CB Richard Ellis, the US-listed property services firm, has emerged as favourite to acquire the majority of ING’s real estate group in deal worth one billion euro (USD 1.35 billion) to create the world’s largest property funds business, says a media report.
As the education sector evolves, factors such as technology permeation, revamped building designs, and focus on health & safety are likely to define education real estate. Besides, modern educational building design must prioritise flexibility so that spaces can be reconfigured to adapt to various teaching methods and activities, developing a dynamic learning environment. To address this and move away from traditional classroom setups, educational buildings now include collaborative spaces to encourage teamwork and group learning. Moreover, sustainable, and eco-friendly design elements, such as energy-efficient systems and natural lighting, are becoming increasingly common to reduce the environmental impact of educational buildings.
The surge in demand for luxury housing has been primarily attributable to a growing preference among affluent buyers for enhanced amenities and more spacious living areas that complement their multifaceted lifestyles. Moreover, the increasing aspirational class has significantly contributed to the increased demand for luxury properties. Furthermore, the rise in NRI and astute domestic investors in the Indian real estate market has considerably fueled the heightened demand for luxury residences.
In a report ‘India Market Monitor Q3 2024 – Investments’, CBRE indicates a robust 46% Y-o-Y growth in real estate equity investments, totalling USD 8.9 billion in Jan-Sep ’24 —the highest-ever recorded since CY 2018, surpassing the USD 7.4 billion total equity investments for CY 2023. On a quarterly basis, equity investments in real estate stood at USD 2.6 bn in the Jul-Sep’24 period. Domestic investors (predominately developers) took the lead with ~79% share in equity capital inflows in Jul-Sep ‘24. Singapore-based investors accounted for nearly 73% of the total foreign capital inflows, followed by the United States (~22%). Developer activity picked pace in Jul- Sep ’24 quarter, accounting for a share of nearly 47% in total equity investments, followed by institutional & collective vehicle investors (~36%).
Office leasing is likely to record a historic high of ~70 mn. sq. ft in CY 2024 across top 9 cities in India as per current estimates, says ‘CBRE India Office Figures Q3 2024’. The last highest office leasing was recorded in CY 2019 at 66.6 mn. sq. ft. The office demand will be driven by both global and domestic occupiers, who are expected to continue expanding their operations and consolidating their facilities to strengthen their market presence. GCCs are poised to expand significantly in India, accounting for about 35-40% of the total office leasing.
In a report titled, ‘Fortifying India’s I&L landscape with a new manufacturing growth formula’, property consultant CBRE claims that the manufacturing sector’s growth has significantly contributed to warehousing demand. The share of sectors catering to the manufacturing space, including engineering & manufacturing, electronics & electricals and auto & ancillary sectors, within the total warehousing demand across major cities, has increased substantially, growing from 15% in 2019 to 24% in 2023 and 25% in H1 2024. The total leasing for warehousing from these manufacturing-related sectors stood at 4.1 mn. sq. ft. in H1 2024.
This strategic growth is expected to be driven by a focus on innovation as these companies seek to enhance their technological capabilities and market presence. Moreover, emerging technologies are projected to generate approximately 4.7 million tech jobs over the next five years across diverse sectors, including manufacturing, retail, education, finance, and insurance. This surge in job creation underscores the growing importance of technology across industries and highlights the need for a skilled workforce to meet the evolving demands of the digital economy.
Mumbai recorded the highest potential SM REIT-ready completed office stock of ~75 mn. sq. ft. as of June’24, with around 10+ mn. sq. ft. of upcoming supply by 2026. Delhi-NCR recorded a completed SM REIT-ready potential stock of 70+ mn. sq. ft., followed by Bengaluru with 50+ mn. sq. ft. and Hyderabad with 30+ mn. sq. ft.. It is estimated that cumulatively, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru and Hyderabad could add an additional supply of potential SM REIT-worthy stock of ~36 mn. sq. ft. by 2026. Other cities such as Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai recorded 25+ mn sq. ft. of completed supply as of June’24. It is estimated that Pune, Kolkata and Chennai would cumulatively record additional supply of potential SM REIT-worthy stock of ~14 mn. sq. ft. over the next two years.
India continues to experience positive retail growth, attracting foreign retailers to establish a presence in key locations. Charles Tyrwhitt, a men’s luxury fashion brand from the United Kingdom, opened its first store in Ahmedabad. Additionally, Maison Margiela, a French luxury fashion brand, and Franck Provost, a French beauty and wellness brand, entered the Indian market by opening their first stores in Mumbai and Bengaluru, respectively. Other noteworthy expansions include the opening of stores by international brands, such as the Swiss luxury watch brand Breitling and the American luxury fashion brand Michael Kors in Chennai and Pune, respectively. In addition, the Japanese homeware brand Daiso Japan and the skincare and cosmetics brand ILEM Japan also opened stores in Chennai.
The surge in demand for luxury housing has been primarily driven by a growing preference by affluent buyers seeking enhanced amenities and more spacious living areas that complement their multifaceted lifestyle. Additionally, the aspirational class has been on an upward trend, significantly driving luxury sales. Furthermore, the rise in NRI and astute investors in the Indian real estate market has considerably contributed to the heightened demand for luxury properties.