Two Men on Either Side of a 75m High Building

In today’s video, we will review some bare heights and distance information before moving on to the main topic. 

Height refers to the vertical measurement of an object. 

Distance is the horizontal between two points. 

Elevation Angle

Consider a situation where a person is on the ground and looking at an object at some height, such as the top of a building. In this case, the line of sight is the line that connects the man’s eye to the top of the building. The elevation angle comes from the line of sight and the horizontal line. 

The Depression Angle

In another case, a person appears standing at a certain height about an object.  The line o sight refers to the path that connects the man’s eye to the bottom of the building. A line of sight and a horizontal line from the angle of depression.

Now let the height of the building is 75m and two men are standing on point A and point B.

Suppose distance AD = xm and DB =ym.

In the right angle Δ ADC, CD/AD = tan 30°

= 75/x = 1/ √3 = x = 75√3m 

Now in right angle Δ CDB, CD/BD =  tan 60°

75/y = √3 = √3y = 75 = y = 75/ √3 = 75/√3 ×√3/√3 = 75√3/3= 25√3

Total distance x+y = 75√3 + 25√3 = 100√3m. 

The Angle Of Elevation Of The Top Of A Building From The Foot Of The Tower Is 30 Degree

BC is the distance between the tower’s foot and the building. 

Tan is the trigonometric ratio involving sides AB, CD, BC, and angles B and C. 

In ΔABC, 

tan 60° = AB/BC

√3 = 50/BC

BC = 50/√3….(i)

In ΔBCD, 

Tan 30° = CD/BC

1/√3 = CD/BC 

1/√3 = 50/√3 [From (i)]

CD = 1/√3 × 50√3

CD = 50/3 

Height of the building CD = 50/3 m. 

Let’s take an example. 

You and your friends have decided to go camping. You reach the top of a ridge while hiking and look down at the trail behind you. Your camp is visible in the distance. You wonder how far you have traveled and if there is any way to find out. 

You can measure the angle between your horizontal line of sight and the camp using a small device known as a clinometer,  and you realize the hill you just hiked up is 300 meters high. Could you use this information to determine how far your camp is away? (Assume the trail you hiked curves like a triangle’s side.)

Elevation and Depression angles

If you know an angle of elevation or a depressive one, you can use right triangles to find distances. 

The diagram below depicts each of these angles. 

The elevation angle is the point formed by the horizontal and upward lines of sight. For example, if you are standing on the ground and looking up at the peak of a mountain, you can calculate the elevation angle. The degree of depression is defined as the angle formed by the horizontal line of sight and the downward line toward an object.  degree of depression is defined as the angle formed by the horizontal line of sight and the downward line of sight toward an object. For example, if you were standing on top of a hill or a building and looking down at something, you could measure the angle of depression. You can measure these angles using a clinometer or a theodolite. Clinometers and theodolites are there to measure the height of trees and other tall buildings. 

We will solve several problems involving these angles and distances in this section. 

Let the tower’s height be AB or the building’s height be CD.

The angle of elevation of the top of Building D from the foot of the Tower is 30 degrees, and the tip of the height of the top of Building A from the foot of Building C is 60 degrees. 

How to save tax on property – For sellers

When selling a property, sellers want to know how much tax they’ll pay and whether there is any way to reduce or avoid the tax. The article below focuses on capital gains tax for sellers who are selling a property.

A self-occupied house gives you two avenues of saving taxes which are the payment of interest and repayment of principal. You can get Rs 2 lakh deduction under section 24b of the Income-tax Act, 1961 on interest payment and Rs 1.5 lakh on principal repayment under section 80C.

What is a Capital asset?

Capital assets include land, buildings, jewelry, vehicles, trademarks, machinery, patents, and licenses. When a capital asset is sold and any profit is received, it is known as capital gains. Agricultural land is not a capital asset.


Capital gains tax on residential property for sellers:

To understand capital gains, let’s consider an example. Regarding residential property, there are two types of capital gains tax: long-term capital gain and short-term capital gain. We will now discuss these two taxes.

  1. LTCG (LONG-TERM CAPITAL GAINS)- If you hold a property for more than 24 months, you pay a flat rate of 20% tax on any capital gains. Exemptions are available in this.
  2. STCG (SHORT-TERM CAPITAL GAINS)- If you hold the property for less than 24 months, you will be charged short-term capital gains tax. The government taxes the individual at their slab rate of income tax. If you are in the 30% bracket, then STCG will be 30%. You do not receive any benefits for indexation (i.e., inflation). The amount for which you purchased the property and sold it, the difference will be taxed.

The following chart illustrates and differentiates between long-term capital gains and short-term capital gains.

CAPITAL GAINS ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY                STCG                         LTCG
TIMELess than 24 months(2 years)        More than 24 months (2 years)
TAX@Slab       Flat rate 20%
EXEMPTIONNo    Yes
INDEXATIONNo       Yes

Capital gain tax exemption:

Furthermore, we will discuss three ways in which you can save on long-term capital gains tax when selling residential property and other assets.

