Since late 2019, the world is facing an unprecedented crisis in the form of the coronavirus or COVID-19. The virus has so far taken a toll of nearly a million lives and several thousand people get affected every day. Many global businesses have been disrupted and economies are in recession. Most parts of the world continue to be in lockdown and social distancing is the new mantra. Scientists in several countries are working overtime to arrive at a vaccine for treating the disease. While it is not known how soon the present scenario will change for the better, people everywhere are getting used to a new lifestyle, where the focus is on the essential things of life. Avoidable expenses are cut, including travelling for meetings or even work. Working from home has also meant increased leverage of technology such as what the internet enables

What are some of the important things to look for when you decide to buy a home?

Buying a home is one of the most important decisions in a person’s life. And like all important decisions, this too has to be taken with thought and consideration. Well, priorities are different for different people but there are generally some things that we have to essentially consider when going for buying a home that will be our nest for many years to come.

Some of the important considerations in home-buying are

• Price
• Location
• Access to amenities
• Access to schools and hospitals
• Safety
• Condition of the building

Every family works according to a budget. Comfort and happiness are certainly not about spending money extravagantly but in finding your optimum living space within your monetary limitations. One should have a keen eye for good deals. Also, a futuristic assessment of a property might reveal to you its potential for price appreciation. For example, considering the expansion of software processing zones in our country, an apartment not far away from such a one is definitely an investment in more ways than one.

People like to stay connected. A home not far away from the happening events in town is something most people prefer. You do not want to live removed from your business connections, friends or relations. How strategic is the place of location of the apartment with respect to access to major hospitals, educational institutions, railway station, airport, banks, etc are things worth considering.

Most cities in our country have supermarkets and amenities like petrol pumps, cooking gas provider, fish and vegetable markets, gymnasia, auditoria, stadia, etc are accessible distances. But it definitely helps to have these in your checklist.

Even if you do not have school-going children at the time of buying a home, it makes sense to think long-term and have an eye on good schools in the locality. Same goes for hospital as it is a service everyone uses at various points. If there are members in the family with chronic illnesses, this factor assumes even more important, sometimes the biggest priority.

Good apartments come with adequate security features like surveillance mechanisms. Apart from that you must have an idea of the locality outside the building too. Is there a police station nearby, what is the crime record of the area, how safe is it?

Last but not the least is the condition of the building itself, especially if you are moving into a readymade house. You must check on the credentials of the technical crew involved in its construction and verify the quality and robustness of its plumbing, electrical work, carpentry and environmental friendliness aspects.

People with pets will have to check for how friendly is the apartment and the neighbourhood to animals and birds.

Availability of drinking water, pollution control and means of waste disposal are important day-to-day needs that one needs to be absolutely sure of before settling down for a particular apartment.

When it comes to features of the apartment, there will be preferences like number of bedrooms, bathrooms, balcony, air conditioning, tiling, etc. Take care of those too.

And finally, when you have decided on buying a home, it is prudent to check for home loans and their interests with various financial providers and settle for the best.

Home is where the heart is. When we say a comfortable home, first of all, we need to define what is meant by comfort. It is a space where you feel totally relaxed and ‘at home’. What best place for that than your own home! However, it is easier said than done. Many homes are poorly managed when it comes to keeping them free of clutter. We all tend to accumulate things and end up with stuff that robs the interiors of our living spaces off their positive energy.

One way to declutter and generate free space is to have storage areas – be they cabinets, cupboards or containers. Plenty of stuff including old memorabilia is better off stacked there since you do not have daily use of it. Disposing off stuff that is absolutely of no use anymore is not a bad idea. Free spaces coming under staircases can be creatively used for more storage.

You must be careful in choosing ergonomic furniture, especially for sitting long hours and working. Beanie bags and sinking sofas might look fancy and attractive but from a practical point of view, are better used sparsely. This is more important for people with chronic bad back.   Foldable chairs and desks are a clever way of regaining space when you are not carrying out a particular activity like study or eating a meal.

