Aug 9, 2018 | Blog, Buyer Concerns
Which is the best decision: renting or buying property?
This question concerns people who live in rental property. Buying a house is a big step and intimidates people who have newly moved to a city or is starting a family.
We have accumulated the advantages of buying a home over living in a rented property to help you make an informed decision why you should consider buying a property.
Capital appreciation:
The value of a property always increases and the immense growth of real estate industry makes it even more lucrative to buy a property. Cities like Guwahati are growing fast in infrastructure and investing real market brings in great returns. One can make the most of the benefit if the property is located in key areas like Ganeshguri, Bhetapara, Dispur, Zoo Road, Athgaon, etc. Having a property in possession adds to one’s social status and it gives a sense of fulfillment for one’s entire life.
Tax benefits & Subsidies:
You can claim benefits on income tax when you buy a property. If you opt for a joint home loan, you and your spouse can benefit from lower-income tax, provided that repayment is done equally by both. Also, there are Govt subsidies like PMAY and Apun Ghar Schemes that you can benefit from.
Source of additional income:
Another big advantage of buying property is that you can rent it. It will serve as an additional income. The rapid requirement of rented house in Guwahati is increasing day by day. One can also use the rental to pay the EMI of the property if one has purchased it on loan.
Residence in the Capital City:
Residing in Guwahati, as it the capital of the State, gives one access to many opportunities. Infrastructure is always an advantage when residing in the capital of the State. Good schools, better medical facilities, everything is easily accessible.
Modification and customisation:
Owning your home means you can modify it, as you want. You can change the flooring, add a chandelier, colour the walls, pretty much anything without having to ask anybody. The value of the property also increases with the slight modifications you make every time.
Investing in real estate is one of the best decisions one can make. Buy a dream house today and reap the benefits out of it for a lifetime.
Jul 21, 2018 | Blog, Home Hacks, Lifestyle
Why are wooden furniture preferred in most households?
Wooden furniture has a certain classic appeal to it that makes it timeless. It is still preferred than the metallic alloys furniture that require far less maintenance.
Wooden furniture is very popular and most commonly found accessory in Indian homes. It not only looks great, but can also last you a long time if taken proper care. Whether it is an antique furniture or a gorgeous dining table, all of them require care.
Wood is vulnerable to temperature changes, light and moisture. It’s very important that it is taken proper care from time to time.
How to clean wooden your furniture?
Below are some few tips for keeping wooden furniture clean and shiny so that it lasts longer:
- Use Protective Mats: An essential part of everyday maintenance is to place protective mats under them. It prevents the wood from scratching.
- Protect from dust: Clean wooden furniture on regular basis by removing the dust first. Attach a dusting brush to your vacuum cleaner to remove the dust. It prevents from scratching it. You can also opt for a soft microfiber cloth instead.
- Get the right cleaner: Always apply a specialized wood cleaning product. Follow the instructions on the label, and choose your product to suit the finish on your furniture. Avoid cleaners with ammonia in it which can cause long term damage to the surface.
Know about the wood and the finishing before you clean it:
Wooden furniture comes in a multitude of styles, composition and finishing. If you’re looking to give your wood a good clean some of the most common wood finishing types are as follows:
- Unsealed finishing: The cleaner should be applied with a cloth and not directly on the furniture. Avoid keeping the furniture wet.
- Varnish: It is sensitive to water as well. Dust with a slightly damp cloth. You can use a specialized cleaning solution when removing tough stains.
- Wax: It demands a soapy wood cleaner – always opt for a targeted commercial product.
- Paint: Its surface is not as sensitive as the other ones. You can use a solution made with washing up liquid to scrub it.
Things to keep in mind while taking care of your wooden furniture:
Keep your wooden furniture away from Sunlight: Direct sunlight is good for any type of furniture as UV rays can cause very quick and direct damage to wooden surfaces. It is always advisable to keep stuff away from sunlight and in conditions that are stable.
Taking care of temperature and humidity: Temperature and moisture are essential for managing wooden furnishings. Wood expands absorbing moisture and over a period of time excess humidity will lead to cracks.
Get them polished once every year or two by a professional: Polishing is a specialized job that requires care. This might appear as a costly venture, but the number of years it extends the life of your furniture will ultimately make it a profitable option.
Jun 9, 2018 | Blog, Home Hacks
There is no limit to how one can beautify her home with paper craft items. They are easy to learn and implement. Paper Craft Art needs a bit of patience and practice and one can be a pro at crafting their own designs.
It is not expensive.