  1. SECTION 54- Under section 54, individuals and Hindu undivided families (HUF) can claim tax benefits on residential property they own. The minimum holding period is two years. It is important to note that only residential properties qualify for this section; commercial properties do not qualify. Next, the residential property must be a constructed property that you are selling. If you are selling the residential plot, then you will not get any benefit from it. If you invest the profits received from the proceeds in the purchase of 1 or 2 residential properties or the construction of another property, you will get a complete exemption from long-term capital gains tax.
    1. The capital gains from selling the property must be put in a new property which can be purchased within 1 year of the sale or within 2 years of the sale, in order to claim tax exemption. Similarly, if you are constructing a property, then for the forthcoming 3 years, if construction is completed, tax exemption will be available for you. Here, you only need to invest the number of capital gains i.e. profits; you do not have to invest the entire amount.
    2. FOR EXAMPLE: Twenty years ago you purchased a residential property for Rs 60 lakhs. And now sold it for Rs 90 lakhs. So 30 lakhs is a long-term capital gain (LTCG). Invest this 30 lakhs in 1 or 2 properties or some construction work; you don’t need to invest the entire 90 lakhs. The maximum capital gain which you can claim is up to Rs 2 crores. This exemption can be claimed once in a lifetime and will be reversed if you sell this new property within 3 years from its purchase date. If you invest this amount into bank fixed deposits or a savings account, this cannot be claimed as an income tax exemption. Banks offer a capital gains account scheme if you wish to claim the tax exemption.
  2. SECTION 54EC- Any individual can open a capital gains account. Any asset like; stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and house property may be used as collateral for this type of account. A 3-year holding period is required, with the ability to invest within 6 months. The maximum amount that can be supported is 50 lakhs, but all must be invested in specified bonds with a 5-year lock-in period. These bonds offer good returns on investment and are available only through this type of account.
  3. SECTION 54F- Now, finally, we come to Section 54F. In this section, any individual or Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) can claim tax exemption on capital assets other than a house property. Such assets include bonds, stocks, commercial property, and plots. The person taking the exemption shall not hold more than one house property. To acquire the asset’s value, you must buy residential property or construct it. This section does not cover any plots. The time limit for claiming tax exemption is 1 year back or 2 years forward if you purchase a property; construction is forward 3 years.

There are some other conditions under SECTION 54F and i.e.;

  1. The entire sale proceeds must be invested. Invest the entire 90 lakhs and not a partial amount or capital gains on which you can claim full exemption. You can only claim a partial exemption if part of the money is invested.
  2. If you sell this new property within three years of its purchase, the exemption will be reversed.
  3. If you want to claim the capital gains tax exemption, invest in a capital gains account. You cannot claim this exemption on a savings account.

Realtors upset with the policies of Bhubaneswar Development Authority.

The real estate developers on Thursday reacted sharply to the Bhubaneswar Development Authority’s (BDA) move to change the definition of “apartment” and “group housing.”

Talking to reporters here, Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) state president D S Tripathy said the new definitions are vague and will result in the harassment of people while constructing houses.

The draft BDA (planning and building standards) amendment regulations-2012 proposes to amend the definition of apartment as building constructed in one block having more than four dwelling units where land is owned jointly and construction is undertaken by one agency. Under the existing BDA regulations 2008, an apartment is defined as a building having six or more dwelling units.

Tripathy said under the new definition houses of joint families may become apartments. As a result, such families would have to meet the required road width of minimum nine metres, he said. Tripathy said certain apartments can never form societies for which at least seven members are required. Similarly, the new definition of ‘group housing,’ building with more than one dwelling unit, where land is owned jointly and the construction is undertaken jointly by one agency, is vague and don’t convey clarity.

CREDAI, which suggested its comment on the draft regulations, open for public suggestions, is of the view that creation of the new “settlement fund” and earmarking of 10% of all housing projects for economically weaker sections is not going to help the poor. “It seems impractical that BDA will construct EWS houses using shelter fund,” the CREDAI chief said.

The CREDAI, Odisha, suggested that the state government should formulate an affordable housing policy on the lines of Rajasthan, which looks more realistic, gives incentives to builders and subsidy to weaker sections.

Builders Losing on Projects Due to Falling ROI

Inflation and peaking cost of raw materials have started denting in the balance sheets of the real estate firms here. In spite of bleeding balance sheets and dipping return on investment, the firms here commit that they will give the housing units to the buyers at the booking price only. KC Naik, president, Mangalore chapter of the CREDAI, says there is a boom clause in the agreement with the buyer but he has not used it till now. His firm Mahabaleshwar Promoters and Builders is currently executing two projects of 260 housing units and will inaugurate another two projects soon. “We have been in operation since the past two decades and not even once we have used the boom clause in our favour,” he said.

His idea is to accelerate the completion period of the project when cost of raw materials start going up. All houses are not sold at one go. So the first buyer is the lucky one who will get it at the lowest rate. It goes by INR 100-200 per sq ft subsequently.

The ROI is dipping and builders are losing 10-15 pc on the projects. In the past six months, the prices of sand, cement, steel and flooring tiles have increased from 20 pc to 100 pc. Prices of rough sand, used for construction of slabs, is up from INR 8 per cubic feet to INR 16. Fine sand used for plastering has gone up from INR 9 to INR 18. Adding to the woes is the scarcity of fine sand. Likewise steel is up by INR 33 to INR 40 to INR 45 per kg and cement from INR 250 to INR 310 for a bag of 50 kg. Flooring tiles has also increased from INR 33 to INR 38.

Rent depends upon various factors

If we talk about rental system, it completely depends upon the age of building. The building of old age is not supposed to be as costly as the new building is. As we know that real estate do not comes into the category of depreciable asset, but still, the building with age factor more than twenty loses its rental market value. The fact behind it is the use of old fittings and loss of elegance with time. Most of the people prefer well maintained modern house for rental purpose.