In a span of 20 years Gurgaon has undergone a severe facelift in terms of infrastructure and economy that has made it one of the sought-after destinations for real estate investments. However, in spite of the rapid growth taking place, investors still feel apprehensive in putting their money into Gurgaon real estate properties. There are several confusions and contradictions that pave way for such apprehensions, especially in the minds of the NRI’s (Non Resident Indians). The factor that deters potential investors from investing in Gurgaon despite the accelerating growth in the region is primarily the recent global economic downturn. The recession had hit the world like an epidemic and many economies of the world are still not able to recover from its severe aftermath. The slump was felt globally that originated from the recession has also affected the property investment in Gurgaon. Therefore, it is a case of bare horse sense to recognize the opportunity and spot the best properties that can fetch a decent value addition in the near future. The sway of the recession has not fully died out and the real estate sector is yet to recover. This is the perfect time to invest in Gurgaon properties as the rates are at all time low. Besides, Gurgaon property is expected to recover at a faster pace and the investor who would have invested in the property on time would surely be reaping higher benefits later. The Indian real estate sector is going through changes that where new macro-economic and industry specific factors are constantly catalyzing new market equations. Moreover, market experts over the world predict an upward movement of the graph of the Indian real estate industry. Gurgaon would have a greater share of contribution to the growth of the real estate development of India. Several commercial as well as residential rental properties backed with important facilities such as power backup, wireless connectivity, housekeeping and other provisions. One does not need to worry about the initial expenditure for furnishing the property with basic amenities and utilities.

In a span of 20 years Gurgaon has undergone a severe facelift in terms of infrastructure and economy that has made it one of the sought-after destinations for real estate investments. However, in spite of the rapid growth taking place, investors still feel apprehensive in putting their money into Gurgaon real estate properties. There are several confusions and contradictions that pave way for such apprehensions, especially in the minds of the NRI’s (Non Resident Indians).

The factor that deters potential investors from investing in Gurgaon despite the accelerating growth in the region is primarily the recent global economic downturn. The recession had hit the world like an epidemic and many economies of the world are still not able to recover from its severe aftermath. The slump was felt globally that originated from the recession has also affected the property investment in Gurgaon. Therefore, it is a case of bare horse sense to recognize the opportunity and spot the best properties that can fetch a decent value addition in the near future.

The sway of the recession has not fully died out and the real estate sector is yet to recover. This is the perfect time to invest in Gurgaon properties as the rates are at all time low. Besides, Gurgaon property is expected to recover at a faster pace and the investor who would have invested in the property on time would surely be reaping higher benefits later.

The Indian real estate sector is going through changes that where new macro-economic and industry specific factors are constantly catalyzing new market equations. Moreover, market experts over the world predict an upward movement of the graph of the Indian real estate industry. Gurgaon would have a greater share of contribution to the growth of the real estate development of India.

Several commercial as well as residential rental properties backed with important facilities such as power backup, wireless connectivity, housekeeping and other provisions. One does not need to worry about the initial expenditure for furnishing the property with basic amenities and utilities.

Tel Aviv is the capital and second largest city of Israel. With an estimated population of approximately 391,300, it is the most populated city in Gush Dan, a metropolitan area that accommodates over 3.15 million people. It is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coast and has a land area of 51.8 square kilometers. Tel Aviv is regulated by the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality.

 

Founded in 1909 on the borders of the ancient port city of Jaffa, Tel Aviv witnessed rapid growth that soon outpaced the growth of Jaffa. In 1950, two years after the formation of the state of Israel, Jaffa and Tel Aviv were merged into a single municipality.

 

Tel Aviv contains more than 5,000 Bauhaus buildings. Due to this, it is popularly known as “the White City”. In July 2003, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee declared “the White City” as a unique and historical architectural site.

