In India, women are finally stepping out from confines of their homes and are actively pursuing their dreams. They have slowly started moving forward towards better final independence and stability. In any Indian household, women always manages the household finances and yet owning a home falls under the male bastion. But today the real estate market in India is witnessing a major increase in women home buyers.
A survey by the Economic Times in 2019 shows that about 42% of women prefer investing in a home. Property investments are a good for building long term financial stability for women. Women prefer investing in bigger and livelier cities where there are employment opportunities, safety, and good standard of living. Like in Assam, the city of Guwahati has better employment and educational opportunities as compared to other prominent cities. The government, real estate sector, and even banks now have various schemes offering vast benefits for women home buyers.
Advantages for women homebuyers in India:
Home Loans at Lower Rates
All the major banks and financial institutions in thecountry offer home loans to women at lower rates. Apart from that, they also have multiple schemes and offers for women. SBI offers ‘Her Ghar’ home loan for ladies specially aimed at making home owning a real possibility for every woman. With HER GHAR loan SBI offers you a concessional interest rate of 9.50% per year. Also, the extension for the repayment tenure is maximum 30 years. The application process is also very minimal requiring only a few documents and very less processing charges.
Discount in Stamp Duty Charge
In most states in India, the stamp duty charges are comparatively lesser for women in contrast tothose for men. The stamp duty for women is comparatively 1 or 2% lesser with no obligation to being single or joint owner. In Assam, the stamp duty for women is 4% in urban areas for a property within 40 lakhs. So if you are looking to buy a flat in Guwahati, there are good savings on the stamp duty charge.
Tax Benefits
Both men and women are eligible to tax benefits of Rs.2 lakhs against the home loan interest. In case of a joint property, the wife can claim individual tax deductions presenting her own source of income. As per the new 80EEA Act, a flat bought in the FY 2019 – 2020, additional tax deductions of Rs. 1-5 lakhs is available.
Benefits under PMAY scheme
Women are the preferred class of homebuyers under the PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana) scheme. Under this scheme, even a single or unmarried woman can apply and avail a loan. Also, in this scheme it is mandatory that there should be a woman co –owner of a flat. In this case the government also provides a subsidy of up to 2.67 lakhs. Women under the economically weaker section can get interest subsidy of 6.5 % against home loan of Rs. 6 lakhs.
A home, registered in a woman’s name provides her financial relaxation to some extent. The government cannot claim property registered under the woman’s name, in case of monetary loss by the family or business.
There is nothing a woman is not capable of. Women are now taking over the male dominated territory of owning homes. There are many more graceful changes and this also indicates the arrival of better times. With all the above mentioned facilities, a woman is able to make wiser decisions in terms of property investments. Soon, we will witness a rise in the number of women home buyers in our country.
If you are a working woman intending to buy 2/3/4 BHK flats in Guwahati, visit Protech Group – https://protechgroup.in/. Since its establishment in 2005, Protech Group has delivered 11 residential projects. You can also reach us at (+91 98540-47000).
The world around us is getting smarter. We have today, access to smart phones, smart TVs, to smart cars. Did you know that you can make your home smarter too? Smart homes have become a trend today. Almost every second home in a big city is a smart home. Not only this, a smart home also means that you can take care of your home’s security without being at home. There are many effective ways to convert your home into a smart home. You can now buy a flat in Guwahati or an apartment and then convert it into a smart home. Now if you have no idea about what a smart home is- it is the smarter way of controlling multiple features in your home by not physically being there but via a device – your phone. Cool, right?
Smart homes are basically designed to make your home digitally capable, exactly the way you want. “Smart” indicates internet enabled system or syncing up with Wi-Fi. If this is enthralling you, then let us find out five innovative ways, through which you can convert your home into a smart one.
Smart Lighting
The lights fitted in your home attract the first gaze of whoever visits your home. It is high time that you convert your boring lights into smart LED ones. Smart bulbs have all the essential functions like the brightness control, colour changing mode and also automatic on and offs. There are also mechanics of syncing the lights to the sound of your voice with voice control. With modern technology you can also adjust the light settings of your room adapting with your TV screen display. With such settings, you have more control and you can set schedule it according to your convenience. You can also sync the settings with your personal cell phones and you can operate the lights using your mobile even when you are not at home.
Smart Plug
Smart plug is a basic home item but very useful. You can easily control with an app when the appliance is plugged in to its main socket. This app is very useful and can help you maintain your electric bill cost efficiently. If any machine at your home is on while you are outside, you will get a notification on this app. Also, through this app, you can prepare your morning coffee even before you get out of bed, you can shut your lamps while not being there, etc. like magic at your fingertips.
