Track2Realty: Considering the increasing scarcity of available land in our cities, it is becoming increasingly difficult to discuss affordable housing creation without also considering slums and their redevelopment. In latter-day India, almost every city has its slums.
Track2Realty Exclusive: A stable property market otherwise, Pune like any other city has also been witness to the slow sales in the last few years. The overall macro-economic slowdown had taken its on the psyche of the home buyers who were sceptical about the fortunes of the city property market. Even the buyers who had no affordability issue were also not unaffected by the bearish sentiments.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Navratra is all about nine days of festivities with 10th day being celebrated as Dussehra, which means end of 10 evils. In terms of its significance for real estate market which has weathered many challenges borne out of bearish macro-economic sentiments leading to slow sales, squeezed funding and inventory hangover, this Navratra seems to be the turnaround time.
Track2Realty: US-based realty firm Hines has announced a tie-up with a global fund to invest US$ 250 million (over Rs 1,500 crore) in various housing projects in India.
Track2Realty: The draft guidelines for trading in REITs in India have been introduced and allowed. For the very first time, there exists a tool to channel small savings into the Indian real estate sector. Not surprisingly, several owners of income-generating properties are now considering setting up REITs.
Track2Realty: While buying a home in India, stamp duty and registration charges are the most significant additional costs above the base price of the property itself. Close on the heels of this expense come the costs involved in registering with the local electricity board and having a meter fitted.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Though, a strong branding strategy could help deliver significant economic gains to developers, too much branding must be avoided as it doesn’t add any value. Developers should avoid excessive branding such as branding every single building or every single aspect of a project.
Track2Realty: The logistics and warehousing market in India attracted steady transaction activity, with large sized transactions of around 100,000–250,000 sq. ft. reported during the first half of 2014. The Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), Chennai and Mumbai accounted for the bulk of leasing activity during H1 2014. The automotive, FMCG, commerce, and third party logistics sectors were the principle drivers of demand for warehousing space in the country during the first half of the year, according to the CBRE report, India Logistics MarketView – H1 2014.
Track2Realty: CommonFloor.com has received USD 30 million in a new round of funding from their existing investor, Tiger Global. The current round of funding comes within months after it raised Rs 64 crores in last round from Tiger Global and Accel India.
Track2Realty Exclusive: An assessment of business confidence index of Pune real estate post the formation of a stable Government at the Centre is not as easy as gauging the mood of the developers across any other city. The precursor to the very assessment is fraught with a question mark that why will the business sentiment change overnight with the change of Government at the Centre.