 

Additionally, Tel Aviv is Israel’s commercial and economic capital. Due to this factor, real estate prices of Neve Tzedek properties are generally higher in comparison to the real estate prices of other cities in Israel. Real estate properties in Northern Tel Aviv are relatively expensive.

 

Factors that Affect the Prices of Tel Aviv Properties:

 

Just as any other commodity, real estate prices are affected by supply and demand. In Tel Aviv, the supply of new housing is quite low, as the city is already built up. Thus, the real estate prices are bound to increase.

 

The three major sources of new home supply in Tel Aviv are:

 

1. Replacing older low-style buildings with high residential towers
2. Constructing new buildings in open spaces
3. Relocation of the military installation (that is currently present in the heart of Tel Aviv) outside Tel Aviv, thereby leaving an adequate amount of area for the purpose of civil construction

 

Tel Aviv, classified as a beta+ world city, is the most expensive city in Israel and the 17th-most expensive city worldwide. Its urban area is considered to be the second-largest city economy in the Middle East. Also, it ranks 42nd on the list of global cities by Foreign Policy’s 2008 Global Cities Index.

You would need to have been living on Mars if you had not heard of global warming and the negative effect we are having on our environment.  As a result many people have become leaders in green living and spend much of their day devoted to ensuring they are reducing their carbon footprint.  Whilst not all of us are this devoted there are a number of things that we can do to make our homes more environmentally friendly which can often save us money as well.  Here we have listed some top tips for you to try.

1.  When you replace light bulbs go for the energy efficient variety.  These use a different system to produce the light, using a fraction of the energy used by traditional bulbs and they also last up to twelve times longer.  Lighting is estimated to make up between 10 and 15% of your energy bills so there is a large saving to be made here.

2.  Up to a third of the clean drinking water we use in our households is flushed down the toilet every day.  On average each flush uses eight litres of water.  You can easily fit a save-a-flush bag into your toilet cistern which will reduce water usage by approximately one litre for each flush.  Often your local water company will provide these so it need not cost you a penny to fit.

3.  When replacing appliances look out for their energy efficiency ratings.  Do some research online to see how each appliance compares with each other.  Ask your plumber to use fittings with energy efficiency in mind, these range from baths that retain heat to taps that regulate water flow.

4.  On a larger scale you could invest in a rain water harvesting system.  This uses rainwater to flush toilets and use in the garden, saving your fresh drinking water uses to the minimum.  This helps your pocket and the environment.

5.  There is ongoing debate about how long a solar panel will take to pay for themselves through savings in energy bills but an often quoted number is a decade.  While this sounds like a long time the savings to the environment by using sustainable energy is substantial and with ongoing energy prices rises, the return may well be a lot quicker.

6.  Contact your local authority to see if there are any grants or subsidies available for energy saving home improvements.  These range from help with replacing old windows to insulation and solar panels.

7.  When replacing or upgrading your heating system, research some environmentally friendly alternatives.  For example Eco Heat Pumps work through a deep borehole close to your property and work by converting a small amount of heat in a large area to a greater amount of heat in a smaller area.  Heating your water and under floor heating in this way will save you substantial amounts of money on your energy bills.

8.  Are you looking to build a house or purchase a new one?  Put at the top of your wish list a green eco home.  If you are building one yourself include all our top tips in the initial planning stages and use as many local suppliers as possible.  You may well be lucky and find one already built and utilising all these energy saving systems.