Security Systems
Security is one important aspect you should consider. You should be aware of whatever is happening within or outside your home whilst you are not physically there. An automated system will alert you in case any nuisance is recorded in your home. You can check every activity that is going on in or outside your home from your smart phone through an app. This app gives you access to the entire security of your house at your fingers. Through this you can also check moisture detectors, etc. You can also keep track of the safety of the elders or kids in the house.
Smart AC
Air conditioners are one of those electrical appliances that cost us a fair deal. Earlier we had to keep our AC on constantly thereby wasting energy and money. But now it is time to switch to a smart AC. You can easily operate your AC while not being at home, change the temperatures using your phone, and can even turn on your AC minutes before you reach your home. Also these smart ACs are able to automatically program themselves according to the suitable temperatures at different times of the day.
Voice Control System
Voice control system is one of the smartest things that can happen because it enables you to control everything in your home using a few voice commands. The system is smart enough to recognize and record your commands and perform accordingly. You only need to command your system to do chores for you like switching off the lights or disabling the alarms and everything will be done automatically. And no, we are still in 2020 and witnessing such miracles with only more to come.
These are a few ways through which we can convert our boring apartment into a smart home. All these smart systems have become very essential in today’s lives and especially in the urban areas where life is very fast. If you are looking for 2/3/4/ BHK flats in Guwahati, you can choose a home designed for Smart Home readiness, explore our on-going projects by clicking here. You can enjoy the 3D animation and VR videos of our on-going projects and take a tour of your future home. We have two on-going projects, Protech Akansha and Protech Galaxy, and few more in the pipeline. To know more you can also visit our social media pages.
Buying a home is one of the best investments you can make. A home or a property will provide you assured ROI and remodelling certain areas in your house is a good idea for homeowners to add increased functionality and beauty. If you choose the right home renovation project to enhance your living space, it will also increase your property value.
Benefits of renovation or remodeling:
Upgrading your kitchen and bathrooms almost instantly increase the value of your flat.
You can avail home equity loans to finance your renovation because it allows for interest-only payments.
Before you consider renovating your flat, you have to be careful of the project you choose to complete. Choose a project that increases the market value of your investment.
Following are a few ideas of how you can renovate your own home to add value to it:
Kitchen Renovation: Renovations should always be done in the busy areas of the house. And no doubt, kitchen is the busiest place in the house. Kitchen is the heart of the home where families and friends gather and spend quality time. So while renovating your kitchen, make sure that you use quality materials and professional workmanship which is consistent with the rest of the home and other homes in your neighbourhood. Try keeping your kitchen modern and contemporary. Hiring a professional decorator or designer may come in handy to ensure you choose a look that will in turn ensure your kitchen maintains its value for many years to come.
Bathroom Renovation: Bathrooms come in a close second to kitchens when it comes to renovations. You can start renovating your bathroom by making the bathroom space a bit bigger by moving walls. Also you can add an additional bathroom to your home and getting it done properly for it to pay off. You must plan and use quality materials and workmanship on a bathroom renovation. There are different styles, shapes and sizes of vanities, showers and tubs available in the market that can get a glam look for your bathroom without having to move existing walls or plumbing.
Flooring: Flooring is the hardest wearing element in any home.Well maintained floors provide a refreshed and youthful look to your home. So, it is very important that you invest in quality and durable products for your floors and at the same time take care of the quality of installation. Expensive hardwood floors can look terrible if they are lifting or there are gaps between planks. While inexpensive laminate can look great when laid properly.
Doors and Hardware: Investing in new interior doors, replacing the front door and adding a quality lock-set; and adding baseboard, door trim, crown mouldings and wainscoting are all examples of relatively inexpensive and non-invasive improvements that can immediately punch up the appeal of a home. But it also depends on the quality of the finish though. Hire someone who has proper understanding or ask for referrals from friends with whom you share similar interests.
Interior paint and decor: A little remodelling of the interior paints and decoration can increase the value of your property to a great extent. The remodelling may include re-painting of interior walls, updating the lighting fixtures and putting up new flooring, etc. Plan on applying neutral colours for it will have a wider-ranging appeal to the majority of customers. Replacing the lighting and plumbing can modernize the look and feel of your old home. Use fluorescent light bulbs or LED bulbs of various patterns. This will use less energy. You can also upgrade by adding a few ceiling fans. It can help with air circulation that will maximize the efforts of your air conditioning unit.
So you can go for the above renovating options if you want to have a higher return on your investment. Investing in your property is a wise idea as it provides better rental returns and after a home renovation your property value also increases.
If you are a resident of Guwahati or any other place but, looking for 2/3/4 BHK Flats in Guwahati then you are at the best place. Protech Group, dubbed and recognised as the “Best Builder in Guwahati”, is an experienced and trusted real estate builder in Guwahati since 2005. We take pride in having delivered 11 residential projects at the committed time.
