The Russians started the space race back in the 1950s.
This picture taken on June 12, 2012 shows
Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force fighter pilot Liu Yang
(L) together with her two male colleagues, Jing Haipeng (C) and Liu Wang
(R), in their spacesuits as they pose for an official photo at the
Jiuquan space base, north China's Gansu province. China said on June 15,
2012 that a female astronaut will be among the three-person team on
board the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, and will take off at 6.37 pm (1037 GMT)
on June 16 from the Jiuquan space base in the Gobi desert for the
country's fourth manned space launch, with Liu Yang, 33, and two male
astronauts on board. (Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife)
The U.S. perfect it with putting a man on the moon, then with a series
of modern high tech space shuttle missions and Mars ROVERS. But now,
the final frontier captains are more likely to be Russians, with their
hopes for a human Mars landing someday, or Chinese, with a new China
space station due within the next 8 years.
While the U.S. has basically scrapped its space mission, slashing the
budget of NASA and now too close to a fiscal cliff to invest in
fly-by-night government funded manned space operations, China is on the
move.
The country’s Shenzhou IX spacecraft, carrying two male astronauts
and one female astronaut into space this week, completed its first-ever
manual docking with the Tiangong I space lab on Sunday. The manual
docking of two ships whipping through space ultimately demonstrates
China’s grasp of essential space rendezvous and docking know-how. Manual
docking requires astronauts to have a precise judgement on the relative
distance between Shenzhou IX and the Tiangong-1 module, a challenge to
their capability of coordination, accuracy and psychological stability.
The astronauts have done more than 1,500 docking simulations on the
ground to ensure a successful manual docking.
Their successful completion of the docking mission at 12:47 pm local
time on Sunday means China is fully capable of transferring humans and
cargo to an orbiter in space much like the Americans, only the Americans
have abandoned further work in this area beyond the current
International Space Station expedition which ends next month. That
current mission is actually being commanded by Oleg Dmitrievich
Komonenko, a Russian national born in Turkmenistan. He’s one of three Russians on the Russian Proton vesssel, with two Americans and one astronaut from The Netherlands.
China’s three astronauts boarded Tiangong through Shenzhou IX where
they will continued conducting various scientific experiments on the
space lab before heading returning.
Chinese Astronauts Manually Dock Spacecraft at Orbiting Module in National First
This still from a CNTV bradcast shows the view from a camera
aboard China's Shenzhou 9 space capsule shows the spacecraft just after
it was manually docked to the Tiangong 1 space lab by astronaut Liu
Wang on June 24, 2012. CREDIT: CNTV/CCTV
Three Chinese astronauts manually docked their space capsule at an
orbiting module Sunday (June 24), a major first for China's space
program and the country's plans to build a large space station.
The astronauts docked their Shenzhou 9 spacecraft with the unmanned
Tiangong 1 module 213 miles (343 kilometers) above Earth. It was the
second orbital linkup in a week for the two spacecraft, which performed China's first automated space docking June 18.
Shenzhou 9's astronauts Liu Wang, Jing Haipeng and Liu Yang — who is
China's first female astronaut — are the fourth Chinese crew to fly in
space. The astronauts launched into orbit on June 16, atop a Long March
2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's northern
Gansu province.
Tiangong 1 has been in orbit since September 2011, and was part of
China's first robotic docking with the unmanned Shenzhou 8 capsule in
November. The Shenzhou 9 crew made their first docking with Tiangong 1
June 18, marking the first time a manned Chinese spacecraft has docked
with another vehicle in orbit. [Shenzhou 9: China's 1st Manned Space Docking (Pictures)]
The
three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft grasp hands to
celebrate their successful manned docking with the Tiangong 1 orbiting
module on June 24, 2012. At center is astronaut Liu Wang, who piloted
the successful docking. Mission commander Jing Haipeng is at left with
astronaut Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut, at right. CREDIT: China Manned Space Engineering
Earlier today, the astronauts undocked the two spacecraft and flew
Shenzhou 9 about 1,300 feet (400 meters) away. They then maneuvered
their capsule by hand, with Liu Wang at the helm, back into docking
configuration with Tiangong 1 at 12:48 p.m. China Standard Time, or 12:48 a.m. EDT (0448 GMT).
