While 2018 lived up to a fair number of expectations, there were a few misses too, particularly in the case of clarity on GST norms. Key highlights of 2018 were the creation of positive sentiments in the market by way of a robust office space absorption by emerging segments, as well as increase in the number of new launches and sales in the affordable housing sector.
The gross leasing activity in India was recorded at 36.4 million sq ft for the first nine months of 2018, up 26% YoY. Pan-India demand for Grade A office space was driven by the technology sector (48%) in Q3 2018, followed by banking and insurance representing 19% of the total leasing volume.
RERA was supposed to save the day for homebuyers, but that doesn’t seem to have happened – at least not yet. In many states RERA, in its present form, is currently either non-existent or a pale shade of what it was intended to be.
Now that the Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA) brings the brokers into its ambit, the question that still stands is: What are the grey zones left which are not defined in the prescribed Act? What if the broker or builder has made the verbal promises to the buyer? What would be legal position if the marketing firm/broker misleads the buyer without the knowledge or consent of the builder?How can buyer be compensated if he has bought the property on the promise of misleading claims?
A staggering infrastructure finance deficit is threatening Asia’s growth and prosperity. By 2030, an estimated US$1.7 trillion per year (or total of US$20 trillion by 2030) in infrastructure investment will be needed in the region to keep pace with economic development, sustain population growth and urbanization and mitigate the effect of climate change.
Analysts active in Navi Mumbai firmly believe that this NRI has got more than one upcoming node in Navi Mumbai where he can invest. Interestingly, the upcoming nodes have been more holistically planned and promise to have better infrastructure.
Indian cities witnessed a strong office demand in Q2 2018, with about 12.6 million sq ft of gross absorption recorded, indicating a 10% QoQ growth in office leasing activity.
The fact is that any outside view might baffle with the price point at Sector 150 of Expressway that is in the range of INR 6000 to INR 7000. Still, this sector is fast emerging as the first choice for the homebuyers, even though more affordable options are available in other sectors along the same Expressway at a distance of even 1km.
The risk could be arising out of Third Party challenges not discovered prior to the commencement date of the policy due to the Title of Property belonging to someone other than the Insured, Descriptions & Plans in Historic deeds of the property being inadequate, Historic transaction being subject to an act of fraud or forgery by a third party that adversely affects insured’s rights over the title of the property, Title to the Property being subject to Unknown Burdens or Discharge of Burdens which may have been imposed in historic deeds executed prior to the commencement date etc.
I often question how will honest journalism survive in this eco system. It is not that I don’t face the challenges and resistance of not being a party to this cartel of corruption. Forget the builders, even a large section of builders’ ‘paid & pet’ journalists have issues with me. I am, after all, a game spoiler for them who is spreading the negativity with brutal honest and ruthless journalism.