Track2Realty-JLLI: Recently, the annual GDP number (6.5% GDP growth during FY April 2011-March 2012) released by the Reserve Bank of India resulted in a negative sentiment throughout the real estate industry. Consistent with this, in 1H12, the demand for commercial real estate moderated on the back of office occupiers that remained cautious about their expansion plans.
With overall vacancy increasing and business and investor sentiment low, why are office rents in many micro markets in Mumbai still increasing? In the recent past, many corporate decision makers have been wondering aloud why the rents and capital values in markets such as Lower Parel and BKC have risen in the last 4-5 months.
Office architecture in Indian cities has improved significantly during the last decade, in terms of aesthetics, sustainability, scale and amenities that it provides to the occupiers. There is a growing demand from occupiers towards better amenities at the workplace.
According to the latest RICS India Commercial Property Survey, sentiment in the Indian real estate market has been adversely affected in the second quarter, as the economic picture in the country continues to remain bleak with the declining value of the rupee and growth forecasts being revised lower, along with a deteriorating global climate.
Cushman & Wakefield has opened its new office in Ahmedabad…
Till the ‘90s and even early years of the last decade, commercial real estate was being built as just another asset class to be leased out to entrepreneurs who would start or expand business as and when required. Most office buildings were largely built in the central business districts of various cities, functioning primarily as the central node where most of the commercial activity of the city took place.
RICS India Commercial Property Survey suggests an easing in global strains has led respondents to upgrade their expectation in both the occupier and investment markets in the country. With real estate clearly feeling the effects of the softer macro environment in the previous two quarters, the market is now witnessing improving results across several indicators, which could signal the beginning of a turnaround.
Over the last few years, the number of HNI investors and corporates who are seriously looking at investing into Indian office space has increased manifold. Mumbai continues to hold its own as India’s numero uno office space investment destination, with companies from all over the world unerringly zeroing in on the financial capital.
Leasing and buying activity in the commercial real estate market in India remained sluggish for the first quarter ended March 31 of calendar year (CY) 2012. The total absorption of office space declined 12% in Q1 compared to the Q4 of CY 2011.
Phoenix has recently also sold 80 per cent of office properties in its mixed-use Market City projects in Kurla in Mumbai and Pune, respectively. It plans to launch another 300,000 sq ft of office properties in Mumbai in the next six-nine months.