Shopping around for a home?
Let’s say you are going to buy a home for Rs. 20 lakh and they say the area is 1000 sq ft. The other seller is agreeing to sell his plot for the same price but bigger area: 1,200 sq ft.
The 'area' concept is very vaguely used in the housing industry. And some deceitful builders (and sellers) take advantage of this vagueness to the hilt.
Carpet area:
It will tell you precisely how much room you will have in your home. It is literally defined as the precise area within the walls of your home. To make it downright simple: If you had to lay out a wall-to-wall carpet in your entire home, how much area would it cover? That's your carpet area.
Built-up area
It is inclusive of not just the carpet area but also the area being occupied by the walls of your home.
Super built-up area
This is account area plus the carpet area. Super built-up area also takes into account all the area under the common spaces -- the apartment's proportionate share of the lobby, staircase, elevator and the corridor outside the apartment.
The confusion of super built-up area arises over the fact that what is exactly included under this definition is left to the judgment of the builders. Some may even include the terrace, security room, electrical room and/or pump room. The cumulative total of these 'extras' is taken into account and divided by the number of apartments in proportion to their size.
So, if you are given a quote for 1,000 sq ft flat and the area referred to is the carpet area, then you have a huge living space. If it is built-up area, then you have lesser space.If it is super-built up area, then are compromising heavily on the living area. In fact, the actual carpet area may just be around 600 sq ft in comparison to the total flat area of 1,000 sq ft.
Know the catch about carpet area, super built up area and built-up area:
* You may get a better deal for the ‘carpet area’ in an apartment in an older building. They generally have a higher percentage of carpet area (around 80 percent) of the total area. So, if the quote of 1,000 sq ft is for the super built-up area, then the carpet area could be around 800 sq ft. In new constructions, the percentage could be as low as 65 to 70 percent. So you may get just 650 sq ft to 700 sq ft as the carpet area.
* When comparing quotes, compare carpet area to carpet area, not carpet area to super built-up area.
• If you get a quote for 1,000 sq ft, ask immediately whether it is the carpet area or super built-up area.
• If you get another quote for 1,200 sq ft super built-up area, ask what the carpet area is. Then compare the two carpet areas.
• There is no fixed ratio of super built-up to built-up or carpet area.
• The market practice is that the ratios are on the super built-up area and are marked down. That means, if the super built-up area is 1,000 sq ft and the carpet area is 800 sq ft, then the latter is 80 percent of the super built-up area. Generally, the ratios in the market are 70:30 (super built-up to carpet).Dishonest builders have been known to go as low as 60 percent. So a quote on a 3,000 sq ft apartment could mean a carpet area of anywhere from 1,800 sq ft to 2,400 sq ft. Always ask the seller exactly how much the super built-up area and the carpet area amount to. Ensure that this break-up appears in the Agreement of Sale.
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You have just made a deal with your property dealer or builder in Mumbai to buy a particular house. Your mind is set to buy it, but when you go to give the token amount, the sellers has other ideas. It is better to make sure that your token amount is secure while buying a house in Mumbai:
1. Solution to seller who has second thoughts: If that flat is not in your luck, it is because of the business minded seller who has other ideas and options. Even if you have finalised the deal, the seller will wait to see if someone else can give him a higher offer. If you have not signed on the dotted line, the seller will look for someone else. He will also look have options for redevelopment and decide to wait. Under these conditions, you cannot do anything except use your charm to serenade the builder into waiting for you. Make sure the seller is genuine by making enquiries with the broker or with neighbors. Register the deal immediately after book the flat, so that the builder in Mumbai or seller has no second thoughts.
2. Solution to Less loan eligibility: With banks looking to offer home loans, the general perception is that it is very simple to get one. However be prepared for only 80 per cent of loan sanction amount, when you assume that you will get at least 90 per cent. It is always better to check your loan eligibility before you sign a deal. Go to the bank you wish to take the loan from and check how much loan amount can be sanctioned. Also check whether the property that you plan to buy will get loan approval or not. If you still fall in the trap, ask for money from immediate family members or friends.
3.Solution to exigencies and emergencies: Unseen and unplanned situations arise when you dont want them to. A tilt in your financial status can spell danger when you want to buy a house in Mumbai. A job loss or a personal crisis that saps your budget can make you depressed. The solution is to keep a lumpsum amount aside in fixed deposit or recurring deposit, so that you hands are not completely tied. Also go for health insurance for all your family members.
4. Misplaced documents: Lack of relevant documents can stall your home-buying enthusiasm. The problem is compounded if you want to sell your existing flat for a new one in Mumbai or any other place. The solution to this is to keep all the relevant documents in a file. Start collecting all those documents now and arrange them neatly in a file.
Here's how you can keep the kitchen of your home in clean and tidy condition, free from termite, dirt or waste food materials.
1. Make use of cleaning solutions that are available in the market to get rid of mess and stickiness in the kitchen.
2. Take care of the cabinets near the kitchen sinks. Wipe them regularly so that the water from the sink does not spoil them.
3. Clean fresh stains with wet cloth to avoid catching moisture and fungus. In case of hard to go stubborn stains, use a clean cloth dampened with mild solution and water.
4. For cleaning pulls and knobs, use mild soap and warm water instead of harsh metal polishes to prevent them from rusting.
5. Regularly inspect wooden cabinets against termite growth so that there is no damage to the cabinets.
6. Do not make direct use of spray on cabinet glass windows. Instead spray a small amount of cleaner onto a soft cloth and then wipe the glass.
7. Never use your dish cloth to clean or dry wooden cabinet as it may contain traces of detergent or grease, which might cause damage to the wooden surfaces.
1. Make use of cleaning solutions that are available in the market to get rid of mess and stickiness in the kitchen.
2. Take care of the cabinets near the kitchen sinks. Wipe them regularly so that the water from the sink does not spoil them.
3. Clean fresh stains with wet cloth to avoid catching moisture and fungus. In case of hard to go stubborn stains, use a clean cloth dampened with mild solution and water.
4. For cleaning pulls and knobs, use mild soap and warm water instead of harsh metal polishes to prevent them from rusting.
5. Regularly inspect wooden cabinets against termite growth so that there is no damage to the cabinets.
6. Do not make direct use of spray on cabinet glass windows. Instead spray a small amount of cleaner onto a soft cloth and then wipe the glass.
7. Never use your dish cloth to clean or dry wooden cabinet as it may contain traces of detergent or grease, which might cause damage to the wooden surfaces.