Track2Realty Exclusive: At a time when the critics of Mumbai real estate were busy with the conspiracy theory and prophets of doomsday were writing the obituary, with the report suggesting the city market sitting over 48 months of inventory lending credence to such conspiracy theory, there has been an under-current in the Mumbai property market where some of the smart developers were devising new strategies to beat the slowdown.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The steady growth of the Coimbatore property market even in the wake of the overall economic slowdown makes it a curious case for many analysts. It is convenient to say that the market of Coimbatore real estate is by and large end-user driven and hence a realistic market to sustain the effects of slowdown.
Track2Realty Exclusive: While the property markets in other parts of the country are busy with festive offers, Coimbatore real estate is showing no signs of gift, freebies and other marketing lucrative schemes. Prima facie it may seem like the festive buying of homes is not a reality in this part of the world, and hence no developer is bothered to lure the home buyers with gold coins, cars, foreign tours or outright discount.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Some other developers maintain property exhibitions aim to bring property buyers and developers on a common platform, where home buyers can access a range of properties that suit their price points. Property expos serve as an avenue to showcase assorted projects to property seekers.
Track2Realty Exclusive: A Delhi-based brand strategist says property exhibitions are more about BTL (Below the Line) brand positioning. Requesting anonymity, he maintains that footfalls are not necessarily translated into actual buying. Even the sales figure that developers so glorify out of the property fest is, more often than not, accumulative sales figure of the given period.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The festivities around Navratra and Diwali are known to cheer up the sentiments of the property market. Reflection is always seen both in terms of upbeat mood of developers, as more launches are planned around this time, and the home buyers, as most of the bookings take place during this time.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Seen as the poor cousin of Gurgaon-Manesar till only recently, Bhiwadi is fast emerging as the property hot spot and the price appreciation in this sleepy town not long ago has actually been steadfast in the last four-five years.
Track2Realty Exclusive: There are analysts who believe the retail investors need to be exposed to this asset class through an institutionalized vehicle, which would be regulated. REITS is the ideal solution.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The question is why have not they blocked the mutual funds then? Pranay Vakil, Chairman of Knight Frank India has a simple take, “Because the mutual funds lobby is larger than the bankers’ lobby. They could not do anything about it. The companies into mutual funds are so large; they might just foray into banking.”
Track2Realty Exclusive: Many within the sector admit it is more often the case of lacking USP of the project added with the faulty communication and branding. This is being compensated by frivolous features which may bring the footfall but hardly translates into buying.