Home Inspection: A New Lucrative Career in India

Although the concept of home inspection is new in India, the demand for the service has been on a steady rise. A large number of Indians, as well as NRI homebuyers, are opting for home inspection before investing in a property, new or resale. And interestingly, it is not the homebuyers only who are getting benefitted from it; all the stakeholders in the real estate space including sellers, resellers, builders and developers, and interior designers are reaping benefits from home inspection. It is turning out to be a win-win proposition for all. This remarkable end-user response is drawing support from the government as well. Recently introduced RERA also encourages quality check of the real estate property purchased by an individual. So, clearly, home inspection as a service has a bright future, which means, one can consider it as a lucrative field to build a successful career.

The job of a home inspector

To know if you have a career in home inspection, you must first try to understand what all the job of a home inspector covers:

  • Studying the property details:
    1. Whether a property is under construction, newly built and ready to move-in, new but second hand, or old; an apartment in a housing society or a standalone house, etc.
    2. Construction and repair history
    3. Location details: Proximity to a water body, low-lying area, elevated area, the climatic condition of the place, etc.
  • Visiting the site
  • Inspecting each and every component of the property – exterior as well as the interior: walls, ceilings, floors, doors and windows, plumbing system, electrical wiring system, furniture, appliance outlets, driveway, roofs etc. Learning how to use advance scanning devices.
  • Documenting the observations made.
  • Producing a report combining text and images.
  • Advising the best possible solutions to the damages detected.

Who can be a home inspector?

To become a Home Inspector, the requirement and qualification are not too difficult. Even a graduate, the diploma holder, retired professional, educated housewives or non-technical people can become home inspectors. They need to be smart & intelligent enough to run & manage their business. They have to do a home inspection certification course along with related practical training. They can enrol in an online or offline home inspection certificate course1 and learn the nitty-gritty of the job.

This is also a good career option for engineers and interior designers. Home inspector is a new career option for them. For the core job, people from streams like civil, mechanical, electrical are better suited.

What are the skills needed to become a successful home inspector?

More than a degree it is the following skills that are needed to become a successful home inspector:

  • Observing skills – the person must have an eye for detail.
  • Well conversant with the construction processes and materials used.
  • Highly diligent, non-tiring
  • Analytical
  • Moderate risk-taking ability

A basic sense of aesthetics is a must if you want to join this profession because without that you may not be able to read some subtle signs of damage in a home.

Career prospects in home inspection: An outlook

The sky is the limit for students qualified in home inspection. There are huge, untapped skill development and business opportunity waiting there for them to explore. They must go for it before the competition rises and the field becomes saturated just like the way it has happened in many other sectors. Instead of waiting for a conventional job or landing a not-so-satisfactory job after completing graduation / post-graduation, they must educate themselves in a new subject like a home inspection. After completing the home inspection course2, they can kick-start their career by interning with one of the premier home inspection companies like MACJ – A Buyers Choice in India and then choose to go for a full-time job. The median annual salary for inspectors in 2019 is around Rupees 3 to 4 lakhs. The projected growth rate for home inspectors in India is almost similar to the average of all the emerging occupations in India.

However, there is nothing like starting your own venture in home inspection. You can be your own boss from Day 1 and start earning around Rupees 50,000 or much more per month!

Here’s how you do it:

Franchise opportunity in home inspection

The concept of franchising in home inspection is gaining popularity in India. Entrepreneurs who once used to run their own standalone businesses are now considering a shift to the franchise model for growing their business. The reasons are pretty simple. Buying a franchise reduces the risk of going through the entire process business set-up to a large extent. The franchisor provides a franchisee with an already established business model, all the necessary guidance on an ongoing basis, and assistance in terms of systems and instruments (in some cases), inspection/marketing, etc – everything in return for a fee that can be one-time or periodic in nature. Other general advantages of buying a franchise3 are:

  • Independence of doing business supported by an already established brand
  • You don’t need any prior business experience. You are trained by your franchisor.
  • Higher rate of success than any start-up business
  • Pre-established processes & systems in place.
  • Securing finance is easier in a franchise business
  • You can build on the brand’s reputation, brand image, and proven work tactics

Entrepreneurs with prior experience in construction and home remodelling or interior design may find this business model suitable as they already have a working knowledge of the same. With a perfect team of professionals, a couple of licenses, training, and a proper business plan they can start earning handsomely from it from the first year itself.

Viability of the franchise model in this sunshine industry in India

Home inspection is still largely an unorganized sector in India with only a few big names like e-Ghar, MACJ – A Buyer’s Choice, HomeInspektor, measurement, check prop, Nemmadi, etc making an impact. The industry is a sunrise sector with little competition at this stage, leaves good scope for promising entrepreneurs to make headway and succeed. Before the socio-economic scenario changes and the sector reorients itself, these entrepreneurs must take the plunge and leverage the success of these brands by becoming their franchisee or start on their own.

If you see yourself as one of these entrepreneurs here are the three reasons why you must not delay any longer:

  1. The sector is new, which means there is a lot of potential in it
  2. The sector serves the heart of the Indian economy – Real Estate
  3. Over 100% ROI potential on an annualized basis

To learn more about this winning business model, click here.

India’s startup scene4 is looking brighter than ever. The ecosystem, which is the world’s 2nd largest, is estimated to grow at the rate of 10-12% year-over-year. In H1 20195 alone, Indian startups raised US$4.88 billion, an increase of 8.7% YoY. You must cash on this buoyancy. Ride the wave and build a successful career in home inspection.

Reference links used:

1. https://www.nachi.org/recommended-home-inspector-courses.htm
2. https://icaschool.com/
3. https://www.indiafilings.com/learn/franchising-advantages-and-disadvantages/
4. https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/international/go-to-market-guide/indian-startup-ecosystem.html
5. https://yourstory.com/2019/07/india-startup-funding-report-wework-ipo

7 Common Household Hazards to Watch Out For

A home can turn out to be a surprisingly dangerous place if some obvious signs of caveats go unnoticed for days. The damage could be immediate and one-time or slow having far-reaching effects. To know how healthy is your home, you must be vigilant enough and run visual checks from time to time or opt for a home inspection for an expert assessment. A home inspection is capable of identifying every household hazard that can compromise your family’s safety and saves you from possible disasters.

Here are 7 common household hazards that you must watch out to avoid future damages:

1. Excess Moisture < Condensation < Damp

Damp is the silent monster that damages the structural integrity of a building. It creates unsightly patches on ceilings and walls, causes floor tiles and wall tiles to bulge at places and timber fittings to loosen over time. But damaged aesthetics is not the only side-effect of damp. It has a significant adverse effect on Human Health. It has a multiplier effect, the root cause of which lies in excess moisture generation inside the house. How is this excess moisture generated? – There are multiple ways and these are the real hazards for which you must stay alert:

  • High atmospheric humidity and poorly insulated walls
  • Plumbing failures leading to leakage/ seepage
  • Poorly fitted window frames and panes which can let in rainwater
  • Ponding or water stagnation on roofs or bathrooms due to wrong sloping of the floor, clogged drains, etc.
  • Construction defects leading to water penetration

Excess moisture leads to excessive condensation, which in turn results in a damp attack.

What can be done to prevent damp hazard?

  1. Damp proofing is the ultimate long-term prevention against moisture decay. Generally, at the time of construction, a preventive damp-proof course is installed at the base of the walls to prevent rising damp from damaging the wall fabric. If you still notice any signs of damage on the walls (especially, in the ground floor) you must consider a corrective damp-proofing but not before a proper damp assessment.
  2. Repairing plumbing leaks on an urgent basis.
  3. Waterproofing the ceiling.
  4. Ultimately, the objective should be to find the source of the problem for long term solution.

However, as we said, ruined aesthetics is just one of the numerous damages that are caused by damp. Dampness also leads to uncontrolled growth of disease-causing microorganisms and may cause accidents from short circuits in the concealed electrical wiring system of a house.

2. Algal and fungal attack

Generally misunderstood as condensation, the dark spots in your roofs are much more serious problem- algae. These are micro-organisms that grow in colonies in a damp environment. In a humid climate, especially in neighbourhoods with plenty of shade and trees, blue-green algae are seen growing on rooftops. Inside the house, fungal growth can be noticed on old, decaying furniture. Black spots of moulds though rare in Indian homes are also an obvious effect of damp. Moulds pose as a serious health threat for house inmates as they cause allergy, asthma, and skin diseases.

How to prevent fungal growth?

Proper cleaning and drying, preceded by water removal, is the only solution to prevent algae and fungal growth. But this activity should not be taken as a one-off task. You must repeat after every heavy shower or at least, after the monsoon so that the damp effect is reduced to the lowest. Using dehumidifier at home also helps to keep indoor moisture under check.

3. Fire hazard

Fire is the biggest killer among all home accidents and there could be multiple causes of fire. The most common causes are – gas cylinder leakage, a problem in the air conditioning unit, short circuit, water in the concealed electrical wiring system of the house.

How to minimize the risk?

  • Have your electrical system checked by a home inspection team
  • Ask your LPG delivery person to check the cylinder for any leakage
  • Turn off the knob of the cylinder when you’re not cooking
  • Switch to UPVC sheets from asbestos for driveways and roofing. Asbestos is both toxic as well as flammable
  • Consider installing a smoke detector in your house

Follow other standard safety rules to prevent a fire1 in your home.

