Real Estate and Finance Minister seem to be at logger heads over the wants and needs of the sector. Interestingly when one proposes and the other disposes, both of them justify their stand in the name of “Aaam Aadmi”, the common man who is the consumer and the end-user. But in this cacophony of confusion the “Aaam Aadmi” is often found wondering as to who will ask for his wish list with Union Budget.
Nearly all the real estate developers, a whopping 96 per cent, across the country are cribbing for the sectors’ continued under representation in the Union Budget over the years.
As real estate prices shoot up and interest rates, the outlook for the sector does not look too bright. In its year-end report, Knight Frank has stated that new home sales in India have fallen by 25 per cent due to soaring prices. With the Reserve Bank of India tightening lending norms to developers and raising interest rates, the property market is likely to plumb new lows in 2011 as buyers disappear.
The RICS, an international, self regulatory professional body relating to real estate, has called for a mechanism for consumer protection and fair practices in real estate transactions. This will also help increase domestic and foreign investments in this sector.
Value and Affordable housing remains a segment where government should definitely continue to provide developers with tax free status which was available earlier. Rather than restricting it to unit sizes as in the past of 1,000 / 1,500 sft per housing unit, the government could instead have a maximum per unit value of say Rs. 15 lakhs for units near Tier I Cities, Rs. 10 lakhs for Tier II Cities.
While the Indian realtors have often cribbed on the issue of under representation of the sector in respective budget, they have seldom admitted the fact that the real estate has been a divided house over their wants and needs. Navin M Raheja, MD, Raheja Developers suggests a way out and asserts that tax sops given to real estate will actually increase the government revenue.
The period ending 4Q10 witnessed low to moderate activity levels in the CBD and SBD of Delhi NCR. The CBD, with its low vacancy levels, continued to cater to small office queries, while the SBD with significantly more office stock, catered to the larger corporate office space demand.
Don’t wait for the right time to buy a house expecting a price correction, say seven out of ten home buyers who are on house hunting. Contrary to the price correction reports, the property search of prospective buyers and sellers across the country have convinced them that cheaper house in 2011 are a fancy and wishful thinking. At least those who have done their home work on property search are pretty sure about it.
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In what real estate experts see as a sign that land rates are becoming more realistic, a 135-acre plot that belonged to the defunct PAL-Peugeot auto company in Dombivli has been auctioned off to Metropolitan Infra Housing Pvt Ltd (a subsidiary of Gammon India) for Rs 601 crore.