"The success of the manual rendezvous and docking mission represents
another important phase achievement of the Shenzhou 9 and Tiangong 1
rendezvous and docking mission," Wu Ping, spokeswoman of the China
Manned Space Program, said during a press briefing following the
docking. "The three astronauts will once again enter the orbiting module
of Tiangong 1 to carry out scientific experiments."
The mission's docking maneuvers are a milestone in the development of
China's manned space program, which flew its first astronaut in space in
2003. Tiangong 1 (which means "Heavenly Palace" in Chinese) is a
prototype for China's first manned space station, which officials say
will be functional by 2020.
China is the third country after Russia and the United States to fly astronauts into space.
After today's docking, the Shenzhou 9 astronauts (known as taikonauts)
received a message from a group of Chinese oceanauts who are setting
records not above the ground but below it.
"We wish for a great success of the manual docking and brilliant
achievements in China's manned space and manned deep-sea dive causes,"
read a message sent by three crewmembers aboard the Chinese submersible
Jiaolong, 7,015 meters (23,000 feet) beneath the Pacific Ocean in the
Mariana Trench, the deepest spot on Earth, state-run newspaper Xinhua
reported.
China achieved another milestone in its space program as the
Shenzhou-9 spacecraft successfully completed its second docking with the
Tiangong-1 space lab module by hand. This was China’s first ever manned
manual space docking.
Ten meters, five meters, three.
It was a moment astronaut Liu Wang had practiced for, more than 1.500 times. And he knew he could do it.
Photo taken on June 24, 2012 shows the screen at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center showing Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft parting from the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab to prepare for the country's first manual space docking. The spacecraft and the space lab were joined together by an automated docking on June 18. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)
Liu said, "I’m 100% sure of a successfully operation. Because I can’t fail."
Dubbed the "space needle threading" mission, the astronauts had to
carefully adjust the craft’s trajectory with very little margin for
error.
It all culminated in the historic moment.
Shenzhou-9’s docking ring makes contact with the Tiangong-1 and a
tight seal is formed as the connection between the craft is secured.
It was even more accurate than the first automated docking of Shenzhou-9 and Tiangong-1.
The State Council Information office then announced the success of the mission.
Wu Ping, spokeswoman for State Council Information Office said, "I
can announce that the first Chinese manned docking of the Shenzhou-9
spacecraft and the Tiangong-1 space lab module has been successfully
completed."
A big success, but it’s not over yet.
After the docking, the astronauts entered Tiangong-1 for another four days of experiments.
Following this, they’ll return to Shenzhou-9’s re-entry module, to prepare for the journey back to earth.
Good news came as the crew of the Jiaolong submersible surpassed
the country’s dive record by going deeper than 7,000 meters after a
successful test dive in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday morning.
A record breaking moment.
Jiaolong, China’s manned submersible successfully completed a dive of
7,015 meters below sea level at around 11 am local time, 8:55 am
Beijing time. It’s the craft’s fourth dive into the Mariana Trench.
China's manned submersible Jiaolong is put into water to make the fourth dive into the sea at the Mariana Trench on June 24, 2012. Chinese scientists refreshed the country's dive record in a manned submersible by going to 7,000 meters beneath the sea after a successful test dive in the Pacific Ocean Sunday morning. The Jiaolong, China's manned submersible named after a mythical sea dragon, succeeded in diving 7,015 meters below sea level at 11 a.m. local time during its fourth dive into the Mariana Trench. Three oceanauts conducted the dive, which started at 7 a.m. local time in heavy rain. (Xinhua/Luo Sha)
The submersible then went on to finally reach a maximum depth of 7,020 meters below sea level.
