Mezzanine Floors

It's a good idea to think out of the box when it comes to purchasing or renting property. What may seem like an odd shape or size can be used creatively to maximize floor space and give you more value for your money.
Mezzanine floors are such commercial properties; these balcony-like floors within an enclosed space provide additional area and are ideal for offices, shops, showrooms and even restaurants and art galleries. They can also be used for purposes such as storage.
Two types of mezzanine spaces are available; the first is accessible from the ground floor and is included free of charge along with the ground floor, while the other has a separate entrance and is sold or rented independently. Both types provide additional floor space which is why rental rates and purchase price of mezzanine floors are usually higher than those of conventional spaces.

Understanding Short Term Investment & Long Term Investment; What to Invest in 2011

What is Short Term Investment & Long Term Investment, What to Invest in 2011:
A property that is bought and resold within six to twelve months is referred to as a a short term investment in the real estate market, whereas a property held for three to five years and then sold is referred to as a long-term investment.
Here is a closer look at the real estate trends that have emerged in Pakistan since 1995:

• 1995-2000: Investment was primarily long-term and property prices appreciated by nearly 60 to 70%.
• 2000-2005: Long term investment continued and investors enjoyed heavier appreciations as the economic landscape improved.
• 2006-Present: The short-term investment term began in 2006, when an unstable economy discouraged investors from investing in Pakistan; they opted for the Middle East instead. The people who choose to invest in Pakistan did so only for short periods of time (from six months to a year), after which they either made other short term investments to stopped investing in Pakistan altogether.

The effect of short-term investments in the real estate market include:

• Investors now prefer to sell their property as soon as it's value increase by six to seven percent; when prices decrease by even one percent, they purchase new properties.
• Continuous short-term investments eventually affect the long term scenario of the real estate market. Ideally, property appreciation at the end of a five-year period should be 25 to 30%. However, if short-term investment continuous, appreciation will remain significantly low, reaching only three to four percent.
• Ultimately, short term investments hamper the growth of the real estate sector and result in undervaluing the net worthy of the property. 

To discourage this trend, the Government should introduce value discount incentives for investors who hold on to properties for at least five years. This will encourage long-term investments, eventually rectify the problem and improve the current state of the real estate market.

Building Value In Your Property:Increase The Value Of Your Property

An emerging trend in real estate is constructing houses with value added features and using materials that are of a better quality, especially when reselling the property in question is a distinct possibility.
The following are some architectural measures and construction materials that can enhance the quality of your house's structure, making it stronger, more durable, easy to maintain and consequently increase its value.
1) Water Proofing: Nitrogen chemical, sealants and plastic sheets are used to water proof the plinth level at the time the foundation is being laid; sulphate resistant cement can also be used in foundations. Water proof paint used in overhead and underground water tanks can dramatically reduce water seepage and play a vital role in increasing the life of a building.
2) Insulation: Constructing with hollow blocks instead of regular bricks provides good insulation; they keep the structure cool and reduce air-conditioning related energy bills significantly.
3) Plumbing: Galvanized iron pipes are stronger and more durable compared to plastic ones. Remember it is easier to maintain pipes that are not concealed.
4) Roof: Laying tiles on the surface of the roof makes it a useable space and also provides heat proofing. Brick tiles are economical and ideal for this purpose as they are heat and water resistant and easy to maintain. If you have a higher budget, consider using marble tiles which also have a cooling effect.
5) Exterior: Embellishing the exterior with bricks, texture, and uncut maintenance free as opposed to painted walls.
6) Landscaping: Explore the possibility of 'hard' landscaping in the form of partially tiled yards and courtyards; these are easier and less expensive to maintain compared to a full fledged lawn.

DHA business zone:Business Hub

Located on Beach Avenue in Defense Phase VIII, the DHA Business Zone is currently under planning and promises to be a lucrative opportunities for investors. The development of the Business Zone is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2011 and experts in the real estate sector think that it will be an ideal venue for big brands and organizations looking for commercial office space or retail outlets that conform to international standards.
Here are the salient features for potential investors:

• Unlike other commercial areas in DHA, where the size of the plots are limited to 100 or 200 sq yds, the DHA business Zone offers plots measuring 333,666 and 5,000 sq yds. The Zone has a total of 54 plots: 19 plots measure 333 sq yds, 27 plots measure 666 sq yds and eight plot measure 5,000 sq yds.
• Plot prices range between Rs. 125,000 and 150,000 per sq yd; prices are expected to rise when development begins and the demand for property goes up.
• Building bylaws in the Zone differ from other commercial areas in DHA and include:
• Priority to office buildings.
• Retail outlets and restaurants may only be established on the ground and first floors of each building.
• Plots cannot be used for residential or educational purposes.
• Buildings must be disabled accessible and centrally air-conditioned.
• Minimum sizes for shops are 200 sq ft with a minimum width of 12 ft.
• Minimum sizes for office spaces are 1,000 sq ft.
• The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is 1:5 which means that the built up area of a building can be five times as much the plot size. For example, a building on a 333 sq yd plot can have a built up area of 1,665 sq yds.
• Only plot measuring 5,000 sq yds and above can be bifurcated into two separate plots of the same size.
  

