Monday, November 11, 2013

7 Best Ways to Give New Life to Your Old Home in Ghana

Image source: cmskey

After staying in your home for a long time, the place seems to get boring and monotonous. You get tired of seeing the same colours and furniture over and over again. Sometimes going through the same spaces time and time again can be dull and unexciting. What you need is a house face lift. You have to give your home a revamp so it obtains a fresh and new look which will bring about a delightful stay again. Renovating you home does not have to be expensive, here are simple and economical ways to give a new look to your old home.
  1. Your door handles, hinges and the knobs can be upgraded. This may have become weak and lost its beauty due to constant use. Simply get new sets with modern designs from a local shop and replace your door knobs and locks around the house.
  2. Ensure the light bulbs used in the various rooms are adequate. For reading and learning areas like the study or home office, LED or energy saving bulbs are appropriate for their bright light emissions. The recreational and relaxing areas such as living area, family room and dining areas can have soft lighting with a bit of colour to give a different feeling.
  3. Alter your window and door outlook by changing curtains and blinds! There are now very simple curtain styles you can opt for or go in for a different kind of window blind to rejuvenate the interior spaces.
  4. Adjust your furniture by rearranging in a different way from the usual. You can even reduce the amount of furniture to create simple but a cute look. You don’t have to buy new furniture if you cannot afford it. You can simply change the cover fabric or lay in decorative chair coverings.
  5. Bring new life to the walls and ceilings by repainting. Why not give modern wall papers a try? They are easy to install and change. You can play with the colours of your ceiling and walls. Giving them the same colour can feel repetitive so try a bold bright colour for the ceiling and a complementary neutral low tone colour for the walls or vice versa.
  6. Bring a shine to your kitchen and bathroom by changing the rugs, mats, carpets, and shower curtains. Rearrange your cabinet and fix more racks to hold the things you use frequently. Replace the bed sheets and pillow cases with a brighter patterned fabric or softer cushion to feel more relaxed during sleep.
  7. Remove all unnecessary clusters around the home. All items not in use must be given away or properly packed away! Take out unneeded furniture and elements in the hall and corridors to make it free and open. This gives a welcoming and an attractive look to the home. Place a new air freshener in these spaces and other communal spaces for the atmosphere in the home to feel pleasant and fresh.
Lighten up your old home with these new ideas! It will seem like a new house altogether.

Monday, November 4, 2013

7 Questions to Answer Before Building Your Dream Home in Ghana

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Building your dream home can be very exciting but financially draining as well if proper measures are not considered. For a lot of people, you actually envisage your home in your dreams before physically starting the foundation. If you want to forever love, cherish and enjoy living in your dream home, take time to think through and answer these seven questions before starting any construction.
  1. Do I have a concept? This is your dream home and you should have an idea how you want it to look like. Do you prefer the old–traditional styles or you want a contemporary home. Having an impression makes it easier for the Architect to develop your desires further. With the thought of building your dream home, first take a good look around. Go through several home magazines, home related websites and other tangible homes especially new homes for great ideas. You get to know the latest trends and available styles to develop wonderful ideas so you can carve out your preferences.
  2. Do I have a Budget? A budget gives you an idea how much you want to spend on your new home. You have to find out how much money you can afford as against the probable cost of your dream home. If you become aware of this, you can adjust your House Plans to meet the proposed budget. However, if you still want to go ahead without enough money then is a good time to apply for a house loan or mortgage to aid in completing the house.
  3. Do I have a Land? Whatever you want to build must be on a piece of land so get a site in a preferred area of your choice. You can either buy land outright or by installment from numerous estate companies in Ghana. Ghana Homes can assist you to get dispute free lands. Various areas or communities come with class and social status so be sure to find out before purchasing any land. More importantly, you have to investigate the physical conditions of the site such as soil condition, soil profile, land terrain, drainage systems and micro climate. This informs on the design of the building. Again, discover the zoning and building codes and regulations for the specific area to avoid confrontation with the law and land authorities. Security levels and access to social amenities like parks, shopping centers, schools and hospitals are essential to also look out for.
  4. Do I have a Team? Putting together a dream can be a lot of work more especially the design and construction of a dream home. Specialized professionals in the built industry such as Architects, Engineers and Construction managers design and construct buildings with much competence and expertise so do not be hesitant to consult them. You can just hire an Architect who will get all the other team members or you can outsource your dream home in work packages step by step. Investigate to get the best consultants with good reputation and well known for quality work. Ghana Homes Group has a pool of expert professionals should you need any help.
  5. Do I have a Plan? A building plan or House Plan shows the spatial arrangement of the proposed building. It depicts how each room is accessed and their functional coordination. You can choose from a wide range of House Plans from Ghana Homes or you can ask for a customized one if you have special family needs. Whatever your choice, settle on a plan that will satisfy you and your family needs for a long period of time.
  6. Do I have the Time? Building a home in Ghana from scratch can take a while to complete. Before starting construction, the land must be well documented with the Lands Commission and a building permit issued from the Town and Country Planning Department. This is already time consuming not to mention halts and setbacks associated with construction. If you are not bounded by time then it will be a good idea to take your time and build to your taste, but if you have limited time buying an already existing home and renovating or upgrading may be better. Seek expert advice when caught in a fix of ‘building or buying’ to adequately explore all available alternatives before making a decision.
  7. Do I have the Basic Utilities? Electricity and water are the basic essentials for survival in any community. You have to ensure these are or would be provided during construction and after occupancy. If either of them is lacking, this is the time to arrange for an alternative source. You can get a backup generator to supplement electricity later on but water is very critical to begin construction. A water storage system must be developed or storage tanks erected on site.
Building a home is a massive investment. Do not rush or you will regret later in life. Be sure to resolve any issues arising before beginning your dream home construction. All the best!