The three oceanauts sent greetings from the bottom of the deep blue
sea to the three astronauts in outer space, who were about to carry out
their manual docking of Shenzhou-9 with the orbiting Tiangong-1 lab
module.
"We wish the Shenzhou-9 crew success with the manual docking and
great achievements for China’s manned space and deep-sea dive missions."
Various samples and video footage have been taken during the deep sea mission to benefit future scientific research.
This file photo, taken in 2011, shows
the Chinese submersible 'Jiaolong.' The submersible broke through the
7,000-metre mark in an ocean dive on Sunday, state media said, setting a
new national record for China.
A manned Chinese submersible broke through the 7,000-metre
mark for a new national record on Sunday, state media said, as the
rising Asian nation showed off its technological might.
The "Jiaolong" craft dived 7,015 metres (23,015 feet) in the Mariana Trench
in the western Pacific Ocean on its fourth dive since arriving in the
area earlier this month, the official Xinhua news agency said.
The dive came on the same day as China
was attempting its first manual space docking, a complex manoeuvre that
will bring the country a step closer to building a space station.
"This (dive) shows the performance of the submersible is stable,"
mission chief commander Liu Feng told state television in a live
broadcast from aboard the ship supporting the submersible.
"The level of our technical personnel is getting better and better."
The Jiaolong -- named after a dragon from Chinese mythology --
carried three people into the Mariana Trench, the deepest place in the
world.
Applause broke out as a depth gauge aboard the supporting ship
Xiangyanghong registered more than 7,000 metres, state television
showed.
The same submersible reached 5,188 metres in a Pacific dive in July
last year. And in a series of three previous dives since June 15, the
craft has gone deeper each time. Experts say 7,000 metres is the limit
of its design.
Experts say China intends to use the submersible for scientific
research, such as collecting samples of undersea life and studying
geological structures, as well as future development of mineral
resources.
On its third dive on Friday, the crew collected samples of water and sediment and took photos of sea life, Xinhua said.
Scientists say the ocean floors contain rich deposits of potentially
valuable minerals, but the extreme depths pose technical difficulties in
harvesting them on a large scale.
And the stability and durability of the craft presents further problems for future operations.
The recent round of dives have seen some minor technical glitches,
such as the breakdown of communications equipment and problems with the
adjustable ballast system, state media has reported.
The 7,000 metre dive was previously scheduled for Monday, state media
had reported. The reasons for the change of date were unclear but mean
the record-setting dive comes the same day as China's landmark space manoeuvre.
Hanoi's disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea have given rise to
frictions, and analysts said the passed law may internationalize the
issue and bring a heavy blow to bilateral relations.
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the NPC expressed its position
concerning the recent passing of the Vietnamese Law of the Sea in a
letter to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Vietnamese National
Assembly.
The Vietnamese National Assembly passed the Vietnamese Law of the Sea
to include China's Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands in the South China
Sea within Vietnam's sovereignty and jurisdiction.
The NPC expressed its firm opposition to the move and urged the
Vietnamese National Assembly "to correct the erroneous practice
immediately."
"The move by the Vietnamese National Assembly is a serious violation
of China's territorial sovereignty and is illegal and invalid.
It
violates the consensus reached by both leaders, as well as the
principles of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South
China Sea," the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee said in the letter.
"The NPC Foreign Affairs Committee hopes the Vietnamese National
Assembly to honestly respect China's territorial sovereignty and correct
the wrongful practice so as to safeguard the China-Vietnam
comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as well as the friendly
relations between China's NPC and the Vietnamese National Assembly," the
letter said.
The NPC also reaffirmed in the letter that China has indisputable
sovereignty over the Xisha islands, Nansha Islands and their adjacent
waters.
- Xinhua/Asia News Network Related articles/post:
East Asia’s wealth continues to spurt, with the hope that it will not also sputter.
BEHIND
the faceless economic data of countries and regions is the wealth of
individual people. But how does this relate to global conditions, and
vice-versa?