Your reading spaces should be well-wit. You must utilize natural light as much as possible. Creative use of ceiling or walls to make way for sunlight to get in during the day saves much on electricity bill. Even when the television is on, it is advisable to have a light in the area so that the eyes are less strained. Plants such as crotons kept potted in the living room are sure to bring about a positive feel. 

It is important that you carefully choose the colour of the walls of your home. The right colour can not only make the room more comfortable to be in but also give out positive energy to help align your thoughts in a right direction. A balcony caressed by a gentle breeze or a terrace where you can sit in total peace and quiet add wonders to the living experience.

Wise people realize the importance of the kitchen, a part of the home where many people spend a lot of their waking time. Cabinets and drawers should be easily accessible. The bins and crockery items should be kept organized for aesthetic and practical reasons. It should be spacious enough to accommodate a music system or speakers so that you can listen to music or podcast while you cook. Lighting is again important in the kitchen.

The bedroom should be the least cluttered. It should have all the elements needed to ensure you get a sound night’s sleep as this is important for your mental and physical well-being. You do not want any loud or distracting lighting, objects that are not pleasing to the eye, etc adorning your room of rest. These are only some of the innovative ways of making your home comfortable overall.

You are now ready to make one of the biggest investments in your life. You are ready to buy a property and Thiruvananthapuram is one of your choices. If you are wondering if buying a property in Thiruvananthapuram is a good decision, you have come to the right place. Here are the reasons why it would be a smart choice to make.

Buying property is something that needs careful thinking. It will be an investment for a lifetime therefore it only makes sense that you make the right decision while purchasing a new property. If you plan to live there now or anytime in the future, it is important that the place must be well accessible, well- planned and must have good people.

Good Investment for now and the future
Thiruvananthapuram, also known as Trivandrum, is known for its good old charm. It is one of those places that make you feel nice. It is growing in popularity with more IT parks coming in the vicinity. This has brought about ample opportunity for new job prospects. Therefore now would be a good time to invest in a property in Trivandrum, as the value will definitely increase in the long run, be it as an investment or a place you’d like to move to, you will not regret it. If you are not going to live there, for the time
being, renting it out will also be a good option.

Well-planned Infrastructure
There are a lot of facilities, like government buildings, hospitals and schools that are easily accessible, that make living in Trivandrum convenient and comfortable. There are also many beautiful places in and around Trivandrum like art galleries, the Varkala beach, Vellayani lake, film parks and the Napier Museum that one can visit and unwind.

Peaceful Place to live in
One does not need an explanation as to how beautiful the place is. Also known as the “Evergreen city of India”, Thiruvananthapuram is filled with beautiful lush green landscapes and public parks for recreation.

Easy Accessibility
It also has a well-planned transportation system. So be it public transport by road (KSRTC), rail, sea or air (Thiruvananthapuram International Airport), Trivandrum has it all.

Being the cultural hub of Kerala, one can never get bored of discovering the wonders of this place. With good and friendly people always ready to help, beautiful scenery, well-designed infrastructure and good accessibility, Thiruvananthapuram is a brilliant choice to buy a property in.

Apartments can be brilliant. You get to live in a nice community with a lot of facilities and also have the option of choosing a house on whichever floor you prefer. Whether you like to stay at ground level or among the trees, or higher, the choice is yours. However, there are certain issues that come with living in apartments and the first one is space.

Read on to know how you can save space in your apartment.

