Kruti Jain: I believe any funding available in real estate is gap funding. It is not about only the gap which is there in funding for real estate because what happens for other industries is that they have this reserve capital which is not their land or raw material, but is the actual capital they put in to manufacture xyz product and then they replenish the funds with whatever returns are accrued.
Godrej Properties’ stock offering to raise up to $90 million received bids for 18 percent more than the shares on offer, boosting the outlook for a newly approved process that companies can tap to cut founder stakes.
The over-heated Mumbai property market is taking its toll on the property transactions and sales in Mumbai property is the lowest of the six major cities across the country. According to reports, over the last one year leading to December 2011, residential sales in Mumbai have dropped by 28 per cent.
Parsvnath Developers is raising Rs 120 crore from Kotak Realty Fund for a new 100-acre integrated township project on Sohna Road in Gurgaon. Kotak Realty fund will get a 20% stake in the special purpose vehicle that will develop the yet unnamed project, according to the sources close to the development.
Sunil Dahiya: Pranay, the most important thing is the background of the investor from the developer’s perspective. My understanding may be a little limited because I come form the Delhi NCR market and as you know, it is a very localized subject. But being in the governing council of NAREDCO at the national level, where Knight Frank is knowledge partner, one of the presentations that we had in 2008 with the idea that where the industry has lost its bearing and funding was the main agenda.
By allowing external commercial borrowings (ECBs) in the low-cost housing segment, the supply of affordable housing projects will increase in the outskirts of Mumbai in areas such as Karjat, Boisar, Nalasopara, Virar, Dombivili etc. on the heels of increased liquidity for budget home projects.
Over the last one year, capital values rose by more than 30-35% in Gurgaon’s residential sector. Developers are now going slow on execution of real estate projects, resulting in a drop in supply of residential apartments in most prime markets. Emerging residential areas are still not able to meet the huge housing demand.
The rate at which economy is growing our urban centers shall add at least 100 million people by year 2020 merely on the account of urbanization. To provide housing to so many people India needs to invest a trillion dollars over the next 10 years. This is equivalent to 80 times our education budget allocation for year 2011-12.
It is a highly disappointing budget. The Finance Minister has miserably failed in highlighting the importance the role of Housing in economy, employment generation, apart from the very need of housing. The announcements on ECB for affordable housing is a minor respite but still meaningless.
“For the real estate and housing sector, this years’ budget has exceeded expectations given the pressure on fiscal situation. Most importantly, it has taken into account the crying need to focus on affordable housing sector by allowing ECB for low cost housing, road as well as construction. Withholding tax on ECBs for affordable housing has been reduced from 20% to 5% for 3 years and this move will help ease the liquidity in the sector.