Rush for duplexes
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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 28, 2017
– as persons reconsider their applications By Navendra Seoraj DUPLEXES seem to be “catching the eyes” of Guyanese who are turning out in their hundreds to participate in the “Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond” exposition, being held at Perseverance on the East Bank of Demerara. The talk among persons at the exposition is focused on the duplex houses that are fairly new to the local market. A duplex house is de-
fined as a dwelling having apartments with separate entrances for two households. This includes two-storey houses having a complete apartment on each floor and also side-by-side apartments on a single lot that share a common wall. The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has six duplexes and two single units of about 600 to 800 sq. ft. on display. Persons have already started asking for more of the houses. When the
Guyana Chronicle visited the Expo the duplexes were swarming with people who were enquiring about the dimensions of the houses and how they could acquire one. An official of the CH&PA told this publication, a number of persons have shown an interest in the duplex houses. “Some of the persons are interested in the single-lot houses, but not as much as the duplexes, which seem to be catching the eyes,” said the official
One of the wooden duplex houses that were on display
A one-storey duplex house
who was in the CH&PA’s booth. At the booth, persons lined up to enquire how they could change their applications for single lots to duplex houses instead, which range from $5 million to $7 million. According to the official, persons who have an interest in the house and already have an application in place are required to go to the CH&PA or indicate their preference to a representative at the CH&PA booth so that it can be registered. Persons will then be contacted after a proper vetting is done. So far, the houses have drawn the attention of
mostly elderly and middle aged persons, therefore, the CH&PA is calling on more youths to come out and make their decisions at an early age. Meanwhile, although persons were overwhelmed by the houses which had modern designs, they indicated that the prices should have been on display. The housing expo will continue until tomorrow. Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson, had said at the opening of the expo on Friday that she would aim to hold a housing expo in every new housing scheme. Patterson who birthed
the housing expo initiative, in a surprise announcement said that the housing ministry had lowered the land cost for the properties displayed at the Perseverance model village. The low-income earner would now pay $300,000 instead of the initial $500,000, while moderate and middle income earners pay $500,000 and $700,000 respectively. The minister noted that potential home-owners can contact their contractor of choice to build the home they want from the model village. Singleunit homes were built by private contractors. They are allowed to price the properties.
Housing expo contractors warned against overpricing THE Central Housing and Planning Authority has cautioned private contractors participating in the Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond Exhibition that prices of housing units should fall within the category they agreed to construct. According to a release, the agency signed contracts with 14 private contractors to build hous-
ing units within three categories: low, moderate and middle-income. “The Central Housing and Planning Authority is advising contractors that the prices of houses on display must be consistent with the categories they were contracted to build,” the release stated. Below is a table outlining the category and square footage of the units.
Some of the houses at the exhibition which opened on Saturday