and cables, but also the water-carrying pipes are preferred in copper only. Many are opting for copper pipes and fittings instead of the conventional GI and PVC plumbing materials. Copper, comparatively lower in cost to the other metals, is now extensively used in kitchens, for bathroom fittings, and external water and drainage pipes.

Because of the non-corrosive and long-lasting nature of copper, leakage is impossible in buildings if the concealed fittings are of copper.  Biological researches have proved that copper in plumbing arrests both bacterial and fungal growth. Copper pipes and fittings could be selected from a wide range of sizes. They are available with protective plastic finishes or nickel, chromium, silver

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Bangalore property matter,

Monthly magazine

An Article About"Office functioning from home"

Real Estate Reporter Monthly magazine of property matter

The trend of fixed working hours, a regular working place and monotonous routine has become the thing of the past.  Nowadays, the prime aim being efficient and fast completion of the projects on hand, it becomes immaterial from where the work is done. Though not in all centres, some private concerns has offered this option to its employees of working from their homes. Many people of different professions prefer to work from home these days. It is possible to maintain a professional decor atone's home. Though the wonderful concept might have its origin from western countries, it has become a common occurrence in India. Long before also we have witnessed the front verandah of the home invariably transformed into a shop or office from where one conducted one's day-to-day activities, while simultaneously enjoying the satisfaction and comfort of spending the working hours at Home.

Today working from home is not restricted to just one section of the business class. Anyone and every one of varieties of professions from the corporate employees to lawyers to teachers to tailors carry on their daily business from home. Therefore, it is of vital importance for homes with such working people, to have exclusive office areas so that their private domestic world does not clash with the special demands of professional lives.

Work  Area

If the own individual house or flat is being built, then one of the front corner rooms along with an attached bathroom could be assigned as the work zone. If the room has large windows it will cut down the cost of the electricity bills as the windows will let in natural light and air for most of the day.

The entrance door of this room can be fixed in the outer wall of the house or it could open into the verandah of the home for increased security.

If by chance there is no other option except to use the already existing premises, then the following few alterations could be made.

   

Decor

It is best to avoid expensive artefacts or articles that have sentimental value as decor items in office rooms as it could be very upsetting when they are damaged inadvertently by a stranger. The number of lucky charms pictures or idols of Gods or holy sages and sayings that are framed could be limited, so that it need not resemble a puja room. If the décor of the room adds to the functional value then it will appear more meaningful.

The furnishings of this room should be removed from the decor of the rest of the home in terms of the colors of the walls, the carpet, the furniture andcurtains to give it that official look. For easy cleaning and regular maintenance in the long run it will be best to keep each of them simple and at the same time made up of sturdy material.

One of the walls of the room could be adorned with huge notice board on which the motto, inspirational pictures and sayings, copies of deadlines, reminders, notes or instructions to an assistant and a list of things that need to be attended to immediately, all could be displayed.

But it should be seen that the notice board does not look shabby or cluttered. Some interesting information, greeting cards sent by clients or partners or a funny joke or picture from time to time could be pinned up to attract the attention of even regular clients to the board.

If some space is available, a tiny notice board can be put up with necessary information like timings, nature of work carried out among other things.

If the room does not have in-built shelves, a couple of ready-made ones to stock the files, samples and records could be bought from the market. A water cooler or a filter in the room will take care of the thirst of the clients. If the room is large enough a single sofa or divan can be placed along with a coffee table besides housing an office table and a couple of chairs.  A flower vase with fresh flowers or some healthy indoor potted plants will add that lively green touch to the room.  A clock and calendar in the room can help in keeping track of time.

To have a perfect professional look it should be seen that the room is not cluttered with stocks or household items. The premises being small should always be kept clean.

All these arrangements will give the clients a feel of professional set up while at the same time giving the inmates of the home a sense of privacy and security. This will give job satisfaction, tension free atmosphere along with the Home comfort.

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Real estate news,

Legal Articles

An Article About "Controlling Cracks in Concrete"

Monthly Magazine of Property Matter

This exercise requires attention at various stages of design and concrete construction.

It can be painful to see cracks in otherwise good structures. Cracks are quality control problems, regardless of whether they are superficial surface cracks or deep cracks that endanger water tightness and structural integrity. Controlling cracking requires attention at various stages of design and concrete construction. Cracking can be significantly reduced by considering the basic causes and by adopting preventive steps to control them.

