Gold or real estate? Flip a coin

A popular term in Hindi; Roti, Kapda aur Makaan, translates as food, clothing and a house, the bare essentials for survival. While an average person toils and moils all year round so provide these for his family, the focus has shifted ever since the recent dip in gold rates. It has been a couple of years since share market enthusiasts have drifted and found their way to gold and real estate. 

Having said that, one questions whether the returns given by these safer investments are likely to sustain. If gold rates have seen a 20% decrease, are real estate prices also likely to plummet? Is there any correlation between gold and real estate prices? According to a survey by Karvy, there is. Their results of the Hong Kong market said real estate index and gold prices have 81% correlation. 

The Indian market has a similar story for the year 2012-13.

Builders and developers are coming up with new, affordable schemes to lure people into making purchases. Jewellers are known to tempt people into investing in gold by predicting a rapid rise in rates in the near future. In fact, when gold rates decline, people are known to sell their real estate investments in order to invest in gold!

So if you have not purchased a home yet and are waiting for that moment that rates see a fall, there is no guarantee that it may happen merely because gold rates have fallen and you may only hope for it to be true. One may argue that real estate prices may not go down considering land is limited after all but its demand is not. Gold on the other hand is not as limited as land for sure and is an international commodity so it's rate is more likely to keep fluctuating. Land prices may stagnate at the most but not fall.

However, all these are debatable but the fact of the matter remains that people wait for a trigger to make them invest in either gold or real estate. One can work as a trigger for the other but will we be able to predict that? At least for now we can be delighted to not be forced to choose between food and clothing.

SARE Homes launches The Grand in Sec 92, Gurgaon

We have been known to provide quality community housing at strategic locations in India and are now all set to offer a grand 5-star lifestyle with the launch of 'The Grand' in Sector 92, Gurgaon.

Developed as part of the newest phase of its mature 65-acre integrated township SARE Crescent ParC, The Grand consists of 23-floors of elegance in the form of 3-&-4 BHK air-conditioned apartments, with opulent lobbies, concierge services and grand terrace balconies that are perfect for hosting quintessential parties.

Available in sizes ranging between 1,853 and 2,280 sq. ft, all apartments at The Grand are centrally air-conditioned and equipped with sophisticated individual zone-control (VRV System). These apartments are priced in the range of Rs 97 lakh – 1.19 crore.

Step into the world class amenities at The Grand, which offers an 18,000 sq. ft. 5-star luxury lobby, with two 23-storey high atriums, elegant reception areas with billiards tables, landscaped sit-outs, a coffee shop and several other thoughtful conveniences including kids entertainment options.

Residents can unwind in the serenity of The Grand’s 25,000 sq. ft. rooftop terrace which offers facilities including a relaxation deck, jogging track, herbal garden, star- gazing observatory and meditation centre.

While the basic sale price of these apartments is Rs 5,650 per sq ft, we are offering an inaugural discount of Rs 400 per sq ft. You can also look forward to a milestone-linked payment arrangement at The Grand, that's an indication of our commitment to strictly adhere to delivery deadlines.

As per the milestone linked payment plan, you will require to pay only 20 per cent of the sale price at the time of booking apartments. This will amount to Rs 12.5 lakh for a 3- BHK apartment and Rs 15 lakh for a 4-BHK apartment.

Mr David Walker, Executive Director, SARE Homes assures, “At SARE, we are fully focussed on developing homes that offer our customers a distinctive lifestyle and make their dreams into reality when they start living here. The homes are designed to match the lifestyle needs of modern home buyers, provide them with the latest conveniences and amenities, by which they can truly experience a luxurious style of living.”

One of the most exclusive features of The Grand is that it will be home to Gurgaon’s largest and finest Residential Club, spanning 35,000 sq. ft. It will offer you luxuries such as a party/Banquet Hall and Party Lawn and a pre-function area as well as stellar amenities - creche for resident’s children, a cafeteria on the ground floor, a restobar, cards room and library on the first floor, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, indoor heated swimming pool, outdoor swimming pool with kids pool, squash court, billiards & table tennis room, 2 outdoor badminton courts, an outdoor lawn tennis court, a skating rink and an amphitheater.

Strategically located at the Gurgaon growth corridor, the township is a part of the NCR - home to multinational IT/ITES, automobile and manufacturing companies. You will enjoy superior connectivity to Delhi via the Expressway, Metro, Rail and Bus services. The Grand will adjoin the proposed mega SEZ in NCR and you will have convenient access to an arterial 60-meter wide road. What's more, you will be just a 40-minute drive from the IGI Airport. The project is also situated at close proximity to the Dwarka and KMP Expressways as well as industrial hubs such as IMT, Manesar.

The Grand will present you a global lifestyle consisting of uninterrupted power supply, 24x7 multi-level security, wide and well lit inroads, landscaped paths, shopping, educational and medical facilities and several other modern amenities for your ultimate satisfaction.

What to consider when buying a New House?

Are you a young professional or an NRI who wants to invest in real estate in a developing area? Or is it your first home? With the real estate boom going on, ensuring that you buy the dream home at the right time at the right price is not an easy task. And before getting into action, you will have to do the required research of the areas thoroughly. While doing the research it is significant to consider if the purchase is purely an investment or do you plan to stay in the house for a long time? Making up your mind on the purpose of buying the property would ease the whole process to some extent. However, here are some key points that demands attention prior to deciding on the area. 

Budget 

Apart from many considerations, you should first fix your budget while buying. Fix a starting range and the upper limit beyond which you do not want to stretch. It is also wise to consider the loan factor along with the percentage of loan. Remember that there is always an added expenditure apart from the property price like the brokerage fee, registration cost, and so on. We will have to be prepared for those expenditures as well. 

When opting for a high rise apartment, the cost might increase with every floor you go up. For instance, a house on the 9th floor is pricier than a home on the third floor for obvious reasons like it is less affected by pollution and noise. And this is true especially in the cities. Not to forget the view that one gets with the height is also amazing. 

Some premium builders will charge more for their brand name and you will have to know which brand names are worth the money. For instance, there are builders who are known for the quality of the construction work that they provide. In such cases, it is worth the extra money as you can be rest assured that the building is there to stay, without hassles of cracks and leaks in a few years. Also maintenance costs would be comparatively lesser thus making it a better investment in the long run. With credible builders you are sure to get the best in terms of quality. For anybody an investment in property is decisive and we should definitely opt for renowned builders ensuring a purchase worth the money spent along with a sense of security. 

If you are buying a brand new home, then you will also have to plan for the interior designing, pay extra as property tax, VAT, service tax among other expenditures. With new homes, you have the flexibility to decorate and design the way you want to make it your own and with that comes cost as well. 

Facilities 

After deciding on budget, next come the facilities accessible for the money invested. Novel apartments include residential facilities like playground, parking, clubhouse, security, etc. While you consider outside facilities think of a few factors like the proximity of corporate hubs so that you don’t have to travel too far to your place of work. The locality should have good schools so that your kids or your future kids can get the best education as well. With improved lifestyle, it becomes necessary that the area of choice is close to multiplexes, clubs, lounge bars and airports. If you have an active social life then you need to consider these things as you don’t want to travel too far in the ever increasing traffic to reach your destinations. 

In all, if you are a serious buyer who has all the information and aggressively search in the targeted area with all your requirements in mind, you will be able to land on the right property. Your dream home will no longer be a dream but will be a reality very soon!