4. Lead-based paint

Doctors refer to lead poisoning as ‘silent epidemic’. The human body cannot digest and excrete lead. So, long-term exposure to lead and its deposition in the body can cause serious damage to health, especially in infants and pregnant women. Paint is one of the many household products that contain this toxic element as pigments. Lead makes paint durable, moisture resistant, and helps in quick drying. But at the same time, it exposes inmates to serious health threats such as anaemia, learning and cognitive disability in children, and birth defects, etc.

Choose lead-free paint for a healthy & happy home

In India, nowadays, many major paint brands like Asian Paints, Berger Paints, and Kansai Nerolac are making lead-free paint2. If your house is old, consider repainting it, using products manufactured by these companies. You may also consider using their damp-proofing paint solutions3 if there is a damp problem. But before going in for any investment, get the hazard assessment done through a home inspection.

5. Carbon Monoxide

The by-product of combustion, carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas, having no smell or taste. Common household items like gas fires, oil-burning furnaces, portable generators, charcoal grills increase the risk of exposure to this poisonous gas. Frequent CO exposure can cause long-term problems including congestive heart and failed renal system, etc. CO binds to haemoglobin over 200 times more easily than oxygen. So, oxygen doesn’t find space to get into the haemoglobin. As a result, cells become oxygen-starved leading to death- a condition called CO poisoning.

CO leaks can be prevented by keeping appliances in good working condition. Besides, you must also keep your room well ventilated, use kitchen chimney, and stop using charcoal in an indoor barbecue.

6. Mud cracks, alligatoring, and other paint hazards

Limited tolerance of paint or asphalt to thermal expansion and contraction produces alligatoring4, a pattern of cracks resembling alligator skin. When left unattended, these cracks widen up to let in water from outside. Natural ageing of oil-based paints due to temperature fluctuation and other application errors may lead to alligatoring.

What can be done?

Alligatoring on painted walls can be repaired by removing the old paint and repainting them all over again. It is easy to find a remedy for such a hazard but you must get to the root cause behind it. And for that, a home inspection is the best solution.

7. Decay

The disintegration of wood can be a real household hazard as it leads to fungal growth. You can easily identify a decaying wooden product5 in your home but what you may not gather is the cause behind it. The decay may set in due to many reasons. One reason could be the quality of the wood and the polish on it. The other reason has to be high moisture content of the house. To ascertain which one is the real cause, you must get seek an expert’s opinion. Home inspectors use moisture meters and other advanced technology devices to assess the moisture level of your home. They also throw light on small but important things like the ideal gap between walls and the furniture and extent of the decay, etc.

Maintaining a safe and secure environment in your home where you and your family can live without fearing any hazard is a basic priority. Sometimes you can ensure that and sometimes you cannot. Also, a DIY project is not always a feasible option. So, you must consult a professional if it demands so. Hire a home inspector and get your home checked for all sorts of hazard for we all know: A stitch in time saves nine.

Reference links used:

  1. https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire.html
  2. https://www.asianpaints.com/content/ap/hi/home/green-assure.html
  3. https://www.bergerpaints.com/imaginecolours/decor-culture/damp-proofing-freedom-damp-walls
  4. https://www.dulux.com.au/how-to/general/paint-problem-solver/exterior-paint-problem-solver/alligatoring
  5. https://www.permachink.com/blog/all-about-wood-decay-and-how-to-prevent-it

How to Identify Defects in Old Buildings?

A home inspection is necessary before plunging into a property buying decision for it implements modern technology to identify issues. Defects affect the performance of a building during its occupancy stage. Older homes are more prone to be laden with defects as there are higher chances of worn out/ faulty construction, design issues, wear & tear due to efflux of time and lack of maintenance. The defects not only affect the building but also reduce its value. Re-modelling might also turn out to be a costly affair. Therefore it is of utmost importance that a third party property inspection is arranged for so that the issues can be addressed before it is too late.

There are several areas where issues occur in old buildings. Some of them might be right in front of your eyes while some are hidden problems. How to identify them? Here are a few ideas:

Damp, leakage and seepage assessment

Indian weather is varied but most parts of it have a tropical climate which means the buildings are exposed to rain and humidity for a long duration. Water seepage through the roofs and walls, leave behind damp patches on them- both on the exterior as well as interior walls and ceilings. The damp areas become bloated with time and in severe cases, the plaster and paint come off.

In old buildings, continuous seepage cause salt damage. Soluble salts penetrate into the buildings envelope with rainwater and moisture which transports them further inside. This happens mainly because old buildings do not have horizontal waterproofing1. The salts react chemically with the porous building materials causing severe salt-induced damage. Research says different contaminants and pollutants behave differently on mortar, bricks, stones, and wood (majorly used in old buildings instead of iron and concrete pillars). However, it is difficult to assess the impact in each case by just looking at the damp patches externally. One only gets to realize the extent of damage when elaborate renovation work is undertaken. It is then that the construction workers discover that the inner fabric of the walls and ceilings have been completely worn out.

Therefore, it is important to engage a professional home inspection team to assess the dampness & its source using advanced technology devices so that the detection is precise, and so is the repair job.

Electrical issues

One of the biggest boons of technology and science is electricity without which our daily life would come to a standstill. Older buildings are likely to have old wires, and the electric panels might be out of date too. Electrical problems make their presence felt by flickering lights, blowing up of fuses frequently, overheating of electric appliances, mild to moderate electric shocks, etc. The problems tend to worsen if the building is damp. Dampness means there is moisture or capillary water in the fabric of the building. This co-existence of water and electricity can turn out to be very dangerous. So, even a single issue requires immediate attention and home inspection is necessary to get rid of such issues and ensure the property to be safe

Plumbing System

Old buildings have old piping and plumbing system installed which are not compatible with the modern taps and outlets. In addition to this, waste lines and faulty fixtures installation also contribute to leakage from showers and toilets. Drains are clogged too. Such leakages give rise to damp. Earlier Indian houses had drain pipes made of cast iron which would give way quickly as rust would be formed. These faults should be inspected on a regular basis by experienced inspection officers as that would ensure the safety of the dwellers.

Foundation and walls

That the foundation of the old building2 is defective can be understood from many signs, the most important being crack at junction of plinth protection and external walls. Moreover, inadequate draining and cracking concrete are also evident. Cement, bricks, concrete, wood, etc. are the most common raw materials of Indian houses. Older houses have older bricks and mortars exposed to temperature fluctuations and moisture years after years. The frequent shrinkage and expansion cause cracks on walls, which widen as the building gets older. Warping, sloping or sagging wall and floor also speak of aging of the house.

Another cause of deterioration of the health of old buildings is rising damp. The treatment of this problem is complex and mostly, invasive. Before going in for any such an elaborate, cost-intensive procedure it is advisable to assess the damage properly. Inspecting an old building reduces the chances of any adverse aftermath.

Roof and Floor

In old buildings, roofs and floors are invariably made of concrete. The cold, strong concrete floors are almost synonymous with heritage properties. They seem to be so steeped in history and tradition. However, concrete surfaces are often found to have mild undulations, faulty sloping, and poor waterproofing. For roofs, especially, these features turn out to be quite disadvantageous. After a heavy shower, water stands still on them and if the roof is not waterproof, seepage begins. Concrete floors, on the other hand, develop hairline cracks with time. These cracks appear mainly due to an improper foundation (shrinkage cracks), temperature/ curing problems or as an aftermath of seismic vibration, that is, earthquake.

There are two types of concrete shrinkage cracks3: i. Meandering fine crack. ii. Straight crack.

Meandering fine cracks appear in the open floor area while the straight cracks appear at the juncture of the concrete floor and the base of the wall which it meets. While these cracks are usually very fine, prolonged neglect and regular wear can widen them leading to severe dampness, fungal growth, and pest problems. Only visual inspection is enough to reveal these cracks but you have to be very vigilant. Once the cracks begin to widen, they may require costly repair.

Ceilings

The awe-inspiring heights of the rooms of old buildings often make us overlook the signs of aging and disintegration on their ceilings. Designed to beat the expansive heat and damp of most Indian cities, the ceilings keep bearing the brunt of high temperatures and water intrusion for years before finally becoming shabby and leaky. Another common feature of the ceilings of old houses is heavy wooden beams. Due to lack of adequate maintenance, these beams become termite-infested but since termites eat wood from the inside, they continue to look perfect up till many years. Only a professional inspection can bring the state of infestation to light and prevent the building from gradually slipping into ‘sick building syndrome.’

Paint of the building

Indian household paints have been identified to have unacceptable levels of lead in them. Though there is no regulation confirming the lead content, it is wise to use paints sans lead as this will keep lead toxicity at bay. If re-modelling is scheduled in line, paints with nil lead content should be chosen. Also, in older homes peeling paint is a common phenomenon. The interior walls are found to have peeling paint which might be due to moisture seepage. In addition to this, seepage from the roof causes paint from the ceiling to be peeled off. This actually relates to the dampness of the old house as discussed earlier. Damp assessment is likely to do away with this issue. Post damp assessment, re-modelling the house and giving the old one a new coat of damp-proof paint4 would be effective.