There are several types of cracks:

Crazing

This is a system of shallow cracks, mostly resulting in cosmetic problems. They develop at early age. They manifest themselves when the concrete is drying after the surface had been wet. They can be treated with any good surface treatment method and do not cause any structural problems. They are rarely visible when treated properly.

Plastic Shrinkage Cracks

Water evaporates from the surface of any freshly made concrete. If the rate of evaporation is faster than the rate at which it is replaced by bleed water, the surface of concrete will shrink. They are caused by the shrinkage of drying surface on concrete that is restrained by wet concrete in the interior where shrinkage is absent. This action produces tensile stresses in the surface layer resulting in shallow cracks which are of varying depth and fairly wide at the surface.

The following factors contribute to excessive plastic shrinkage cracks:

• High water to cement ratio

• Over –vibration which brings too much of paste to the surface.

• Too much of floating or trowelling for finishing

• Sprinkling of dry cement on a finished surface to absorb bleed water

• Poor curing that permits rapid surface drying, especially in summer

Control measures to avoid this problem include use of lowest possible water-cement ratio consistent with workabilityrequirement, avoiding over-vibration and excessive floating before bleed water dries up and curing properly without allowing wet and dry spells on concrete surface.

Drying Shrinkage Cracks

In spite of considerable knowledge about the advantages of low water-cement ratio, almost all concrete is mixed with more water than what is needed for cement hydration. The excess water evaporates causing the concrete to shrink.

The restraint to shrinkage provided by reinforcement, sub-grade or other parts like re-entrant corners cause tensile stresses to develop in the hardened concrete. Restraint to drying shrinkage has been the most common cause of cracking. They are commonly visible in rectangular or square openings at the corners.

Proper mix proportioning with low water content and high aggregate content is the first defence against drying shrinkage cracks.

Control measures include provision of diagonal reinforcements near corners of the openings, installing control joints to allow propagation of cracks along the predetermined path, easing the stress concentration by providing a 45 degree splay at the re-entrant corners.

Welded wire fabric or small diametre wire meshes can be used to control shrinkage cracks. There should be enough concrete cover to protect these reinforcements from corrosion. Currently use of synthetic fibers is also advocated to control micro cracking.

Thermal Cracking

This type of cracking is usually a problem in mass concreting work. As the concrete sets the temperature rises due to heat of hydration. As the interior of concrete heats up and expands due to this, the surface cools due to drying and shrinks. This sets up thermal gradient between surface and interior. A temperature differential of 20 degrees centigrade is enough to cause cracking. However, within 24-hours of placement, concrete temperatures can reach anywhere from 10 to 25 degrees hotter than ambient temperatures

The width and depth of cracks depend on this gradient.

Adopting heat reducing admixtures and physically cooling the aggregates and adding ice instead of water are some of the measures, which can help in overcoming this problem.

Loss of  Support

Settling or wash out of soil below the sub-base can lead to cracking and eventual structural failure. This can also occur due to ineffective formwork or premature removal of formwork.

Using proper sub-grade preparation sub-basematerial with adequate moisture content will ensure prevention of cracking due to this cause.

Corrosion

When steel embedded in concrete corrodes, the rusted steel occupies a volume much larger than original volume of the rebar. This expansion causes tensile stresses, cracking and spalling.

Using good quality concrete with proper cover and properly placed consolidated, finished and cured concrete will ensure protection against corrosion. Any admixture containing calcium chloride should be avoided.

Alkali Aggregate Reaction

This reaction occurs with certain types of aggregates. The active mineral component of the aggregate reacts with alkali hydroxides in concrete. Two forms of reactions occur. Alkali silica reaction and alkali carbonate reaction. Due to this network of cracks appear and disrupt the structural integrity.

Freezing and Thawing

Due to the natural accumulation of water in the base and sub-base of pavements, the aggregate may become saturated. Then with freezing and thawing cycles, cracking of the concrete starts in the saturated aggregate at the bottom of the slab and progresses upward until it reaches the wearing surface.

Such cracking is usually visible at pavementjoints. This is more a problem in colder climates and is generally solved by the use of proper aggregates.

