Acquiring a property is one of the most important decisions anyone can make in a lifetime. Buying or selling real estate can be so overwhelming, especially, when you don’t know what property to choose or what to do when searching for a new home. Selling a home, scouting out a new location for a business, or buying multiple properties is when you should not only hire a qualified real estate agent, but a Feng Shui expert as well. Yet; the optimal time to call in a Feng Shui expert is even before a home is built.

Some people say they have a gut feeling when they find the right property; they just know they’re at home. But, why not have some basis to form that feeling. Your gut is probably a good indication that you’re on the right track and the property is the right choice for you; nevertheless, the placement and direction of the home or business, in question, can be analyzed before a purchase is made. This gives you more than a gut feeling; it gives you choice information.

A lot of Feng Shui problems can be prevented in the planning stage. Before committing designs onto paper, Feng Shui Real Estate can consult with you on optimising the flow of beneficial energy throughout your home or development. The result can be more profitable for you, as the character of your venture will improve; thereby drawing increased favourable consideration from potential buyers.

And if you are a real estate agent, we can show you a completely new insight into the dynamics of various properties. Have you had properties that were slow or difficult to sell? Or deals that have collapsed because your buyers have brought in a Feng Shui consultant who advised them against purchasing? Feng Shui Real Estate can be used as an additional resource to troubleshoot such situations by providing solution-focused recommendations.

Feng Shui as a science can affect the physical, mental, emotional and the spiritual level of an individual. If at the physical level, it relates to the changing in the placement of objects, it can help you achieve mental stability and progress emotionally. And once the emotional balance is created, one can evolve spiritually to the higher self. Experts highlighting the importance of Feng Shui also state that --Feng Shui as an art can help you progress but it can't change your destiny, unless you work hard to achieve it. Feng Shui is not just placement of articles in the house but it is also connected to your entire well-being.The Chinese exponents of Feng-Shui believe that where you live and how you allocate and arrange the elements of your home or workplace can significantly affect the harmony of your health, wealth, and happiness. Many of Feng Shui's precepts are based on sound practical sense, others seem to be merely a matter of convention, while for some people Feng Shui lies beyond any rational explanation.

It considers four factors: the Chi or "breath of life" potential of the neighborhood; the site orientation or the importance of the direction in which the building faces; the five elements -- fire, water, wood, metal, earth -- and their mutual influence upon a location; the power of water and its significance in relation to the property.

If you acknowledge and understand the all-pervasive life energy (Chi), you can affect the whole tenor of your well-being. Simple things like placing your furniture the wrong way, using wrong colours, and elemental conflicts (i.e. having the water 'refrigerator' next to the fire 'stove', can create factors that impact negatively on your life.

Is it a Superstition? It really doesn't matter. What does matter is that if you are a builder it behooves you to know Feng-Shui as it relates to building. Whether you believe in it or not, feng-shui is seen by millions as an ancient science full of philosophy and practical wisdom.

Before end of this year there might be a correction in the rental rates of commercial real estate space in software technology parks or STPI to the tune of 15%. This may take place because the IT and ITES companies are making a beeline for SEZ space.

As against everyone’s expectations regarding the extension of the STPI sceheme, the FM didn’t make any such indication in this budget. Though the general indication is that it’s not the final decision it will expire in 2009 but still a lot of people expect that even if the STPI is extended, it will not be extended for a very long time and not with the same concessions being provided so far. So, migration to SEZ is happening and will continue.

This means that the space available right now for the Software Technology Park will turn into general office space and demand for it will drop. This combined with the additional supply of commercial space in the pipeline, that will hit the market in cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and the NCR over the next 12 months, will result in a correction in commercial rental rates by nearly 15% The numbers show that within the SEZ space, India will have 16 million square feet of SEZ space for IT available and ready before 2010. Around 80% of this has already been pre-booked and the demand is very strong. The price for SEZ space has also gone up in the last year. So, the demand is really high.

While some IT companies plan to hold part of the STP space, for their main operations within the city because of their location. But will move the rest of their operations to SEZs. So, the prices will fall anywhere between 15% or more than that, which is the response one is getting from the real estate industry right now.

Moving to an SEZ outside of the big cities might lead to a loss of talent. What's your take on this?????????

How did you first become aware of google.com? Was it by watching Harbhajan Singh bowling something related to this name in a cricket match or perhaps did a friend tell you about this great search site? Were you are looking for tall man or did you notice a sign of a company with the apparently unrelated name in search business? Branding has been a part of the Internet since commercialization began.

