It is generally accepted in the Indian market that rental yields in the country are often much lower than elsewhere in the world because relatively few people seek rented homes: 66 per cent of homes in Indian cities and 90 per cent of homes in rural areas are owner occupied.
Bottom Line: The practice of under-writing has created a peculiar…
Track2Realty Exclusive: While in many other property markets across the country the developers are planning freebies & discounts to attract the buyers, in Gurgaon the demand and supply cycle of the property market is showing a different trend altogether. With very few inventory hangover of ready-to-move stocks available and the macro-economic outlook reviving, the buyers are back in the market and even though a price rise is on the cards the festive spirit is yet driving the home buyers to the market.
Track2Realty: Demand for housing across leading cities remained subdued in the first half of 2014. Owing to high pricing and lending rates, buyer preference remained focused on secondary and emerging markets of leading cities; while developers began to offer discounts to boost sales ahead of the festive season. This general slackness in housing sales has been primarily triggered off by the Affordability Index going down in certain cities; although home buyers have been investing in markets that they perceive to be offering value for the product, as well as the preferred location.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Home buyers across the country find the reports of price appreciation a manipulative marketing myth. They blame a strong cartel of brokers/underwriters responsible for artificial appreciation which does not have any market logic. What comes as a bad news for the developers and promises to redefine the market dynamics of the real estate is the fact that buyers’ awareness has caught on the market manipulation that appreciates property prices unreasonably. It also indicates the marketing strategy of the realty companies is not grounded while operating in an eco system of brokers/underwriters to absorb the artificial appreciation.
According to the latest RICS India Commercial Property Survey, sentiment in the Indian real estate market has been adversely affected in the second quarter, as the economic picture in the country continues to remain bleak with the declining value of the rupee and growth forecasts being revised lower, along with a deteriorating global climate.
The commercial rentals in the country have not seen vibrancy this quarter as some localities have witnessed rental price correction in Q1-12 when compared to Q1-11. However, the southern part of the country, and some localities in Delhi and Mumbai did see per square feet growth figures over a period of one year. Overall commercial rentals in Mumbai saw 2% increase in commercial rentals, Bangalore saw 3% growth and Delhi de-grew by 7% over the last one year. These are the findings of a study by property portal 99acres.com.
Stock market is generally defined as the “Bull market versus ‘Bear Market’. In real estate, the expression has generally been all about ‘Bullish Market’, ‘Upbeat market’, ‘Wait & Watch Market’, and ‘Pessimist Market’. ‘Bear Market’ as a term has generally not been used in the context of the housing market. Track2Realty questions why? Is it because a ‘Bear Market’ is just not possible in real estate? Or is it because real estate as an asset class has an altogether different means of cost & benefit analysis.
I meet a number of stakeholders across the built environment of Indian real estate. One common narrative that has gained ground within the built environment over the years is that “this is the best time to buy a house.” Mind you! This narrative was being pushed through the throat even before Covid. Even though the real estate market in general and the housing market in particular has been going through a turbulent phase, the narrative has never changed its course.
While the pandemic Covid-19 had hovered like a black swan for the economy in general and the real estate market in particular, the developers across the country also woke up to the unexpected but pleasant reality that the client conversion rate had improved post the pandemic. A Track2Realty analysis.