Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Tips to consider in investing for a property
It doesn't matter whether it's a buyer's market or a seller's
market; there is one thing that is common among all homebuyers and that
is - they don't want to get ripped off. And while thoughts of white
fences and granite countertops may be dancing allover your mind, being
carried away by a dream and left holding a serious bill would be very
problematic. Getting your first home would be one of the biggest
purchases you'll ever make, so instead of making an impulse buy, make
sure you do your research and have yourself backed up by a few quality
advisers.
Now, if you are wondering how can someone who is going
to buy a property for the first time be able to get a fair deal on the
home they are prepared to place an offer on, here are several important
tips you need to consider.
• First things first, attend a
first-time home buyer's seminar. Every undertaking needs to be learnt
before you actually go hands on. The same goes to home buying. Making
the wrong decision on your first house can come back to haunt you, so it
is important to take a little time to learn from the pros and go
straight to the head of the class with your investment knowledge. Here,
you can decide whether you should get yourself a deal of house and land
packages or a lot.
• Understand your budget. Having high
expectations on the type of house you wish to get can set you up for
disappointment if you don't know what you can afford. So you need to sit
down and look seriously at your average monthly budget, take a hard
look at where you are spending your money on - everything from the
restaurant bills to your dry-cleaning bills. And when you finish
checking out your monthly bills, you'll then figure out what you have
left to spend for your monthly mortgage and home expenses. And if the
numbers aren't adding up to what you want, then you need to start to
buckle down and change your spending ways to make sure you are able to
pay your bills as this is one of the most important factors in buying
your first home.
• Take your time. Homes constantly come on
and off the market. You may not be able to find your dream home,
however, you won't need to settle for anything less simply because you
feel under the gun to buy something. For the time being, you can
consider renting so you can give yourself time to find the right home.
Based on the article by Keith H. Bailey
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Penang projects get a boost
THE Penang Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas has called for
support for the four major infrastructure projects worth RM6.3bil that
was proposed by the state government. He said there was a need to upgrade the road infrastructure in Penang to be on par with developed countries. “Thus, the state’s intention to implement the RM6.3bil project to
resolve traffic issues should be supported,” he said yesterday in his
speech when opening the first sitting of the first term of 13th Penang
State Legislative Assembly.
The project comprises a 4.2km bypass connecting Gurney Drive to the
Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, a 4.6km bypass connecting the expressway
to Air Itam, a 12km paired road between Tanjung Bungah and Teluk Bahang
and a 6.5km undersea tunnel connecting Gurney Drive to Bagan Ajam. The tunnel project had however come under fire from some
non-governmental organisations and politicians who feared that it would
bring negative environmental and economic impacts. Abdul Rahman said a feasibility study and Detailed Environmental
Impact Assessment would be carried out to ensure that the projects are
safe for implementation and can be completed well.
On power supply, he said Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) would build a RM3bil power plant in Prai which would be completed in 2016. He said that from 2015 to 2018, the utility company aimed to increase
the distribution of electricity in the state with the construction of
eight 842 megawatt main intake substations at a cost of RM589.5mil.
Abdul Rahman also said the state government had identified seven sites statewide for its affordable housing projects. He said there would be a total of 22,172 units, of which 3,152 units would be built on the island and the rest on the mainland. He said more than 19,000 people had registered their interest to
purchase units at two projects - in Jalan S.P. Chelliah where 1,900
units
will be built and Bandar Cassia in Batu Kawan which will have 520 units.
On healthcare, Abdul Rahman said the state was setting up dialysis
centres in Balik Pulau and Seberang Jaya at a total cost of RM4mil to
provide subsidised treatment for poor patients. “The state hopes to start operating the centres by the end of the year,” he added. In his speech that lasted close to an hour, Abdul Rahman also
extended his condolences to the family of victims who died in the second
Penang bridge ramp collapse on June 6 and freak storm on June 13.
Other issues he touched on included investments, traffic and
transportation management, tourism, agriculture, welfare, sports, youth,
women’s development and Islamic matters.
The Star Online
Wednesday July 3, 2013
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