Windows and Doors

Old buildings in their glorious times boast of beautifully crafted window panes, blinds, door panels, etc. But with age, the buildings lose their shine and aesthetics. Very commonly, the wood windows are found to have become lopsided. The bars made of iron become rusty and fragile. In fact, old wooden structures are often so infested with termites that the panes and panels become completely weak and crumbly. Old windows endure the rain and heat simultaneously and the wood often gives way as they become rotten. Therefore, inspecting the existing structures becomes crucial. Jumping into re-modelling is not a wise option here. Reconstructing may also found to be beneficial. That being said, any corrective action must be preceded by home inspection in order to justify the cost and time investment.

Old is gold, they say. But when it is your property where you plan to live the coming years, you must put the “old” to inspection tests to be assured that it remains “gold.” Regular upgrades are also recommended.

Reference Links
1. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/amse/2016/1280894/
2. https://www.proptiger.com/guide/post/6-ways-to-identify-structural-defects-in-a-house
3. https://inspectapedia.com/structure/Concrete_Shrinkage_Gaps.php
4. https://www.asianpaints.com/products/waterproofing-solutions/all-waterproofing-products.html

NRIs, Are You Relying Too Much on Internet for Home Buying?

Rohit Jain, 35, is an NRI working with a multi-national oil & gas company in France. He was scouting for property in India. Originally from Jaipur, Rohit wanted to buy a house in Vadodara, as most of the companies of the sector he belonged were headquartered there. It was logistically not possible for him to visit the city and look for properties matching his criteria, in person. So, he chose to go online. He looked up for all the properties on sale on India’s leading real estate property sites and finally zeroed in on a duplex in Vadodara.

“I first registered my interest on few of the top home buying sites in India. Then, after researching thoroughly on the internet and making numerous phone calls to developers, property consultants and advisors, and work associates staying in Vadodara, I shortlisted around 7 to 8 properties. I did everything sitting either in my office or at my apartment. It took me two months to finalize a property and make an online transaction,” says Rohit. Didn’t he need an offline help? “I got my father flown in from Jaipur to Vadodara. He oversaw the entire procedure and acted as my agent in completing the sale agreement and other legalities.”

There are many people like Rohit living abroad and looking for properties in India. They don’t have the time or scope for property search. They rely heavily on the internet for home buying. But then some obvious questions arise- to what extent can they or rather, should they rely on online portals for buying a property? By depending too much on online search, do they not run a risk of being let down by the seller/ builder/ developer in the long run? How can they be 100 percent sure about the ‘quality’ of the house they are buying without having someone to see it for them?

There are many more such questions that revolve around online property search and buying and even more number of risks involved in the process. If you are standing with one foot already inside the prospective homebuyer’s court then do think about these questions. After all, buying a property isn’t like buying apparel. Without a proper offline guidance and home inspection, you shouldn’t just go click a link and invest your money in it. There are offline solutions like NRI property management services that take things forward from an online selection of a property. Educate yourself about them and make your investment truly worthwhile.

Online home buying in India: The trend and its advantages

The usage of digitally driven media in home buying has become a huge trend1 over the last decade. Home buyers are going online every now and then to gather information about their biggest purchase. They’re watching ‘How to’ videos on YouTube, reading online reviews on various sites, and looking up specific real estate sites on the search engines till they’re being able to find their dream homes. The trend has also caught up with the NRIs interested in investing in India’s real estate property market.

Statistics show that they constitute a big percentage of online visitors regularly checking the sites like 99acres.com, magicbricks.com, Regrob.com, proptiger.com. And most of these leads do seem to get converted.

According to Business Today, “There has been a sizeable jump in the number of NRI deals in the Indian property market2 in the recent past. In the second half of 2018, Square Yards witnessed over 20 percent growth in NRI transactions as compared to the first half of the year. The total number of deals in 2018 was itself higher by 30 percent over the previous year.”

What are the advantages of Online Property search?

Convenience is the father of all technology innovations, and internet-based property buying3, selling is no exception. Other advantages of the process are:

  • Map-based search: Online searches offer map-based views of the property to help customers understand the physical and social infrastructure. This map-based search feature also gives the customers an idea of the amenities available in the property.
  • Time and cost saving: Without wasting time or moving anywhere, one can view n-number of properties on a single platform. Just a few clicks and the best of deals are at your fingertips. The money spent on data is also minimal.
  • Offers comparisons: As a single search generates plenty of results at a time, the prospective buyer can compare them based on various parameters. They can also cross-check by clicking each link separately if needed.
  • Virtual tour and sky view: These two advantages are mostly for the NRIs or those who can’t be physically present to see the property. The virtual tour offers views from different angles of the property at different times of the day using the latest visualization software. The sky view, on the other hand, offers aerial views of the property showing the neighborhood.
  • Augmented Reality: Due to augmented reality, buyers can ‘experience’ the properties. All they need to do is point their mobile cursor on a particular real estate advertisement and the 360-degree view of the property comes to life.

Risks and Disadvantages of online property search

A house being a high-value consumer product, online buying comes with multiple risks.

  • You don’t get exact details of the unit and tower.
  • Credibility of the builder/ developer/ seller cannot be verified easily.
  • Chances of being misguided or cheated by the channel partners (builder/ developer, property advisor, local agent) are present.
  • You have no idea of the existence of the amenities that are being promised unless verified by a trusted local agent.
  • Portals do not take responsibility for the third-party interest and liabilities.
  • Booking amount is non-refundable in many cases.
  • Inadequate information available on home loan and project approvals/ project development status.

Most importantly, you do not get to know if there is any construction/ quality issues in the building or not. The online portals do not provide any professional home inspection report or certificate based on which you can take your buying decision. It is only after you decide to move in or give the house on rent that you come to face the discrepancies. Then you have to bear the extra cost to get those problems fixed to make the house suitable for safe & happy living.

So, more than just being a risky process, online home buying is an incomplete process, for it ends with short-listing a property. An offline liaison has to then take over to complete home inspection and other property handover formalities.

Can ‘online’ and ‘offline’ tie the knot?

According to Mr. Nikhil Hawelia, Managing Director of Hawelia Group, “For NRI buyers, online leads will get translated into sales, only if there are friends, family or peer groups, to endorse the project and the developer. Online advertising or online reputation management is not enough to freeze the deal. Once they finalize the deal, they also need a local agent for hand-holding.” Mr. Hawelia also included that online exposure is useful only for communicating and connecting with the NRIs but cannot fully suffice the home buying requirements of an NRI.

Now, who these local endorsers are likely to be? Gone are the days when a local channel partner or a friend or relative would come in helpful if you are an NRI. Logistics no longer favour that choice. They can still help you by collecting information about the developer and its track record but only a professional assistant can actually guide you through the home buying process. A professional property manager can make you understand the difference between how the property looks online and in what condition it actually is.

For a better and authentic home buying journey of an NRI or cross city community individual, online media and offline services must tie the knot.

What all property managers do for remotely based home buyers?

There are new-age companies that offer NRI and CCCs with comprehensive property management services. These services cover:

For the ongoing construction supervision

  • Periodic visits to your property and regular reports via email
  • Supplementary videos/ photos (live on site pictures) are shared
  • Coordination with the developer/ seller for immediate rectifications
  • Periodical MIS/ updates

For ready-to-move-in properties

  • Pre hand-over inspection
  • Coordination with the seller/developer for rectification
  • Post rectification verification
  • Periodical MIS/updates

Legal assistance and paperwork

  • Sales deed documentation
  • Suggesting/ arranging property finance
  • Complete property handover process including collection of keys, access cards, and documents

These business entities also offer support services by trusted partners and vendors like reputed interior designers, tiling experts and plumbers.

Thousands of miles away from your motherland you can only look for options to find the best home for yourself there. Internet is surely the most important medium today to connect with developers and property owners. You have to keep faith on it for faster communication. But at the same time, you must also take the help of the local property managers. Only a logical blend of online and offline dynamism can make your home buying process free of tension and your buy worth its value.

Reference Links

1. https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/Study-Digital-House-Hunt-2013-01_1.pdf
2. https://www.businesstoday.in/sectors/infra/nri-interest-grows-in-real-estate-affordable-mid-market-categories-emerge-favorites/story/313105.html
3. www.thelogicalbuyer.com/blog/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-purchasing-homes-online/

NRIs: Are You Losing Sleep over Your Home Back in India?

“A home is where the heart is,” goes the famous saying. If you are an expat then you are probably living with two hearts for one heart lies where you are based presently with your family and the other one is at a place which is thousands of miles away. It is perhaps the place where you were born and spent your precious growing-up years. For the NRIs, ‘the place’ is India. If you still have a home here, then in most likelihood, you must have arranged for a supervising system too to for it. But does that make you feel totally relaxed? If it isn’t your parents who are shouldering the duty of property care then who are you relying on? Is your property in the right hands? Let us find out the answers and try to see if NRI property care and management services (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/complete-property-care-for-nris-cccs) can be the right antidote for your sleeplessness.

How does it feel to be a remote landlord?

‘Challenging’ is the word, for sure! Let’s face it, a home- occupied or vacant but certainly not lived by the owner, is a constant source of tension. As an NRI, you are always struggling to find out the next best solution to ensure its proper care and safety. There are problems galore to handle and none of them can be simply done away in a single swipe of a magic wand.