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Saturday, November 2, 2013

How to Buy and Protect Your Land in Ghana

 Land for Sale

Land is a good investment and a valuable asset. It does not depreciate but rather appreciates with time. This means your land will be worth a double or triple or even quadruple of its current value in the next five to ten years. A lot can be done on the land to bring in income and satisfaction such as real estate, agriculture and recreational activities. Acquiring a land in Ghana can be cumbersome and time consuming so you need to protect it once you get hold of it. Here are 5 steps to get and protect a land in Ghana.
  1. Physically inspect the land and all related documents. Several people and companies constantly advertise land for sale in Ghana. Do not be deceived by the company size or marketing strategies. Always go to the site to inspect its existence, size, accessibility and the environment. Some lands may be below the standard size or be a part of the road. Others may be so close to a high tension cable or a flowing river. Be vigilant and ask for all documents which may be site plan or indenture or title certificate. Try to locate the land for sale on the documents given. If there is any discrepancy or in doubt you can cross check with the Lands Commission.
  2. Perform a land title search at the Lands Commission and contact the real owner. A land search involves applying to the Ghana Lands Commission to ask the validation and ownership of a particular land. You have to apply with the site plan or indenture to be used for checking. The real authentic owner of the land and in some cases their contact details are given to you after the search. They can also get you the history of owners of the land since its inception if you request for it. Mind you, it may take a while. Contact the owner to be certain of his/her approval of the land sale. It is only the owner,  his or her mandated representative who can sell the land. Be careful to look out for this! If you are dealing with the representative or agent, ask for a note of authorization to sell the land from the owner.
  3. Draft and sign a purchase and transfer agreement before paying. When you are satisfied with the inspection and land search, draft a purchase and transfer agreement to be signed by both you and the seller. You can get a lawyer to assist you or contact Ghana Homes for professional lawyers to help you with all legal documentations. The agreement should spell out the exact purchase price, installment arrangements, date and place of transactions. Ensure all concerned parties sign this document before releasing any money out. Pay directly to the owner, his or her legal representative approved bank account.
  4. Use a payment method supported with evidence such as Bank transfer. Payment must be documented in case of any conflicts or court actions so pay through the bank or a well-accepted money transfer method in Ghana. You can pay into the land owner’s or the sale company bank account. Try as much as possible to avoid direct cash payments as this brings about a lot of fraudulent manipulations. Do not pay a hundred per cent of the agreed sale price until all documents have been fully transferred into your name.
  5. Transfer and register documents with the Lands Commission in your name. Visit the Lands commission to inform them about the transaction and apply for a transfer and subsequent registration of the land. Check that your name is correctly spelt on the site plan or indenture when finally issued. You can request for a title certificate later which takes much more time. The site plan and title certificate proves your legal ownership and right to the land. However, to prevent encroachers and squatters from your land, construct a fence wall around the site and lock the gate with security locks. This also gives other unsuspecting buyers the hint the land is soon to be developed.
Ghana Homes  Group has heard a lot of scam practices and stories from prospective clients who have been scammed and even to a point where one scam artist (related to the victim) committed suicide. We are committed to assist all individuals with the desire of owning and protecting their land in Ghana. We have qualified real estate lawyers who can help you acquire land headache free! And you pay attorney fees. Contact us today for a memorable experience!
 

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Ghana Homes provides luxury high-quality properties in Ghana . We offer state-of-the-art living conditions reflective of the rapid advancements in technology and a growing need for quality housing for both low and high income families. Our group is dedicated to a hassle free living environment in which our client can enjoy all of the benefits of a safe, attractive, and inviting property.

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