Builders are confident that reluctant buyers can be made to invest with the promise of quality.

During economic slowdowns, companies worldwide will do well to hark back to a classic story of two branded chocolates. During the global recession in 1970, one of the brands, popular with children and young adults, reduced the thickness of the chocolate layer, while its competitor raised prices and maintained the quality of its product.

The former came under tough competition not only from the other brand but also from many players for several years. ...

While the real estate sector has traditionally been an investor’s domain with the finite nature of land yielding sure as well as hefty returns, lately, this segment has seen the entry of speculators in a major way. This has especially been the case after the opening up of the economy in the Nineties to global players.

With multinational companies entering the fray on a major scale and the Indian IT industry earning worldwide recognition for its quality and expertise, major metros as well tier-I and -II cities started seeing unprecedented growth. There was increased economic activity and high income, with double income widely becoming the norm.

The expected offshoot of this was a meteoric increase in demand for housing, especially high-end development projects that promised a luxurious lifestyle with state-of-the-art facilities. It soon transpired that investing in such projects would yield high returns with the investments comparatively more secure than stocks. ...

A narrow plot, a tough client and grand ideas. These were what an architect faced when he started work on his own house. SANGEETHA UNNITHAN visits an award

It was one of the most challenging projects that A. Dharma Keerthi, architect, and worked on in his 14-year-long career. There was a narrow 3,050-sq-ft (seven-cent) plot, a tough client and grand ideas for a dream home. The toughest thing about the project, however, was that Mr. Keerthi not only had to design the house but also finance it. For, this time, it was his own home in the making.

Mr. Keerthi’s house on Easwaravilasom Road that he designed with inputs from his wife, Bhavana, also an architect, won the second prize in the residence category of the Indian Institute of Architects Kerala Chapter award for excellence in architecture. A simple, white box-like structure from outside, this house amalgamates all the features necessary to make a typical minimalist design look aesthetically rich. ...

Do not wait anymore; borrow from the best option available, advises Srikala Bhashyam

In the last a month and half there has been plenty of action on the interest rate front. The stimulus package unleashed by the government in an effort to reduce the burden of slow-down has centered on rate cuts. As a result, interest rates have turned more volatile then sensex in the short term.

The above trend hag triggered speculation that days of home loan rates of 7.5-8 % could well be back in the near term. If we take a look at the whole market, the housing loan interest is in the range of 10.5 % to 12 %. But most of the individual borrowers still anticipating the rates to come down to single digit figures, which is most unlikely. ...

The Correction in property market might be pushing many to think of investing at current levels, But don’t rush, says srikala Bhashyam.

Till 2008, volatility was something associated largely with equity market. However, property has joined this club and as you would have noticed, prices have begun their download journey after galloping during early 2008, while the fall was associated with general downtrend and excess supply in the property segment; there has been a reversal in the latter. There has been a fall of 15-20 percent in property prices across the country and in some cities and location, it has been higher. Expectedly, this has prompted many to think of property as an investment.

While any time is good time for own living, invester need to be extra cautious when its comes to looking at property as an investment option. Even those looking for property for own use need to be a cautious as wrong choice can cause higher damage. Here are some tips, which could help you in choosing the right property....