The first quarter of the year 2017 started with demonetization, a bold move undertaken by the government which was directed towards enhancing the liability of all the transactions and to make everyone and everything in the realty market accountable.
The slowdown was predicted much ahead to the introduction of GST and RERA and we were prepared for it. Whenever there is a new law or regulation, changes are bound to impact any market and we must cautiously tread the transition phase. At the same time, the impact usually does not last long as people adapt to changes quickly. We continue to see good traction in our business despite these market challenges. Our business is based on certain core values, which we amplify to face tough challenges.
What has made Bangalore real estate market so very different? Has Bangalore been just blessed with climatic conditions, thriving economy of the region and talent pool or the developers in the city have been conscious to learn from the mistakes of other markets?
An outside view on the Indian real estate market may get confused with the fact that mismatch in delivery and performance is lesser in luxury projects than even affordable housing. Isn’t it a fact that buyers in low income housing are more price conscious and more concerned to check & cross check than those nouveau riche who have enough money to splurge?
The real estate industry stakeholders are elated with such a prospect since the tax slab being discussed at 5% & 12% is lower than the present taxation. Niranjan Hiranandani, President, NAREDCO said the move would benefit the consumers who will only have to pay one ‘final tax’ on the whole product. This is obviously a good thing to happen, and the real estate industry will welcome the move.
No one would like to admit or put on record but privately most of the developers maintain that their major investors have pulled out of market, both for land finance as well as for investment in the under-construction inventory.
On the face value the developers are maintaining an optimistic outlook, but privately many of them admit that demonetization, GST and job market uncertainties have collectively spoiled the festive sentiment this time around. Add to it, the developers running short of fresh ideas in how attract today’s discerning buyers, and it seems market is destined to remain flat.
With about 10 million sq ft (0.9 million sq m) of office leasing in Q3, gross absorption totalled around 28.9 million sq ft (2.7 million sq m) over the first nine months.
As per the data available with Track2Realty, the Malayalese and other South Indian NRIs are nowadays investing into Kochi and Coimbatore than Bangalore or Chennai. Gujarati NRIs are investing into Ahmedabad and Vadodara than Mumbai. Mumbai-born NRIs are investing into Pune and Nashik than Mumbai. North Indian NRIs are investing into Noida and Ghaziabad than Gurgaon. One common thread into all these investments is scaling down of property segment – from ultra luxury to mid-segment and premium housing.
In Pune, on the contrary, IT/ITeS may be one of the high demand zones for education, yet it is not that only IT/ITeS driven educational institutions are flourishing. As a matter of fact, and industry players agree to it, education sector has grown in the city in all the segments, be it IT/ITeS or any other professional/vocational education.