ou would need to have been living on Mars if you had not heard of global warming and the negative effect we are having on our environment.  As a result many people have become leaders in green living and spend much of their day devoted to ensuring they are reducing their carbon footprint.  Whilst not all of us are this devoted there are a number of things that we can do to make our homes more environmentally friendly which can often save us money as well.  Here we have listed some top tips for you to try. 1.  When you replace light bulbs go for the energy efficient variety.  These use a different system to produce the light, using a fraction of the energy used by traditional bulbs and they also last up to twelve times longer.  Lighting is estimated to make up between 10 and 15% of your energy bills so there is a large saving to be made here. 2.  Up to a third of the clean drinking water we use in our households is flushed down the toilet every day.  On average each flush uses eight litres of water.  You can easily fit a save-a-flush bag into your toilet cistern which will reduce water usage by approximately one litre for each flush.  Often your local water company will provide these so it need not cost you a penny to fit. 3.  When replacing appliances look out for their energy efficiency ratings.  Do some research online to see how each appliance compares with each other.  Ask your plumber to use fittings with energy efficiency in mind, these range from baths that retain heat to taps that regulate water flow. 4.  On a larger scale you could invest in a rain water harvesting system.  This uses rainwater to flush toilets and use in the garden, saving your fresh drinking water uses to the minimum.  This helps your pocket and the environment. 5.  There is ongoing debate about how long a solar panel will take to pay for themselves through savings in energy bills but an often quoted number is a decade.  While this sounds like a long time the savings to the environment by using sustainable energy is substantial and with ongoing energy prices rises, the return may well be a lot quicker. 6.  Contact your local authority to see if there are any grants or subsidies available for energy saving home improvements.  These range from help with replacing old windows to insulation and solar panels. 7.  When replacing or upgrading your heating system, research some environmentally friendly alternatives.  For example Eco Heat Pumps work through a deep borehole close to your property and work by converting a small amount of heat in a large area to a greater amount of heat in a smaller area.  Heating your water and under floor heating in this way will save you substantial amounts of money on your energy bills. 8.  Are you looking to build a house or purchase a new one?  Put at the top of your wish list a green eco home.  If you are building one yourself include all our top tips in the initial planning stages and use as many local suppliers as possible.  You may well be lucky and find one already built and utilising all these energy saving systems.

So what does 2010 hold for IT Contractors and the housing market? Taj Kang Associate Director at Contractor Mortgages Made Easy feels that there are a number of positive signs.

After continued cuts throughout 2009 some positive news for Contractors in 2010 comes from Tech research firm Gartner, who’s recently released figures suggest that IT spend would increase this year, with 43% of the senior decision makers they spoke to saying that their IT spend would rise, and only 13% expecting to spend less.

The biggest opportunity for contractors seems to be within the banking sector. Although the banks were the first to be hit during the recession they are also most likely to be the first to recover and due to the legalities of rehiring permanent staff after mass redundancies they will look to contractors to fulfil these roles.

On the housing front as expected The Bank of England has once again held the base rate at 0.50%.

Activity in the housing market has increased with The Bank Of England revealing that 60,518 mortgages were granted in November, a 4.85 per cent rise on October, comfortably beating the figure of 58,000 forecast by analysts.

This is more than 200 per cent higher than the 27,162 figure for November 2008, when confidence in the market was at its lowest.

This means that more mortgages were taken out in November than at any other time since March 2008.

The forecast by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is that the number of UK property sales is likely to increase to a monthly average of 70,000 up from the current level of between 55,000 and 60,500.

These predictions come despite banks maintaining strict lending criteria, offering the best mortgages to those with perfect credit ratings and a large deposit. This has led to a number of experts stating that lenders need to do more to help borrowers and in particular first time buyers.

Oliver Gilmartin, senior economist at RICS, said: “The Bank of England figures support our view that increasing momentum in the housing market will see further rises in house prices during early 2010. Mortgage approvals have now been rising consistently for a year and the latest credit conditions survey from the Bank of England continues to suggest a gradual improvement in the lending environment over the coming months.

The latest housing market prediction comes just days after property website Rightmove said home owners increased asking prices by more than 3 per cent in the past year to £221,463. They were asking £213,570 at the beginning of the year.

With a number of positive signs in both the contractor and mortgage markets for 2010, many contractors will be looking to enter the property market again this year. It is highly recommend that any contractor who has a requirement for mortgage advice utilises the services of a specialist contractor mortgage broker. Someone who understands contractor work patterns and payment methodology, rather than a generic broker who is more likely to waste a client’s time and money as a result of a failed mortgage application.