One answer comes by way of the High Net Worth
Individual (HNWI), as defined jointly by the French consulting firm
Capgemini and the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).
Where net worth is
generally taken as total assets minus total debts, the HNWI as conceived
by Capgemini, RBC and Merrill Lynch is a person with at least US$1mil
(RM3.2mil) in disposable funds to invest.
In their calculation,
growth of East Asia’s personal wealth last year bypassed North America’s
for the first time. In their latest World Wealth Report 2011 released just four days ago, the number of HNWIs in the “Asia-Pacific” region grew 1.6% to 3.37 million.
Widening
gap: China continues to develop rapidly, chalking up multiple
achievements such as lifting nearly a billion people out of poverty
within one generation. Yet some 100 million people in China still live
in poverty. — EPA
However, the Asia-Pacific mega-region
often presents a problem of definition, and does so clearly in this
case. Australia is included but not New Zealand, nor is any country in
North America which also lies in the “Pacific” portion of the
Asia-Pacific.
India is also included even when it is not a
Pacific nation, but not any other South Asian country which is similarly
located and equally (in)eligible. The Philippines is also excluded
along with five of the smallest or newest Asean countries.
Such
concepts and their comparisons, particularly when defined by specific
corporate interests, tend to be notional at best. Nonetheless, one trend
is clear: individual and thus regional wealth in East Asia is growing
faster than in North America.
But much of this new wealth also
has shallower roots. East Asian economies are seeing fast gainers and
almost as rapid losers among HNWIs.
Hong Kong and Singapore
respectively lost 17.4% and 7.8% in HNWIs. The volatility is typical of
rapidly growing regions: easier come, easier go.
Overall, East
Asian wealth accumulation for investment is still behind North America’s
– US$10.7tril (RM34tril) to US$11.4tril (RM36.4tril). The gap remains,
but it is just as obvious that it is narrowing.
Without East
Asian volatility, the gap would be narrower still. And if the number of
HNWIs were considered on per capita terms, East Asian development would
seem even more impressive.
That leaves a large question mark over
China, with the world’s largest population at more than 1.3 billion. It
has already produced the fastest and most sustained growth anywhere on
the planet, with the prospect of much more to come.
China
continues to develop rapidly, chalking up multiple achievements such as
lifting nearly a billion people out of poverty within one generation.
Yet some 100 million people in China still live in poverty, as Prime
Minister Wen Jiabao conceded during the week.
In essence, much of
China’s economic growth has yet to come. How far it still has to go may
be taken as a measure of how much further it can still go.
Owing
to its sheer size and the scale on which it operates, China’s progress
will determine the fate of both greater China (the mainland, plus Hong
Kong, Macao and Taiwan) and much of the world.
That was the broad
consensus reached during the week at both the Rio+20 summit in Brazil
attended by Wen, and the G20 summit in Mexico attended by President Hu
Jintao.
And that is where the sums and the conclusions, whether
tentative or premature, become mired in obscurities. But if it is any
consolation, the obscurities are also the realities.
When
comparisons are made between (East) Asian and North American growth,
investment or expenditure, the comparisons are essentially between China
and the US.
And in economic growth in particular, much of
China’s data is derived from trade with and investment from the US. The
most important bilateral relationship in the Asia-Pacific, if not also
in the world, is also growing steadily on multiple fronts: economic, but
also diplomatic and strategic.
How the world’s two largest
economies get along has always been important for the world. That
becomes much more so when it encompasses other spheres of their
relationship as well.
In Hu’s address in Los Cabos on Tuesday to
an audience that included his US counterpart Barack Obama, he developed a
model of bilateral relations he introduced at a China-US Strategic and
Economic Dialogue last month in Beijing. This consisted largely of two
prongs, each with three main points.
The three key principles are
for both countries to maintain strategic communication between them at
the highest levels, to manage any differences between them without
letting anything get out of control, and to keep any prospective
interference from any quarter boxed up.