Brands are one of a company's important assets. Brand value becomes important when competitive forces come into play. It perhaps has no relevance in a monopoly situation. Branding provides connection with the consumer which is crucial in any competitive market. Building a Brand is about (1) what you stand for and (2) the value that brings to those exposed to your brand. If what you stand for is a value system that others want, and want to identify with, you will be able to make your brand easily recognizable.

Most of the real estate players in India have a negative image. So the real estate players in India are developing new ways of introducing its brand, taking the help of sponsored events, brand-building proposals, tie-ups and high value advertisements. They are doing all these to rectify the negative image in the market. Firms that remain locked in the tunnel vision of customary branding, there performs will fail to see the disaster, fail to understand it, fail to act on it, and finally find their brands suffering.On the other hand, firms that expand their view to include social-paradigm based practices will see the crisis developing, be able to understand it, test it and with approaches, it will address as well seize competitive advantage and profits from its resolution.

Brand building has become the need of an hour with the increasing number of players in the space and with those emerging as national region players in order to cut across the rivalry. As many groups are listed on the stock market, it’s not necessary to follow so as to uphold an incessant touch with their investors. Rising stock listing rush is also fueling those who are unlisted.

Everyone in the real estate industry is making tangible efforts to craft their brand image and be the best among all. Almost all the realty companies have doubled their branding expenditures. The investments towards the reasons are backed by the growth in the sector and eventually the authentic performance of all the companies and are heavily enjoying the sale in black. Almost all the companies witnessed a quantum jump in profits (by more than 50 per cent).

Day by day the Indian consumers are becoming more demanding and with the increasing contribution of global investors, branding is become essential and real estate is no exemption.

Union Budget 2008 evoked mixed reactions from realty sector. The budget mentioned there will be a boost in the country’s socio-economic infrastructure with due emphasis on education, health and hospitality sector. The boost in housing sector will take place due to the increase in income tax exemption limit to Rs.1.5 lakh (Rs.110000) and new tax slabs as it will increase the affordability of equated monthly installments pertaining to new and existing housing loans. The real estate sector will also benefit from the amendment relating to dividend distribution from a subsidiary to a parent company, as this is prevalent in the sector.

However, there has been no relief on service tax on rentals which will continue to increase pricing pressure, though in the short to medium term this will not have a drastic impact as supply outstrips demand. Eventually, the burden would be passed on to tenants. A reduction in duties and service tax benefits directly to consumers would have propelled the demand for realty across the country.

Further, Real estate industry says that tax holiday on establishing hospitals anywhere in India and specially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities will fuel growth in these cities and attract investment.

According to some, this Budget was a political Budget meant for certain section of people. Some were expecting Service tax exemptions for the urban area low-cost housing. Also there was no mention of privatization of the airports and ports and about so many other areas of infrastructure. On the other hand some believe that the budget will have positive impact on the real estate industry expecting the construction cost to come down due to duty and central value-added tax reduction. The Indian real estate sector has welcomed the overall impact of budget while saying that it could have done more for the industry.

You are emotionally disturbed, with illness and financial problems at home. At work, you’re losing out on opportunities, and your efforts are not taking your career to where it should be. Ever thought of VAASTU?

Vaastu literally means “house" or dwelling place. The principles of Vaastu establish to create a harmony between the fine elements in the environment. Vaastu is directly related with nature, earth's magnetic field that is invisible but a powerful force, which affects man's life. Vaastu helps in making a congenial setting or a place to live and work in a most scientific way taking advantage of the benefits bestowed by nature, its elements and energy fields for enhanced \health, wealth, prosperity and happiness. The Vaastu science mainly deals with the natural needs of the man for living, like weather, winds, light etc., and the restrictions or passage of these natural sources in the dwelling.

Applying vaastu principles to your home could just about bring greater equilibrium into your life.It is believed that construction of house as per Vaastu Shastra leads to a happy and prosperous life.

Vaastu Shastra describes that everything in the universe is constructed by the five elements called Panchamabhoota (earth, water, fire, air and space) and that gravitational and magnetic effects and rotational influences of planets and other celestial bodies with cosmic rays, affects us and controls the way we live. Vaastu Shasta, considers where the building spot is located, the spot's shape, the building’s shape, the direction the building will face, the location of gates, entry doors, room, doors, windows, placement of the furniture, colors, storage systems, the building’s general design, plants and trees etc.

Today, Vaastu Shastra is looked upon as a highly evolved, building philosophy in which directions and shapes are the most vital aspects of designing. The four directions of the plot are decided, based on the epic centre of the plot.

A complete vaastu solution can be provided only by an expert. Everyone should consult one with the right credentials and references.

A flawless, vaastu-compliant example of architecture is the famous Balaji temple at Tirupati, and its prosperity is testimony to the tenets of vaastu. Experiment with a few principles of the science – it could change your life, for the better.