Investment property encompasses real estate used to produce income. Several types of property exist and generate profits at different paces. For example, house flipping creates profit only once, while rental properties provide monthly cash flow.

It is important for investors to decide which type of investment property is best suited to their needs. Some real estate investors focus on a specific niche, such as rental properties. Other investors diversify and acquire a mix of physical properties and real estate notes.

Investors looking for long-term investments might consider rental property. Rental houses bring in regular income as long as tenants are in place. The key to making money with rental homes is to carefully screen tenants and charge rental rates according to market conditions. If not, properties could sit vacant and create negative cash flow.

Investors that desire quick cash investments might consider wholesaling and house flipping. Wholesaling involves buying real estate at wholesale prices and reselling the property in “as is” condition for profit. House flipping involves buying houses in need of repair at discounted prices, fixing them up and selling for profit.

Flipping houses is almost a thing of the past because the real estate market is oversaturated with discounted properties. However, there are still deals to be made in this niche. The goal is to buy below market value, renovate, and sell the investment property for profit within a few months.

House flipping investment profits can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Much depends on the property type, location, purchase price, cost of repairs, and sale price. Investors that embark down this path should be financially prepared to hold real estate for extended period of time if the property cannot be sold for profit.

There is no doubt the housing market is currently a mess. Home mortgage loan credit restrictions have made it difficult for many buyers to obtain financing. Mortgage lenders are hanging on to distressed real estate in hopes of obtaining a higher sale price when the market stabilizes. These factors combined have reduced the number of available real estate investing opportunities.

What does this mean for real estate investors? It means investors need to work smarter to find profitable investment property. Working smarter begins by developing relationships with other realty professionals. Networking helps investors gather information and locate investment opportunities more efficiently.

Investors who engage in careful market research and network with real estate professionals can reap profits in any economic market. Investors that make informed choices can set the stage to reap profits when the market rebounds.

In this modern age of economic strife and a galloping “do it yourself” movement, more and more homeowners are looking into selling their homes themselves. However, taking on the role of a professional when you don’t have the same training isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Some homeowners go into the whole “for sale by owner” experience with the thought that they’re saving themselves the cost of the commission and in the end they’ll come away with more money at the end of it all. However, Realtors can often get you a higher price for your house than you can negotiate yourself. Realtors will know what the current price of comparable homes on the market are selling for so that you don’t price your home so high that it lingers on the market for months or so low that you lose out on the money that you deserve to get for your home.

A common complaint that is often heard by home owners who haven’t dealt with a good Realtor before is that “realtors don’t really DO anything”; while it is unfortunate that sometimes that may appear to be true, the majority of Realtors work hard on your behalf. Your Realtor has a lot of experience selling homes and can give you some great tips and advice about how to best go about the whole process. Selling a home takes a lot of work! As well, there are a lot of legalities that go into selling a home; Realtors know the whole process that goes into a home sale and can help you understand it to.

A Realtor has a better perspective to negotiate with buyers over many aspects of your home sale on your behalf; a buyer—or a buyer’s agent—can feel more comfortable dealing with someone who doesn’t have a personal connection to the home in question. Many prospective buyers don’t feel comfortable even touring a home that is being shown by an owner; it can feel rather like an invasion of privacy to snoop through someone’s closets and basement when they’re standing right there.

All in all, it’s not difficult to hammer a sign into your lawn that says “Home for Sale by Owner”, but actually getting your home sold this way can be a very long, drawn-out process fraught with stress and anxiety for the home owner. To alleviate a lot of the time and difficulty in getting your home sold for a fair amount and within a reasonable amount of time it is well worth paying a professional Realtor to help you get the job done properly and with as little headache as possible.

