Feng Shui (2)

MIRRORS
MYTH: They are believed to reflect, absorb, cure, and/or redirect all negative energy.
FACT: This is probably the most widely practice “cure” of negative feng shui. Can a mirror symbolically reflect things? Yes. Can mirrors enhance the perception of a small space and dark space? Yes. Can mirrors add a decorative effect to a space? Yes. If we look at this scientifically however, mirrors only reflect light, which is a very small part of the world of physics. Energy is in and around everything and cannot be totally redirected because of a reflective surface.

BALANCE: The symbolism used with reflection is very positive. Mirrors used to enhance an interiors size perception, create a specific ambiance, or added as a decorative feature are also very positive. Mirrors are not “the aspirin of feng shui” as someone once said but should and could be used as a tool to symbolically reflect aspects of life, relationships, prosperity, self-empowerment, etc. Most importantly though it must feel right to you, suit the space, and the décor of the home.

CRYSTALS
MYTH: Crystals cure everything!
FACT: All stones, gems and crystals have healing effects and benefits. For centuries different cultures and civilizations throughout the world have utilized, studied, and prescribed these natural resources as an elixir and healer of physically, emotionally, mentally troubling problems of life.

BALANCE: Understanding each precious property can be used to amazingly shift and transform energy. However, much care should be taken in regards to placement, caring for, and cleansing them. Like all the things they hold energy and need to be recharged and revitalized. Hanging crystals do not cure everything if you don’t understand and believe in the power all gems, stones, and crystals have.

DIRECTION (North, South, East & West)
MYTH: Everything in a home must be arranged according to global direction—north, south, east, and west--- and if it’s not bad things can happen!
FACT: Due to the lack of electricity and technology over 3,000 years ago when feng shui was founded, optimizing direction of placement was crucial. Knowing that a home facing east would have part of the home warmed from the sun at a certain time of the day and the other part cool in the night, was highly beneficial. Most often bedrooms were set in the west because as the sun set it would warm these areas last.
BALANCE: Very logical and understandable, but to try and apply direction, let alone get an accurate compass reading due to the huge amounts of EMF’s (electro-magnetic frequencies) in urban areas is impractical. Within interiors today, and the size and shape of the most rooms, your furniture placement would like quite funny if all you followed were direction placement.

Facts of Feng Shui (1)

Facts of Feng Shui (1)

·         According to Chinese tradition, there are 3 types of luck- which are they?

Heaven, earth, man. Heaven, earth, man are known as TIEN TI REN. If these are balanced they can bring enormous good fortune to you. Heaven luck is beyond our control, it's what was bestowed upon us at birth - where we were born, what colour our eyes are. Earth luck can be influenced by our trying to balance the natural forces of our environment. Feng Shui offers guidelines to help influence one's Earth Luck. Man luck is the luck you make for yourself - you will find it difficult to get a job if you don't look for one!

·         Which plant signifies prosperity and romance?

Peony:  In Feng Shui "enhancers" are used to help the flow of good Chi. One such enhancer are plants, as long as they are healthy! The Peony is excellent for enhancing marriage opportunities. Jade Plants are used to bring in prosperity and abundance. Yellow Chrysanthemum's are symbolic of a life of ease, happiness and joy. Narcissus symbolizes career luck, good fortune.

·         What color is considered to bring good fortune?

Red  colour is used to help with the Yin/Yang balance in homes and offices. Red is Yang energy (positive), it is considered to be very auspicious; the traditional Chinese bride dresses in red. At New Year, gifts of money in red envelopes are distributed by the matriarch of the family, to ensure a good financial year. 

The fall of rupee is attracting more NRIs to Indian realty market

The sharp dip of the rupees’ against the US dollar has increased the temptations of non-resident Indians (NRI) to buy property. Realtors are expecting an increase of 35% in business inquiries

from the expatriates this year, reveals the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) recent findings.

