Construction tips

* Ferro Cement walls are fire resistant.
* It can also resist termites.
* Ferro Cement walls are weather proof, but a coating of quality paint can make it durable.
* Cracks in cement walls can be sealed with a coating of watery cement solution after wetting the surface.
* Reinforcement should be designed for the load and moment required.

Thanks to Hindu

NRIs - Ray of Hope For Realtors

Realtors in Mohali district have seen a ray of hope among NRIs to keep their business going during the global slowdown. While the local buyers are hesitating from buying houses coming up in large number in the district, it is the interest of NRIs from Canada, US, England and middle-east countries that has given a new lease of life to real estate sector. With thousands of NRIs inquiring about the availability of houses, flats and villas, real estate sector has all of a sudden got fresh lease of life that otherwise was witnessing a low business for the last four-five months. A visit to Zirakpur and surrounding areas revealed that number of inquiries from NRIs for housing properties in Mohali have gone beyond 3,000 during last few months.

Such is the response that one of the real estate development Royal Estate has already decided to come up with a NRI tower in Zirakpur due to rising demand for houses from NRIs. Krishan Goyal, managing director, Royal Estate Zirakpur, said during last two months he had received over 500 inquiries from NRIs and had already sold 4-5 flats to them. ??We have now decided to come up with NRI tower at Royal Estate as demand is great,?? he added. Satish Jindal, managing director, Maya Garden Zirakpur, too is smiling with the expectation of good business ahead as after receiving over 600 inquiries for houses during last two months, he has sold 6-7 flats to them. Response from NRIs is amazing and it shows that good days for real estate sector are lying ahead, he added.

Many of the builders attribute the sudden interest among NRIs for houses in Zirakpur and surrounding areas to the fact that from June onwards international flights are scheduled to take off from upcoming international airport. Interestingly, while Indians residing abroad are showing great interest in buying property in Mohali district, domestic buyers are not coming forward to buy while inquiries in hundreds are being received. Realtors are expecting market to improve on local front also. Subash Chand, partner, Swastic Vihar Zirakpur, said that while there was good response from the NRIs, local buyers are waiting for the property prices to be slashed further. They expect good business from April 1 onwards, as service tax would be completely withdrawn and interest rates are expected to be lowered further. Vijay Arora, president, Peermuchalla Builders Association, said that around 100 inquiries are coming on a single day while sales are not picking up. All expectations are resting on new financial year. With NRIs buying property it seems that market would improve further he added.

Courtesy : nrirealtynews

Guidelines on buying a plot

What is a Plot?

A Plot, also called site, is a small piece of land with certain dimensions.

What is a Layout?

A layout is division of a large piece of land into a number of Plots. There shall be Open Site Reservation (OSR) at a minimum of 10 per cent of total area of layout.

Is just Panchayat Approval not enough ?

No. Approval without LPA or DTCP permission is NOT valid. This is true for both Town and Village Panchayat

How do I know if proper approval is given?

The approved Plan of the layout or site is affixed with seal of LPA or DTCP along with a reference number, date and signature by hand. In addition, local body also affixes its seal along with a reference number, date and signature by hand. If both these are present, approval is proper. Make an effort to check on these reference numbers with the respective authorities.

Is a separate Building Approval needed on already approved site?

Yes. Separate Building Approval is needed. Pre-requisite to this is plot approval.

I have purchased one site in a layout from a builder and got him build my house on it. He has given building approval plan only by Panchayat. Is this sufficient? I do not find OSR in the layout.

No. The layout should have been approved by LPA or DTCP first. It is not correct for Panchayat to issue building license without plot/layout approval. Had it gone for approval by LPA, OSR would have been provided. The house itself is now an unauthorised construction.

What is the requirement for approval of a housing plot?

First, it should gain access from a Public Road. Minimum plot size should be 52 feet by 20 feet.

In a layout, what is the status of roads?

In approved layout, all roads are public owned. Promoters are required to surrender road and OSR to local body by gift deed, before getting issued with a licence.

For what purpose can I use a layout site?

Usage of site is decided by approved ‘land use’ given to the entire layout. It can be residential, commercial, mixed, industrial or other as given in the approved layout plan. A Layout with house sites cannot be used for industrial purpose.

What details should be checked for buying a site in a layout?

a) Look for LPA or DTCP approval number and seal, and Local Body Licence number and seal. Do not accept mere ‘Panchayat Approval’ or ‘near DTP approval’, and not even just approval from LPA or DTCP. Final approval by Local Body is a must.

b) Check if usage of site is for residential or other purpose that you are interested in.

c) Check if area of OSR, marked as Play Area, Garden, Park or other, is at least 10 per cent of total layout area

d) Read all conditions attached to the approvals.

e) Get to know the status and purpose of land marked ‘Owners Site’.

f) Confirm, no development charge or other need to be paid while you apply for a building licence. Approach your local body office for verification.

g) Get Encumbrance Certificate and establish owner of your site. If it is not the layout promoter mentioned in the approval papers, ensure your sale deed is made by the current bonafide owner. The sale deed should have an attachment of a copy of approved layout plan clearly indicating dimensions of your site.

h) Clearly understand liability of the seller in case of any irregularities with the property and sale. You may consider including a compensation clause.

i) Get a legal opinion, before commitment.

S. KANAGASUNDARAM
PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATION OF LICENSED BUILDING SURVEYORS, COIMBATORE.

Courtesy : The Hindu , Thanks to Mr. Kanagasundaram