Those who know Puravankara family are not surprised. After all, he grew up in a home where every dinner discussion was about business and opportunities, which would invariably veer towards brick, mortar and realty. He was mentored by a passionate and focused visionary father whose passion and perseverance made Ashish understand what it takes to build vibrant communities and enriching lives by offering families their dream of buying a home.
The Google search of Ratan Pandit, a prospective homebuyer, for Noida Extension market completely confused him. With various conflicting reports where one of the property consultancy firms endorsing the market as future investment magnet and the other one advising to stay away due to over-supply in this market, this homebuyer could not reach to any conclusion. Even various property listing sites were of not much use in terms of the understanding of the given market.
It is not that I don’t know about it; I don’t care about it. I have rather consciously developed this image over the years. I am never ashamed or apologetic about my identity or public perception. I very much enjoy the fact that not so professionals within the built environment, fellow corrupt journalists, shady builders and most stupid breed of PR and Corporate Communication specialists (sic) maintain a safe distance with a rude journalist like me.
Market dynamics are changing and we are aware that urban population is rising, more so in India. There is massive shortfall in infrastructure and urban housing. Due to climatic change and rising environmental concerns, more resilient buildings which are environment friendly will be required. There is also a perceptible change in the way people live, work and play. People are living longer; households are getting smaller; there is increased mobility; and of course technology is transforming the way people think demand the kind of homes they want and carry on with their lifestyle. Keeping all these in mind, we have taken new initiatives at Sobha to stay ahead of the curve.
Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited (MLDL) has launched ‘Happinest – Palghar’ – the first affordable housing project to be undertaken by a joint platform between the Company and HDFC Capital Affordable Real Estate Fund-1 (‘HDFC Capital’), a fund managed by HDFC Capital Advisors Ltd.
Sobha Limited has reported a 6% quarter-on-quarter increase in its net profit during the Q3 FY18. Its profit after tax (PAT) increased from INR 50.3 crore in Q2 FY18 to INR 53.4 crore in the quarter ending December.
It is noteworthy that Supertech has not only hit by the dissatisfied homebuyers but also been at the receiving end of government agencies and the law for two of its most ambitious projects, Emerald Court and Czar.
I am also conscious of the fact that a large number of developers are hoping against the hope that once the tide is over and investors return to the market their ordeal would be over. I may sound to be disappointing gentlemen but the era of investor driven real estate business is over.
The Consumer Confidence Report 20:20 finds that the developers who have been focused on the buyers with quality projects and meaningful dialogue have been rated higher by the consumers at a pan-India level.
The real estate sector is in dire need to communicate an connect with the stakeholders and society at large. In the name of communication all that they do is to hire a PR (Public Relations) agency for the purpose of brand building but do not understand what is communication in the right context.