Professional end-to-end property care and management services have come up as a good solution to these problems. The companies providing such services make sure that the homeowners sitting at remote locations only have to check their inboxes and bank accounts to monitor their property managers’ reports and rental incomes respectively. The need to regularly check on their property is no longer necessary.

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, ‘’Real estate cannot be lost or stolen, nor can it be carried away. Purchased with common sense, paid for in full, and managed with reasonable care, it is about the safest investment in the world.” Keeping this in mind, NRIs are now seeking the services of professional home care management companies.

But what are the issues that have been bothering you, the NRIs, about your homes in India so far? What is it that led you to consider NRI property care and management services as a feasible solution to deal with the problems? Here’s an overview:

Property management issues related to vacant homes

Vacant properties bear the brunt of neglect and often fall into despair, reducing the chances of someone actually buying or renting it. No matter how sincerely you try to take care of it by deploying a friend or an associate, the lack of professionalism in property care turns your efforts into sheer waste. Then it is again like being back to square one. You lose sleep over your property planning your fastest possible visit to India in the next few months to fix things to the best of your capacity. Following are a few common problems that can occur in an unoccupied house:

  • Aesthetics gone for a toss: Overgrown shrubs in un-mowed lawns, shabby exterior paint with watermarks and moss growing on them, clear signs of damp on the interior walls, popping paint, leaky ceilings, broken window and door parts, pest nests, blocked gutters, and dust all over will rob the property of its appeal. You may have to hire many people to clear the mess and make the place habitable once again.
  • Theft and vandalism: There can be incidents of break-ins. Thieves may lift valuable items from your home and vandalise the property.
  • Threats of encroachment: Unscrupulous developers, local clubs, and other miscreants tend to eye vacant properties. After observing for long that no one is keeping a proper watch on it they may try to encroach forcefully.
  • Plumbing disasters and other accidents: Due to lack of regular maintenance, the pipes may get damaged. Or a fault in the electrical wiring system may lead to short circuit and fire accidents.

Taking the necessary steps to combat these problems is essential. Otherwise, your house gradually loses its resale value. Employing a broker or asking a close relative or a friend to do that hardly helps you in this case.

Property management issues related to homes given on rent

We all know that renting out a property is a smart idea. It not only saves the property from damage and miscreants but also helps the owner to monetize it. But even renting out does not promise you complete peace of mind. There can be problems like:

  • Tenants not abiding by the rent payment cycle
  • Breaking of rules and common policies
  • Non-payment of common household bills
  • Damage to the property
  • Disputes with neighbours
  • Illegal claiming of ownership by the occupant

Besides, there are duties like rental agreement (www.indiafilings.com/docs/rental-agreement-format) renewal. You either have to do it yourself after every 11 months or hire a company to that for you. Vacating the tenants after their tenure is over, also sometimes turns out to be a problematic affair. If you are not present in person to handle this situation then it can seriously hamper your peace of mind.

A complete set of NRI/ CCC property care & management services is the way forward

An offering gains a foothold in the market only when there is a latent demand for it- this is a proven fact. The way the property care &management services for NRIs and CCCs (Cross city communities) (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/5-reasons-an-nri-must-opt-for-a-360-degree-property-care-service) are becoming popular it is clear that people have been waiting for something like this. As said earlier, a home is the most valuable of all investments. Any solution that ensures its proper management and care is sure to find acceptance on a large scale.

360-degree Benefits of Choosing NRI/CCC Property Care Management Services

Property inspection at regular intervals
  • Interior: Walls, ceilings, roof, floor, doors & windows, woodwork
  • Plumbing, electrical, appliances etc.
  • Exterior: Walkways, driveways, etc.
Safeguarding of the property from encroachers
  • Monitoring
  • Erecting boundary if required
  • Handling legal issues
Time-to-time reporting
  • Findings along with scanned images
  • Corrective advice
  • Video clippings
  • Virtual tours
  • Reference of the associated third party service providers
Tenant Management
  • Finding new tenants
  • Rent collection & depositing
  • On-spot complaint redressal
  • Liaising with the landlord
Assistance in legal work & related documentation
  • Rent agreement documentation & renewal

Property care services for vacant homes

As part of the complete property care and management service for NRIs and CCCs, reputable home inspection companies conduct a thorough inspection of a property from time to time. With the help of advanced scanning devices, their team of professionals scan each and every part of the building or an apartment and come up with detailed reports showing areas of damp, leakage/seepage, or electrical wiring faults, etc. They send periodic reports to the landlord via email along with relevant images and/or video clippings. Besides, they also arrange for remedial plumbing, waterproofing, repainting and other repair jobs- everything keeping the landlord in loop.

Safeguarding the property from any kind of miscreant and encroachment are also included in their service.

Property care services for homes given on rent

From finding you the right tenant and helping you with the rent agreement documentation to collecting timely rent on your behalf and resolving everyday tenancy issues- property care companies do everything for NRI and CCC homeowners. Yes, it’s true that you have to shell out a percentage of your rental income to pay your property managers but the benefits that you get from the service more than balance out that cost.

Managed properties always stand a better chance to attract ‘good’ tenants. So, instead of leaving a property vacant, you must consider renting it out while assigning the duty of managing the property and the tenants to a professional home care company at the same time.

Need help to sell your old property? Trust on your property manager.

At a certain point in your career, you may decide never to return to India or settle in a different city other than your hometown after returning. Then, you have to look for an agent to sell off your old property. However, if you already have a dedicated property care manager you don’t have to look further. You just need to communicate to him your decision to sell your house and other specification about the prospective buyer, if any, and he and his team takes care of the rest of the things. Right from giving an add on ‘NRI Property Sale’ (www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-personal-finance/simple-tips-for-nris-selling-property-in-india-116110800925_1.html) in newspapers to assisting you in preparing the sale deed, the company does everything for you making the process absolutely hassle-free. It even conducts a pre-handover home inspection (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/home-inspection-area/why-home-inspection) so that you can do the necessary renovation and quote a better price for the property.

Donning the hat of an NRI homeowner may sound ‘elitist’ but managing the property remotely can be a real hard task. At times, it can even give you sleepless nights. So, why bother when you have the right solution at your disposal?

Property care services to find more takers among NRIs & CCCs

The process of investing in real estate may start as a long-term, post-retirement plan among NRIs and CCCs but that doesn’t mean it has to lie idle until then. With a professional property management service under contract, they can turn their well-managed, vacant property into a useful source of income. This and other benefits discussed above are sure to make hiring a complete property care service provider the order of the day among NRIs and CCCs.

For NRI’s especially, the most magical thing about their home in India is that it feels good to leave but it feels even better to come back, whether on holidays or after retirement. At the end of your working career or when you are coming home for a visit, the last thing you would want is being greeted with a headache called a poorly managed home. So, start taking the matter of property care seriously from now so that when you come back permanently, it is the same haven of love and security for you as you left it like many years ago.

How to Control Humidity in Your Home Using a Dehumidifier?

  • What is a dehumidifier?
  • Signs that you need a dehumidifier
  • Advantages of using a Dehumidifier
  • How do dehumidifiers work?
  • 10 Features to look for in a Dehumidifier
  • Tips to use a dehumidifier
  • Types of Dehumidifiers

Is your home consistently sultry & warm inside despite your best efforts to keep it cool? Are you finding a mushy smell from everywhere inside the house? Well, before you blame the air conditioning system of your home or the room freshener you are using, check for the indoor humidity once. India being a predominantly warm country reports an excessive amount of humidity every year. High humidity causes plenty of damages at the macro level (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/why-excess-moisture-is-a-threat-to-your-home). In households, humidity or high indoor moisture content leads to multi-dimensional damages that may need costly fixes. So, preventing humidity at the very initial stage is necessary for your home as well as human health. And using a dehumidifier makes this job easier.

What is a dehumidifier?

A dehumidifier is an electrical appliance that reduces and controls the level of humidity in the air in a closed space. By doing so, it prevents the growth of dust mites and other similar moisture-feeding micro-organisms inside the space and eliminates any musty smell resulting from them.

Signs that you need a dehumidifier

Any visible sign of dampness is an indication that the humidity level of your home is high and requires immediate attention. Few such signs of dampness are:

  • Damp patches on the walls and ceilings
  • Seepage/ leakage
  • Peeling paint and wallpapers
  • Bulging wall/ floor tiles
  • A persistent musty smell
  • Frequent incidence of allergy and skin problems within the family

Advantages of using a Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers are effective units that come with several advantages for your space and most importantly, for your family. Following are some of the benefits:

1. Humidity reduction & improvement of indoor air quality

The quality of air inside a home is measured not only by the number and amount of toxins that one may or may not be breathing in but also by the humidity level of the air itself. A dehumidifier plays an important role in improving indoor air quality by reducing humidity (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/indoor-air-pollution-one-of-the-top-10-disease-risk-factors-in-india). It makes a home less hospitable for allergens like dust mites. As a result, the home feels fresh and musty odour, if any, vanishes automatically. Allergens being a serious health threat, the incidence of allergy also becomes much less with time.