The three broad areas of
interest outlined by Hu in his “hopes” are that the US will act
positively in opting for a pragmatic rather than an ideological approach
to relations, respect China’s legitimate sovereign interests, and stop
the narrower concerns of domestic politics from upsetting ties.
These
points may be taken to mean China’s preference for a full, direct
relationship that avoids hiccups from occasional sentiments in the US
over China’s internal political affairs, currency valuation or a
lingering US tendency to protectionism.
There were at least three
points of immediate agreement at Los Cabos: that both countries should
develop the next phase of their relationship meaningfully, that
relations were so far going well, and that more should be done to build
mutual trust.
This G20 summit is seen as the second meeting
between Hu and Obama this year, and the 12th in three years. It is also
timed just right for Hu in reminding Obama that bilateral relations
should not be subordinated to domestic pressures in a US election year,
as Obama begins his campaign for re-election.
These personal
exchanges are crucial, despite the passing nature of the presidencies.
Hu is due to be succeeded next year, and even if Obama is re-elected, he
has only another four years in office.
But formal relations
between major powers are made of more durable stuff. There is scant
difference between the Democratic and Republican parties on ties with
China, and Beijing itself is known for worldviews that endure.
Beyond these, the summits in both Los Cabos and Rio de Janeiro took due notice of the gravity of the eurozone debt crisis.
The
eurozone is after all an important leg of the world economic tripod,
and its economic prospects are bound to be of concern to other regions.
At
both summits, China and the US tried to shore up global confidence in
the eurozone by helping to talk up prospects of recovery, or at least
avoided consideration of worst-case scenarios.
The next EU summit
in the following days should do more to spell out specific measures
that member countries can take to that end.
Europe has the
greatest responsibility in putting its collective house in order. North
American and East Asian economic entities can do no more than assist in
the hard decisions that Europeans have to take themselves.
For
East Asia and North America at least, how well China and the US work
together will determine prospects for all players in both regions. For
East Asia in particular, HNWIs and standards of living generally are
determined by the peace and prosperity that only close ties between
major powers can offer.
Everybody knows that many families moved in together to help each
other out during the Great Recession, but new data from the U.S. Census
bureau highlights another approach: handouts to family members to help
them make it on their own. Call it allowance for grown-ups. To the tune
of $567 a month on average.
About 2.1 million “providers” supported people other than their
children under 21 who didn’t live with them in 2010, according to U.S.
Census statistics in Support Providers: 2010.
While 32% of these folks supported their parents, 34% supported their
adult children (21 and older). On average they handed over $6,809 in
2010. That works out to $567 a month–like another car payment. By
comparison, 4.8 million parents paid out an average $5,140 in child
support to children under 21 in 2010. That works out to $428 a month.
The providers who are helping extended family members had an average
family income of $83,250. (Providers who support children under 21 had
an average family income of $57,000.) While most (70%) support one
additional adult, 22% support 2 people and 8% support 3 or more people.
The statistics come from a national survey about the social and economic well-being of individuals and households. A prior survey in 2005
also showed 2.1 million providers supporting those other than children
under 21, at an average of $5,329 or $444 a month. But then only
26%–compared to 34% now– were supporting children 21 and older.
Three-quarters of these adult children being supported live in a
private home or apartment (as opposed to another setting like a college
campus). Luxury? Maybe compared to the reality of young adults moving back home.
The Census Bureau confirmed the house share trend in another recent report, Sharing A Household: Household Composition and Economic Well-Being: 2007-2010.
That report found that shared households increased 11.4% from 2007 to
2010 for a total of 22 million shared households, with individuals aged
25 to 34 making up 45% of the increase in additional adults per
household. An additional adult was defined as an adult 18 or older, not
enrolled in school, and neither the head of the house, the spouse or a
cohabiting partner of the head of the house.
Welcome to the almost surreal world of
Santarama Buddhist Hermitage Society, a serene retreat set up by a
Buddhist monk and his followers about 16 years ago.
