Category: Real Estate

“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore,” quoted Mark Twain once. And he couldn’t have been wrong. With those amazing stories we have been listening to about flats/plots bought in mere thousand rupees in the ‘50s and sold off for crores – this kind of stuff keeps the real estate investment market alive and kicking.

Similar has been the story in Jaipur. People who bought land for a couple of thousands sold off their asset at the right time to secure crores of rupees for themselves. But the point to be noted here is that, that amount was a big investment in those times. So if we were to break down the increase in value per year, the answer won’t make us really happy.

The point to understand here is that real estate is a long term investment unless you know the market really well.

Let’s first define “real estate investment” for you.
Buying an under-construction property is not real estate investment for sure. You are lending money to the developer so that he/she builds it on time and you get your own property at the earliest. Return follows risk. Know what you are getting into after studying the market, the developer’s portfolio and doing a background check on them. You will be surprised to see the number of cases pending in the consumer court in respect to developers not delivering promised flats on time.

Again, buying a flat to stay in is not real estate investment in true words. Yes, if you plan to sell it after 10 years with a good return on investment, then you can surely call it one. But, this is again a long term investment. Though it is safe bet as it brings you financial stability and a sense of security but is not investing in “real estate.” After all, you won’t sell off this flat until it is a matter of life and death OR you wish to move in a bigger house.

Plus as we said earlier, it is not easy to liquidate a real estate investment unless you are an active investor who knows the by-lanes of real estate sector. Lack of easy liquidity leads to ‘law of large numbers’ where large investment leads to decent compounded returns over long period of time resulting in large profits.

Real estate in true terms is the property (mostly residential) that you buy as an “investment” only.

Why invest in Jaipur? Play a safe bet
Jaipur unlike many other Tier-2 cities has been a witness to substantial growth given the amount of business communities residing here. In terms of overall development of a city, it almost has every luxury a man needs and will see a rise in it as time passes. Educational institutions, malls, flyovers, MNC’s flocking in, and many other worthy factors compel anyone to think about investing here. These factors have given a rise to immigration which ensured the city grows in all directions and bring new areas to develop and invest in.

And with the slash in lower interest rates by the Reserve Bank of India, along with the State’s own policies that prove to be an encouraging factor, Jaipur has seen a rise in infrastructural investment. Properties are being developed with modern amenities and can be considered for “rental real estate investment” as well.

Though there are many factors that look lucrative enough for anyone to invest in Jaipur, as a part of asset allocation exercise, one should definitely invest in real estate. The pink city offers a chance to grow into modern India yet stays close to its roots and traditions. The perfect combination we would like our children to be brought up in.

Evaluate all your options and take a wise decision that brings you a good return in the years to come.

Infrastructure forms the backbone of a growing city. With new and better growth opportunities coming up in Jaipur, it is important to stretch the city’s limits and develop areas in the outskirts to accommodate the rising population.

Jagatpura in Jaipur is one such area that is pretty much equipped with amenities that are required for comfortable living. Trimurty Builders, a leading construction company in Jaipur has realised the potential this area holds and has initiated a campaign ‘Joyful Jagatpura’ with five more builders to develop Jagatpura.

World-class schools, state-of-the-art modern hospitals, shopping centres that provide every possible commodity for smooth living and much more has already been developed there. Close proximity to the airport and a short drive away from the city centre, Jagatpura keeps you away from the hustle-bustle of life yet closer to it.

On the occasion of the campaign’s launch, Anand Mishra, Managing Director of Trimurty Builders quoted, “The major concern for the buyers was the availability of water. Since the State government has taken the decision to provide direct water supply from Bisalpur dam, the location can beat any area in terms of residential facilities. Moreover, Jagatpura is very scenic.”

Trimurty Builders has in the past contributed significantly towards developing many areas of the pink city, both residential and commercial. Their eco-friendly practices in constructions reflects their highest standards of ethics, modernism and open-mindedness towards new technologies. Their constant quest is to provide incomparable quality and luxurious facilities to their customers in the best of rates. People at Trimurty believe in building long-lasting relationships before building cutting-edge infrastructure.

Their commitment towards developing Jagatpura is in association with Ashadeep Group, Ashiana Group, Harsh Marco Developers, Mahima Group and Shree Ram Group.

Metals have played an important role in building durable structures since the early age. They are used in the construction industry to serve a wide range of functions. Durable, strong, low maintenance, efficient and resistant to weather – a variety of metals are opted by architects, contractors and even interior designers for a sleeker, striking look. Let’s take a look at few of the most commonly used metals in construction:

Aluminum – resistant to corrosion and harsh weather, highly conductive and ductile, lightweight yet strong and maintenance-free, do we still need to tell you why aluminum is widely used in constructions. Aluminum sheets, tubes and castings are used to make HVAC ducts, roofs, handles, ceilings, walls, window frames, roof covers, etc.

Carbon Steel – known for its hardness and strength, carbon steel is classified depending on the amount of carbon present in this carbon and steel mixture. Carbon steel is used to make beams, plates, rectangular tubing, rebar and hollow structural sections (HSS).

Copper – the copper cornice around the dome at the Pantheon in Rome lasted more than 1,800 years. Need we say more? Recyclable, conductive, ductile, strong, low maintenance and corrosion resistant, copper is often used to construct hot and cold water-pipes in buildings. It is easily soldered making it ideal for piping and tubing.