The aesthetics of the building is also protected and the property is able to retain its value for a longer period of time.

2. Prevention of structural deterioration of a building

High levels of humidity can harm the structural integrity of a home. It can affect the woodwork, walls, ceilings, and metal fittings. A dehumidifier prevents a home from slow deterioration by controlling humidity that may originate due to a number of causes (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/damp-seepage-assessment-with-solutions-through-thermal-imaging-technology).

3. Time and energy saving

Designed to further cut down on energy costs, dehumidifiers with an auto shut-off feature use intelligent software to actively monitor the climate of the space where the dehumidifier is applied. It shuts down the moment the desired humidity level is reached.

A dehumidifier with a higher star rating operates in an energy-conscious manner. That way, it saves energy and helps you to cut down on your unwanted expenses significantly.

4. Easy and quick maintenance

Portable dehumidifiers can be easily moved from one place to another, and they allow quick maintenance. They do not disrupt daily life and run quietly in the background without causing any harm to anyone.

How do dehumidifiers work?

Dehumidifiers control humidity (www.explainthatstuff.com/dehumidifier.html) by removing excess moisture from the air creating inhospitable living conditions for dust mites and other allergens. A dehumidifier is much like a vacuum cleaner. It sucks in air from the room at one end, takes the moisture out of it, and then blows it back out into the room again. The moisture drips through a pipe into a collection tank that has to be emptied from time to time.

Dehumidifiers work in one of the two ways: by refrigeration or by absorption/ adsorption.

a. Refrigeration

In this process warm, moist air is sucked in through a grille on one side of the dehumidifier. An electric fan draws the air inward. The warm air passes over freezing cold pipes through which a coolant is circulated by a pump and compressor. As soon as the air cools, the contained moisture goes back in the form of liquid water and drips down off the pipes. Now, the moisture-free air passes over a heating element and warms back up to its original temperature.

Another grille blows back the dry and humid air into the room. There is a collecting tray or bucket at the bottom of the machine where the moisture that was there in the air originally drips down into. A ‘float’rises upward as the collecting tray fills up. When the tray is full, the float trips an electric switch that turns off the fan and switches on an indicator light telling you the machine needs emptying.

b. Absorption/ Adsorption

Some dehumidifiers work by mopping the water out of the air with a water-holding material and then “squeezing” the water away to remove it. The mopping action involves either absorption (where the water soaks right into something) or adsorption (where the water is picked upon the surface of something).

In this process, moist air is drawn in from the room through a duct. The air moves past a large rotating wheel made of water-absorbing material, which removes the humidity. The air is drawn by a fan operated by an electric motor. Dry air is blown back out into the room. An air duct underneath is kept hot by an electric heating element (yellow). The moisture-absorbing wheel rotates through the heated air space and has hot air blown past it to dry it out. The air is sucked past by a fan and electric motor once again. The hot, wet air is blown out through an exhaust duct.

As per content by Corroventa on Adsorption Dehumidifiers (www.corroventa.com/products/adsorption-dehumidifiers). The picture shows the functioning principle for an adsorption dehumidifier. The air to be processed is sucked in through the inlet with the help of air fan, the air passes through the rotor whereupon the dehumidified air exists through a dry air outlet. The moisture that is adsorbed in the rotor is driven out through a small part of the air that being heated up in a heater. whereupon it passes through a smaller part of the rotor which is regenerated in this way. The damp air is then removed via the outlet to the environment.

10 Features to look for in a Dehumidifier

Investing in a dehumidifier is obviously a wise decision if you are residing in one of the warmer cities in India. Here are a few simple considerations that you must heed to while buying a dehumidifier (www.dengarden.com/appliances/Choose-a-Domestic-Dehumidifier).

1. Tank size

Dehumidifiers have a tank to collect water. It ranges from a minimum of 2 litres to a maximum of 8 litres capacity. Make sure you opt for the bigger tank so that you do not have to empty it too frequently.

2. Drain tube

Some machines with drain tubes enable the water to drain away rather than collecting in a tank. Remember that with a portable device it will not always be possible for it to drain externally. For example, if you are placing your dehumidifier inside a room, temporarily, then the drain tube will be rendered useless. In that case, you can insert the drain tube into the waste pipe already made for washing machine.

3. Energy usage

The electrical power consumption of dehumidifier and the relative running cost of it can be high. Generally, the desiccant machines use more power than refrigeration machines. So, investing in refrigerant dehumidifiers would be a wise decision.

4. Weight & size

Factors such as weight and size of the appliance are worth considering while deciding to buy a dehumidifier. It is better if it comes with a decent carrying handle.

5. Extraction Rate

Find out how many litres of water a day the dehumidifier can extract. Consider models with more extraction capacity and less power consumption feature.

6. Laundry Mode

Wet clothes drying up indoors during monsoon are an obvious source of excess moisture in households. Dehumidifiers are great for drying clothes. Some dehumidifiers offer a ‘laundry mode’ designed specifically for drying clothes. Such machines repeatedly extract moisture from the air without measuring the relative humidity of the room.

7. Auto start/off

If you want to run your dehumidifier using a time switch then make sure the model you use has an ‘auto on’ and ‘auto off’ feature to ease out manual intervention. It ensures: Power on, moisture extraction on.

8. Slower speed

A dehumidifier typically has more than one fan speed. Slower-speed machines are more economical and quieter but obviously, higher speed will result in more rapid extraction of moisture.

9. Less noisy machine

It is also worth checking if the dehumidifier is generating too much noise. If you want to have it running at night in the bedroom then make sure it runs quietly.

10. Operating temperature

You must check the operating temperature required to extract moisture at the desired rate. If you want to extract moisture from an unheated area then the desiccant models will give lower operating temperatures.

Tips to use a dehumidifier

  • To get the best from a dehumidifier, vacuum it beforehand to make it sure the irritating dust particles are not spreading around or the air filter is not getting clogged up (if the dehumidifier has one).
  • Set the machines away from the walls, furniture, and curtains.
  • Keep the doors and windows closed while the dehumidifier is running.
  • Empty the collected water out of the dehumidifier after every use and before moving it to another room.
  • Instead of repeatedly turning your dehumidifier on and off, you can let the dehumidifier do it itself to maintain your desired humidity level. Try to keep a room’s humidity somewhere in between 50-60 percent.

Types of Dehumidifiers

Whole Home Dehumidifier

The whole-home humidification system is the easiest and the most convenient method for adding or removing humidity from home. It checks the home for proper moisture content and then turns on the humidifier or dehumidifier as needed to bring the entire home atmosphere to the ideal humidity level. However, these dehumidifiers are more expensive and require regular maintenance.

Desiccant Dehumidifier

These dehumidifiers operate by passing the air through a rotor which contains moisture adsorbing desiccant material. Once water is removed from the air, there is a huge chance of drying as the dry air can be blown back into the building. Water collected within the desiccant wheel is removed by adding heat so the vaporized moisture can then be ducted out of the building.

The desiccant material is actually silica gel, which is a porous form of granular silica. The internal structure of the gel comprises a network of microscopic interconnected pores. This gel can adsorb moisture by attracting it within each granule. Due to added heat, this moisture can then be released from the desiccant by evaporation. Finally, it is pushed out of the building, leaving the desiccant wheel ready again to collect further moisture.

Refrigerant Dehumidifier

Damp air from within the building is drawn into the dehumidifier and passed over a cold evaporator coil which cools the air below its dew point temperature. This results in condensation. The water droplets formed on the cold coils then collect in a pan which has to be removed manually. Some dehumidifiers have a hose attached to them that automatically purge the water. The dry air then passes over warm condensing coils, which heat it up again before releasing out to the room.

Heat Pump Dehumidifier

Heat pump dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air with the help of a fan, heat pump, and heat exchange coils. By using a fan, the air is sent past the heat exchange coils that are extremely cold. These dehumidifiers provide excellent energy savings and comfort. By installing a heat pump dehumidifier, one can expect to save around 10 to 30 percent of energy cost.

Conclusion

If you do not want to welcome and host excess humidity in your home and other recurring problems associated with it, get a dehumidifier as soon as possible. However, before that, to make your buy worthwhile, get a damp/seepage assessment (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/damp-seepage-assessment-with-solutions-through-thermal-imaging-technology) of your home done. There are reliable home inspection service providers who scientifically assess the moisture content of your home using advanced technology like thermal imaging. Based on their report, try to find the source and a permanent remedy for the humidity and damp problem. Alongside, invest in a dehumidifier. It will keep your home dry, fresh, and healthy for years to come.

How Home Inspection Can Save You Time & Money

Modern-day lifestyle leaves us with little time to supervise the construction works of our dream home. Thanks to faster relocation needs, we are now becoming more interested in buying or renting ready-to-move-in residential properties. Nonetheless, we need an expert to guide us through this home buying process. This is the same as the way we seek expert guidance while making small investments in a financial scheme. A home inspection service acts as that guide to today’s home buyers.

What does a home inspection service include?

A home inspection (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/so-what-exactly-is-home-inspection) is a third-party property inspection a service that home buyers opt for to make a complete analysis of the condition a residential property. The analysis covers health, security, safety and other quality aspects of the property one is about to rent or buy.