Bhikkhu
Nando, fondly known as Praho, is the resident monk of the centre with
its adjoining orchard bursting with an assortment of durian, rambutan
and other seasonal fruit trees.
Today, the orchard is run by two workers but it was once almost single-handedly managed by Praho.
Through
his labour of love, the 60-year-old monk has helped turn what was once a
piece of barren land into a bountiful orchard which he shares the
fruits with his followers and neighbours.
“It was a piece of botak (barren) land with only a few trees when my followers bought it in 1996 to build a meditation centre.
“As there were no proper access roads into the orchard, I had to walk in carrying tools and soil,” he said in an interview.
Praho said he decided to plant fruit trees for the benefit of the next generation since the land was fertile for growing fruits
It
was no easy task though. Due to its sheer size, it took him about five
years to plant the trees and ensure they grow healthily.
“But I
didn’t feel it was a tough job. It was fate, and I’m satisfied because I
knew someday people will benefit from this,” he said matter-of-factly.
In
the early days, his daily routine included working on the orchard every
morning after sunrise, with the rest of the time spent on meditation
and cleaning.
“I also do some reading, especially The Star which is how I get updates on the outside world,” he smiled.
Praho also spoke of several life-threatening moments in his orchard when clearing the undergrowth in the past.
“I came across a cobra or a python a few times. I was stunned for a second but I did not run away to avoid being attacked.
“I prayed in my heart, and each time the snake slowly went away. Thanks to Buddha, I am safe,” he said.
Despite
having numerous durian, rambutan, mangosteen, cempedak, papaya, nutmeg
and lime trees, he has no intention of selling them.
“I give the
fruits to my followers and the people living around here,” he said,
adding that the fruits were not meant for commercial purposes.
Praho cited an incident when a man was caught stealing fruits in the orchard.
“He
had been doing it a few times but one day I caught him in action and
told him it is a great sin to steal from a religious place.
“I
said he could get the fruits free if he asked for them. I never saw him
again after that,” he laughed, adding the centre was also broken into
four times but only a small amount of money was taken.
On why he
joined monkhood, Praho said he renounced earthly pleasures to be a
Theravada monk in 1982 at the age of 29 after witnessing a series of
unhappiness and sufferings.
“I never thought I would end up as a monk one day,” he said.
“I was born to a poor family and had six siblings, and I was ill when I was small.
“Due
to an unfortunate incident at school, I became paralysed at the age of
15. I vowed that if I were to recover, I would become a monk for a
month. After two years, I recovered,” he added.
He said he then became a wireman and later realised that life was impermanent.
“Life is meaningless if you are rich but living in fear.
“Anything can happen anytime,” he said.
“I
couldn’t stand to see the sufferings people have to endure, and decided
to become a monk and spread the teachings of Buddha,” he added.
There is a 10m Bodhi tree which was planted when the centre was opened, two halls and 14 huts (kutty) for meditation.
Local and foreign monks would arrive at the centre occasionally for meditation.
The
centre is located at 138 Mukim 5, Balik Pulau, Penang. It is accessible
through a small road, beside the Penang Municipal Council-cum-Social
Welfare Department building, next to the market-hawker complex.
The man is alleged to be the mastermind behind a syndicate which had
duped more than 500 investors nationwide into parting with between
RM25,000 and RM80,000 each under a racket similar to the Ponzi scheme.
Over the short span of about a year that the scheme was active, the
syndicate also took ownership of more than 200 properties mainly
apartments and flats units worth about RM15 million under the lawyer’s
name and several of his proxies.
According to sources, the syndicate had offered a list of properties
it owned to investors for low prices on a deal to help them re-sell it
at much higher prices.
Upon the victims picking the property of their choice and settling
payment in full, the syndicate produced fake sale-and-purchase and
ownership documents.
With the dud documents, the victims were given the notion that they
were the new owners of the property and were assured of earning rental
income from it until it is sold at a profit.