Releasing the Assocham paper on 'Falling rupee sparks property boom from NRIs', D S Rawat, secretary general Assocham said, "With the rupee riding low against the dollar, Indian residents are looking to accelerate investment plans back home". The rupee has fallen by about 34% against the US dollar since August 2011 and crossed 65 against the dollar.

According to a survey conducted by Assocham has upon nearly 1250 real estate developers in Delhi-NCR, Dera Basi, Mohali near Chandigarh, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune,Dehradun, Chennai etc. favorable exchange rates have facilitated the interest for buying property among NRIs.

Most of the real estate developer are saying that  the NRI traffic is primarily coming from the UAE/Gulf region, US, Singapore, Australia, UK, Canada, South-Africa etc. and the demand is more for high end properties and commercial buildings.

The Ancient Art of Feng Shui

The ancient art of Feng-shui, stems from a Chinese philosophical system that is believed to create harmony between human existence and the surrounding environment. It is a complex reserve of ancient art and science that reveals the tricks of balancing the energies of a given space to ensure good health and fortune of those who inhabit the space.

The term Feng-shui, is a Chinese term that literally translates into ‘wind-water’.  Having its roots in the ancient wisdom of Chinese culture, where wind and water are associated with good health and well being, the art of Feng-shui is based on the Taoist perception and understanding of nature and its core elements. It stems from the belief that the land is alive and is filled with ‘energy’ or ‘chi’ which directly affects the well-being of people. The ancient Chinese believed that it is the energy of the land that makes or breaks a kingdom and hence the 5 elements of Feng-shui – wood, fire, earth, metal and water are the key to unlocking the wealth and wisdom in a given space. Each of these elements are represented by various colours, and it is their concentration that is believed to being about positive or negative changes in the people’s lives by either balancing or disrupting the energy symbiosis is a space.

Historically Feng-shui was extensively used and practiced while building structures in ancient China, especially those of spiritual or religious significance, like tombs etc. Though this ancient art was suppressed in mainland China during the cultural revolution of the 1960s, it has gained popularity and has made a niche for itself, having spread to several other global cultures. Today, it is a common practice to keep Feng-shui recommendations in mind while setting up a new residence or office.

Carefully Calculate Your EMI

By definition EMI refers to ‘A fixed payment amount made by a borrower to a lender at a specified date each calendar month. Equated monthly installments are used to pay off both interest and principal each month, so that over a specified number of years, the loan is paid off in full.’

Most of the property purchases made are facilitated through bank loans. These bank loans are then repaid through monthly installments that cater to the principal amount along with a small interest. The EMI that you are required to pay against a loan amount depends on several factors – the loan amount, the loan tenure, and the (reducing) interest rate. Another factor that needs to be taken into account is the down-payment made at the time of purchase.

Ideally the EMI is calculated as per the following formula:

E = P. r. (1+r) ^n/ (1+r) ^n-1)

E= The EMI

P = The Principal loan amount

r = The rate of interest, calculated on a monthly basis. (E.g.: If the annual rate of interest is 10% then ‘r’ will be calculated as 10/12/100 = 0.00833)

n= The loan tenure or duration, considered in number of months

You can use this formula to correctly calculate the EMI for various loan amounts. However, always remember that a low EMI amount is preferable even if the loan tenure is higher, because when calculating EMI amounts it is advisable to keep both deflationary and inflationary scenarios in mind. Low EMI amounts are easy to manage even in low income scenarios.

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Merlin Oxford – The Legacy of South Kolkata

 Located in the heart of one of the most posh areas in South Kolkata, Merlin Oxford is a landmark property built by The Merlin Group. Consisting of high value residential flats the Merlin Oxford property is a premium property of lavish yet thoughtfully designed flats.