Decorating up the home isn’t always about spending high. Paper craft art are low cost ideas that are high on beauty. Such crafts can enhance the beauty of the interiors at a negligible cost. Easy to learn, they are perfect for beginners and the final products are versatile decor items. Depending on your skills, select simple or intricate and inter-weaved designs.
Origin of Paper Craft
The origin of paper crafts art hails from China. The sheer beauty and simple methods to craft them, have earned them global recognition. Paper craft art have found a place not only in the craft classes in our schools but also grabbed the attention of interior designers who are incorporating them lavishly into their interior designs.
You can either get the ready-to-use paper craft art from the market or try the DIY crafts to brighten up the dull corners of your home. Read on and transform your home from drab to fab.
Blend of origami-fractal
Origami is the art of folding paper repeatedly and fractal deals with repeated forms and when mixed together, they create amazing artwork. Why not try fractal origami to deck up your space? The options with fractal are myriad, right from flowers such as fractal lotus to roses. Give it a shot to the snowflake fractal or Origami fractal pyramids. However, remember that the latter demands a lot of time. It is a tedious process. Learn Here.
3-D wallpaper cubes
If you are bored of the usual 2-D origami pieces, try a fresh twist with the 3D pieces. Begin with the easiest 3D shape, i.e. a paper cube. Gradually move to a tad difficult shapes, such as pyramids, teddy bears, penguins, birds, or even flowers by using 3D origami art.
Paper lamp
Paper lamps are in demand in the home as well as in party settings. Try your skills at ‘Do It Yourself’ and opt for origami lamps.
These variants are one of the simplest yet stylish ways of incorporating origami decor in your abode. Get some coloured origami papers, preferably the bright-hued ones and start making your lamps. A few popular ideas to consider are the geometric shaped lamps, intricately cut paper lamps, rolled paper lamps, and the pendant lamps to craft an origami paper lamp. If you don’t want to make it by yourself, try the ready-made ones easily available in the market.
Learn to create, click here.
Variegated animal paper heads
There must be favourite animals of your little ones and they would love to have their replicas in interesting ways. Instead of stuffing their rooms with soft toys, try to create variegated animal heads with paper and adorn the walls with them.
While the children’s room appears to be the best spot to flaunt them, alternatively you can be bold and create a small zoo on the living room’s wall. This quirky display is sure to earn you rave reviews from the onlookers. If you wish to make them look real, use the same coloured paper akin to the skin of the animals you are crafting. Add an extra touch by painting it with other features, to make them look like the heads of real animals. Learn to create one.
Get the ready-to-use paper craft designs from the market or try DIY crafts at home. You can learn from the various videos on YouTube, to brighten up the dull corners of your home. Protech Group encourages DIY crafts.
May 15, 2018 | Blog, Buyer Concern
Apun Ghar
Apun Ghar is a interest subvention scheme by the State Government of Assam. The aim is to provide housing loan to the regular State Government employees through the State Bank of India (SBI). Apun Ghar is a Home Loan Scheme to provide home loans at a lower interest rates for the state government employees. As per data released by the Government, about 4.5 Lakh Government employees will benefit under the home loan scheme.
In order to avail benefits of this home loan scheme, the applicant must be above 21 years. He or she must be employed in any of the state government departments for a minimum of 5 years and above.
It is important to note that the benefits of Apun Ghar Scheme will be available to only those State Government employees who will apply for a housing loan within 2 years from the date of issuance of the Government notification.
Difference between SBI Loan Rate and Apun Ghar Loan Rate
SBI has decided to extend the home loan to the State Government employees at an interest rate of 8.50% for women and 8.55% for men. Assam Government will provide 3.5% subvention of interest provided the employee applies for the subvention. Once the subvention application is approved, the effective interest rate of home loan will be 5.00% for women and 5.05% for men.
The EMI of the Apun Ghar Home Loan will be charged to the employee by SBI at 8.5% and 8.55% respectively, and the State Government will credit the subsidy of 3.5% into the salary account of the State Government employees.
The interest rate for a normal home loan from SBI is around 9% for an ordinary citizen of the country.
Other Benefits of Apun Ghar Home Loan Scheme
Loan Amount: Under this Apun Ghar Home Loan Scheme, the eligible employees would be able to get the maximum loan amount of Rs. 15 Lakhs.
Loan Tenure: Apun Ghar home loan scheme will provide home loan for a period of 20 years. For pensionable service holders, the loan has to be repaid by the age of 70 years. For non-pensionable service holders, the loan has to be repaid by the age of 60 years.