People mainly focus on financing schemes, location, transport convenience, and other associated factors while buying a house. They rarely consider confirming if the concerned property is healthy, safe and well-built enough to justify its asked price and life. An experienced home inspection company does this job for them. It makes a complete assessment of the property by considering factors such as:

  • Construction accuracy in terms of architecture/ layout.
  • Construction quality in terms of used materials, the strength of the walls, floor and roof, the possibility of water leakage, quality of paint, quality of doors and windows, electrical issues, etc.
  • Functionality of the associated systems. For example, plumbing, cooling, drainage, electricity, etc.
  • Quality of the furniture and appliances provided with fully-furnished apartments.

The home inspectors use advanced technology scanning devices to carry out such elaborate yet non-invasive home inspections. Based on their reports, homeowners can get their preventive repair or actual damage repair jobs done and safely walk into their new home.

Sounds like a time-taking affair? But actually……

Home inspection saves you a considerable amount of time!

There are various ways in which a home inspection service can save a valid amount of time for a home buyer. First of all, it can take a lot of time for you to check the fitness of your home as per your own requirements. You will have to hire individual experts- a mason for doing the construction works, a plumber, an electrician, and carpenters to do each type of work. If you do not want to do that you have to believe what your builder/realtor or seller has to say about the property without probing further. Hiring an expert or a reliable home inspection service provider can fulfill all these inspection needs under a single umbrella.

Secondly, an inspection report produced by a home inspector can provide you with an accurate assessment of a property. Based on it, you can do price negotiations and make your buy decision without wasting time.

In the case of renting a property, a home inspection report can provide a complete overview of the maintenance needs. You get to know about the immediate as well as future repair needs of the associated systems. Thus, it can reduce your wait time to access the property.

A home inspection report can also make you aware of the necessary repair and construction needs that the builder skipped. So, you can ask the builder to make the necessary improvements in the infrastructure and systems without any delay.

Home inspection also saves you money

Contrary to the belief that you have to shell out an extra amount of money, home inspection offers significant cost benefits. First of all, an inspection report by an expert home inspector can show the property’s actual condition. Thus, it can provide you with concrete grounds for making a justified level of negotiation with the real estate agent or seller to buy the property at the most reasonable price.

Secondly, sellers and construction agencies often skip many necessary construction and repair requirements in a residential property to meet their own cost-cutting objectives. The home inspection services can identify these skipped responsibilities and save you from bearing huge costs in the future by asking needful actions from the seller.

The inspection report can also send out warnings about major repair and construction needs that could get worse in the future and cost a huge amount of fund for getting fixed. By paying heed to the warnings and doing needful you can avoid these expenses. Thus, it can save money for you by reducing the overall maintenance cost.

Why home inspection services are gaining popularity in India?

There is another push factor working behind this trend. According to the last available NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) data, a total of 4,914 people lost their lives between 2010 and 2014 because of the collapse of residential buildings. The toll accounted for about 37.3% of the total deaths. This intimidating figure is somewhat making people think in favour of home inspection prior to buying a house. They think the price they pay for hiring a home inspector completely justifies its worth through ensuring safety for themselves and their loved ones.

A home is a lifetime investment and home inspection services help us to make an informed decision regarding that. That being said, the effectiveness of a home inspection depends on the expertise of the hired inspecting company. So, you must choose your home inspection service provider carefully to ensure better utilization of the associated benefits.

To learn more about home inspection, click here.

You can also read a content by Forbes to know the reasons why you should not skip a home inspection, www.forbes.com/sites/investopedia/2011/05/31/10-reasons-you-shouldnt-skip-a-home-inspection

Do You Still Believe in These 9 Home Inspection Myths?

Just got the keys of your new home? It’s time for a house warming party! But wait, did you check if the home you are proudly calling yours is healthy and safe enough? Are the huge investment you made and the hefty EMI you will be paying from now on going to be really worthwhile? If you have too many “maybes” and “what ifs” in your mind- go get your home inspected professionally. A home inspection is like a comprehensive health checkup for a property which has the potential to reveal any existing or looming damp/seepage problem. It saves you time and money. However, there are home inspection myths that buyers of property tend to buy in easily. You must stop believing in those myths to make a wise buying decision. But before that, here is what home inspection is all about:

Home Inspection: An eye-opener

A home inspection is an elaborate but non-invasive assessment of the condition of a home. It is conducted by a team of qualified and licensed professionals. They inspect each and every area and component of the home using scanning devices built on advanced technologies like thermal imaging and produce reports showing images of the parts having problems. The inspection also reveals leakage in water pipeline and faults in the electrical wiring system of the building. In short, home inspection covers all the major aspects of a property’s health and gives its owners a real picture of the worthiness of their most important buy.

What do you gain as a property buyer from home inspection?

Home inspection spells all win and no loss for a buyer. Here are the major benefits of home inspection (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/home-inspection-area/home-inspection-benefits):

  • Provides an extra level of security and helps plan for the future.
  • Gives peace of mind as you know that your biggest investment, that is, the place where you are living with your family is safe and hygienic.
  • Provides an in-depth analysis highlighting current needed repairs as well as potential danger.
  • Helps you plan your future expenses.
  • Uncover safety issues.
  • Reveals possible pest, termite, and insect problems.
  • Provides a basis for price negotiation with the property seller.
  • It is non-invasive and relatively less expensive

What if a home inspection reveals a problem?

You are saved from a hundred hassles! Your hard-earned money is saved! You get to know exactly which area of your home needs to be repaired at the earliest so that it does not become a permanent headache. The home inspection report indicates the problem area(s) with such precision that you can plan your repair job and budget wisely. Be it waterproofing of the roof (www.drfixit.co.in), damp-proofing of the walls, or fixing a plumbing or electrical problem, civil, doors & windows, the money spent on post home inspection repair becomes money well spent. Moreover, your home inspection service provider offers you guidance on how to resolve a problem. They give you valuable references who you can approach later for waterproofing and paint solutions, plumbing and electrical jobs, and interior designing and home makeover.

What if you do not opt for a home inspection?

Unaddressed damp and leakage/seepage problems and minor plumbing and electrical faults or other problems, if any, keep aggravating ultimately leading to major issues and accidents. You may start getting unpleasant surprises right from day one or face a major problem one fine morning. Problems may range from something as small and annoying as a recurring watery spot on the wall to a leaking roof requiring urgent waterproofing. Even issues like popping paint, musty smell in the room due to fungal infestation, bulging wall tiles, and occasional short circuits may continue to bother you from time to time making your stay unpleasant and full of hassles.

And did we talk about unplanned expenses and health issues which may arise due to these problems?

By not opting for a home inspection at the time of buying a property, you actually leave the door open for future expenses to escalate.

Not convinced yet? Let’s bust some of the widely believed home inspection myths for you:

Myth 1: Home inspection reveals everything wrong in the home and finds an expensive fix

Fact: Home inspection is a non-invasive process that includes scanning by a handheld device preceded by visual inspection. It typically lasts about 3 to 4 hours (3 BHK unit). It brings to light only those areas which are already damp affected or are likely to become damp due to structural defects in the building. It also reveals possible sources of damp, a hidden seepage/leakage in the water pipeline, a problem in the electrical wiring system, and/or moisture content of the home. It is unlikely that your home will have all the problems at the same time, especially if it is a newly built one. In most cases, home inspection reveals issues such as plumbing and electrical defects, clogged gutters, uncaulked bathtub joints, and localized damps. It also identifies all the potential water seepage / intrusion areas which can be repaired at minimal costs before the damage occurs.

However, if your home is found to have major structural issues you get the chance to rethink your buying decision and/or change further investment plans.

Myth 2: Home inspection reports can predict future problems

Fact: As Marvin Goldstein, President of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) rightly says, “You pay good money for an inspection report but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to go along.” A home inspection report definitely gives excellent information and finds out problems in the whole building /apartment but a homeowner can get more out of an inspection done at a future date. So, this is completely a misconception that by doing a home inspection once you can prevent all the damages in your home; neither can it predict future problems.

Moreover, a prediction is subjective and does not take into account changes taking place in the future. A home inspection, on the other hand, is a scientific process. If done at regular intervals, it can somewhat forecast a problem based on past trends and periodic observations made in the property.

Myth 3: A home inspection and a home appraisal are the same

Fact: Home appraisal (www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/12/home-appraisals.asp) and home inspection are two different things. In the first case, an appraiser determines the value of the real estate property on behalf of a leading financial institution (read: loan disbursing authority) or the home owner / buyer. A home inspection, on the contrary, is concerned with“the health and safety of the home- not the value.” These impressions are mainly created by the real estate agents who want to save their money on two different assessments. So, even if they offer you a free home inspection, as an aware home buyer, you must insist on getting an independent assessment done to steer clear of any conflict of interest.

Myth 4: Buyer’s don’t belong at the home inspection

Fact: Whether the buyers know anything about home inspection, construction and maintenance or not they should always be present at the time of the inspection. The buyers, especially the first-timers, must ask inspectors relevant questions on issues and home maintenance. The home inspectors may not tell the buyers whether or not to buy the house but they can surely share important repairs & maintenance tips with them.