With a cover-up area of 1200 sq. feet, the property comprises 3BHK flats with built in modular kitchens, with 2 bathrooms and at least a balcony each, alongwith amenities like 1 servant’s room, a covered garage, a store room, 24 hours power backup and security. Located in a premium area, the property is very well connected and has a hospital, a shopping mall, a school, a metro station, all within a radius of 5kms. Currently the flats are available both on rent and sale, with an approximate rent of Rs 30,000 per month. For sale purposes, they flats are listed at a price of around Rs 75-80 lakhs a unit.

Merlin Oxford is a signature property of the Merlin Group and marks the excellence this brand has achieved in the residential property market in Kolkata As one of the finest properties developed by Merlin, Oxford has attracted a lot of eyeball. The flawless design scheme and the sheer brilliance of the architecture has attained much appreciation from the patrons. Alongside, the high end facilities made available to the residents has made Merlin Oxford one of the fastest selling properties of the Merlin Group.

The Man Behind the Show – Sushil Mohta

The Merlin Group is a renowned name in the world of real estate. With the core of the business as housing the group has now expanded its activities to various commercial complexes including malls, office buildings, townships etc. Having set up its roots in the heart of Kolkata, more than three decades ago, Sushil Mohta, the Managing Director of the company has propelled the group forward.

Born in a Marwari family in Kolkata, Mohta idolized his father who was a self-made man. From a very young age, he learnt to dream big, and wanted to surpass his father’s  achievements andmake his family proud. Having completed his education from St. Xaviers in Kolkata at the ripe age of 17 he started helping his father in the family business. Here he gained much experience which equipped him with the business and people management skills he required in the later years when he started with his own real estate business.

Since the family’s business was ball bearings, his foraying into the real estate business seemed unusual at the time, especially since real estate was not a booming market back then. But as is the case with every true visionary he saw the potential of this market and stood by his choice.  In a market condition that was mostly dominated by the unorganized sector, he started and ran his business on corporate principles, which brought a degree of professionalism to this sector. After several years of hard work and many lessons learnt it was around 1990, that he created the Merlin brand, and ever since then there has been no looking back!

Latest in the World of Real Estate - Real Estate in a sluggish economy

In spite of the sluggish economy and the falling value of the rupee, the real estate sector has been surprisingly expanding its scope of operations. This is primarily due to the factor that over the last 10 years or so, the Indian realty sector has consistently channelized the FDI and the NRI investment pools. In the falling economy the Indian government has resorted to various reformative reforms for the stakeholders in the recent past.

Earlier this year, keeping in mind the needs of the residential real estate sector the RBI had reduced the rates for external commercial borrowing. Following the cue, the World bank has also recently sanctioned a fund of $100 million for affordable residential properties, that is to be implemented over the period of the next 5 years. The Indian government is also contemplating to relax the FDI norms aiming to attract large quantities of foreign investment in this falling economic situation, to keep the realty sector afloat.

Currently, with an increase in the demand for residential properties all over the country, coupled with relaxed norms, favorable regulatory policies and imminent avenues of funding the real estate sector has its hands full.  The sector looks to be maturing, consequently indicating growth and opportunities for all its sub sectors. However, the final outcome is still in question, though the major players in the sector are hopeful that the real estate market in India will benefit from the transparency and streamlining of the investments, due to be facilitated by the ratification of the regulatory bill by the Rajya Sabha. 

Latest from the World of Real Estate

The real estate industry in India has been suffering due to the consequences of the economic slowdown over the last few years. In order to boost the flow of funds in this sector, the government of India is considering making some drastic changes with regards to Foreign Direct investment (FDI).

According to the suggestions from the urban development ministry, real estate firms with less than 50% foreign ownership are to be exempted from all restrictions including the minimum area norms. This is to attract foreign capital, even those who do not have specific long term interest. Another motive is to allow the players of this segment to raise funds from foreign institution to support the finances, thus fulfilling a dual role of keeping the inflow of cash for construction without imposing on the already strained domestic financial institutions.