No Processing Fee: Unlike the other home loans offered by the state banks of India, Apun Ghar home loan will have no processing fee for the State Government employees.
Floating Interest Rate: The State Government employees will enjoy a floating rate of interest so that they can take the benefit of a reduced market lending rate.
Purpose of Loan: The loan will be sanctioned for the following purposes – 1) Construction of a house on an existing plot of land either in the name of the State Government employee or the spouse; 2) Purchase of land and construction of house on it; 3) Purchase of flats or readymade buildings within the state of Assam. It will not be given for purchase of land or house from close relatives.
Mortgage: There is no need for mortgaging the property or land of the State Government employee up to a Apun Ghar loan amount of Rs. 10 lakhs. For loans above 10 lakhs, SBI will release the Title Deeds and issue a ‘No Due’ certificate to the borrower with a copy to the Finance Department of the Govt. of Assam.
Loan Transfer: State Government employees will be able to transfer their existing home loans with SBI or any other bank into this Apun Ghar Subsidy Scheme to avail the interest discount.
Loan Application: The loan applicants are required to visit the nearest District Drawing and Disbursing Office with the complete set of documents as per the check list and application form provided by the SBI.
Joint Application: Close relatives can come together to avail the home loan jointly, provided they are both employees of the State Government of Assam. The combined loan amount should be within the prescribed loan amount limit.
When was it announced?
The Apun Ghar housing loan scheme of Assam government was announced by the Assam government in the month of March 2017. The scheme will kickstart in the Financial Year 2017 – 2018.
Apun Ghar is clearly an initiative taken under the vision of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to provide housing for all by the year of 2022.
Apr 12, 2018 | Blog, Home Hacks, Lifestyle
Why is it important to keep the house clean?
We all know that we should keep our house clean, but we all have busy lives and we tend to procrastinate and get lazy about it. Let us admit it – cleaning the house is not fun. Gradually, we become used to living in a dirty, untidy place. It is a simple matter that one must keep their house clean for health reasons. Apart from health, here are 10 reasons which should give you that extra energy to find time to keep a clean & tidy home on a regular basis.
Finding stuff:
Long lost stuff, that you might have thought you lost can be found during cleaning. Going through mails, papers, clothes, household items will help you find many things and you may find it useful again. This reduces your cost and you also get your valuable stuff back!
Good for children:
Infants and young children while crawling will pick up things from floor. They are susceptible to microbes as immune system is yet to develop. You don’t want mildew, dirt and other particles entering the tender body. Keeping house clean and sanitized keeps children healthy and happy.
Visiting friends will appreciate:
You will have friends visiting your home: Your home will welcome your friends. A dirty house does not invite people and makes visitors move away. If you want to socialize and have a community life consider keeping your kitchen and entire house clean. It will motivate you and boosts your confidence to meet and have fun with people that will make you feel good.
You will be creative:
When you clean the house, you will find things that are disorganized and kept in places where they should not be. If you focus on cleaning, your creativity starts to flow and you might find an interesting hobby like decoration, interior designing, indoor gardening etc.
Makes life easy:
Cleaning also involves organizing. It means you will find stuffs easily and when you want. You will know where exactly things are kept and it helps you accomplish work easily by end of your day. Keeping house clean means fewer distractions and more work done!
You will prevent pest infestation:
When you keep house clean you won’t invite pests like cockroach, mice, mosquitoes etc. If you don’t let clutter pile up, you won’t be having pest problems at home.
Extend life for home materials:
Regular cleaning of household items and materials make it lose longer. For example, a clean mixer will perform better. Cleaning carpets or rugs regularly them look and smell fresh. Similarly, bathtubs, dining table, sinks, trashcans – smaller to bigger things should be kept clean for a longer life.
You will spend less time cleaning:
Regular cleaning makes it easier to clean house fast. It saves lot of time and house always looks fresh and inviting. It also saves time for you and family. It becomes less stressful and you will relax without the clutter around you everyday.
Improves quality of the indoor air:
Air quality of the house is important for health. Regular cleaning reduces allergies, asthma and any breathing problem. It reduces dust bunnies, mildew and animal dander.
You will sleep better:
Yes, this is true! After cleaning the house, you will feel calmer and stress free. Cleaning is also physical exercise. This will make you to go bed without dust and dirt around the house. With the satisfaction of having cleaned, and having a clean bedsheet and clean pillows gives you more relaxing sleep.
Conclusion
Whether a big or small home – A clean organized home is always a beautiful home. Organizing helps you to focus on quality than on quantity. It gives happiness and spreads joy in the family, and in the neighbourhood.