Gaurav Gupta: I think you will have to take into account the historical background of real estate industry. All of us know historically real estate was never a professional industry in the country before FDI came in 2005. The industry was really fragmented and the industry was with small developers and it was more like a family business.
Jhumur Ghosh: I am a little curious. In 2008, all the funds of the world were lining up for real estate and signing and today we are having this discussion, in just four years. How does that happen?
Track2Realty-Agencies: After making her foray into cricket with IPL Rajasthan team, Shilpa Shetty is once again entering a field dominated by men – real estate development. The actor has launched a company, Groupco Developers, in partnership with her friend and first generation entrepreneur Hem Tejuja, to develop housing projects in collaboration with land owners across the country.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Manoj John, VP, Corporate Planning & Strategy, RNA Corps maintains there is a correlation between cost of FSI and the nature of development that is viable given the high cost of land with limited development potential. If more can be built on the same land, the cost of land attributable to the project, which is as high has 50 to 80 per cent of project cost would come down. Hence, it would be viable for the developer to build residential projects at lower cost and hence make it more affordable.
I would like to ask the developer friends here when they say there is an ambiguity as far as ECB is concerned. Which are the funding routes that you find without ambiguity—whether it is private equity, QIP, IPO or any other route to raise money?
Gaurav Gupta: I would say there are multiple challenges for the sector.
Track2Realty Exclusive: For quite some time the developers in Mumbai were making pitch for the review of FSI in the city which they termed as archaic. Their grouse has not been lacking the merit also.
Atul Modak: The perception that you are talking about is true. On that we had a meeting with the members of MCHI-CREDAI and the focus was this poor perception that builder is chor (thief), not interested to give possession and he will take away your money. But that is not the case as in majority of the cases developers’ intention is good. They want to deliver project on time, but because of delays in approvals, added to the funding gap and he has nowhere to go once he has launched the project.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Objective analysis of all risk factors helps in proper selection of developer which mitigates completion risk and developer risk. Most of the investments involve creation of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) and provision of controls to REPE funds at SPV level by virtue of their financial investment.
Pranay Vakil: As a developer if someone wants to come and tell you Atul that instead of borrowing at 11.5 per cent or 12 per cent, whatever the rate lender gives you, you will get this money at 3 per cent, how do you react?
Ravi Sinha: But if we go by that yardstick, my question is that in the major real estate markets across India do we have that kind of projects where ECB would be viable?