A similar proposal has been suggested for foreign investment in slum redevelopment and urban renewal projects, as well as for foreign investors picking up more than 50% stake major relaxation of policies has been advocated. This includes permission to purchase farmland for the firms funded by FDI, as well as reduction of the minimum land parcel size for plotted development to 5 acres from 10 hectares. Foreign investors will now also be allowed to sell underdeveloped plots, though the Indian companies will need to provide the infrastructure and undertake development before occupancy. These changes in the rules for FDI in real estate are deemed to bring about a positive outlook in the sector and thus keep the real estate a booming sector as ever.

Facilitating Your Dream Home

The exalted reputation of the Merlin group precedes them. For the last three decades the Merlin group have established themselves as one of the most trusted ad visors in the real estate world – not only through the quality property they are known to design and build but also because of the superior customer services they offer.

The Merlin group will help you visualize and eventually create your dream home – but their services go beyond. Most people opt for home loans when purchasing a house - with the Merlin Group association, getting a home loan sanctioned becomes easier. Furthermore the group also guides the clients through the whole procedure. As a real estate developing agency, the group has collaborations with several banking institutions and will help you meticulously plan the details of repaying your loan. They will outline for you all the necessary requirements as well as direct you regarding the loan amounts and the repayment options. The group works together with the lending institutions so as to facilitate the loan thus making the loan sanctioning process a cakewalk. It is in fact, because of superior services like these that takes away most of the headache of the necessary paperwork etc, from the already busy schedule of the clients that they swear by the Merlin Group!

Creating Trusted Relationships

For the last three decades the Merlin Group has dedicated itself to creating value homes for people across the country. Transparency and honesty and two of the key philosophies propagated by the Merlin group which have helped them establish supremacy and trust not only among their peers in the real estate world, but also among their clients.

Mr. Suman Chattopadyay, a journalist with a leading publication in Kolkata describes coming back home to his apartment at Merlin Residency, as an invigorating experience after hard day’s work. A senior pilot, Captain Amit Tandon claims that Merlin Greens turned out exactly like he had seen in the brochure. Moreover a premium club membership within his complex was a bonus. Mr. Chin Tchai Yu in the Merchant Navy, was concerned about ensuring a secure home for his family, since he does not stay in the city for more than 6 months in a year. Merlin Greens came to his rescue! Mrs. Debjani Ghosh cannot stop gushing about her Merlin Riverview apartment with a spectacular view of the Ganges and open ventilated rooms, just what she had wanted in a dream home. Mr. Amiyo Kr. Paul, Joint Manager at the Bank of Baroda, on the other hand, raves about the splendid lifestyle features the complex has to offer. Ask any Merlin flat owner, and they will tell you how Merlin built them homes, as close to their dream homes as it could get!

Invest in the Right Residential Property – Secondary Factors

When buying a property there are many things you need to consider – Location, Floor Location and Family Considerations being some of the key deciding factors. However, there are several secondary factors that you should factor and then make an informed decision.

Basic Facilities Provided: Take into consideration the basic facilities that are provided with the flat. Account for amenities like water and power supply, back-up power arrangements, security, elevator, parking facilities etc.  Consider if there are facilities like public transportation, schools, hospitals, marketplaces nearby. Though flats with all or most of the aforementioned benefits will be a tad bit costlier as an investment, in the long run they will save you a lot of time and money.

Budget: It is one of the most important factors when making a property purchase decisions. Most people resort to a bank loan when purchasing a house. It is crucial to discuss the associated fine print, in elaborate detail as well as the EMI options. When considering EMI options, make sure you factor that into your monthly budget, barring your regular monthly expenses. Also discuss it with your family and ensure you have a contingency plan handy, in case the funds run dry for a particular month.