Stainless Steel – among the the oldest known building materials, stainless steel has corrosion and stain resistant properties. The metal was widely used in the Chrysler Building in New York City which stands strong till date. Relied on for its strength, durability and reliability, this metal can be found in roofing, structural applications, handrails, balustrading, architectural cladding and in drainage components as well.

Steel – the most recycled metal on earth, steel is used in the construction industry because sustainable structures can be easily built at low prices with it. Mostly found in bridge deck plates, coastal defenses, educational buildings, high-rise buildings, hospital buildings, low-rise buildings, office buildings, stadiums, and security fencing, steel is considered a universal building product. It is known for its strength, versatility, durability, and economic value.

Budget 2016 has come up with lucrative measures to boost the sluggish real estate industry. The industry players have much to cheer about from the union budget. The ‘Housing for All by 2022’ scheme lays out the plan for building additional 100 million homes by 2022. 90 percent of the demand is in affordable housing segment. So, the main thrust has been laid on this segment to perk up the market sentiments.

Two of the major proposals pertaining to property market in this year’s budget are:

1.  Additional Rs 50,000 deduction on interest on loans for the first time buyers, when the loan sanctioned is less than 25 lakh and the property value doesn’t exceed Rs 50 lakh.
2.  100 percent deduction on the profit generated through affordable housing development projects.

Besides above, there is a proposed exemption of dividend distribution tax (DDT) on the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Distribution made out of income of SPV (special purpose vehicles) having specified shareholding to the REITs and InvITs will be exempted from DDT. Service tax on construction of affordable houses and excise duty on manufacture of concrete have also been relaxed. To bring out clarity in land titles, a proposed outlay of 150 cr has been set aside for digitising land records.

To save interest of home buyers, bills in the following respect are in line to be passed:

a.  All projects, residential and commercial, that cover an area of 500 square meters or more or encompass 8 flats or more, will have to be registered with the Real Estate Regulator. No project will be passed unless it has all requisite permissions from local authorities to begin construction.
b.  Developers will have to clearly mention the complete carpet area to the prospective buyers, and not just the area excluding kitchen and bathroom/s.
c.  Developers are restricted from transferring funds received from buyers of a particular project into other projects. It will be mandatory for the real estate developers to keep 70 percent of the funds received in an escrow account for that particular project.
d.  Misleading advertisements showing false pictures of the projects will be counted as a punishable crime.

These encouraging initiatives will not only have a fair opportunity for buyers to get their dream home, but also a positive impact on the consumption of cement and steel. The low and mid-income households are more likely to be benefited with an upsurge in affordable housing projects, and even the individuals who opt for rental homes. The buying propensity of middle class and upper middle class will enhance due to tax exemption on availing home loans. This will reduce the burden on first-time buyers in tier-II and tier-III cities, as the tax deduction limit has been enhanced from Rs 2,00,000 to 2,50,000.

Overall, these are reassuring measures in the right direction that can boost consumer confidence and trigger growth in the segment.

A series of shock waves at regular intervals shakes everything around us and all we are left with is debris and a cacophony of cries. Earthquake not only moves the land up and down but also side to side.

This side to side movement more than often takes down buildings and the lives residing in it. The need of the hour is to erect structures that are earthquake-resistant which will not only minimise the loss of lives but also prevent collapsing of buildings. While no structure can be entirely immune to these seismic activities but with technological implications we can surely prevent the damage to a great extent.

Objectives of building/reinforcing a structure that is earthquake-resistant

The primary objective will always be to save lives of hundreds and thousands of people that get affected by these natural calamities. Other than this, these technological implementations will also save us money put in making this infrastructure in the first place. Few prime objectives can be summed up as:

• Public safety. Saving as many lives and families as possible.
• Structure survivability. The life of a structure increases considerably.
• Lesser damages to structures. If a building has the strength to absorb the seismic waves, the chances of the structure staying unaffected are high.

How is a building made earthquake resistant?

Mostly buildings can carry their own weight as well as can take other floor and suspended loads, but are not necessarily resistant to side-to-side loads. The most dangerous structures are having unreinforced brick or concrete block. These kind of structures are made with bricks stacked on top of each other and held with mortar. The weight of the roof is carried straight down through the walls to the foundation. These buildings can crumble down like a stack of cards when hit by a lateral force.

To combat earthquake destruction, one way is to tie the foundations, floor, walls and roof into a rigid box that holds together when shaken by an earthquake.

Another technique applied as buildings get taller is called base isolation. Base isolation is a collection of structural elements that decouple the main structure from its foundations thus protecting a building.

A similar yet different engineering technique involves constructing buildings on a bed of ball bearings, springs or padded cylinders. These act as shock absorbers preventing the actual building from shaking or swaying side ways.

There are many more ways that have helped prevent infrastructural disasters to some extent and have paved the way for future developments – keeping the roof light (using lighter materials), building foundations excessively stiff and strong (like the El Castillo pyramid at Chichen Itza), using ‘tuned mass dampers’ (used in the Taipei World Financial Center), etc.

New technologies for a stronger infrastructural future

If we take into consideration the existing structures – seismic retrofitting is the answer for them. It involves modification of existing structures to make them more durable and resistant towards earthquakes and other natural hazards.

An innovative technology named as the rocking frames allows a building to be reoccupied quickly after an earthquake. This technique comprises of three main components, namely steel frames, steel cables and steel fuses.

There are many more innovations and experiments going on to ensure the safety of human life and also to save buildings all over the world from demolishing. With every technological advancement new milestones are yet to be reached in this field.