Currently, we have two under construction properties in Guwahati under our wing; one in Bhetapara and the other in Noonmati. These 2 BHK, 3 BHK and 4 BHK apartment complexes are driven by innovation and smart engineering to give you a home with all modern facilities and amenities.
The two months prolonged lock down due to Covid-19 pandemic has been catastrophic for all businesses across the world. In Assam, the lock down has practically stopped all economic activities in all the sectors including the real estate sector. The real estate sector contributes up to 7% to 8% in the country’s total GDP. The ongoing Covid-19 lock down, currently in its 4th phase, has significantly affected the dynamics in terms of labour availability, and there is a fear the cost of production will increase and that may lead to price inflation from the supply side.
Our Managing Director, Mr. Manoj Jalan discusses these strategic issues facing the real estate industry and the possible effects of a long Covid-19 lock down in an interview with ETV Bharat.
In the interview, Mr. Jalan speaks about labour availability and stresses that although the Government has allowed resumption of work with 15% occupancy, yet it has not been possible because labour movements in the orange and red zones which are Covid-19 affected, are restricted. He speaks on a variety of other pertinent issues facing the real estate industry. Please watch the video interview for more details.
While people age, they start entering the ability domain of the children. So at that time they need utmost care just like kids. Similarly, they also need a elderly-friendly home design whose modifications are planned to make their life easier.
When people age, their body becomes fragile and weak. They are prone to falling and hurting themselves very often. Thus, it is very important that you keep in mind the plight of the elderly people, while planning your constructions. In India, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation issued guidelines for building homes keeping on mind the elderly. According to the ministry directive, an elderly-friendly home design should have physical specifications like hazard detection systems, constant power back-up, lifts, prominent signage, recreation, and care-giving outlets, etc. along with amenity standards that include round-the-clock medical assistance, transportation assistance, etc.
Major builders, while planning the designs often have the young population in mind which turns out unsustainable for seniors. The homes for the elderly should have a seamless combination of comfort, safety, and convenience. Therefore, as the inhabitants progress in age certain modifications in the design structure of a house can enhance their accessibility and make a more senior-friendly home.
Let us analyse some specifications that needs to be taken into considerations while planning your apartment:-
Ensure easy movement :-
While people age, they become vulnerable and weak. So moving around the room is a task collaborated with fears of accidental falls apart from disability caused due to illnesses. You can place ledges, or ramps in place of stairs so that movement is painless and also wheelchair accessible. Also, make sure that if there are stairs, then there should be sturdy railings for support. If your apartment is not on the ground floor, then provision of lifts is very necessary for elderly-friendly home design.
Plan the Flooring :-
Tiles and ceramic flooring attract every homeowners, but they can be quite tricky for the elders. A senior-friendly home should a non slippery and naturally warm floors designed with terracotta tiles, mosaic, etc. Rubber flooring could also mean an added safeguard against accidents. But, re-flooring a house may not always be cost-effective. So in this case, you can consider placing carpets that ensure relevant cushioning too. The kitchen and the bathroom floors also should ideally have anti-skid tiles. Along with that all rugs and mats should have anti-slip underlays. Slippery floors and polished tiles might make way for fatal accidents for the elderly people. So a elderly-friendly home design is very much required.
Friendly home design suitable for elderly :-
You should make sure to create a spacious indoor plan to allow ease of movement, to reduce bumping into things. Place low slung chairs, tables, armchairs, and bed with suitable heights. Make some sort of sitting arrangement in the balconies or lawns. It would be preferable to ask the seniors in your home about things they would want to avoid.
Also, make sure that all the gadgets, appliances and fixtures are fitted at eye-level for the elderly people to operate comfortably. While placing cupboards and racks for personal use, make sure to introduce simpler things that would create less fuss.
Provide for enough lighting :-
A properly lit house would be safe and comfortable for the seniors. Abundant lights makes the seniors more comfortable in their movement around the house and as well as enhances the mood. Plan larger windows, that can stream much needed natural light in the daytime. Also, plan lights along passages, corridors, bathrooms, kitchen, and even inside cupboards and wardrobes. There should be focused lights around the beds for reading , keeping track of important things such as medicine labels, emergency calls etc for a elderly-friendly home design.
Communication :-
Communication is an integral part of a senior-friendly home. It is a very important factor for dealing with emergencies. Include both landlines and mobile connections in your home where you have senior-citizens residing with you. Prepare a chart of all the medical contacts for ease of access.
So, simple yet comfortable designs with proper maintenance can lead to lesser risks. It can provide for a better life for the seniors. If you can follow these tiny steps, then you can create a well-accommodated and comfortable senior-friendly home which will allow the elderly to perform their physical and mental tasks and as well as keep their dignity intact by being independent on their own.
