Track2Realty Exclusive: The capital city is witnessing a face lift with various infrastructural initiatives, increasing prominence of satellite towns and emergence of new business districts. The Master Plan 2021 aims at making Delhi “a global metropolis and a world class city” for which necessary initiatives are being undertaken by both the Government and the private sector.
Track2Realty Exclusive-Yearly Analysis: To say that Indian real estate is standing on a shaky foundation would be like stating the obvious. Pressure is increasingly building on Indian developers. High mortgage rates and the slowest economic growth in nearly a decade are taking a toll on demand. Costs are rising, too. The Price of steel and concrete has jumped to double digit. The pipeline of cash has already dried up.
Track2Realty: Tata Housing has announced a non-binding MoU of Rs. 3500 crore with the Government of Gujarat at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Gandhinagar, yesterday. This agreement represents Tata Housing’s persistent efforts to create sustainable affordable townships and has been planned for the suburbs of Ahmedabad.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Call it being overt critical on the realty business or my sense of introspection, I maintain that the biggest drawbacks in the sector is we are not sure what precisely we want from the government, nor is there any clarity as to how this will help the sector; whether our demands are feasible from ethical, financial or legislative point of view.
Track2Realty: Concerns over cost reduction and a cautious approach by occupiers had a negative impact on leasing activity across key markets in India. With major corporates continuing to review expansion plans and focusing on improving existing space utilization to control costs; key markets across India witnessed almost 26% decline in absorption of prime office space during 2012.
Track2Realty Exclusive-Yearly Analysis: The biggest question for the realty sector today is whether 2013 will help them get out of the vicious circle, which came disguised as the pipeline visibility over the years. Many believe everyone is getting ready with own respective strategy and the year ahead holds promise. Some of the leading companies are already selling their land bank at discounted prices to turn the tide.
Track2Realty Exclusive-Yearly Analysis: Indian banks lending to real estate sector grew by 10.4% in the fiscal year ended March 2010 to Rs.5.8 trillion, contributing nearly 17% of their loan book, according to RBI data. Since then it has nosedived and now the government also wants public sector banks to focus more on home loans and to streamline lending norms to the real estate sector.
Track2Realty Exclusive-Yearly Analysis:During the boom, many developers dreamt of transforming the urban landscape with millions of square feet of homes, offices and malls and set off on an aggressive expansion financed with debt that at 6 per cent interest was cheap by Indian standards. When the going was good, they went overboard with over ambitious big-ticket projects in various cities, many of which still remain stalled.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Most of the real estate analysts believe the year 2012 has been pretty disappointing and actually a waste. Anshuman Magazine, CMD of CB Richard Ellis (South Asia), however, feels it was better than expected. He asserts when the global economy is down and the Indian GDP continuously nose diving, any movement is a positive indicator. In an Exclusive Interview with Track2Realty Magazine talks about the learning of the year and sounds cautious with the prospects of the year ahead.
Track2Realty Exclusive-Yearly Analysis: Leading developers are resorting to desperate measures like selling their land banks, half finished projects and other noncore assets to reduce the burgeoning debt burden. The situation is set to become worse as land banks have already started shrinking.