Myth 5: Brand new home doesn’t need any home inspection

Fact: A faulty construction can lead to every type of repair nightmares in the future. So, new houses should be checked even more carefully than the old ones as there would be no resident from before to report anydamage history. Moreover, in old properties, damages due to damp and leakage/ seepage or electrical defects are visible from outside. In a new building, everything looks perfect but there can be hidden problems, to know more about it go through link – www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/protect-your-home-from-masked-hazards. No one can have an iota of doubt about a problem unless he/ she starts living in it.

Myth 6: A renovated home doesn’t need to be inspected

Fact: If your home has been redone from top to bottom there is no point checking it all over again, right? The answer is a big NO. A renovated house also needs a home inspection to see if everything is in under control. Some vendors are more interested in money. They do not bother about quality. To make sure that your money has been spent well, get a home inspection done before as well as after a renovation job.

Myth 7: A ‘good’ house will pass the inspection

Fact: A home inspection report never indicates whether a property has passed or failed. What is acceptable to one buyer may seem incorrigible to another! The home inspectors just point out the problems that you must address to save your property from further damage in the long run. It has nothing to do with how good or how bad a particular property is.

Myth 8: The seller must fix everything before handover

Fact: The inspector who is assigned with the duty to document his findings from a home inspection and make recommendations is not privy to the sales contract’s details. He is not the one who decides what needs to be repaired and by whom. These decisions are made by the buyer with their realtor’s guidance and may be negotiated by both the parties. Sometimes, the seller is required to hire a third party to do the home inspection before handover. However, it is always advisable for the buyer to do the inspections themselves because they will be staying in the house thereafter, not the seller.

Myth 9: Home inspection is a waste of time &money in Indian climate

Fact: Climatic factors such as rainfall, temperature, and humidity, etc. have a significant effect on civil operations and building construction. India’s predominantly hot and humid weather conditions tend to make any building susceptible to damp. Then there exist poor construction practices. All these factors combined make damp an almost unavoidable problem in urban houses in India. In such a scenario, it is only very obvious for the buyers to believe that home inspection is nothing but sheer wastage of time and money. They think no matter how much they spend on scanning a property the humidity related problems in the home will remain and never be solved. This, unfortunately, is not true. If proper waterproofing or damp-proofing is done based on the report of a home inspection, the life span of the property can be extended by many years.

The above misconceptions have been stopping people from reaping benefits of this extremely helpful home inspection service.Lack of knowledge about construction, property maintenance, and home inspection is behind such indiscretion. Each and every real estate property irrespective of age and condition should be inspected at regular intervals to prevent damage, deterioration, and devaluation with time.This will not only save you, that is, the buyer considerable amount of money but also check the draining of capital on a society level in the long run.

6 Effective tips to keep your Home Germ-Free

The worst thing about germs or bacteria is that you can’t always see them. And when you can’t see them, you choose to believe they aren’t there. If there is no big lump of mould growth somewhere, that doesn’t mean your home is free of germs. There are several areas in your home that are guaranteed to be affected with bacteria or germs because they are often overlooked when cleaning, or just not cleaned regularly.

Your home is probably the safest place on Earth, but is it really? Your home may not be the safest place, unless you keep your home germ-free, hygienic and clean. Germs are everywhere and once they enter our body, they can cause great difficulty in our existence, sometimes even putting our life to a lot of risk/threat. If you all remember we have already discussed how to Keep your Kitchen Clean in our previous Blog www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/8-simple-tips-to-keep-your-kitchen-clean-and-germ-free. Keeping your home, free from the germs, is of the highest importance for health and hygiene & our wellbeing. What you need to know is where to find the germs and how to germ-proof your home. So, in this blog, we will discuss the tips to keep your home all around germ-free.

Let’s have a look at some effective tips to keep our home germ-free:

1. Follow a regular cleaning routine

Cleanliness is very important to keep your home germ-free and maintaining a proper cleanup or cleaning routine will help you a lot. If you are a busy person, I know it is difficult to clean your home all at a time and frequently. But, some regular cleaning of small portions of your home can be done. If not regularly, then at least on alternate days. At the same time, your full home will also get cleaned within a few days. Our aim is to make the entire home germ-free. But while cleaning your house, pay special attention to the kitchen, dining area and bathroom because these are the areas that need more attention. We have already discussed about how to keep your kitchen and bathroom clean in our previous blogs.

2. Keep your home dry

The usual fact is high moisture content and humidity are favourable conditions for the germs like fungi, bacteria, etc to breed and so you will have to be very careful especially in the rainy season. The easy way to solve this problem and to keep your home germs free is by properly utilizing the fans. This will enable your rooms to stay dry and will decrease the occurrence of mould, stinks, etc. Bathrooms are one of the wet areas, which needs to be kept dry. To know more regarding how to keep it dry you can read our blog- ‘8 Ways to remove bad odour in Bathroom, & keep it clean’ (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/8-ways-to-remove-bad-odour-in-bathroom-keep-it-clean).

Alternatively, Table fans can be used for high moisture area, switch them on when you feel wet. So by keeping your home dry, you can keep your home germ-free.

3. Disinfect the germ affected places

The most germs spread through places in your home are those that are touched very often. These include doorknobs, handles, faucets, appliances, remotes, etc. Germs can live on these surfaces. Hence, regular cleaning of these handheld hot spots is imperative. Use a germ-killing cleaner to disinfect these surfaces by spraying on a generous amount. Certainly, some items cannot be exposed to excess cleaner liquid, so consider soaking an end of the cloth in the disinfectant and use that to carefully wipe your no-wet items. Keep in mind, the killing of bacteria happens as the cleaner evaporate so avoid dry-wiping or touching until completely dry. Also, if you find that the liquid is drying up too fast, re-spray the area and leave it alone.

4. Disinfect Household Linen

Bed linen, bath towels, sofa cushions, and window curtains may all be homes for germs and bacteria. They require regular laundering with antibacterial detergents to disinfect or kill the germs hiding within the fibres. Of course, you can’t wash your linen on a daily basis. Spray disinfectant on curtains at night when everyone is ready for bed so that any dampness will dry overnight. Household linen needs to be disinfected at least twice a week to help keep your home germ-free.

5. Avoid Germs entering In Your Home

We should keep a shoe rack close to your front door so that you can take your shoes off and put on your house slippers before you walk further into your home. The footwear we use to go outside picks up all kinds of dirt and bacteria that we then drag inside our homes when we walk in with same footwear. So, instead of putting on/taking off your shoes in your room, do it at the main entrance door to ensure that they aren’t spreading bacteria inside the house.

6. Natural remedies for a germ-free home

Many disinfectants available in the market are filled with chemicals that can be harmful to health. So alternatively, you can try a few natural remedies for a germ-free home.

As per Common Floor blog ‘Tips to germ proof your home’ www.commonfloor.com/guide/tips-to-germ-proof-your-home-12963.html White household vinegar is a great way to keep your home germfree. Fantastic for cleaning everything from countertops to carpets, and also this non-toxic, multipurpose product eliminates more than 90 percent of bacteria and more than 80 percent of mould and germs. Some alternatives such as lemon juice, tea tree oil, oregano oil, or lavender oil have properties that kill microbes.

Other tips are to ensure proper ventilation, keeping bathroom clean, cleaning dishcloths properly, kitchen waste management, etc. These are already discussed in our previous Blogs – 8 Simple Tips to Keep your Kitchen Clean and Germ-free; 8 Ways to remove bad odour in Bathroom, & keep it clean. Kitchen and bathrooms are wet areas of the home and are more prone to get infected by germs. So for keeping your home germ-free and clean wholly, it is important to germ-proof all areas including bathroom and kitchen.

Kitchen waste management is already discussed but dirt/waste of other areas needs to be taken care. Hence your home must have dustbins in its important corners and you have to make sure that they are being utilized properly. Any kind of residue that falls on the area must be immediately picked up and thrown into the dustbin. However, using the same dirty dustbin for long is also unsafe. Because, if you keep the wastes in it for a long time, then that is enough to make it turn into a breeding ground for germs. It will also stink and infect the air & make the full home stinky. You must empty the dustbins frequently in the corporation cars meant for dumping garbage or throw them into your common community garbage bin to avoid this. You must also not forget to properly clean and disinfect your dustbin.

Also, check out a table of how often you should clean some of the things in your home:

Every day
  • Wipe Down the Countertops
  • Wipe Down the Kitchen Sink
  • Sweep and mop the Floors
  • Take out the trash
  • Do laundry, as needed
Once A Week
  • Wipe Down the Appliances
  • Clean & scrub the toilets, tubs, showers, and sinks (This depends on bathroom condition too)
  • Clean the mirrors
  • Dust the furniture and shelves
  • Disinfect the garbage cans
Once a Month
  • Clean the inside microwave and oven
  • Clean the bathroom and kitchen cabinets
  • Wipe Down the door knobs, switch boards and lamps

Conclusion

Germs are everywhere and may cause trouble in our lives, sometimes even lead to health issues which may be life-threatening. While avoiding contact with germs is not always possible, but we can at least do something to protect ourselves from them. The first thing is to maintain good hygiene and keep our living environment germ-free. Cleanliness is the primary way to do it and also by the systematic and neat arrangement of things in our home.

Today we talked about some tips on how to keep your home germ-free. Follow these and keep yourself and your environment clean. This is important for maintaining the health and hygiene of your family.