1. The visual effect
   When you enter any space, you first notice it visually and only then understand itphysically. Therefore, pay attention to the visual aesthetics of your space. And this is where smart use of colours comes into play. Using lighter colours for the walls and ceiling will automatically make any space look and feel larger. Avoid darker colours.
2. Let your space breathe.
   The concept of minimalism is to avoid unnecessary weight in your space. This can beboth physical weight (furniture) or visual weight (using too many colours or wall decor). Avoid too many patterns or filling your space with too many things. Using neutral shades like grey or white with a touch of brown and black or blue can do wonders to your space. Keep it clutter-free.
3. Efficient space-planning:
   Effective planning plays an important role in any space. This helps the easy flow oftraffic. Plan the placement of your furniture in such a way that it does not obstruct movement within your space. For example, make sure there is at least 3’ space between your furniture and the wall if you have to use the space to walk to a room.
4. Space-saving smart furniture.
   There are many options available in smart furniture these days. Depending on how much space you have, you can choose furniture that can have many uses. For example, you get chairs and beds that also serve as storage with storage space under the seat. You can use a sofa-cum-bed in your living room so your it can be transformed into a resting area in case you have too many guests.
5. Place heavy furniture against the wall.

Always remember that the heavy furniture must be placed against a wall. Be it your couch, sofa, large desk or bed, putting them against the wall will make your space more spacious.

6. The right furniture.
It can be very exciting to shop for furniture and you can get easily carried away by

everything that is available in the market. But remember that not everything that you like will fit or suit your space. Decide on a theme or colour scheme for your house and stick to it. Buy furniture that will be of the right size for your space. Would you like to have a huge King-sized four-poster bed in a small minimal guest bedroom? I don’t think so.

7. Those precious corners.
Do you know that place where two walls meet? Many at times, we tend to ignore those

precious corners. Using corner shelves, corner units or L-shaped furniture, you save a lot of space and make use of what would have otherwise just been unused dead space.

Here is a tip: To make your space look less boring and more lively, try to incorporate some indoor plants. The transformation will be magical.

Are you planning to buy a new home but not sure as to what to look into before making the big investment?

Here are five tips for you to consider before you purchase your new home.

Stay within your budget.
It is always important to budget your expenses especially when you are planning to buy a new house. Properties are available in all sizes to suit all budgets. Have a budget and stick to it. Do not buy something that exceeds your budget because buying a new house doesn’t end with just that. There will be a lot more expenses that follows. (You’ll have a lot of decor shopping to do!)

Decide on a location
Decide where you would like to buy your house. Depending on the purpose of your purchase, decide if you would want to buy a house in the city where everything is easily accessible or in the outskirts where you would like to unwind during a weekend.

Accessibility
If you are looking to buy a property in the city and wish to live there, make sure the house is located in a place that has easy access to public transportation, schools, hospitals, supermarkets and parks. Try to look for a place that is close to your workplace. It would be wise to pick a place that is close to all these places so you can save time on transportation.

The type of house
Decide on the kind and style of house you wish to buy. If you are someone who likes to live in an independent house, purchase one that suits your choice. If you are someone who likes to live in a large community or high rise buildings, buy an apartment.

Please remember that the price might vary according to the floor you chose to buy your house in. See if the house is well ventilated and has enough space around it. You do not want to look out of the window only to see inside your neighbour’s house. Pay attention to the amenities in case it is an apartment.

Resale Value
A property that you buy is a long term investment. Depending on the location and size, you can have an idea of the possible resale value of the house. If it is in a place that is already well developed or is developing, the house will definitely increase in value.

Apart from the above tips make sure there is an elevator and a good fire exit if you are buying your property in a high rise building. Enquire if the property has no legal issues. Look for a place with good neighbours.

A house is a place you will make into a home and want to live peacefully. Carefully planning will help you make a choice that you won’t regret in the future.

Most executors of infrastructure development programmers and builders of real estate, i.e. the construction companies in India, are under the umbrella of the over-seven-decades-old Builders’ Associa¬tion of India (BAI).

A little change makes all the difference.

At Cordial Homes, we believe in providing spaces beyond the expectations of customers. Blending optimum space utility, living amenities and aesthetic ambience; we create a place for you to live.

The much-awaited Onam was celebrated at Cordial Homes with enthusiasm and spirit.