Police learnt that the ownership of the properties never changed
hands and went on to remain in the names of the syndicate members.
The “sold” properties were then “resold” several times again to other
potential investors who were also given fake ownership documentation.
Last year, several investors who realised they had been fleeced by
the syndicate lodged police reports at the Brickfieldspolice station.
An investigation was initiated by the police Commercial Crime
Investigation Department (CCID) after elements of fraud and illegal
deposit-taking was found in the case.
On getting wind that the authorities were looking for him, the
lawyer, his accomplices and proxies fled the country together with their
ill-gotten gains.
Earlier this year, the Special Task Force (Operations and Terrorism)
Department’s anti-money laundering branch was roped in to assist in the
probe.
After months of painstakingly compiling a list of the said
properties, the investigation team obtained a court order two weeks ago
to seize 79 flats and apartment units out of the 188 police had
identified.
Federal special task force director Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Fuzi Harun told theSun that police have sought the help of Interpol to track down the mastermind and his accomplices.
“Most of the victims were retirees and senior citizens from the
middle and low-income groups who lost either a large portion or all of
their life savings.
“When we checked, several dozens of the ‘houses’ sold by the
syndicate did not even exist or were not up for sale at all. The victims
did not appear to own any of the properties.
“They were merely given falsified and fake documents. We have
identified 188 and seized 79 properties so far but we believe there are
more out there which we are trying to trace, he said, adding that
Malaysian police have alerted Interpol to be on the lookout for the
suspects who have gone into hiding overseas.
Mohamad Fuzi said police believe there are hundreds of people who
have been fleeced in the racket and have yet to lodge police reports.
He advised them to come forward to assist police investigations.
The case is being probed as cheating under Section 420 of the Penal
Code while the seizure of properties were made under Section 41 of the
Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (Amla).
Charles Ramendran newsdesk@thesundaily.com http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/legal/general_news/lawyer_on_the_run.html
Buyers spend a lot of time looking at properties online, touring homes on the Sunday open house circuit, and talking to their real estate agent.
They’re laser-focused on finding the best home that meets their needs.
The problem is, buyers sometimes don’t take the long view of a property.
They’re only looking at a home as a potential buyer — and not as
someone who, years down the road, may also have to sell the property.
Given that homes are such a big investment, there should be a little
inside your head, picking away at your options and decisions.
As the home buying market starts to heat up again, here are ten things you should consider when choosing your next home.
1. Location, location, location
Perhaps nothing is more important than the three L’s, and there’s a reason why it’s said three times.
Location is extremely important when it comes time to sell. You can
have the worst house in the world with the ugliest kitchen and bath. But
put it on a great block or in a good school district, and your home
will be coveted.
Location location location matters on so many different levels. At
the highest level is the town where the house is located, then the
school district, then the neighborhood and the block — right down to the
location of the lot on the block. Keep all of this in mind when
shopping. Also remember that while real estate markets rise and fall, no
one can take a great location away from you.
2. The school district
The school district is right up there on the list of what’s most
important to many buyers. It’s not uncommon for buyers to start their
search based solely on the school district they want to be in. Parents
want their kids to go to the best school, which can drive up prices of
homes in those districts. Even though you might not have children,
buying a home in a good school district is always smart. If the schools
are desirable, homes tend to hold their value. As a homeowner, you
should always be aware of how the schools are doing, not unlike being
aware of your roof’s condition, the neighborhood development or city
government.
3. The home’s position on the lot
Where the home sits on the lot in relation to the street or the
overgrown oak are key elements in picking out a home. In the case of a
condo, an end unit vs. an interior unit is a key consideration. You may
have chosen the most beautifully renovated home in the best school
district and figure all is good. But if the main living areas are shaded
by a neighbor’s extension or the master bedroom looks into the
neighbors’ family room, you may have a location problem. Light or
privacy may not be a hot button for you, but chances are, they might be
concerns for a future buyer.