What If Your Builder Opposes A 3rd Party Home Inspection?

A dream home is not just a home. It is not the only end goal of aspired living but also a security blanket. It is an important investment that needs to be well thought through. At the same time, new does not always mean perfect and old is not always gold. So, whether you are buying a new house, renting one, or maintaining one from overseas, you need to ensure it is safe and healthy. The best way to do that is by engaging a third-party home inspection service provider. If your builder or seller stops you from doing that get your logic straight and demand for a transparent check. Remember- getting an independent home inspection done is one of the fundamental rights of a home buyer. (Read thru www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/home-buyers-rights.html)

Importance of home inspection for new constructions

While purchasing a house, a new property is always a preferred choice. This is because top builders in India are developing modern homes that make maximum use of space and the latest materials available. Like their international counterparts, they are now focused on maximizing energy efficiency in every project. Additionally, a brand new house doesn’t come with the baggage of maintenance issues like older properties. That being said, defects like faulty water-proofing and water seepage, civil, electrical or other related issues can be there in any property irrespective of its age. To detect those defects a third-party home inspection is crucial.

A pre-purchase home inspection is relatively new in India. Builders and developers haven’t warmed up to it yet. They feel a third-party home inspection may open up a can of worms they aren’t even aware of and thus, risky. Many builders will resort to complicating the situation to dissuade the buyer from engaging in a home inspection. These builders are likely to have compromised on the quality and are the ones to watch out for. On the other hand, trustworthy builders and developers will always welcome a third-party inspection as it will reinforce their reliability to the public.

As a buyer, you must understand that it is your right to carry out an independent home inspection/ appraisal. No builder in India can decline such a request, whatever be the case. If they do, then they should certify all the concerned areas have been addressed. Or else, in worst cases, you can escalate the matter to the consumer court or your state RERA (Read through the related note…… www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/home-inspection-rera-updates)

A home inspection checklist for new buyers

A home inspection is largely a non-invasive technique. It is a visual examination of all accessible areas which includes systems and components of a property. The third-party inspection team issues detailed pictorial reports of critical issues observed. Software-driven home inspection reports are generated for the complete assessment. Clearly, a home inspection prior to purchase is- knowing what you are walking in to. After all, nobody likes surprises down the road. Isn’t it?

Getting started, a checklist helps:

  • Building material types
  • Installation and finishing
  • Operations and functionality
  • Damp and seepage assessment with tools using thermal imaging technology
  • The state of waterproofing and damp-proofing
  • Electrical inspections
  • General safety

Why you should be extra cautious about leakage/ seepage

India is classified as a tropical landmass and such topography is associated with heavy moisture/ dampness. Ambient dampness leads to seepage in building structures having waterproofing defects for finishing issues, weakening them pretty fast. Other causes that worsen the situation are poor ventilation, rising and penetrating damp and plumbing failures, etc

You will notice rising moisture content creates a ripple effect in the house. There are rust and fungus in toilet tanks, water pipes, HVAC systems, and other machines. The insides of electronics and domestic appliances also start to corrode easily increasing the risk of short circuit. If not detected early, this damp leads to recurring expenses and in case of extensive damage, structural renovations become inevitable. This is also a significant health hazard to the residents (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/damp-seepage-assessment-with-solutions-through-thermal-imaging-technology)

Depending on the year constructed and material used, moisture can speed up the deterioration process of your home and create an unhealthy living environment. By opting for a home inspection you can nip the problems in the bud. The non- invasive moisture testing helps you to find out the affected and/or vulnerable areas of the property. And you can take necessary action for a long term solution. The net result is no headache of recurring expenditure on things like patchwork waterproofing and repainting after every extreme weather events. Additionally, a well damp-proofed property earns you better returns over a longer period of time.

Why are builders wary of the home inspection?

It is human for people to be suspicious of and resistant to new things. Home inspection was not on the buyers’ agenda before and awareness about the process has been low until now. Times have changed. Properties are far bigger investments, buyers are savvier, NRIs are buying properties like never before and municipalities/governments (RERA) are imposing stricter quality control. This has created a professional buying and selling environment, thereby requiring a pre-purchase home inspection to come into play.

Many Indian builders regard third-party inspection as intrusive and a challenge to their abilities. Some of them may not have used quality compliant means and processes in their development and are at risk of being exposed. Others may not have an idea of the ideal stringent measures required for quality construction and development and are hence, wary of being caught out.

In this developing scenario, top builders in India have shown greater degrees of acceptance of home inspection and are not obstructive if requested.

For the buyers, a third-party property inspection is a better-to-be-safe-than-sorry proposition. It is certainly not a knock against the developers, builders or municipal inspectors to point out their defects. It simply reveals necessary repairs and cuts down on future unforeseen costs while stating the health and safety of their new or existing purchased property.

Builders should actually welcome home inspection

Indian Real Estate Developers should actually be open to having their properties evaluated by third-party home inspectors instead of opposing it. It is an opportunity for the inherent construction errors to be addressed before they become major problems. And it is also a free opportunity as it is being paid for by the buyer! Every seller should allow the buyer to have a home inspection done at their discretion and expense before the contract is signed. It is the same thing like buying a car which is a test-driven and inspected from every angle, both from outside and inside, before the final handover. So, why not you must insist for a safe and healthy home for your family which is far more expensive than a car?

Every buyer when buying a new standalone house should be allowed an inspection by the builder or the real estate developer. This should be prior during construction, prior to fittings (electrical / plumbing, doors, windows, floorings, etc) installation and then, before the final walk-through. In the case of apartments too, top builders in India should not oppose home inspection which helps identify minor issues that become bigger with time. This sets a good example for the smaller builders to follow. Also, inspection by the buyer at the construction stage itself can do away with huge unforeseen expenditures for the builder/ developer later. In fact, some of the leading developers in India are already conducting pre-delivery third-party inspections themselves. (www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/our-services-2/construction-finishing-inspection-for-real-estate-developers)

Some of the reasons why builders in India should allow inspection are as follows:

  • Senior management of building companies cannot physically control on-site construction and quality.
  • After the completion of the civil areas and structural elements, some defects may arise in the interiors which may have to be broken to be replaced.
  • There is a reduced dependency on contractors, floor managers, construction supervisors, and labourers and workers.
  • With periodic inspections, many problems are detected beforehand at significant cost savings to the builder.
  • Provides a third party assurance to the builder regarding the quality of his investment in the construction and finishing of units.
  • By allowing access to home inspection, the project’s value, developers’ credibility, and group brand name grows manifold.
  • Earns a better selling platform and bargaining position to the seller.
  • When a re-sale property is again sold or rented out with only minor repairs and cosmetic external beautification without addressing the root cause, it may later spoil the seller’s credibility in the market.
  • Interior designers can study blueprints and building codes and work accordingly. Professional home inspection firms can further aid them in ensuring the longevity of the house.

Home inspection, thus, is a win-win situation for all the parties in a real estate value chain as together they can have a clear understanding of the physical condition of the home in order to make a well-informed decision. A home buyer must explain to the builder or developers that they are all links in this same chain so what benefits one, will also benefit the other.

NRI/ Cross City Community property buyers must convince builders to allow a home inspection

Many home Inspection/property management companies offer one-stop solutions to the NRIs / CCCs for managing their property from a foreign land, whether it is at the construction stage or ready to move-in. From physical inspections of a home to doing the paperwork and filing taxations for both self-owned and rented premises, they do it all at a nominal fee. So, when faced with opposition from the builder, an NRI buyer needs to be firm and resolute about a pre-purchase inspection. The most accommodative way is to educate an unwilling builder about the non-invasive process of home inspection and the benefit it provides to the buyer and the builder alike. While it may take more than just an encounter, the time spent to obtain the permission will be worthwhile for sure.

Home inspection & beyond: NRI property management benefits

A Third party property inspection, for NRIs, comes with a host of other benefits. The service providers cover many essentials to give their clients complete peace of mind. For example, if you are buying a property and have engaged a property management team, it will conduct periodic visits to the sites of under-construction properties and keep sharing regular progress reports along with relevant pictures and videos with you. It will also coordinate with the developer about rectification matters and email you periodical MIS/updates. Before the handover, it will conduct a thorough final inspection and arrange for a walk-through so that you can move in with a relaxed mind.

Builders and developers must realize that high-end buyers and the lucrative NRI/ CCC customer base are more likely to insist for pre-purchase home inspections or else make their investment elsewhere. The NRI group, particularly, will turn their back on them as they fully comprehend the headaches that can come out of an un-inspected piece of property that they struggle to manage remotely.

A popular management mantra says: the customer is always right. The real estate industry is no different, and particularly so in a buyers’ market. When years of dreams and hard earned money are put together as an investment for a home and a security blanket, the buyer has every right to tick all the boxes prior to purchase. It is called peace of mind. So, as a buyer if you find your builder unwilling to cooperate on pre-purchase home inspection matters, first, try to convince him; if that doesn’t work, seek legal advice or go to your State RERA (RERA provides for 5 years free-of-cost guarantee from structural / workmanship defect or any other quality or provision of services or any other obligations of promoter as per agreement for sale from the date of handing over possession…… www.macj-abuyerschoice.com/home-inspection-rera-updates)