Track2Realty Exclusive: On the eve of Union Budget every year the Indian real estate sector seems to be fighting a losing battle with the government. For long the policy advocacy of the sector has amounted to confrontation with the policy makers where the sector proposes and the Finance Minister disposes.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Sales model in commercial office spaces that was only recently seen as an indicator of distress on part of the developers has, of late, turned out to be a smart business model by the MNCs. These multinational companies seem to have confidence in the Indian growth story and with long term plan they are investing into the purchase of these properties. Track2Realty Focus 2015 finds that it is not a distress sale of developers since the capital values and rental yields have both appreciated sharply in the last three years despite of impending slowdown. The shift of these commercial spaces beyond the IT/ITeS is the most significant trend.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Perhaps no other segment of Indian real estate would have taken as much beating as the retail one. With consumerism down due to overall slowdown in the economy, e-commerce emerging big to challenge the malls and the high streets back with innovations, it seems the mall developers had abosiltely no idea as to how to deal with the emerging market realities. Track2Realty Focus 2015 takes a look at how the promising retail in India could not benefit retail realty in its performance.
Track2Realty Exclusive: In the last few years a perception has gained ground within the built environment of Indian real estate that the environmental concerns are at loggerheads with the development. The collective consciousness seems to have believed that the real estate and infrastructure projects often compromise with the environmental concerns and to make a balance between the inevitable urbanisation and avoiding the natural erosion is not that easy.
Track2Realty: India’s retail market value was estimated at $520 billion in 2013, and is expected to grow to $950 billion by 2018. With a CAGR currently pegged at 13%, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow the fastest within the Asia-Pacific Region – with its market size doubling every 2-2.5 years. This certainly gives us reason for deep introspection. While the global growth rate of online shoppers is estimated at 8-10%, India currently has more than 10 million online shoppers.
Track2Realty: Provide on-ground impetus for affordable housing In the previous nine-month Budget, the new government outlined its vision for boosting affordable housing. From the upcoming 12-month budget, the Indian real estate sector looks forward to provisions that firm this vision up on the ground.
Track2Realty: Residential sales declined by approximately 30% y-o-y by the end of 2014 in the seven leading cities of the country, largely due to high price points, sticky interest rates and cautious buyer sentiments. The decline, which was noted across all major cities, was particularly steep in the DelhiNCR (National Capital Region).The slowdown was reported in the premium/luxury as well as the high-end/mid-end housing segments.
Track2Realty: Real estate stakeholders in every Indian city are looking forward to the upcoming financial budget 2015 to see whether it will provide any relief to the sector. Developers have their own expectations, because positive announcements for real estate buyers made during the budget will help increase the market sentiment, and therefore sales. The general hope is that the budget will provide cheer to intending home buyers who have been deterred for various reasons.
Track2Realty: Redevelopment is not a new phenomenon in Mumbai. Various parts of the city have being seeing redevelopment in pockets for many years as the city planning authorities strive to accelerate urban renewal and improve the quality of real estate and infrastructure, and developers strive to make a profit. The redevelopment process happens against a backdrop of the city’s fast-growing population and the rising demand for space amid limited availability of developable land.
Track2Realty: Knight Frank India in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has released the fifth set of findings of its flagship report – The Real Estate Sentiment Index for Q4 2014 October – December). The latest edition has captured the current sentiments of the supply side stakeholders, six months after the new government being elected to power.