Unexpected cracking of concrete is a frequent cause of complaints. Cracking can be the result of one or a combination of factors described above. Cracking can be significantly reduced when the causes are taken into account and control measures are utilized.

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Legal Question and Answer,

Property Frequently Asked Question.

HOW TO SELECT FINANCIER TO PURCAHSE YOUR HOME

Monthly Magazine of Property Matter

 You need to bear in mind certain parameters while selecting your financier for purchase of house.  The parameters mentioned below are worth considering.:

1)   Type of product – Whether the financier is offering loan product to suit your requirements.

2)   Tenure - Whether the financier is offering the tenure of loan that you are look for.

3)   Rate of interest - This would depend on the type of rate of interest that you are looking for i.e. fixed floating or partly fixed and partly floating.  You must always compare the effective rate of interest after taking in to account all upfront fees etc., and the manner of interest calculation i.e. monthly reducing, annual reducing etc.

4)   Minimum loan amount- the minimum loan amount offered by a financier is important to find out if the financier can finance the amount you are looking for.

5)   Maximum loan amount- Most HFIs have an upper limits on the amount that they would finance you.  If you are looking for very huge amount, this could be a factor that needs to be considered.

6)   Minimum age of customer - you will have to consider this factor to see if your fit in to the age norms laid down by the HFI .

7)   Maximum age of customer - This would also form a parameter in your decision in deciding a HFI to finance the purchase of your house.  

8)   A minimum income-  The income norms of the HFI will be a relevant parameter that would affect your decision.

9)   Requirement of personal guarantors -Some HFI is insisted on a personal guarantor.  You need to check this out if you have any reservations about providing a guarantor.

10)               Requirementof co-owner - if you intended to buy your house along with a co owner you will have to check up whether the HFI accepts the relationship between you and the co owner.

11)               Requirementof co-applicant - as mentioned for co-owners, the HIF may also insist on certain relationship as  co applicant.  This needs to be checked up while deciding your financier.

12)               Prepaymentcharges- some HFIs charges certain prepayment charges when you decide to prepay your loan either in part or in full.

13)               Processingfees – HFIS charges certain fees as processing fees that you will need to pay at the time of submission of application.  Kindly check this out before selecting your financier.

14)               Administrative fees-  HFI s also charge administrative fees on the loan amount that has been approved by the HFI.   This would vary from one HFI to another.

15)               Credit documents - the type of credit documents that HFI s insist before approving your loan would differ from one HFI to another.

16)               Maximumage of property at the time of application – If you are buying a property on resale, this parameter would be an important factor as HFIs may have a limit on the age of the property at the time of disbursing the loan.

17)               Preapproved property list – Most HIFs have a pre-approved list of properties available for which the documentation would be simpler.

18)                Preapproved list of employees HFI s may have special rate, if you are an employee of one of its preferred list of employees.

19)               Preapproved builder list – HIFs may also have different norms or documentation if you are buying a property is any of their preapproved list.

20)               pre approved project list – HFIs as mentioned above for builders, may have separatescheme for certain projects.

21)               Pre approved profession list HFIs may have certain scheme to suit customers of certain professions.

The above mentioned are some of the parameters that you will need to look into before deciding your financier.  Getting a financier who would offer you the best in all of the above parameters is virtually impossible.  You would, therefore, need to identify your priorities and the check out as to which financial would give you the best option. 

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Bangalore development,

Town planning

An Article About "Planning Parking Slot for Buildings"

Monthly Magazine of Property Matter

Parking area is a small piece of land in which we park our vehicle and drive-way is the approach leading to this parking bay. Though every square foot counts in terms of money and the demand for built up space is high, lack of adequate parking space and turning radius is bad planning.

Whether it be a individual house, a small or largeapartment complex, corporate business house, a multi-building campus or public facilities such as airports or stations, a lot of thought needs to go into the design of parking facilities. Parking lots whether for  houses or office complex have to be designed not just for the present but with an eye on the future. Kerb side parking is also very important and an essential part of urban design.

We have to adopt different norms when designing parking lots for residences, small or large apartment complexes, offices, commercial establishments, shopping complexes, a combination of shops and residences, hospitality sector, public spaces such as airports, railway and bus stations and recreation zones, campuses and so on. Thus, parking space can be decided  depending on the nature of theactivity. Road landscaping, which includes kerb side parking and public parking facilities, will also have to be dealt with as this is the base for smooth flow of traffic.