Invest in the Right Residential Property

A perfect home is one’s dream come true. With the ever-increasing property prices in India, investing in real estate to many is much like investing in gold – you can hardly ever go wrong with it. However, there are a few key factors that you should consider when planning to invest in real estate:

aa)      Location is one of the key determining factors of whether a particular property is a good investment. Always try to invest in property which is an upcoming location, because when acquiring the property you will not only get it at cheaper rates than in developed areas but it is also very likely that in a few years time, the property will be worth twice its present value.

bb)    Floor Location has a great impact on property prices. Flats on the ground floor sell for a much higher value than those on the floors above. This is simply because the availability and the accessibility of amenities are much easier from the ground floor, which in turns creates a higher demand.

cc)      Family Considerations: When investing in property, always think long term. If you already have a family or are planning one, consider if the locality, society, facilities provided by the complex would be in tandem with the needs of your future family.

The Real Estate Market in India

India’s economy has been fluctuating considerably over the last two years. The country has been battling several economic issues like food inflation, falling currency value, fiscal deficit, etc. which have had a direct impact on the real estate market in India. This is especially relevant for the residential property market since the economic prosperity of the citizens is directly proportional to the demand for homes.

In the first half of 2013, major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai have seen a sharp decline in the sale of residential properties. Though Bangalore and Pune have done better, because of the IT expansion in these cities, it is so only by marginal standards. One of the key reasons of this is that the prices of properties in the major cities have been rising despite the fall in demand. According to data collated by Global Property Guide, property prices in Delhi have seen the sharpest spike over the last year, by almost 60%, higher than in any of the other cities from the 43 countries surveyed. Property prices in Mumbai have gone through the roof making the city all the more unaffordable. Under these circumstances the only recourse is for thecities to expand their boundaries and the builders and developers to lower their profit margins and price expectations, so as to keep the market green and going.

Merlin – CREDAI Home Front

One of the most sought after names in the commercial real estate sector, the Merlin Group, recently showcased their best deals at the CREDAI Home Front Show in Kolkata. At this year’s CREDAI Home Front exhibition, held between August  9^th and 11^th, the Merlin Group showcased some of their most coveted properties from all sectors – residential, commercial, industrial estates, hospitality and leisure, joint ventures and townships. Their top-of-the-line advisory and project management services were also highlighted at the exhibit. 

As one of the most awaited residential property shows in Kolkata, the Home Front exhibition, scours out and showcases some of the most popular property deals in and around Kolkata.  With more than 9000 members through 20 states and 128 cities, CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India) works to raise the issues of national concern in the real estate sector so as to ensure unhindered development. 

Held at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Salt Lake, this year, the Bengal Chapter of the CREDAI Home Front exhibition served as a meeting point of Bengal’s top real estate investors and enthusiasts. Taking advantage of this opportunity The Merlin Group secured a central stall at the exhibit and ran various promotional offers to encourage participation including offering a surprise gift on the booking of a flat. 

Luxury Redefined at Reflection!

Reflection, a flagship residential project built by the consortium of the Merlin and Olympia groups, recently achieved new heights of luxury through a strategic alliance with Quintessentially Lifestyle.  A renowned name in the world of luxury, Quintessentially Lifestyle will now provide a Members Only Concierge Club, for the residents of this 900 crore project, located on the East Coast Road, at Thiruvidanthai village in Chennai.

The project is slated to have unique, luxury beach homes, spread over 35 acres encompassing n 8 acre natural lagoon. Its 4 high rise signature towers - Nebula, Seashells, Eldoris and Lorraine of sprawling villas and apartments are designed so as to have an uninterrupted sea view. With properties ranging from Rs 2.5 to 3.5 crores for apartments and Rs 4 to 6 crores for beach villas, Reflection is one of the Merlin Group’s most exclusive residential properties.

  

As a symbol of modern architecture and fine living, Reflection aims to provide for the very best quality of life to its residents. This strategic partnership with Quintessentially Lifestyle will redefine luxury for the Indian markets by adding an edge to this property, through which the residents will have access to assorted privileges from the best hotels, spas, clubs, restaurants and other luxury products across the globe.