The right Miami rental property is an excellent alternative to homeownership. You don’t have to worry about mortgages but focus your finances on keeping the rent up-to-date. The key in finding the right apartment, however, is to know exactly what you want and how to go about the search. A forward-looking approach is indeed necessary, and here are some questions you should ask yourself to achieve that attitude. 

Can I afford it? 

Of course, you should first realize if you are ready to move out of your parent’s house and own a Miami rental property on your own. There are plenty of role-players in determining your readiness for a lease. First, do you have a job? You must have a steady source of income in order to support the monthly rent. Next, think about the savings. Although this isn’t necessarily required in renting, it will be helpful to have a financial cushion to save you from future money troubles. 

How long will I live there? 

The lease term is essential when finding a Miami rental property. If you don’t have any plans of owning a house in the immediate future, consider a long-term lease. However, you must take into account possible emergencies that might require you to move out. Because of this, having a short-term lease is probably safer. Safest still, is negotiating a monthly lease, which will contain a renew option. 

What am I looking for? 

Like traditional home-buying, your needs will play a major part in choosing the right apartment. Before you set out on your apartment hunt, make sure you’ve set your priorities straight. This will help you narrow down your choices or focus on areas which you think will work best for your vision. 

Also, there are other things you must lookout for when looking at a Miami rental property. For instance, are the facilities up to scratch? Common areas are often important for renters. If you find an apartment lacking a crucial feature, take a closer look into your property options and see if you can afford to find another one. Another is the unit’s features themselves. You must remember to always keep your eyes open for possible warning signs. There are several defects that can be concealed by simple cosmetic updates. Whenever you are doing apartment walkthroughs, bring your pen and paper with you to list down the things you find unusual and ask the landlord about them. 

Mark Michael Ferrer 
Miami Rental Property

        Imploding housing prices coupled to a mortgage mess are propelling more people to consider selling their houses to the professional home buyers whose advertisements you now see everywhere you look.

       While they promise a fast sale and you can get on with your life, you’ve got to be asking just how safe it this?

     In the first article in this series we suggested that for a minimum, find out if they return phone calls and actually show up for the appointment on time.  If they can’t do something that simple, figure they will screw up buying your house as well.  But there is more.

       And four simple searches on google.com will tell you a lot more about whether you want to deal with this guy (or gal) or not.

       First, just do a simple Google search of the person’s name with some geographic limiters, such as “‘George Beardsley’ Pasco house.” We suggest you put the name of the home buyer in quotes to reduce the number of responses about other people.  In addition to the location (Pasco County) we also added the word house to further limit the search.

       This will give you an idea of how active the person is, at least on the internet, the type of business they are doing and maybe complaints or compliments from other viewers.

      Next Google the local newspaper, visit the archives and search for the person’s name.  You may find a host of both positive and negative items that will help you decide if you want to deal with him or her.

       Now Google the name of the county and the words clerk of court and you will find two areas where you can really mine for the pay dirt.

      “Public records” will contain a list of all the properties bought and sold in the county.  Although many investors use corporations and trusts to hide their ownership of property you will probably find numerous entries under the Professional Home U Buyer’s name.  Look for the earlier entries to get some idea of how long they have been buying houses.  The longer they have been at it, the more likely they are to be able to actually help.

         This is not to say that a brand new person will not be of help, but it is comforting to know that the person who is looking to buy your house has done it before and hopefully for years and years.

         Now go to the county records for the civil court and see how often the person has been the defendant in a law suit.  Zero would be a good number, but in this climate of civil law suits most anyone who has been in business for any length of time may have been the defendant at one time or another.  You do not want to see a pattern of being sued and you will want to ask about why he was sued and the outcome if he was sued.

        None of this will be conclusive.  But, if you are armed with this information before the person is scheduled to arrive at your house, you can learn a lot.  First, does he arrive on time?  Then, is he upset that you have done your home work and checked him out?   I assure you he has checked out your house and a real pro will expect you to have done your home work as well.  Can he answer all the questions you have as a result of your research and does he have a good explanation for all of the information you bombard him with?  If so, then you want to go to the next step and check out his contract terms, which we discuss in the next installment.