Parking designs

International norms for parking suggest that small and medium cars require about 200 sq.ft. The turning radius for variouscategories of vehicles is also stipulated ranging from about 30 ft. to less than 500 ft. for large trailer trucks. These figures may not make much sense to the common man whose primary need is to comfortably drive his vehicle in and out of a parking lot whether it be in his home, office or public spaces.

When looking at parking for residences orapartments, the one norm to be strictly followed is that the gate must never open onto the road. When vehicles are jammed into small parking lots the gate will have to be opened outward to allow entry and exit and thus there is a major inconvenience. When designing the gate it is necessary to keep it to normal size about 8 ft. If the size of the gate cannot be widened to help easy turning it may be good idea to go in for a bell mouth at the entrance where a slightly inset gate will provide a wider entry point of about 11 ft.  to 13 ft.

Another point to be  noted is that one must provide parking space for owned vehicles inside one's compound and not to drive cars onto side walks or in front of your neighbour's house. The residents and associations must never compromise for squeezing into a single parking slot more than one vehicle even if it were just for the night.

Parking for apartments is either provided alongside the building and is uncovered, or takes the form of covered parking at basement or the ground floor levels. When looking at the parking lot of any apartment, the first thing one has to note is the approach from the road. It must neither be a steep climb nor a sharp descent. If the parking is below or above road level it is safe to have a gradual slope approach. If parking slots are between stilts one must make sure that the distance between the pillars is adequate to park and reverse a car without having to turn very sharply.

When parking lots are provided alongside buildings, what owners' should insist upon is that there must be enough space for free movement of another vehicle along side a parked one. In other words there should be a minimum 10ft. wide space between the parking slot and the building to allow vehicles to move around.

When designing parking for independent houses four factors come to play. These are the positions of the gate, the porch, the drive and a garage. These factors have to be studied and decided even as the design of the house is taking shape.

In the event of having a garage it needs to be located at the end of the drive and the drive design must allow room for reversing the car into or out of the garage. The option of securing the garage with shutters or leaving it open on the sides is an option depending more on the security aspect.

Also if the garage were to double as an extended attic, then it is necessary to provide space for washing of cars alongside the garage. The garage and the utility area need to have proper flooring that efficiently drains the water.

In small sized plots it may not be possible to accommodate a drive and a garage. Given the need to provide larger built-upspace for two cars and a gate or may be two gates that allow easy access and exiting, the only option available is to allow cars to be piled on one behind the other. In such cases one can bring in porches that could stretch across the entire parking area. These porches can be worked out further by providing an upper deck that can either be landscaped or used as living space or balconies.  It would  be good to avoid kerb wall level planter boxes as these may come in the way of reversing vehicles, especially larger ones.

As the plot grows in size the options in designing a drive that connects the porch to the gate and perhaps the garage are many. In most cases architects prefer a sweeping drive that curves into the porch as this is best suited for both access and reverse and also because this design, though simple, is the most aesthetic. Providing meandering pathways in the front lawn for which the drive would most often be the boundary can also complement it. Also in the event of more cars being parked at night, the curve in the drive will help easy reversing of vehicles even if there are vehicles parked all along the drive.

When choosing drive way material it would be a good option to go in for loose paving. This will allow good percolation of water and improve rain-harvesting. The interspersed grass would green the drive. Also individual stones that may be damaged or stained in course of time can be replaced.

Once we have decided to park the vehicles in the porch, we must decide on the size of the porch which may have to accommodate more than two cars. Such large porches need not just be a roof resting on four pillars but can be transformed into a garden in itself. Strategically located planter boxes, landscaped niches, alcove windows looking out into the lawn or small open-to-sky landscaped court yards make the porch something more than a bland parking bay.

The roof of the porch is also an integral part of design. The options range from deciding whether to go in for a concrete roof or a pergola. Another aspect of porch design would be the flooring material and we will have to keep in mind when choosing flooring material that it must be weather proof, stain proof and non-slippery.

It must also be kept in mind for houses spread over a large area that the children's play zone should be away from the drive, preferably on the other side of the house.

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