4. Crime
It’s a good idea to check the latest crime figures for a
neighborhood. It can give you a good snapshot about the number and
severity of crimes over a time period. So much information is online
nowadays that when you find your perfect home, a quick Internet search
on the area should provide you with the much-needed information.
Most municipalities post their police blotters or crime statistics
online these days. Don’t freak out if you notice more crime than what
you’d have expected. Crime, especially petty crime, is everywhere. If
you’re new to the area, consult with your real estate agent if you have concerns.
5. Walkability
More than ever, ‘walkability’ is becoming a key factor in the search
process. There are entire websites, apps and algorithms that help people
figure out how walkable their future home is. As a matter of fact, Zillow even has a Walk Score for most homes.
As people get out of their cars and slip into their Keds, they want a
home in a walkable neighborhood. People put high value on the ability to
walk to a store, school, work or public transportation. The more we
move away from cars and the more we see invested in public
transportation over the coming decades, the more of a huge value-add
walkability will become.
6. The neighborhood’s character
You may have found the absolute most perfect home, on the best block,
in the best school district and on a great lot. But there could be
circumstances outside your control that may give you pause —
specifically, the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
Check out the area late at night, early morning and in the middle of
the day. See if there are any odd weather or traffic patterns and try to
observe some of the neighbors. You may even go so far as talking to
some neighbors. It’s important to walk around, open your eyes and ears
and make sure there isn’t anything you’re overlooking. That next-door
neighbor practicing drums in the garage at 9 p.m. could be a source of
immediate neighbor conflict. Go into it with eyes wide open.
7. Don’t buy the best house on the block
Simply put, avoid buying the best house on the block
because there may not be any room for your investment to grow (unless
you physically have the house moved to a better neighborhood). It’s
better to buy the worst house on the best block, because you can improve
the house to add value to an already great location.
8. Is it a fixer-upper?
If you’re buying a fixer-upper, make sure you understand what you’re
getting into. Did you set out to buy a home that needed work? Or does
the home just happen to be in the most desirable neighborhood, the block
of your dreams?
Do your homework upfront. If you want to build an extension or add
another story to the property, make sure it is within local zoning or
building codes. Have the property inspected so that you know exactly
what you’re getting yourself into. Sometimes, what appears to be a
simple kitchen needing cosmetic work turns out to be a huge project. Ask
yourself repeatedly if your life can support a home renovation. Not
only does a renovation take money, it takes time, energy and emotional
stress.
9. Will the home hold its value?
A good real estate agent who’s been working the neighborhood for some
time can vouch for the long-term value or investment potential of the
property. But be sure to find ways to add value, or at least be certain
the home will hold its value.
The market may be strong when you purchase, but ask yourself, “Am I
in a seller’s market?” “What would happen to this property if the market
changed tomorrow”? Check out the median home value in the neighborhood as it compares to neighborhoods around it. The Zillow Home Value Index gives you one, five, and 10-year snapshots of how home values have gone up or down in neighborhoods and cities.
10. Taxes, dues and fees
Many people overlook the monthly fees associated with homeownership.
Nearly every property will have taxes, and any sort of planned community
or homeowners association (HOA) will have regular assessments.
Be sure that the amount of property tax and assessments are clear
from the get-go. If in doubt, go to city hall or do research online. If
you’d be buying into a condo complex, be sure to get your hands on the
meeting minutes, financials of the HOA and the condo documents. Any
mention of changes coming down the pike? Does the HOA seem well funded?
It could take one quick $10K assessment to immediately affect property
values if you need to turn around and sell your new home. And any
uncertainty about the building, its integrity or the financials could
scare off buyers when it’s time to sell.
Brendon DeSimone is a Realtor & HGTV real estate expert.
He has collaborated on multiple real estate books and his expert advice
is regularly sought out by print, online and television media outlets
like FOX News, CNBC and Forbes. An avid investor, Brendon owns real
estate around the US and abroad and is licensed to sell in two states.
You can find Brendon online or follow him on Twitter.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of
the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of
Zillow.
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