       

            

 

 

Over the past quarter, the office real estate market has shown an uptrend in terms of level of enquiries, which, more positively, has also resulted in enhanced number of deals, said a CB Richard Ellis report on office market in India. It said whilst the IT/ ITeS sector has been slower to get onto the recovery path, corporate office space take-up has been quite encouraging. Financial institution, FMCG and Telecom sectors have all contributed to the revival in the demand.

The report said that though the volumes are still on a lower end of the spectrum, markets are not as moribund as they were at the beginning of the year. As supply has overtaken demand facilitating increased competition, better quality developments are attracting demand.

The positive aspect of the current development is that the issue of quality is coming to the forefront. ‘‘This is encouraging for the real estate sector as a whole with commitment to quality finally getting its due rewards, the report said. Commenting on the findings of the report, Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & MD, CB Richard Ellis, South Asia Since the 3rd quarter of 2009, the office segment has seen some movement with corporates slowly returning to the market and office space take-up improving. In 2010, demand is expected to improve though rentals are expected to remain flat in medium term due to large supply of office space.

All the seven cities Mumbai, NCR, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune witnessed improved levels of activity in the office sector. The rentals in the central business district of NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata remained constant; whereas in Mumbai and Chennai the rentals dropped by 3% and in Pune by 5% owing to limited leasing activity.

Recessionary times also made most developers shift their focus towards affordable housing, which has received a positive response from the investor and end user market alike, the report said. It further said that 2010 brings hope of a new and fresh start; and activity levels in the market are expected to continue. Year 2009 started on a sour note for the residential, retail and office segments. Office demand saw a substantial drop which triggered a decline in rentals and postponement & cancellation of projects.

Courtesy:- Times Property dt:- 16-01-2010

Selling a home is getting common nowadays and if you are one of those people who are considering to sell their home, then you must learn the trade first and avoid this top mistakes made by sellers.

1. Overpricing is the most common mistake most sellers do when they sell their homes. Perhaps they think that their homes are too special and that the selling price will not work for them or they are just not familiar with how much their house value. To be able to know how much your home is, you will need to learn the price value of similar homes with the same age style and size in the neighborhood. Do not expect to get the same price as others were able to get from their homes as today’s market is unstable.

2. You may also have trouble choosing your buyer. As a seller you should be careful who your buyers are. Your potential buyer should be able to present a recent qualifying letter from a bank. It will be much better and safer if you can find first time homeowners and not those who want to make a deal with you that they will first sell their house before finally purchasing your property.

3. Another mistake sellers make is they sometimes go overboard when it comes to home improvements. There are really a lot of upgrades that you can do to your home, but as you are selling it you may want to just consider repairing those you think is necessary. You can paint your house and change the carpets, then make sure that there are no leaky faucets or things that sellers will not find appealing.

4.  Some sellers have no idea of how things work in the real estate market. Before even considering selling your house or agreeing to a potential buyer’s offer, it is important to sit down with your realtor or attorney and understand the contract of your home selling agreement. It is important for you to understand the responsibilities and demands made by the buyer.

5. Not considering low offers. Sure you may even feel offended by those buyers you think are so stingy, they should not even consider buying any house. And one may really feel offended by really low offers especially if it is their home they are making a deal with. The best way to solve this is to negotiate your asking price. Remember that we are in a buyers market nowadays and any house can be considered a potential sale. Try to make a counteroffer to find out if the buyer is willing to negotiate.

6. Some homeowners also make a mistake by sabotaging the showing. While your house is being shown to prospective buyers, it is better that you are not there for a while. Most buyers would want to feel and evaluate the house on their own terms. So it would be better to give them the space they need. Make sure that your house is easily accessible during showing hours and that you have an available lock box for agents to have.