Adding Value To your Property: Increase The Value Of Your Property

If you are planning on selling your home, here are some ideas that you can implement that will increase the value of your property.
1. Quality plumbing significantly increases the value of a property. Replace or repair broken pipelines, blocked gutter lines, seepage and leaky faucets.
2. Make sure the electrical wiring in the house is in working order; have extra switches placed at convenient locations.
3. Driveways should be hassle-free; paved lawns, using terracotta tiles or natural stone, are long lasting and easy to maintain.
4. Practical home extensions that add space within the house are ad added advantage. Extend kitchens if possible to include a pantry, and if your bathrooms are small, extend them to provide larger shower areas.
5. Revamp the kitchens with quality fittings and fixtures including cabinets, floor tiles, granite counter tops, large sinks, and rust-proof taps etc.
6. Install grills outside the windows (if not already in place); this will make the property more secure.
7. Introduce eco-friendly elements such as heat insulated roof. Superimposing bricks on to the property's exterior will cool the house and eliminate the need to repaint. These will be good selling points as they help reduce the future owner's electricity bill.
8. If you have space at the back, construct a servant's quarter with a bathroom. This is something most people look for when buying a house. Just make sure you do not violate the area's bylaws.

Rent A Summer Timeshare- And Save

Timeshare refers to the partial ownership of a property (usually a fully furnished summer home or resort conodominium) which allows each owner to use the property for a specified amount of time every year.
If you are not interested in actually buying a timeshare, you may want to consider renting one, as timeshare owners sometimes rent out their timeshare as an extra source of income.
Renting a timeshare property usually proves to be a cost effective alternative to staying at a hotel and can be an ideal option if you travel to the same destination every year.
There are several ways to rent a timeshare:
1. Fixed: You can use the property for the same amount of time, during the same dates, every year. (For example, the second week of June every year.)
2. Floating: You can use a property for the same amount of time during a specific season (For example, summer) on different dates every year. (For example, the first week of May in the first year, and the second week of June the following year.)
3. Rotating: You can use the property for the specified amount of time on an ongoing rotating basis every year. (For example, the first week of July in the first year, the second week of July in the following year, and so forth).
The following are approximate weekly rental rates for timeshare properties in some popular holiday destinations:
1. Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur/LangKawi):$50-600.
2. Sri Lanka (Colombo/Wadduwa): $450-750.
3. Singapore: $1,012-1,376.
4. Thailand (bangkok/Phuket): $75-400
5. turkey (Istanbul/Antalya): $1,250-1800.
6. UAE (Dubai): $1,295-1,750.
7. UK (London): $ 330-825.
The best way to rent a timeshare is by making an online booking or contacting a travel agent.

Pump Property: Choosing The Best Site For Your Fuel Pump

Given the constant rise in fuel prices, owing a petrol/CNG station is a lucrative venture. However, what is perhaps more significant in the context of real estate, is the fact that the value of commercial, and especially residential property, located within a 2 kilometer radius of a petrol/CNG station is 35% lower than properties located further away.

Possible safety hazards(such as fumes, toxicity, and fear of explosions) are the main reasons for this; other reasons include the constant vehicular traffic at petrol/CNG stations and the sequent noise, pollution and congestion.
There are a multitude of exhaustive rules and regulations that must be adhered to when constructing a petrol/CNG station, especially with regard to safety. These rules have been mandated by The Master Plan and Environment Control Department (MP & ECD), a government body that grants approvals and issues permits relating to the construction of petrol/CNG stations.
Once built, the MP & ECD conducts a thorough inspection before the petrol/CNG station can function.
Some of the MP & EC D's bylaws regarding construction include:
1. Plot sizes should be a minimum of 600 sq yd for a CNG station, 1000 sq yd for a petrol station and 1500 sq yd for a CNG/petrol station.
2.Petrol/CNG stations must have a 10-ft wide open space surrounding the structure on all four sides.
3. Petrol/CNG stations should be built adjacent to main roads and thoroughfares, with a service lane providing easy access.
4. There can only be one filing station in a one kilometer radius. The only exception to this rule is if a petrol/CNG station is located on the opposite side of a 100 ft wide double-carriage road that has a dividing media.
5. Adequate parking space should be allotted for supply tankers.
Constructing and setting up a petrol/CNG station can cost anywhere between 3.5 million and five million rupees. This price range does not include the cost of the plot.