Track2Realty-Agencies: Real estate firms, including market leader DLF, are taking a contrarian view on preferred route for selling promoter shares, as they are opting for Institutional Placement Programme (IPP) as against the much sought-after Offer For Sale (OFS) mechanism.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The costliest property market of the country, Mumbai has for long defied all the conventional wisdom of economics of demand and supply. It has been a market where a substantial dip in demand had no co-relation with the skyrocketing of prices.
Track2Realty Exclusive: India Outlook remains positive
Though the Indian economy recorded one of the lowest growth rates in recent years in 2012, indications are that the economic growth rate may have bottomed out and is likely to improve from the current levels over the next six months or so.
Ravi Sinha: In 2013 when most of the PE Funds are maturing, they may not be investing again in the real estate. So, from where will you generate the funds?
The transaction activity registered in Kolkata in 2012 was down by 42% during Q1-Q3 2012 compared to the year ago period. The subdued demand is the result of the uncertainty prevailing in both the global as well as domestic markets. Most of the corporates have trimmed their expansion plans and instead looking at consolidation to optimize their real estate usage and bring down the costs.
Ravi Sinha: I have a question here, and I will be very frank with Mr Tripathi. Any journalist who writes on real estate finds it very amusing that the sector has always tried to put the ball in the government’s court. Since you have been part of the government, how far will you agree to this?
Bangalore is the only major metro in the country which saw a year-on-year increase in take-up of office space in 2012. The total take-up increased by 9% to 8.3 million sq ft in Q1-Q3 2012, from 7.7million sq ft in the year-ago period as a number of occupiers took-up space for their future requirement for consolidation and expansion.
Track2Realty-Agencies: Housing prices have risen in 18 major cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, by up to 9.6 per cent during the October-December period 2012 compared with the previous quarter, according to National Housing Bank (NHB).
Track2Realty Exclusive: The Indian real estate today stands at a crossroad where it seems the government is confused, the developer is confused, the financer is confused and the buyer is confused. They all seem to be in a wait and watch mode but not sure as to waiting for what. While the government is sitting over two crucial bills that has far reaching implications on the future of Indian real estate, reforms and regulation means different things to different stake holders. With a tectonic shift expected this year, all the stake holders are evaluating their own cost-benefit.
Ravi Sinha: All said and done, land acquisition bill is going to be a reality. What are the issues that make you so critical of it? Is it just the fresh cost of acquisition?